Til Debt Do Us Part

032

Sooyoung was at my living room, binge-watching some episodes of Crash Landing On You, while I was finishing some articles in my laptop. I thought she was entertained enough but then she finished all the episodes, and I knew she'd be talking to me sooner or later.

Nonetheless, I did not know that our conversation would touch a topic I've been avoiding for long.

"So how are you doing with Jimin?"

"We're doing great," I answered so nonchalantly.

"Great as in you're a real couple now?" Sooyoung asked, "Have you erased the word 'fake' yet?"

I took a break from typing and spared Sooyoung a glance as I answered, "I mean, he's great. I'm great. We're great."

"I said, with Jimin," Sooyoung raised a brow at me, "Come on. Haven't you leveled things up yet?"

"I am not expecting to have this conversation with someone who had just a break up," I retorted.

"That was last month," Sooyoung grunted, "Besides, I don't waste my time mulling over trash."

I beamed, seeing that Sooyoung has fully gotten over his previous relationship. But then, she walked towards me and took my laptop away from me in order to make me focus all my attention to her.

"Hey," I complained, "I was working."

"What we need to work on is your relationship status," Sooyoung remarked.

"I'm fine!" I insisted.

"No, you are not! You're stuck with this fake thing!" Sooyoung replied.

Sooyoung gave a long and deep sigh before telling me, "You can't tell me that you are still faking things. Dahyun, you two are no longer proving to anyone that you are dating. You are dating for real, except that the both of you are still taking things like it's all part of pretend."

"How can you say that it's no longer pretending?" I whispered.

"Come on," Sooyoung urged, "What does your heart tell you? Do you think you can fake your feelings?"

When I said nothing in return, Sooyoung knowingly smiled at me and took my hands before holding them tight.

"Dahyun, you deserve all the wonders that love could give," Sooyoung told me.

"I-Isn't everything happening too fast?" I stammered, "I mean, it took years for Jungkook and I to –"

"You should stop comparing," Sooyoung interrupted, "Love happens at its own pace. There's nothing like too fast nor too slow – time is immaterial as long as what you feel is real."

I released a long breath, which told Sooyoung that I was admitting everything she has said.

"What should I do?" I asked her.

"What you should've done with every opportunity you were given," Sooyoung replied, "Tell him how you feel. Tell him that it's real."

"Wow, that rhymes," I commented which made Sooyoung roll her eyes in return. I gulped before asking her, "What if he doesn't feel the same?"

Sooyoung then gave me a reassuring smile before saying, "We do what we do best. We help each other heal."

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It was Jimin's mother's birthday party, and as the 'girlfriend' of his son, I was invited. Sooyoung helped me prepare well until it was time for Jimin to fetch me. He arrived five minutes before his promised time, and I almost said 'wow' upon seeing him. He looked so handsome with his combed hair and suit and tie.