You'd learnt from experience that it was better to arrive in a meeting place early because you had less of a chance getting caught up in the traffic and more of a chance getting a table near the window, a favorite spot of yours.

In that way, you could see all the people passing by or entering the entrance for example.

So, after having arrived early in the pizza place and saying thanks for Jake in giving you a ride, you walked inside The Pizza Peel, finding an unoccupied table near the window.

How long would it take for Giselle to arrive?

She texted you early this morning to make sure you will not pull of missing out on her and she sounded so hilarious by demanding you shouldn't bring Jay or there will be a war between the two of them, that is her warning.

Giselle:

I'm almost there.. Wait for me!

You glanced around the place and to the other crowded tables - this is the first time you were meeting up a girl and the first time as well to earn a friend for a girl.

Usually, all you have is your mom which is really saying something about your social skills.

It all changed when you stepped into Bighit Academy where every boys seems to desire in bulldozing their way into your life.

Upon looking out the window while already sitting, you struggled to think of how the hell it was kind of cliche to meet the ex of Jay, though you have to admit he have taste at girls.

Giselle is surely pretty and classy from what you recognized the more you get to know her.

When you hear a greeting from before you, you met the smiling eyes of the same girl you were thinking about as she easily waved and then slid into the seat across you in the table.

"So?", Giselle said with a playful grin, "How has our ex been?"

You rolled your eyes, looking away from her to rummage through your purse, "I don't know about Jay. How about you ask about me instead?"

"Don't be like that", she said instantly, one of her feet kicking out to tap your leg, "Come on, I missed you over the time we didn't see each other. Don't you miss me too, new friend?"

You stopped your search momentarily to look pointedly down at her foot which she brought back into her. This is certainly not what you were expecting from her.

But you have to make this work.

"So Giselle", you began, lowering your voice slightly, as if to tell a secret, "Any gossips you can share about Jay as your boyfriend?"

"He's nice and caring and can sometimes be overbearing but he can be lovable except that he's a playboy", she muttered back to you with a smile.

She didn't stop from there as you ordered drinks and one large pepperoni pizza while she tells you all about their relationship. Jay had met her through a dating app apparently and of course, she could not resist saying yes to a date.

However, to your shock, she was not that serious and all there for the fun of it, so she wasn't that hurt over their break up.

"Just a quick tip, little girl", Giselle raised one finger, who had been watching you with amusement, "I should tell to stick up with a boy who will cry for you"

Sure enough, and without even a pause, Jake's face clicks in your mind instantly at her mention of a boy crying.

"That's a problem", you said, reaching across the table when the drinks is served, "I've already made a boy cry and he was so nice about it that it pains me to see him not getting mad at me"

You gave her a reassuring smile when you saw that she was looking at you in worry, maybe because of what you were telling her. A single glance over her shoulder and you felt your smile fading as a guy stopped in your table, tapping the surface to get your attention.

He's the usual kind of jerks you have to deal with, the type to think they can get a girl in a fast food joint just because they do not have a male companion.

Seeing that all eyes were on him, he smiled coyly down at you. You let out a deep breath, feeling Giselle tap your feet in the table as if to reassure you.

Of what? You had no idea but you were still thankful for it.

"Is there any a space in here for me?", he asked although it was plainly obvious from both of you and Giselle that he's not welcome.

Seeing the lack of response, he cleared his throat before winking down at you, "Hey pretty lady, can I sit here?"

"No", the answer came instantly but not from you.

The jerk looked over at Giselle at the sound of her voice and his thin brows with slits that made him look more of an ex-prisoner flew up in surprise as if he had forgotten the another presence in the table.

"There's still a seat -"

"And there's still no space in here, so why don't you go back to your friends and cry about it?", Giselle said with a smile, gesturing for him to leave still.

Left with no further room for argument, the guy turned and walked away from your table, much to your relief. The girls from behind you looks at Giselle in disappointment, but you only glare at them, for them to mind their own business.

You were silently telling them to try and say anything about her decision.

They must be the kind of girls who can flirt with almost all of the strangers, and they smartly turned back to their own conversation.

When you were sure that no one was paying more attention to the both of you, Giselle squeezed your arm that she still had a hold on.

"We girls need to stick together against the creep like him", she said, looking around in distaste before adding, "I need to make sure there will be no rival for Jay as well"

This made your eyes widen, not understanding her, "What?"

"The two of us already made up recently", she said dismissively before patting your arm when she saw the visible shock in your face, "Exes can be friends, duh? He also mentioned still hoping for you to get back with him"

"Giselle -"

"Relax, I have no feelings for him anymore", she assured you with a smile, "It's kind of fun to see Jay gets serious for once and how long you can act as if he's not a real catch"

And with that, you instantly took a big bite size of your pizza, not really knowing what to reply in this kind of topics especially with a girl who was now watching you as if you were her own new kind of fun for the day.

