Sarang

I hate getting others involved in my personal problems. I don’t like the thought of being a burden to someone because of something I should handle on my own. I know that there are people who care about me, but if they get hurt because of me, I don’t think I could take it.

I don’t want to be bullied. I don’t want to be some rich girl’s target just because the guy she likes wants to be my friend.

If I’d fought back today, would I have to transfer schools again?

Clover

I threw my bike on the sidewalk and ran to Sarang’s front door. I’d texted her earlier that I was coming over, so the door was already unlocked.

I took off my shoes and ran up the stairs. I opened Sarang’s door to find her in the fetal position in bed.

Without a word, I sat on the bed’s edge. She looked up at me and immediately gave me a hug.

I hugged her back. “When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here for you.”

Sarang broke the hug and sat up next to me. “I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

I nodded. “I know. I was just waiting until you felt comfortable about opening up.”

“Yeah, it’s about why I really moved away.” Sarang started telling me her version of our past, pointing to a framed photo her mother had taken of her as a child. “When I was really small, Mom wasn’t super famous the way she is now. She’d play with me and my sister, sometimes making us her homemade tteokbokki. I didn’t like spicy food, but I wanted to eat whatever my mom made.”

She chuckled a little. “Things changed once the paparazzi caught her at one of her exhibitions for the first time. She usually didn’t go to them, so people were surprised that the woman behind those photos was so pretty. Once that happened, her career really took off! She started doing commercials and guest starring in dramas. She tried her best to visit as much as she could, but we all convinced her to live her life.”

“That’s so crazy!” I said. “When I first found out who your mom was, I was surprised.”

“Thankfully, you didn’t treat me differently because of it!” She smiled, but it soon fell away. “With Mom gone so much, the kids at our school thought my mom was either missing or dead. Some of the other kids’ parents even wondered if Dad was raising me alone.”

“They never listened to you either,” I added. “I remember how some kids thought the picture of your mom you brought was just a photo of Lee Jiyeon you found on the internet.”

“I mean, it was, but she’s still my mom!” We laughed for a while. “I thought I was done with those kids once middle school started, but a few kids from elementary school went to mine. They spread some of the same rumors, and it got to the point where I kept extra towels in my gym locker just in case someone accidentally dropped a bucket of water on me while I was in the bathroom.” She then told me how her father’s cover story was the lie she told me.

I knew something was off back then, but I was in too much pain at the thought of seeing my best friend move away. I didn’t think she was lying.

“Now the same thing’s happening all over again,” Sarang continued, “But it’s all because Nari thinks that Sora likes me.” She sighed. “She even threatened me to stay away from him.”

I smirked. “And what’d you do?”

“I didn’t do a thing.” She shrugged and weakly smiled. “I tried to sympathize with her, but with the way she acts, I’m not surprised he ended that relationship.”

I clapped my hands. “You’re damn right! I would’ve gone crazy too if an ex of mine was trying to stop me from talking to other guys.”

“Exactly! That’s why I thought I could talk to her and come to some kind of understanding! She’s so hard to read, and I couldn’t tell if any of my words had gotten through to her.” Sarang’s eyes started tearing up, and I leaned in to give her another hug.

She pouted through her sniffles. “I wanna see Yuri.” I didn’t ask her why. “Being able to laugh with him is what’s been helping me get through this. I’d look forward to lunch every day just because I know he’ll make me smile.”

I knew what she meant. I’ve been studying with him almost every other night, and I always end up laughing at something stupid he says. He’ll pull us off topic with some reference I don’t get, but I giggle like a dork at the end of every call. He still calls me by my first name, and I think I like hearing his voice say it.

Even though Sarang hasn’t said it yet, I can tell she’s starting to like him. It hurts, but my best friend deserves the whole world after what she’s been through. I may have “known” Yuri longer, but I didn’t start talking to him until this school year anyway.

It’s just a little infatuation, right?

Suddenly, we heard panicked running from downstairs. Sarang’s father was still at work, and the footsteps sounded too heavy to be Chunhwa’s. I wasn’t sure why, but I could only think of one person who’d run here that frantically.

“Yuri?” I stood up and turned around, thinking I’d see that familiar black bush of hair.

Instead, I found myself staring at crystal-blue eyes and a well-styled head of blonde hair.

