Friend Zoned

I weaved through people who were too busy tapping away at their Smart Phones and Blackberries, too engulfed in their own little worlds to worry about anything else. I checked the time on my own phone and quickened my pace. Being late was something I absolutely despised and this was a meeting I did not want to be unpunctual for.

The coffee shop was nearly empty. The calm before the evening rush. My eyes searched the tables until I saw the head I was looking for. Trying to suppress my pleased smile, I advanced on him and when I was close enough, I gave him a swat on the back of the head. His head flew forward and he grunted, glaring up at me..

“What was that for?” he demanded, rubbing the back of his head.

“I hardly get to see you so I have to make the most of tormenting you too, Mr. High Class Actor,” I say with a grin.

His glare dropped, replaced with one of his classic, sweet smiles. He got up from his seat and engulfed me in his arms. “Missed you too,” he answered. We sat down and he took a sip of coffee from the Styrofoam cup. “Don't you want any?” He was indicating towards the coffee.

I shook my head. “I'm wired enough from the run over here. So how's the acting going?”

“Good,” Kibum answered. “And yours?”

I snorted. “Pointless classes that are teaching me everything I already know.” I grabbed his cup and took a drink, earning a tiny look of annoyance from him. “I'm ready to drop out.”

“Don't do that,” he told me. “You worked hard to get where you are.”

“And where is that exactly?” I asked, slumping in my seat. Kibum shrugged and gave me his smile again. “What?”

“Well...I might possibly have a job opening for you.”

Immediately, my posture straightened. “Seriously?”

“There's a new drama I'm possibly working in. They're looking for a new face for the leading lady.”

“Wait, I'd be working with you?”

Kibum sat back in his chair proudly. “Yes, you would.”

“Then, no.” His smile dropped. “I'm kidding,” I laughed. “I'd totally try out for it. Especially if meant working with you.”

My family as well as Kibum's had been close friends—we'd known each other since we were born. When Kibum had moved to America, it had been the worst part of my life. To have your best friend ripped from you, especially when you're a little ten year old, was terrifying. I remembered us shamelessly clinging to each other and crying, begging his parents to let him stay with us in Seoul. Of course, no one listened.

When Kibum was discovered by talent agents and shipped back to Seoul for training, he'd sneak me into the dorms and we'd eat Chinese takeout and watch movies. I'd become known as “Kibum's lady friend” by the other trainees, which Kibum found positively embarrassing.

Honestly, I didn't mind the nickname. My feelings for Kibum had grown past friendship a long time ago, but I'd never tell him that. He'd even said one time he'd never date a woman younger than him because he couldn't see her as a woman. Coming from the guy who lied about his age and dated someone nine years older than him...I'd never state my feelings for him; it'd just result in my own embarrassment and morph our friendship into something awkward. The guy had unconsciously friend zoned me for goodness sakes!

Both of us were quiet people, but not unfriendly. We just had to warm up to someone and avoided conflict it if it could be. I usually was the crazier one, proving that when I did Gangnam Style down the street that last time we'd met each other for lunch. Theater had made me much more outgoing than I'd used to be. Just not outgoing enough to let Kibum know how I felt.

But why would I really want him to know? Every time one of his friends had brought up the prospect of us as a couple, he'd laughed and denied even the slightest possibility. Yeah, Kibum was many things—being subtle was not one of them.



A brush was swept across my cheekbones, erasing any blemishes that had dared show themselves before the shoot. At times I barely recognized myself, they did so well at hiding anything imperfect.

Cho Hee—a co-star and new friend—sat next to me, grinning in her usual mischievous way. “Are you excited for today?”

I gave her a sidelong questioning look. “Why should I be?” Her answer was puckering her lips together and then giggling at my glare from the mirror. “Its nothing special.”

She snorted. “I've wanted your part from the beginning. Don't take advantage of it because girls would kill to be in your place right now—even me.”

“You're going to commit homicide against your friend just so you can kiss Kibum?”

“Maybe...”

“That's real comforting.”

My makeup artist signaled I was done, forced approach the dreaded scene. Kibum had kept his promise; I'd been signed onto a drama alongside him. It'd been fun, the show's ratings were high, and it seemed to be rocketing my career into full swing.

However, that day I was regretting the decision of ever agreeing to do the role. It was the day my character—a lonely, poor waitress who had a disliking towards men in general—kissed Kibum's character—a rich, kind-hearted bachelor. Slightly cliché, but I'd enjoyed turning down Kibum time and time again, even if it was just acting. At least his make-believe self got a taste of what I'd felt like for the past years.

The sea air blew against my skin, sending it into a pattern of goosebumps. I spotted Kibum speaking with the director in his character's usual semi-formal attire—pants and a suit jacket with a white button-down shirt underneath. I turned my eyes away, feeling what I didn't want to. The director came over and spoke to me and all-to-soon, I was rushed into the middle of the beach, facing Kibum who smiled at me. I noticed how the top two buttons of his shirt were teasingly unbuttoned. I quickly tried to take my mind off of the tempting flash of skin and went over the lines in my head, sinking into my character Sun Mi.

“And action!”

“Why don't you see the way I feel about you?” Kibum demanded, grabbing my arms which I jerked away from.

“I do,” I answered, sneering at him in anger and distaste. “And I don't care.”

“I know you're not the heartless.”

“You obviously don't know me very well after all, Jae.”

“Listen.” He grabbed my arms again and I didn't fight him. My character was getting sucked into his charm. “You don't have to love me back, but you always think no one cares for you. Just so you know, I do. And I always will.” The sincerity he injected into his words made my knees go weak. Playing hard to get was becoming tougher.

