24H | SEVENTEEN

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"It was because na unnie joahae (I like you unnie.)" Both Rumi and the boy froze and looked at each other. The boy coughed and looked away. Quickly placing the dishes, the boy bowed and left the ladies to their conversation. Rumi sighed and put down the cutlery she was about to use to eat. Rumi had hoped that Jangmi would wait until they are done eating so they wouldn't have gulped down the food in tense atmosphere afterwards but it looked like Jangmi had other plans.

Rumi nodded and gave her full attention to Jangmi. "I know it was pathetic and this is pathetic confessing like this after doing that to you. Unnie, I am really sorry. I know I have no right to give excuses or to explain myself but I don't want Unnie to think bad of me or make presumptions of what I did it for." Jangmi confessed looking into Rumi's eyes before looking away. "To be honest I liked you from the moment you saved me. It was like love at first sight for me." Jangmi chuckled to herself. "Very silly right. Everybody says I fall in love too easily, but you know what I fall out of love easily too. I thought this time it would be same too considering it was first time I had felt something for a woman. But the more I started to get to know you the more I got involved. I would look for any opportunity to see you to the point that you had to look for reasons to avoid me." Jangmi laughed.

"I tried my best after realizing that I was only making Unnie uncomfortable with all my feelings. Even if I liked you didn't mean that you would feel same. I know with all the advances I was burdening you so I stopped, hoping my feelings for you would subside but that night when everybody started talking about you and those rumours about you dating Gu Hwa-ssi, it was I like I couldn't hold it anymore. I knew there was no hope but I wanted to confess my feelings, just to let you know that Unnie, Joahae." Jangmi finally looked up in Rumi's eyes without wavering. "But that didn't go right. I ended up doing something regretful. I know this is like giving excuses but I was too drunk that time to even distinguish between right or wrong. I'm sorry, Unnie. I am really sorry." Jangmi stood up to formally bow at her but Rumi grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"Gwenchanayo." Rumi shook her head and asked her to sit down. Rumi smiled and let go of her hand. "Gomawayo, Jangmi-ssi for mustering the courage." Rumi spoke. She knew how was the conversation was going to go but she didn't expect to get this sincere confession. "I don't know what should I say after such receiving such sincere confession. To be honest I've never been to good with words or things like this. I don't even know to reply to your feelings because it is first time for me too." Rumi chuckled scratching her head.

"Unnie aarayo. You don't have to console me or worry about hurting me." Jangmi said. Rumi pressed her lips and nodded her head. "I know it's going to hurt you but Jangmi-ssi mianhaeyo." Rumi apologized giving her a sheepish smile. Jangmi shook her head. "Ani, gwenchana. You don't have to apologize. It was my fault from the beginning to attack you like that to now confessing my feeling like this and burdening you again. Ah, it must be so weird right?" Jangmi asked. "Having a woman confessing her love to you? I even got you in trouble with others. Ahh... it must've been hard hearing all those comments from others. Unnie jinja mianhae. I didn't even think about what you had face."

"Aniyo." Rumi grabbed Jangmi's hands again stopping her from getting anxious. "I didn't face anything nor did anybody had to say anything about it. Even if they did, I wouldn't have cared." Rumi assured rubbing her thumb over Jangmi's hand hoping to calm her down. "And I don't think it weird." She said making Jangmi look up at her. "I mean woman confessing her love to another woman. What so weird about it? It's just like one person liking other. I don't know much about love but I have heard enough to know that love doesn't come with any bounds. So, don't ever think or blame yourself for such stupid reason, okay?" Rumi smiled patting Jangmi's hand before letting it go.

"To be honest I have never felt such feelings before. Liking someone. I don't even know what it is to like someone? How do you even know you like someone? Is it really like what in see in the movies?" Rumi questioned carefully serving half of her pasta to Jangmi's plate, before cleaning and handing spoon and fork to her. Jangmi chuckled at that. She was like a baby; how does one not know about liking someone at this age? Unnie, is really something. Does she even know what are her actions making me feel right now? Jangmi thought. "Mianhaeyo, I shouldn't be asking you such questions to you."