“Aren’t you going to listen to what I have to say?”
Since she had already started, she might as well be bold to the end. “Dongyu, I’ve only just transferred to a high school. I’ve like you since the first time I saw you at the school reopening ceremony! The chocolates were from me, as was the greeting card. I didn’t have the courage to confess to you. I also felt that perhaps this might be one-sided and cause you to feel troubled, but… these gifts are from my heart. Must you reject them?”
Dongyu was a very soft-hearted person. At least, every time I got into trouble and he was angry with me, I would coax him and ask for forgiveness. No matter how angry he was, it wouldn’t last long.
However, now, for the first time, I realized that Dongyu wasn’t at all soft-hearted.
Although the girl looked like she was on the verge of tears, he remained stone-faced was spoke coldly. “Don’t cry, and don’t feel aggrieved. I know you like me, but I have no obligation to respond to you.”
The girl probably did not expect him to be so straightforward and cruel with his words. Now that there were others present, she felt embarrassed and did not even think about the chocolates. She turned around and ran out of the classroom.
Only then did the boys started to react. They walked up and teased, “Dongyu, do you have to make her sad like this?”
“Yeah, that girl’s eyes are swollen from crying!”
Dongyu glanced at them and said calmly, “Since I can’t reciprocate, then I should not give her any hope.”
When I heard this, I was stunned.
On the way home, sitting behind him on his bike, I circled my arms around his waist and asked curiously, “Dongyu, do you receive love letters often?”
“No.”
“I remember that many girls liked you when you were in primary school.”
I tightened by arms around him. “Will you fall in love one day?” I asked uneasily.
I felt his back stiffen.
Then he ask gloomily, “Is there someone you like?”
“No!”
“I don’t like anyone but you,” I added immediately.
“This is only for now.” Dongyu smiled. “When you grow up, you’ll find a boy you like. You’ll get to know him, understand him, fall in love with him, and be together with him for the rest of your life.”
“Of course not!”
I said disdainfully, “I like Dongyu the most. I don’t like anyone else!”
Then as if trying to avoid this topic, he asked,
“What do you feel like having for dinner?”
Seeing that he had skipped the topic, I did not persist. We talked about other things.
But his words left me feeling uneasy.
… Will he meet a girl he likes someday?
Will he get to know her, understand her, fall in love with her, and be together with her for the rest of his life?
Then… what about me?
What would my place in his life be if such a day were to come?
That night, when he was asleep, I crept into his room and sat on the edge of his bed, watching him sleep.
Since we were little, I was the closest person to him.
God knew how many people envied this special status.
However, when I thought about the day when another girl would take my place, I felt indignant.
I lay down beside him. As I hugged him, a bold idea popped into my head—could I like him?
As soon as the thought hit me, my body tensed up.
The word “like” was all too familiar.
But “love” was rather foreign.
I liked him, but I didn’t know if that was love.
