Mingyu's dating Tiffany. If he moved on like I told him to, then why do I feel like someone just punched me in the stomach?
"Mingyu Kim is dating someone, someone other than you and you're just going to sit here and do nothing about it?" Eunha looks at me, exasperated.
"I-well I told him to move on."
"So you're okay with this?" She asks, turning my head towards her so that she could look into my eyes and figure out whether or not I was lying when I answered. Smart girl. I always avoid eye contact when I'm not telling someone the complete truth.
"I'm okay with it but-"
"Not okay with it." She finishes.
Rose walks in just then, pulling a bag from Kwon Yuri's out of her boho-chic leather satchel.
"Berries!?" I half ask, half say, smirking leaning against the pale, 'rose' pink throw cushions on Rose's bed, since Alina was currently sprawled out on mine.
"Yes, and I'll share, wait.. how did you know?"
Eunha bursts out laughing.
"That lip color.. no cosmetic store would ever make it."
I giggle. No one would buy a mash up of purple and raspberry pink with a bluish tint.
"Do not tell me I walked from Kwon Yuri's to our dorm with lips like I'm Yoona."
Eunha snorts which leads to more laughter from my end.
"How come no one said anything?" She asks, pouting, which, with her lip colour is absolutely priceless. Eunha takes out her phone and quickly snaps a picture.
"Becauuuuse-" I say stalling for time.
"Because they probably figured that it was a look from one of your photo shoots." I blurt out.
"Yeah, I mean look at what you're wearing: a tank that screams cosmo-girl, with white high waisted shorts from a designer that's name I can't even pronounce, your brown braided headband and your leather satchel... doesn't exactly scream 'college casual'."
Rose lets out a sigh of relief and plops down next to me. Though I'm not sure if 'plop' is the best word, because with Rose, even sitting down next to me on her bed is a graceful movement.
She passes us the berries and asks what she missed. I savour the sweet, tangy taste of raspberries melting in my mouth, leaving Eunha to fill her in. Raspberries. The first summer I remember spending alone with Mingyu. Not with his friends. Not with my friends. Not with our friends. Just him and I. We were swinging on the tire swings his dad had set up for the summer, in his back garden, chattering away about whatever was important to us, six year olds...when suddenly I realised that he had stopped swinging. He had that look on his face. That look of pure joy, that look that he still gets even now when something childish makes him happy. Before I could ask what he was grinning about, he was back, with berry popsicles and had handed me a raspberry one. "I made this one for you because Mommy said that girls like pink. And you're a girl." He had said, shrugging innocently.
"Tzuyu?" Rose waves the 'rose pink' pillow, bursting the bubble that I was in.
"What are you going to do?"
"About Mingyu?" I ask, stupidly.
"You were thinking about him, weren't you?" Eunha says, accusingly.
"No." I lie, blushing.
"You-can't-lie-to-us." Rose singsongs and I blush some more.
"What do you think I should do?" I ask, hiding behind the cushion.
"Well, firstly, keep your distance. Sometimes visuals can be painful."
I peek out from behind the cushion in time to see Rose nodding in agreement.
"And talk to him, he should have told you himself." Rose adds.
I stand up to stretch, my foot fell asleep because I sat in the same position for too long.
Alina pushes me out of the door, locking it.
"Let me in." I knock on the door, yelling.
"Tzuyu, you have to face him sooner or later."
"I choose later." I scream back.
I hear Eunha giggle.
"You'll thank me one day."
I give the door one last kick but she sticks to her word and doesn't let me in.
I walk down the corridor alone, thankful that no one was present to see me embarrass myself that is until I see Mingyu, sitting down on the blue carpeted floor in the empty corridor parallel to mine. Hm, that's weird. The corridors are scarcely empty.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, more aggressively than I intended to, trying not to meet his beautiful green eyes.
"So you know?" He asks, concerned, his eyes meeting mine.
"It's all over campus Mingyu- how could you expect me not to?" I ask him, hurt clouding over my expressions.
He shoots me a pleading look and gets up and starts pacing while I stand frozen, pressed against the entrance of the hallway.
"Yoda, I-I like Tiffany. I moved on just like you told me to. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Don't call me that." I snap. "And yes, but you were supposed to be the one to tell me."
