Shadow

    Dammit.

    Sooyoung cursed in her head as she drove. She thought about how many times she's done this. About how many times she's had to drive over to her best friend's house in the middle of the night to comfort her over a relationship that will never work.
How many times she's had to restrain herself from telling Jiwoo about how many times she's caught Jungeun cheating just so she could see Jiwoo smile just a little longer. The times where she had to remind herself not to be selfish and just take Jiwoo for herself when Jiwoo is in such a vulnerable moment. The times where she had to either force a smile or hide a frown whenever Jungeun was brought up in the conversation.

    She sighed and continued her drive. She had gotten a call from Jiwoo asking her to come over at almost 3 in the morning. Naturally, Sooyoung granted her wish.

    Afterall, she is Jiwoo's best friend.

    Why do I do this to myself? I could literally have any girl on campus but no, my stupid heart had to choose the one person I shouldn't have falled for. My extremely adorable, dorky, and completely and utterly oblivious best friend. This is fucking fantastic. Oh and let's not forget that this "on and off" thing has been going on for how long now? Five or six years? I lost count after three. And for how long have I had feelings for Jiwoo? Since we were nine you say dear brain?

    Sooyoung felt a feeling of nostalgia wash over her. She remembered how many times her and Jiwoo would get in trouble for sneaking out when they were twelve. How they would always go home late when they were fourteen. How Jiwoo, despite Sooyoung's wishes, would always stay for Sooyoung's soccer practices when they were sixteen. How Sooyoung was the first Jiwoo told when she found out she had gotten into her dream college when they graduated.

    She also remembered the times when Jiwoo would cry because her parents were fighting again and Sooyoung had to sneak into Jiwoo's room to cover her ears and wipe her tears. How Jiwoo didn't want to go home because she couldn't bear having no one to go home to. How she would wait for Sooyoung because she couldn't do her homework with all the yelling her uncle did. How Jiwoo sobbed at their high school graduation, thinking of how proud her mom would be of her if she was there.

    Sooyoung was proud of how far Jiwoo had come.

    Until Jungeun.

    She had been having a nice day with Jiwoo. The one class that they had, had been cancelled and since it was their last class of the day, they decided to spend it doing something else. They had gone to this new coffee shop that had opened up just a few days ago. While they were drinking their coffee, Jiwoo was rambling about her day. Sooyoung couldn't quite remember what exactly Jiwoo was talking about. She was too busy thinking about how the afternoon light coming in through the window did wonders to Jiwoo's beauty and how she wished she had her drawing materials right there so she could capture the moment. Instead she took a picture that made Jiwoo a little pouty.

    "Sooyoung delete it pleeeaaassseee!!"

    "Nope."

    "C'mon you could've at least told me so I could actually look good."

    "That's absurd. You always look good."

    "You're just saying that."

    "No, I'm not."

    As proof, Sooyoung immediately put it as her wallpaper.

    Even after years of taking that photo, Sooyoung still has it as her wallpaper. Jiwoo still asks her about it. Sooyoung always gives her the same reply.