Remember When

What Am I To Do?

"Are you really going on that date with Somin?"

Somin was walking down the stairs when she heard her name and stopped dead. Peering down the railing, fingers curled around it, she saw Tae-hyung and Woo-jin smoking on the landing of the stair well.

"I am," Woo-jin said.

"I thought you didn't like her that way?" Tae-hyung asked curiously.

Woo-jin sucked hard on his cigarette and exhaled slowly. "Just because I diss her doesn't mean I don't like her. And I wouldn't fend off those nasty rumors about her in the company or handle her nasty suitors if I didn't."

"But isn't that just you being protective of her? We've been friends since university after all. Maybe you're just thinking it's your job to protect her."

"I've also been thinking of making love to her in every position possible especially when she wears the shortest skirts and beating up all the guys she'd ever dated." Woo-jin snuffed out the cigarette in the ashtray on Tae-hyung's hand and looked at him. "And I did beat up some of those assholes."

Somin's eyes widened as she watched and listened. She didn't know that. She did wonder why the guys who'd only been after her for sex disappeared after a short while of dating or why they avoided her after their break ups.

Tae-hyung crushed his cigarette into the ashtray too before responding, "But you never made a move. All those years, you just... let her slip by."

Woo-jin's face hardened and Somin felt a flutter of panic course through her.

"Is there a problem, Tae-hyung?" he said angrily, leaning in. "I supported you and Jiwoo. Shouldn't you be doing the same thing to me?"

Tae-hyung shook his head and told him in placating tone, "You know she's like family, man. I don't want her to get hurt."

"I'm not going to hurt her," Woo-jin said sternly.

But you did, Somin thought miserably, her fingers tightening around the railing.

You did, Woo-jin.

**********

"You're hitting it off well with Somin."

Somin was bringing back drinks for Woo-jin and Tae-hyung when she heard them talking about her. Curious, she hid behind the tree and listened. They were sitting on a bench on campus where they'd been hanging out, just shooting the breeze.

Somin heard Tae-hyung sigh before he answered Woo-jin, "She's easy to talk to."

"I heard the gossip about her, you know," Woo-jin said in a musing tone. "And I'm sure you did even though you keep zoning out half of the time you're here in university. But she's nothing like what they say about her. She's nothing like those spiteful rumors about her."

"Do you like her?"

Woo-jin fell silent and Somin held her breath.

"Not like that," he finally said and Somin felt herself die a little more inside. "Don't worry, man. I'm not going to take her away from you."

Tae-hyung chuckled. "What are you talking about?"

"You should date her," he urged. "She's beautiful, talented, intelligent and kind. I don't know who this girl is that has you in the dumps but don't you think it's time to move on?"

"You think I won't move on if I could?" Tae-hyung's voice rose. "I would, Woo-jin. But I can't. And I don't want to use Somin as a means to get over. She doesn't deserve that."

Silence, then, "I just want you to be happy, Tae-hyung."

"I will be, Woo-jin. Just... just give me more time."

Somin couldn't listen anymore.

She couldn't listen to Woo-jin pushing her to Tae-hyung's way.

How could he not to notice her feelings for him? How could he be so thick?

She shook her head, determined not to let this discourage her. Straightening her shoulders, she stepped out of the tree with a smile that would have made her theater teacher proud and joined them again.

**********  

"I'm sorry, man," Tae-hyung said, putting a hand on Woo-jin's shoulder, squeezing. "I didn't imply that you would. Of course you wouldn't. I still remember when you bust that senior's ass for two-timing her."

"He deserved it," Woo-jin replied darkly.

"But why now? Why go for her now?"

Woo-jin stared at him.

Then he muttered, "Because if I don't, I'll lose her. I want her to... fall for me again."

"Will she?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to do everything to make her mine. And you know what?"

"What?"

"I learned from you," Woo-jin told Tae-hyung through a grin.

Tae-hyung chuckled. "My way probably wouldn't work on you."

"But I won't give up." His grin faded and he whispered, "I'll never give up on her again."

Somin sucked in breath to pull it together. Then she moved away from the railing and went up the stairs.

She didn't what to think, how to feel.

But one thing was clear to her.

Woo-jin was not giving up.