But what will she say if she finds out you were actually pursued by at least two more boys?

The two of them were even Jay's friends at school. It's a very complicated situation for you to even want to talk about it.

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Junho arrived at your house's front step on Sunday, at seven pm on the dot to take you away for a friendly date just like with Giselle's.

Alright, maybe he had arrived a little early and your mom had pulled him inside the house and teasingly told him that being seen eager wasn't always a good thing and he had been hold hostage by her until exactly at four o'clock.

Those hours felt pretty long for you to hear your mom gushing over at the thought of shipping the two of you. You can't even excuse yourself with her practically pushing you next to a shy Junho in the living room.

And because she was looking so happy, you didn't have the heart to tell her the truth, that you have another guy waiting for you at the dorms.

For sure, she would love Jake even at a first meeting. The thing is, they still never did.

"Are you ready to go?", you asked, peering into the front room where Junho sat beside your mom, discussing something.

"I guess I have to ask you tommorow about this date", Mom said with a teasingly smile, patting Junho on his knee as she stood up to her feet, "I can't remember a time a boy visits her to bring flowers"

"You got me flowers?", you asked in surprise as your mom walked past you.

Junho rose up to his feet, holding up the said flowers in his hand and it was surprising because not only it was the first time, but you don't really like flowers.

It's expensive and it will wilt in a few days, compared to the food where you can at least not starve for a few hours, though you will never admit it to him.

"I didn't know if you will like it or not", Junho said a little sheepishly, extending the bouquet towards you, "My mom said girls like it, so here is it"

"Oh, thank you", you grinned, taking the flowers from him and trying not to cringe, "But you shouldn't bother next time. I'm all for the food"

"How could I not forget about your love for eating?", he rubbed the back of his neck, color rising to his cheek as he cleared his throat, "Maybe we should get going?"

"Give me a second, I'll just put it in a vase"

You left the room momentarily to put the flower into a vase that was filled with water, and then walked back into the living room to find Junho with his back on the door.

Clearing your throat to announce your presence, it was obvious that you startled Junho who hurried to return his phone into his pocket.

You smiled at him as he turned to face you, "Should we go then? I'm worried my mom will return to say something more ridiculous"

It is really ridiculous of her to think you will consider the boy in front of you more than a childhood friend and a neighbor.

"We should", Junho agreed as he walked towards you, offering you his hand as he came to a stop.

You looked down at his hand for a moment and sees no harm in it before putting your hand in his. He smiled a bit at the action, linking your fingers together and then the two of you were off, walking down of the house with a leisurely pace down the street.

"I thought you might prefer to walk", he explained as two of you passed his mom's car, "Take a look around our childhood memories in this place as we walked to the cafe?"

"You thought right", you looked up at him with a smile, a friendly smile for a friend, "It's been a long time since I last walked in here, anyway"

"I'm glad you thought the same as me", He said, his relief was obvious and you laughed a little in response, wondering just what is he nervous about.

Giving him a smile, you swung out your joined hands with his as the two of you walked into town, just like the old times.

The old times where it was spent mostly with him whenever you runaway from the house during every fights of your parents. He must be the only witness to your sad days as a child.

He's the only one as well other from your mom to see you crumble after begging your dad not to leave, so that's why it's easier to be comfortable with Junho than the other boys out there.

Little did he even know, you cried as well at the day they migrated abroad because that's the first time you lost your closest friend in the heart.

"I walked through town yesterday when I saw the playground -"

"Stop remisnicing the old times, please", you nudged him and he chuckled a little self-consciously at your words, "You're probably the only one who knows it reminds me of him, right?"

"Okay, now let's talk about me instead", Junho admitted, giving you a little shove in return, "I think the hardest part of leaving and going to another country is this one thing - you weren't there"

"Well, who told you to go and leave me here alone?", you joked, not liking the way he made it sound.

"Well, maybe it was better that way", he trailed off, seeing the curious look you were giving him, "If we were in the same school for years, you would still be seeing me as a friend?"

"You clearly had no idea how you were scaring me now", you remarked casually as the two of you headed into the coffee shop.

"Scaring you now?", Junho repeated unbelievably as you sat down in a table, "Sorry, I didn't know what I was saying"

He really should for you can't take it if your childhood friend that does not have something to do with the triple threat liked you as well.

"What can I say? You crushing on me is a scary thought", you shrugged as one of the waiters take your orders.

But instead of rejecting it, Junho only grew further flustered, ducking his head to hide the red that assaulted his cheek.

It didn't work, you could see it all.

Or rather, you could see his flaming ears with a typical reaction of horror.

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