He holds up his notebook, as if it's a shield and I see little doodles of S<3J that only Tiffany would have made. Huh, who knew doodles could break your heart? I feel tears start to threaten to fall from my eyes. He moved on, he found someone that deserves him more than I do. Why can't I just be happy for him then?
"I'm sorry Yoda."
"Stop calling me tha-t" I say, my voice breaking towards the end.
"I have to go."
I start to run away and then realize that I should have given Mingyu some reassurance about this, about him and Tiffany .
"I'm happy for you. Tiffany's a really sweet girl." I call over my shoulder.
I see Mingyu smile, a smile that I'm unaccustomed to. Like he's older now, wiser, not the childish grin I'm used to... the childish grin I fell in love with. It's a mature smile, the "post Tiffany " smile.
I walk back to my room, and open my mouth to call out to Rose and Eunha but can only taste the salt from my tears. I swipe angrily at them and shout till my throat is hoarse and the door finally opens up.
"Did you tell him that you love him?" Rose asks, softly, handing me a tissue.
"Omg, I am so sorry Tzuyu ." Eunha says, taking in the expression on my face.
I throw myself onto my bed just as another wave of tears hits me, consumes me... my entire body now shaking with the pain that I feel.
"He likes her. He told me so himself. He's happy, and that's what I wanted guys. For him to be happy."
Rose shoots Eunha a look and they communicate with looks for the next two minutes while I weep into my pillow, too confused to care what they're even talking about. He told me he could never move on. His mom told me that I was the only girl for him and now he's with Tiffany?
"Uh Tzu-" I feel Alina lightly shaking me.
"I think there's something you should know." Rose finishes.
I bolt upright because Rose's voice gives her away. It holds sadness yet a hint of excitement, a combination that I didn't even know was possible.
"Mingyu-"
"Yes?"
"Still loves you." She says, softly and nods to Eunha.
Eunha opens a folder on her laptop and I'm completely baffled.
Have a British roommate and now I've started to speak like her.
"What are you doing?"
"You'll see." She says, winking. Typical Eunha.
"Operation: GJB." Rose states, giggling.
"Getting Mingyu Back" Eunha replies, to my puzzled look.
"Wait.. what?" I ask.
"You heard us girl. Mingyu's still in love with you."
"He isn't, why would you think so?"
Rose smiles, the smile that made her so model worthy.
"That smile, we'll see it on add campaigns one day."
"Oh just shush." She answers, turning pink because she's flattered.
"And you'll see."
Okay my roommate has completely lost her mind, thanks to Eunha. Picture one is an image of Mingyu, smiling his old smile while looking at me in the cafeteria.
"No explanation necessary." Alina says. "Moving on..."
She shows me a picture of him with Tiffany, still smiling but I'm in this frame as well and though Mingyu is laughing at something Tiffany said.. his eyes are on me.
"Tzuyu- don't you see?" Rose giggles. "He loves you love."
"No, he doesn't, he's just not used to not talking to his best friend and so misses me... I guess."
Rose taps her nail (which is currently showcasing a french manicure) on Eunha's back. "Show her another picture."
"The last one.. look at this!"
Alina shows me a video clip this time, of Mingyu at college orientation. Asking Eunwoo if he's seen me with any other guy.
I don't know how to react to that one, and so I stay silent.
"Are you finally coming to your senses?"
"Eun-ha." Scolds Rose.
"He-we're best friends.. we get protective of each other." I shrug it off. He's happy with Tiffany and they need to let this go. Chuck Bass once said 'If two people are meant to be, eventually they'll find their way back.' Huh, Mina would be proud, I'm quoting her favourite tv show. Eunha is speechless for once and Rose is stifling giggles. Stifling? Wow, it's a definite Rose influence.
"If two people are meant to be, eventually they'll find their way back. If Mingyu and I are meant to be, then eventually we'll find our way back. For now, he's happy with Tiffany and it wouldn't be right to take that happiness away from him or from her." I say, all in one breath.
"I appreciate what you guys are trying to do but leave it, please."
Eunha's upset, I can tell but she nods, as does Rose. Mingyu? Who needs a boyfriend when you have berries and best friends?
