stay by my side · kim yohan

04

park sihyun

i was waiting outside the sports hall, scrolling through my phone when suddenly, i felt someone poke my sides.

i squealed as i turned around to see yohan grinning widely at me.

"you're still scared of tickles," he chuckles and i frowned at him jokingly.

"i will never not be scared of tickles," i reply, tugging onto the straps of my bag.

"anyways, what's up?" i ask as we started walking.

"i don't know actually, there are so many things on my mind and i wanna sort them out. i wanna talk it out with someone and you came into my mind immediately," yohan says sheepishly.

"am i troubling you? are you busy right now?" he asks again as he looks at me.

i shook my head.

"seriously but why do you keep asking me out to talk? i mean, why me though?" i tried to ask casually but i was honestly quite anxious about yohan's response. that was something i have been wondering about for very long and i really couldn't comprehend why.

yohan stayed silent as he was pondered upon my question.

"i don't know.. i just feel super comfortable telling you about my life and you're someone who would give me your honest responses and thoughts," he replied and i nodded slowly.

"i mean, you know back in primary school, i literally poured out all of my life's troubles to you," he chuckles.

"and you know in middle school we never spoke a word to each other?" i added.

"i know right! it was suddenly so awkward, like, i wanted to talk to you but it felt so weird. then i didn't know how to approach you anymore," he replies quickly.

"so we started ignoring each other's presence," i finished off and we both laughed.

"honestly, i wanted to talk to you but it seems like you were avoiding me sometimes," yohan says.

"duh, you were crazy popular in middle school you know. you were like a changed man," i reply.

"nah, i think i'm still the same old yohan," he says with a small smile.

there was a short silence as we continued walking side by side.

"soo what is it you wanna talk about?" i ask, to break the silence.

"ah yes," yohan sighs as we got back to the topic.

"do you know koo miyeon?" yohan asks.

ah.... so it's about that girl who glared at me in the sports hall? interesting.

"i guess so?" i reply uncertainly, wondering where the conversation was headed to.

yohan nods slowly.

"she confessed to me eariler on," yohan continues and my eyes widened slightly.

"i see..." i responded.

"and then?" i continue to ask when yohan didn't speak.

"i don't know what to do."

i cocked up my eyebrow slightly at his words.

what on earth was this boy talking about?

"what do you mean you don't know what to do? like, do you like her or no?" i ask, as if i was starting the obvious.

"i don't. the thing is i just broke up with kim haena, haena and miyeon are good friends and i think the two of them are in some kind of cold war... over me..." yohan replies.

i tried to stiffle back my laughter but i couldn't. i know yohan was troubled but this situation was kind of... funny.

from what heard from haseul, miyeon was those kind of fake and annoying girls and i bet haena's personality wasn't any better.

"yah! why are you laughing!" yohan exclaims as he nudges me lightly.

"okay i'm sorry. it's just... how do i say it... what are you worried about?" i ask.

yohan thought for a while but all he replied was, "i don't know."

"well, if you don't like koo miyeon just reject her and let the two of them settle whatever feud they have over you or whatever. or are you worried about how haena would feel?" i suggested, hoping it would help yohan.

"i'm not worried about haena, i actually don't even like her. i think i wasn't in the right mind when she confessed to me and... we dated for a week," yohan says.

"a week? oh my god kim yohan," i shook my head slowly.

"don't you know how to deal with confessions? i bet you receive them every other day," i say.

yohan sighs.

"everytime i receive one, i get so flustered. i don't know how to respond to them, it's hard to say no," yohan replies.

"quick question, have you ever confessed to a girl before?" i asked out of curiosity.

yohan though for a while before shaking his head.

"gosh, you lucky guy," i chuckled slightly.