Yuri

“Never in my life did I think I’d be talking to you privately, but here we are, Yuri.” Awkwardly sitting across from me in this McRonnie’s was Sora. I didn’t think he’d accept my invite, but when I told him it was about Sarang, he changed his tune and agreed.

“Yeah, me neither.” I took a long sip of my McFloopy. “But before we can talk about Sarang, there’s a huge elephant in the room I’ve gotta bring up.”

Sora took a bite of his chicken nuggets. “Go on.”

“I’ll get straight to the point. What would you do if I told you that Pink…Nari’s willing to give up on you?”

His eyes lit up. “I’d be happy! I don’t hate her, but she’s been making life very difficult for me and the people I care about.”

Yeah. Sarang. I could tell that he was talking about her.

“Somehow,” I said. “I ended up becoming friends with her.” I gave him a light rundown of the situation.

“So what you’re saying is, if I tell you the thing that I’ve been telling Nari for the past few years, I’ll be free?”

“Yeah, and she’s done bothering Sarang. I’ll make sure of that.” Sora’s wide smile only made my heart hurt worse.

“I’ll have to wait and see about the Nari situation, but if what you’re saying is true…” He shook his head and breathed a large sigh of relief. “I knew something was different about her when I visited her.” He looked up at me. “I never thought I’d hear her criticize me the way a certain piece of shit does.”

I clenched my fist. Now was not the time. “Sounds like she finally knows what a douche you are.”

Sora rolled his eyes and walked over to my side of the table. He took out his phone and set it to record. “I, Kim Sora, hold no romantic feelings for Jin Nari of the Jin Group. I say this with Heo Yuri as my witness.” He stopped the recording and held out his hand. “I’ll need your phone if I’m sending this to you.”

There was one more thing I had in mind for this meeting. “As for Sarang—”

Sora cut me off. “You like her too, right?”

I didn’t plan on telling him of all people today. “What makes you say that?”

“It’s ironic, isn’t it? We fight a lot about how different we are, but we have the same taste in girls.” He avoided my question. “I’d have to be an imbecile to not notice how the quiet guy suddenly laughs every day with a girl. The only people who wouldn’t notice are the girls who for some reason put us on pedestals.” He chuckled to himself. “That’s how I ended up attracted to someone who treats me like a normal person.”

His reason for liking her was a little different from mine, but after seeing how he and Nari were, I had to cut him some slack. “My reason isn’t as special.” I scratched my head and said, “I just wanted a friend, but my heart had other ideas. That laugh of hers is dangerous.” I remembered the meeting’s original purpose. “It’s kinda weird asking you, but there’s something we need to do for her.”

“Anything.” Another heart pang.

I felt like I didn’t do enough to help Sarang when she needed it the most. I visited her house a few times, but I felt so helpless when it came to the bullying itself. Unlike me, Sora actually went to Pinkie’s house and confronted her. I was only able to bring up the topic after everything had gone to shit.

That’s why Sora needs to do this in my place.

“Right now, Sarang’s probably at home hurting because of all this. I’m gonna give you her address so you can help cheer her up.” I started texting it to him.

“Her address? What are you, her stalker or something?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m her neighbor.”

Sora looked baffled, then he laughed in my face.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

He kept laughing. “I was wondering how the two of you got so close so fast, but now this explains it!” Finishing his chicken nuggets, Sora left the seat and put his hand on my shoulder. “Thanks. I know we usually don’t get along, but I’m genuinely glad that we’re not letting it hurt Sarang.”

“Yeah.” I swiped his hand off my shoulder. “Me too.”

“I’ll let you know how it goes, leech.”

“No problem, Trust Fund Kid.” We nodded at each other with what felt like mutual respect.

Once Sora was out of sight, I dialed a phone number.

“Yuri! What’s up?” Haru answered in a bright tone.

“Hey! I’m coming over, so I’ll need your address. Your sister and I need to finish talking about something.”

Clover

“He did?” Sarang’s eyes lit up at the mention of Yuri’s name.

Sora nodded. “I was surprised as well. He called out to me when our classes ended and invited me to discuss the situation surrounding you.”

“If you’re here, then where’s Yuri?” I asked.

“He didn’t say, but if I had to guess, he’s likely talking to Nari right now.” He shrugged and looked at Sarang. “But enough about him. Are you okay after what’s been going on?”

She started to nod, but she slowly shook her head. “I guess I’m dumb for trying to handle this by myself.”

