“Look at that!” Yu Jin pointed at the lovely old couple sitting on the bench. The couple gazed into each other’s eyes as a sign of affection and love. They behaved as if they were together for a week than a couple of decades.

“I always wanted to be like that.” Yu Jin commented.

“We will be. Don’t you trust me?” Yo Seob held up her hand confidently and promised her. Things were going swimmingly good between them after their little date at the camping site. Yu Jin smiled back at Yo Seob, believing his words.

Yu Jin flashed another smile and chuckled quietly. Yo Seob looked down at her and asked, “Why are you laughing to yourself?”

“It still amazes me that Y.S is holding my hand,” Yu Jin looked down at their fingers intertwining each other’s like tight ropes, “I still can’t believe the two guys I love the most are actually the same person.”

Yo Seob laughed aloud at her reasoning and scanned around the surroundings. There were unusually many people in the streets today even though it was a weekday afternoon. People were just minding their own business, not even giving them a single stare. He was happy for the fact that no one was there to bother them at all.

“Isn’t it a good thing to be not revealing my identity?” Yo Seob casually said, “If I were to show myself, I could never ever have the chance to hold your hand publicly like this. Imagine having to go on a date, afraid that the paparazzi would hunt after you and take our photos. The thought of it frightens me.”

He shuddered.

Suddenly, Yu Jin released her hand from him without warning.

“What…” He was going to ask but Yu Jin froze in her position.

“I think you spoke too soon.” Yu Jin’s voice was not particularly different, in fact, she was slightly amused and a little startled.

Yo Seob looked in front to where she was looking at. He kept his hands to himself and coughed, “Ah, Ki Kwang. What a coincidence.”

“Yo Seob! Yu Jin!” Ki Kwang waved enthusiastically at them.

Yu Jin pursed her lips to control her expression and acknowledged, “Ki Kwang, hello. Great to see you here.”

By Ki Kwang’s expression, he obviously did not catch them holding hands. Ki Kwang did a special friendship handshake with Yo Seob and turned his attention back to Yu Jin. “Yu Jin, I was going over to CUBE to find you. Here, this is for you.” Ki Kwang handed a bouquet of flowers to her.

“For me?”

“Yes, I passed by a florist and these flowers remind me of you.” Ki Kwang scratched his head in shyness and asked, “Do you like them?”

“Oh,” Yu Jin responded awkwardly while sneaking glances to Yo Seob who was looking elsewhere, “I do. Thank you. But you shouldn’t have, really.”

Being nervous, Ki Kwang ignored her words and went straight into his words, “Yu Jin, I was just thinking… Maybe we should make up for the dinner we missed on that day. You know, that day…” He faded into silence while remembering the fateful day Yu Jin found out Yo Seob was Y.S.

“Well, actually, Ki Kwang…” Yu Jin stammered and tried to nudge Yo Seob for help.

Yo Seob frowned and punched Ki Kwang. Startled at Yo Seob’s sudden action, he asked, “What was that?”

“Don’t you remember we were supposed to meet Mr Lee to confront him about our resignation later this evening?” Yo Seob reminded him.

“Ah, that’s right.” Ki Kwang nodded but defended, “We can always do that after dinner. I have something important to tell Yu Jin. Yo Seob, you know it.”

I know it, exactly why I’m trying to stop you from doing, Yo Seob thought to himself.

“Omo, Yo Seob!” Yu Jin exclaimed and grabbed Yo Seob’s arm tightly, “I remember I left my phone at the place we went just now. We have to go back and get it back. Ki Kwang, I’ll call you later alright? See you.”

Without waiting for Ki Kwang’s reply, Yu Jin took Yo Seob’s arm and dragged him away. Yo Seob let her use all her force to bring him away until they reached the same café they went a few moments ago. Yu Jin folded her arms and grimaced, “We cannot hide this from him any longer, you know.”

“I know,” Yo Seob admitted, “But he’s my friend. And if you are really observant, he really likes you.” Sighing at the plight, Yo Seob pressed on, “He has never been so committed to girl ever since I have known him. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

Yu Jin shook her head but looked down to the floor. She knew how Yo Seob was feeling. Being in love in the same girl as your friend and knowing that your friend was the one who was going to get the most hurt in the end definitely was not the best feeling ever. Despite that, Yu Jin decided to play the bad role, “Yo Seob, this imaginary love triangle got to end.”

Imaginary. Yo Seob cringed a little at that word. However, it made sense. There was no competition between Ki Kwang and Yo Seob. Yu Jin’s heart was always with Yo Seob and there was no doubt about her feelings. Ki Kwang was a friend – but still a valuable one that you would not want to risk hurting. Hurting him would mean hurting both of them twice as much.

Cupping his face gently in her soft hands, Yu Jin gritted her teeth and became more determined in her decision and her next words to Yo Seob, “I’m going to meet him for dinner later.”

-

Yo Seob and Yu Jin returned from the streets to CUBE, bumping into Ki Kwang once again. Yu Jin was still holding onto Ki Kwang’s flowers tightly in her grip. The three of them stood in a circle and stared into each other’s eyes.

“Ki Kwang,” Yu Jin started speaking but in a flat tone, “I’ll meet you for dinner later, okay?”

Unable to recognise the tone, he beamed widely and nodded, “I will come and fetch you from the dance room later on. Yu Jin, shall we go for practice?”

Trying to force a smile, Yu Jin said goodbye to Yo Seob and was going to walk away with Ki Kwang to the dance room. Suddenly, hasty footsteps were heard from behind and someone bumped into Yu Jin by accident.

“Ah, I’m sorry!” Yu Jin apologised automatically and raised her head to see who it was.

“It’s alright…” Mr Lee replied and adjusted his suit by evening the crease. He scanned the face of Yu Jin and tilted his head. Instead of moving on, he moved an inch closer to Yu Jin and frowned while squinting his eyes.

Misunderstanding his intentions, Yu Jin bowed at him to greet him but he never moved away. He continued to stare at her with the most confusing expression and uttered, “You look extremely familiar.” He blanked out for a minute and asked, “Who are you?”

“Eh?” Yu Jin was surprised. Mr Lee had never really paid attention to rookie instructors like her and it was very hard for rookies to actually see him in person and talk to him, “I’m a dancing instructor in CUBE. Good afternoon, Mr Lee.”

As if not hearing what she had said, he prompted, “Who are you?”

“My name is Lee Yu Jin, sir.”

His eyes darkened and a low gasp was heard from him, “What?”

“My name is Lee Yu Jin.” Yu Jin emphasised on every syllabus, making it easy for him to understand.

What seemed like time had stopped, Mr Lee grabbed onto the pole beside the wall tightly, swallowing his saliva as though he had seen a ghost. From a confused expression, his face turned green and then pale. Yo Seob and Ki Kwang stood beside Yu Jin, as if to protect her from something evil, when they noticed the change in his mood.

“This can’t be. This can’t be.”