Now With U (Living In The Past - Book 2) (WheeByul)

AFTER 7 YEARS (Part 13)

WheeIn was halfway through lunch with Hwasa when an unexpected visitor dropped by, abruptly stopping their conversation.

"Hi!" Wendy greeted her two friends cheerfully. "I have an hour to kill before I have to meet Oppa so I thought I'd stop by and visit you. Where's Seul?" she asked, pulling up a chair.

"Um... not sure. Maybe having lunch with the boys or Yong," said Hwasa.

WheeIn kept shifting her glance between the quiet Hwasa and the oblivious Wendy, who had called a waiter over to ask for the menu. She was unsure what to do.

It wasn't until after Wendy had placed her order that she realized the awkwardness that surrounded the table.

"Um... am I interrupting something?" she asked meekly.

"Not really," replied WheeIn carefully, measuring Hwasa's reaction. "We just... weren't expecting you."

Wendy looked at Hwasa and finally understood what was going on when her petite friend couldn't seem to avert her eyes from her plate, looking solemn. "Ah. You're having a one-on-one, huh? About Xiumin oppa?"

"N-no!" Hwasa quickly said, lifting her head to meet Wendy's eyes and saw the understanding smile. She instantly felt guilty for lying and for being so unwelcoming towards her good friend.

"It's okay. I can take my lunch to go." Wendy raised her hand to call a waiter over but Hwasa pulled the hand down, surprising the woman. "It's really okay, Hyejin-ah. I can kill time somewhere else, I don't mind."

"No no. Don't do that. I'm sorry," Hwasa said, letting go of Wendy's arm. "It's just... well... awkward and kinda embarrassing."

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about," said WheeIn. She was relieved that Hwasa herself had managed to resolve the small tension between them.

"So it's really about Xiumin oppa?" Wendy asked and got a nod from Hwasa in reply. "Are you considering getting back together with him?"

"I... don't know."

"But at least they're talking again. Kinda," remarked WheeIn.

"That's good. I've always found it such a waste that things between you two ended the way they did." Wendy paused to thank the waiter who had placed her drink on the table before continuing, "Because I actually think that you two are perfect for each other. Reminds me of Byul and WheeIn somehow. Strangely."

"We were never as gross as her and Byul," argued Hwasa, pointing her fork at WheeIn who stuck her tongue at her.

"That's true but the way you ended it kinda reminded me of how they started." Wendy gestured towards WheeIn.

"See? Told ya," WheeIn said, happy for her friend's support. "Now it's up to you, really. Do you still want another chance with him or do you prefer moving on?"

"I can't do what you did," Hwasa told WheeIn. "I can't handle cold treatments or having to deal with someone who kept distancing himself from me. I want a relationship that comes from both sides, equal interest, equal effort."

"It started out that way, didn't it? He was equally interested and exerted equal effort, if not more. Maybe what happened was just a phase in his life. A rough patch that he had to go through," Wendy spoke again.

"I agree with Wendy yet again," WheeIn said. "Let's face it. You gave up. You both gave up. Hate to break it to you, Hyejin-ah, but this won't be the first or the last rough patch you'll go through especially if you decide to get married."