I opened my mouth to respond, but his lips connected with mine before I could disagree further. We'd practiced the kiss and the first time had been bad enough for me. He really hadn't put too much attention into it the first couple of times, but that kiss—the 'real' one—was different. His lips molded against mine so perfectly and I was glad he'd placed his hands on my lower back, keeping me up as he knocked the wind from my lungs. Lost in the moment, I wrapped one arm around his neck, the other hand running through his hair as his passion met mine.

“Kibum! Mi-Hyun! I said CUT!”

Kibum and I jerked away from each other and looked at the crew. My face reddened at their stares and I realized we'd been kissing for far longer that we needed to. I hadn't heard it because I was stuck in la-la land. What was Kibum's excuse?

“Sorry,” Kibum said, clearing his throat. My eyes saw his face trying desperately to hide his discomfort. He looked at me and my cheeks began burning more.

“I need a break,” I said, making my way as quickly as I could across the sand.

I passed Cho Hee, who smiled. “Well, that was—”

“Don't even...” I growled, retreating to the makeup tent.



The wine touched my lips and my body relaxed just at the smell. I flipped through channels, nothing seeming to catch my interest. Nothing to take my mind off of Kibum and me. I tried to tell myself I was just being stupid as per usual, but the fact that Kibum obviously hadn't been paying attention either had me puzzled—and slightly hopeful.

Who was I kidding really? Kibum had stated numerous times that we would never ever be an item. I'm sure he wasn't aware of what he had done—unconsciously friend zoning me—but it still kind of hurt. I needed to just suck it up and get over it. Kibum had friend zoned me (forever!), the kiss meant nothing to him, and I would die alone with my crush on Kibum blinding me for eternity.

I'm not the greatest optimist in this world, I'll admit that shamelessly.

A knock came at the door and I got up from the couch with a groan. I peeked through the peep hole. Kibum was standing outside my door, seeming to stare right at me through the small hole in the door. Creeper...I unlocked the door and opened it. He stepped in without greeting.

“Hello, Kibum. Please, come in,” I replied dryly, closing the door. He scratched at the back of his head, still silent. The tension in his body was unusual for him and my eyebrows furrowed. “Kibummie...everything okay?” He turned around so quickly, I flinched. He took a long stride and I backed up, my backside hitting the door. My eyes went wide. “Kibum...”

“Tell me you felt it too,” he said, his deep voice laced with a huskiness that made my throat go dry.

“F—felt what?” I asked, staring up at him.

His hands grabbed my arms, much like they had earlier that day, and his body moved closer to my own. I was dreaming. I had to be. No way on earth would this be happening. Panic set in and it only got worse when he just stared at me, seeming to be conflicted with something, the way his eyes were narrowed and his eyebrows overshadowing those dark orbs. Suddenly, his lips pressed against mine, harder than before. His hands gripped my hips, pressing them against his own. Then I really felt his passion. This was definitely a dream.

I wrapped both arms tightly around his neck, bringing him closer as his lips moved harder against mine, his tongue flicking past my lips. We began to move through the apartment, down the hallway, shedding clothes along the way. My excitement quickened as he pushed me into the bedroom.

Best. Dream. Ever.



A shred of street light fell against the glistening skin of Kibum's rising and falling chest. I watched it, refusing to look into his face for a few short moments before reality came crashing down. My cheek slid across the cool pillow as I lifted my chin to look up at him. His perfect face was set in a contortion of confusion. His eyebrows were scrunched together as he stared up at the ceiling, lips slightly parted as he attempted to suck in more air. My eyes dropped to his bicep, too afraid of what his reaction would be when he finally regained himself from our very...powerful bedroom escapade.

“Well, that was...” Kibum trailed off and swallowed

“Unexpected, unnerving, ridiculous, wrong?” I ran off all derogatory remarks that I knew he'd considered.

Kibum turned his head to look at me and, to my surprise, smiled. “Was I that bad?”

My head shot up from the pillow, eyes widening. “Oh, no. You were...” I felt a blush hit my cheeks and I buried my face in the pillow. “Never mind...”

My muscles twitched when his hand rested upon my bare back, rubbing circles against my skin. “Are you upset?” he asked. The softness in his deep voice about made me pounce on him again.

I peeked at him from the corner of my eye. “Are you?”

“No, not really.”

“Then...no, I'm not either.” He flashed his charming smile and my heart quickened. He rolled onto his back again and sighed. “So what does this mean for us?” The words left my mouth faster than I could think them through.

His head turned to me. “What do you mean?”

“Are we still friends?” I asked. “Or...not?” I wanted to clarify more. Was our relationship done now? Or did he want it to be more? But I was too afraid of his answer to explain myself and just stared at him.

Kibum laid on his side, propping his head on his arm, and looked at me seriously. “What do you want?”

“Don't turn this back on me!” I complained, hiding my face in the pillow again. “I don't know what I want!”

“I want you.”

Shock shot through me like lightening at his words. His face was sincere, no trace of teasing or lying anywhere in sight. Kibum would never lie to me; I should know that. “Well, you got me,” I said, a smile touching my lips.

He grinned. “I want more of you.” He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me to him, ravishing my neck and shoulder with kisses. I giggled and tried to push away from him.

“Kibum, stop!” I whined between my giggles.

He obeyed and his eyes looked down at me with an expression I didn't think he'd ever give me. “I can't believe it took a fake kiss for me to realize I really liked you.”

“I hope you more than 'like' me if you just had sex with me, Kim Kibum,” I said, quirking an eyebrow at him as I turned over on my back and pulled the covers over my chest.

He chuckled and placed a kiss on my lips. “I do,” he said. “I guess I should take you on a date now, huh? We kind of did this backwards.”

I smiled. “Who cares?” I said and grabbed the back of his head to place his lips on mine again.

Good-bye, friend zone.