"Huh?" I croaked. His steady gaze was freaking me out. "Gosh, there must be something wrong with my hearing, because I could've sworn you just said you broke up with Irene..."
"I did."
"Wha–– Why? But you're halfway in love with her!" A train of thought hit me out of the blue, something I had read in some kind of girly magazine, "Is this, like, a guy thing where you get freaked out when you fall in love with a girl? And you have to 'distance yourself' to preserve your masculinity?" I glared at him. "Well, don't! She's the best thing that could ever happen to you! Don't jeopardize your happiness because of something stupid like this."
Because, ultimately, the most important thing was for him to be happy. And Irene would be perfect for that. I'd seen how he could break into a smile simply at the thought of her. She was perfect for him.
He looked astonished and slightly horrified. "What?"
"Your feelings aren't going to go away even if you run from them, you know," I said.
The glare was back on his face. "Boy, do I know that," he muttered darkly.
"That's why you should go back to her. Tell her you made a mistake, that you can't live without her," I said, nodding wisely.
His expression darkened further. "Don't go putting words in my mouth!"
"I know it sounds a little icky, but girls like that sort of thing," I informed him. "You have to be romantic sometimes. She'll be delighted."
"Okay, how 'bout this," he paused, then took a deep breath and said, "Jennie... I made a mistake. I can't live without you." Then he grimaced. "Damn it, there goes my dignity."
I ignored the pang in my heart. "Right. Now replace my name with hers and you're set." I made to walk past him, but he stopped me by grabbing my wrist with a growl.
I jumped. His fingers were ice cold. He must've been freezing out there in the rain.
"For the love of God, would you just let me finish!" he exclaimed in exasperation. "I broke up with Irene one month ago. I broke up with her and I have no intention of going back to her." I opened my mouth to argue, but he quelled me with a scowl. "Let me finish! I broke up with her because I discovered too late that I don't feel that way for her anymore. There's someone else I––"
"God, could you be any more fickle?" I cut in, giving him a disgusted look. "And you have the nerve to come lecture me on my fickleness?"
He gave me a look of irritation. "I can tell you're never going to let me finish what I want to say. So I'll just fast-forward to the end."
"It's not my fault you––"
"Jennie Kim," he said, in a voice that very effectively drowned mine out, "I like you."
Before my brain could even digest the words, I started shaking my head. "No. You can't just change your mind like that."
"Says who?" He sounded disgruntled.
"Says..." I flailed around wildly for an answer and settled for, "it's just common sense!" And when he didn't look the slightest bit convinced by my argument, "She makes you smile!"
