Voices: A Bbangkyu Story

Chapter 11: Just Want to Be Loved

Chanhee and Changmin sat on a bench in the mall hallway, Chanhee looking nervous and full of regret. "Changmin I'm sorry. I was being really insensitive towards you. I didn't mean to be so rude and pushy...I just missed hanging out with you." Changmin missed his best friend, and he wanted to share the excitement of what was happening between him and Younghoon with his best friend, but Changmin was really mad about how much of a jerk Chanhee was being. Of course, Chanhee was always sassy, but he let his jealousy blind him and was insensitive to everyone. This was the biggest fight they had ever had.

Changmin sighed, he was trying to keep his cool, but it was hard. And he was even more upset that his moment with Younghoon was ruined. "You were such a jerk! You let your jealousy over Younghoon blind you and completely forget how I feel. I'm so mad at you, you have no idea."

Chanhee's sad eyes intensified. "I know and I'm really really sorry. I'll say it over and over again. I'll cry you a river. I'm going to change I promise."

"Chanhee...I just don't know. I've known you my whole life and you've always been like this. How can I believe you? It took now...our senior year for you to finally realize? It took me getting this mad and not speaking to you to realize this?"

"Q let me explain please!" Chanhee begged.

Changmin got up to leave. "I don't know. I'm still mad. I think I need time." Chanhee grabbed his arm firmly and didn't let go.

"I--I just want to be loved," Chanhee sadly said.

Changmin turned his head back, staring softly at his best friend. He shook his head and sat down beside him once again. "Chanhee..."

"I just...I had a feeling that you liked Younghoon. Whenever we hung out, I just felt so loved...so wanted. And when Younghoon came along I just felt so jealous. He was taking all of your attention and time. I knew you didn't mean it, but I felt like you didn't want to spend time with me anymore. I felt like he was stealing the love you give me. I mean sure I had Yunjin and the other Boyz, but I felt like I was losing my best friend. I didn't feel wanted. But once you told me you did like him, the guilt ate me up. I was being so stupid. I'm so sorry. I know I was wrong and that you'll always be my friend no matter what. I'm sorry."

Changmin was speechless. He now felt guilty for being so ignorant about his best friend's feelings. Chanhee might have been wrong, but now Changmin was in the wrong. "Chanhee...I'm sorry you felt like that. I should've been a better friend. I'm saying you didn't acknowledge my feelings but here I am disregarding yours. I forgive you...I'm sorry for being a jerk."

"Don't apologize. You had every right to be mad at me."

The two friends smiled at each other and solidified their apologies with a hug. Suddenly, a loud voice pierced through the mall, surprising the two boys.

"SARANGHAEEEEEE~~~WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~" Yunjin's powerful voice echoed throughout the mall. The two friends looked up from the bench to see their third musketeer on a stage platform performing the ballad version of "Into the New World" in front of a small crowd. Yunjin was a trainee at an entertainment company and preparing to be on a survival show, so her company would occasionally send her on busking performances in order to start building her popularity.

"Thank you everyon--OH MY GOODNESS! Look there, everyone! Those are my two best friends! It looks like they just made up! Finally! Everyone let's clap! Yay!" The small crowd turned to the two boys with confused looks and awkwardly began clapping with an overjoyed, brightly smiling Yunjin. The two boys politely bowed to the crowd before glaring at their friend, annoyed she was causing all this attention to be on them. Yunjin awkwardly laughed and scratched her head. "Okay! Thank you! This will be my last song everyone!"

The two boys laughed at their friend's antics. "I'm glad we made up. So what were you doing here with Younghoon?"

"Well speaking of wanting to be loved...he slept over last night because he got into a fight with his dad...and I may or may not have kissed him on accident--"

"YOU WHAT!?" Chanhee said, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

"--but he kissed me back! And--"

"HE WHAT!?" Chanhee yelled out, flailing his arms.

"--we came here so he could take his mind off all the stress with his dad at home and the pressure on him...he started talking to me about how he loved spending time with me and he wanted to stay with me forever...I was just about to confess to him."

"Oh my gosh! This is so amazing! Let's get you back to Younghoon! Come on!"

The two boys got up to leave before Changmin's phone buzzed. He looked at the screen, noticing a text notification from Younghoon.

Y: Sorry...I had to leave. My father demanded I come back bc he has to talk to me. Had to go before I get in even more trouble. Wish we could've hung out longer :( I'll see you at school Monday. Sorry.

Q let out a big sigh in disappointment, sitting back down on the mall bench.

"Q? What's wrong?" Chanhee asked.

Q texted Younghoon back before handing his phone to Chanhee, to see why he was suddenly so down.

Q: Okay np :)

Changmin didn't want to be upset but he couldn't really help it. Here he lost yet another opportunity to be straight about his feelings to Younghoon and he let it go. And here Younghoon once again listened to someone else and did what they wanted him to do.

"Oh, Changmin. I'm sorry. None of this would've happened if I didn't pull you away--"

"Don't worry about it Chanhee. Don't blame yourself. It's fine." Changmin decided to just keep moving forward, standing up with a smile on his face. "Besides just think about it. This gives me more time to prep for my confession," he said confidently with a wink. "Let's just go meet Yunjin."

Chanhee nodded and the two boys nodded before heading towards the stage with smiles. Everything was going to be just fine...

...right?

_____

Author's Notes:

In case you were wondering, yes it's Yunjin from Produce 48 (vocal queen)! If you don't know the reference I made in her performance check out the Produce 48 version of "Into the New World" to see her do THAT!