“You’re not dumb at all.” I heard an unexpected softness in Sora’s voice. “You would be shocked if you knew how many people were helping you from behind the scenes.”

He took out his phone and showed us some messages.

“Haru too?” Sarang sounded shocked.

“That’s right.” Sora smiled at her. “You’re an amazing person, so don’t forget about all the people who care about you.”

“I need to thank them both the next time I see them.” Sarang said. “I hope Yuri isn’t taking things too hard.”

I glanced at Sora’s face. I could see that he was trying to keep his composure after hearing Sarang mention Yuri for the second time.

“You’re good friends with Yuri, aren’t you?” Sora asked with a slightly bitter tone.

Sarang thought for a moment and said, “He’s like my happy place.”

“What do you mean by that?”

For the first time in a while, Sarang genuinely smiled. “Do you know about flowers and what they sometimes mean?” Sora and I shook our heads. “My older sister’s always been interested in flowers, so I learned a little from listening to her talk about them.” She stood up and walked over to a potted plant she had growing on her windowsill. There were small yellow flowers growing in a bunch.

She lightly touched one of them. “These are yellow pansies. They say that when someone you care about is going through something hard in life, you should give them this flower. Yellow makes you think of sunlight and happiness, so it’s seen as wishing that person the best.” She giggled to herself. “He’s like a yellow pansy to me!”

Sora suddenly burst into laughter. “Y-yeah, the word definitely fits him!”

I crossed my arms and looked at him, narrowing my eyes. “What’s so funny about it?”

Sora calmed down, letting out the last of his laughs. “I’m not sure if you know, but pansy has a different meaning in English. My mother is from the United Kingdom, and I grew up learning English together with Korean. My uncles use that word sometimes, but I didn’t expect to hear it here.”

I started getting impatient. “Then I’d better not hear you call anyone that word.” It wasn’t a word I’d ever heard my English-speaking family use, but I could always tell when a word was derogatory.

It comes from experience.

“Either way, I want to know something.” Sora changed the subject, looking at Sarang. “Am I your friend too?”

“Yes!” She said it without any hesitation. “You helped me out a lot whenever I got lost in the school building, and I still remember how you smoothed things over with the gym teacher when I messed up the storage closet.” Sora’s face turned red with embarrassment, and I rolled my eyes.

If only he knew.

After another conversation, Sora and I left Sarang’s home. He called a driver to come pick him up, and I went to grab my bike that was laying down. I felt awkward being so close to this guy.

At first, I was as mesmerized as the rest of the school when it came to the Three Kings. I mean, I couldn’t help it! High school would be so boring if all we did was take tests and study all the time. Talking about three hot guys with idol-like looks made doing through the school day just that much easier.

Now I’m just creeped out at how much Sora’s been paying attention to Sarang. He judged Jin Nari for her obsession with him, but looking at how he’s been acting, I’m not surprised that they were compatible for a second.

“I can’t believe she cheered up just from talking about him.”

I pretended to look around, pointing at myself. “Oh, you’re talking to me?

Sora raised his eyebrow at me. “Who else would I be talking to? Do you see anyone else here?”

I sighed. “Listen. I don’t know what you plan on doing, but you’d better not do something that hurts my friend. Sarang’s strong, but she has a bad habit of trying to handle things on her own.”

“I can tell.” Sora looked up at the sky. “She’s independent, but there’s a sense of freedom in how she does things. I can relate to her independence in a way.” He looked me in the eye, a frown forming on his face. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but this situation is more my fault than anyone else’s.”

I was confused. “What do you mean by that?”

“Nari started harassing Sarang because she was jealous of her, but my conversation with Yuri made me realize how dumb I can be. I broke up with Nari a few years ago because of selfish reasons, and I didn’t give her any sort of closure. I ignored her and left her in pain when I knew that she has abandonment issues. I just…I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”

I gave him a pat on the back. “If you like Sarang, just watch out for the competition.”

Sora smirked. “I know. He has a head start, but I don’t plan on losing her to him.”

I stood there in silence with Sora until his driver came. A bad feeling came over me as I thought about the attention she’s been getting from these boys. This situation only happened because Jin Nari was jealous of her getting Sora’s attention. Sora and Yuri are pretty popular, so they might have other neurotic fans.

I’m more worried that Sora seems to be treating her feelings like a game. He doesn’t have anything to lose because Sarang isn’t something to be won.

I wish that things didn’t have to change in the end.