5 "My Knight in Shining Armor was also the One Who Made Me Cry"

To be honest, I was nervous.

I wished deep inside me that he wouldn't expose our secret relationship, because I was still infatuated with Justin.

"Zurich… is my bestfriend and my childhood friend."

When I heard him say that, I took a deep breath. Johann was definitely my knight in shining armor, ever since we became friends.

The group of girls was satisfied with his answer because he looked handsome especially without his baseball cap, and so, they all left.

"I thought you're going to expose us…" I told him while tugging his shirt, "I was preparing myself for a fight with those fans of yours."

"Zurich," he suddenly called my name in a serious tone, "We didn't break up, so you're still my girlfriend, right?"

I stared at him for a while and tried to read his expression. I was searching for a smirk as an indicator that he was just teasing me, but there was none.

"Buns... Do you still like Justin?"

Johann and I stared at each other's eyes, and he was waiting for an answer.

"I do. I still like him," I honestly told him.

"I can't be your true boyfriend now, huh… Well, it makes sense. The situation's different now. You two are now close, so I can't just go and ruin your relationship," Johann explained to me.

"Johann…" I uttered, "Did we just… Did we just break up?"

"Uhhh… We never became a couple, anyway. I mean... you never considered me as your boyfriend. Everything happened in an instant, and you were just forced into it by your parents."

"Johann… Johann, you're the bestest best friend of all the best friends in the world!!!" I exclaimed as I embraced him, "Thank you so much!"

"No problem... By the way Buns, do you need help with Justin? I want you to be happy, so... I'll help you."

"You'll even help me? You're really the best!"

The selfish me at that time didn't notice the facade he had throughout the day. When Johann and I walked back home, he was awfully quiet, while I blabbed about how excited I was in commencing our little plan about my confession to Justin.

"You okay, Johann?" I asked him, observing how he walked sluggishly, "Are you sick?"

"I'm a bit dizzy. You know, it's a really stressful day," Johann replied, and I didn't know what he meant.

"You can tell me anything if you have any problems, Johann."

"Hmm. Thanks, Buns."

But he didn't tell me anything. Even after a week had passed, he never told me anything. He kept on acting like nothing's changed.

Soon after, the Sports Festival came, and we all registered except for Johann.

"Do you even know how to dribble?" Johann chuckled, "Why did you register for basketball?"

"Justin said that he will teach me if I join," I replied to him, "It's a good opportunity, isn't it?" I happily said, and I noticed that he looked away.

"He will teach you, huh…" he murmured. "You must feel really lucky."

"Why of course. The 'Operation Confess to Justin' plan is going to start!" I said excitedly. Wondering what sports event he joined in, I asked him, "What sports are you in?"

"None. I didn't join any."

"Huh, but you like sports… That's so unlike you."

"I can't… I mean... I got tired of it..."

At that time I just assumed that he really got tired of it, that maybe, he was doing sports when he was in England and he just wanted to spend a different kind of Sports Festival.

When the Sports Festival came, Hammy and Katie went to the table tennis room, while me and Justin went to the basketball court. It was time for the women's basketball event, and Justin, who belonged to the school's basketball varsity team, sat on the same bench as me to give tips and to cheer me on. From afar, I could see Johann cheering for me, too.

Fast forward, all the sports events ended. Hammie and Katie won their matches, Justin's team became the champions, while my team lost. So when my friends and I gathered at the karaoke center to celebrate the end of the Sports Festival, Johann didn't miss the chance to tease me.

"I can't believe they let you play in the final game, Buns," Johann said with a grin, "You weren't even dribbling the ball. You just hugged it," and he gave a hearty laugh.

I playfully hit Johann's shoulder, "Meanie!!! I did my best!"

"You just wasted Justin's precious time in teaching you!" Johann continued blabbering about it. I should be used to it, but because I was a sore loser at that time, I couldn't help but cry.

"I hate you!" I yelled at Johann and walked out of the karaoke center.

To my surprise, I saw Justin behind me, looking very worried, "Zurich, don't let his words get to you, okay? You did well."

"You don't have to comfort me, I know that I'm the worst at dribbling balls," I sobbed, and then he offered his handkerchief to me.

"Use it… Don't cry, okay?"

Justin didn't leave me until I stopped crying that night. He talked about basketball and his other hobbies like biking and drawing, and I felt better just by hearing him talk.

"Zurich, our prom is the next school activity… Do you have a prom date already?"

I was stoned when Justin asked about it, "I don't have a prom date."

"Who's your prom date last year?"

"I didn't attend, I got a fever at that time."

"I see… Then, for this year's prom…" Justin uttered, "Can you be my prom date?"

It was like I was seeing fireworks in the sky. I was overjoyed, and it felt like a dream come true. Back then, Justin was like an unreachable star, always flirting beside Odessa under the oak tree. But he was in front of me asking me to be his prom date. It felt unreal, and at that time, I told myself, 'If this is a dream, I don't wanna wake up!'

And of course, I agreed to be his prom date!

When I calmed down, Hammy, Katie, and Johann were already done with karaoke.

"You calmed down now, Zurich?" Hammy asked me.

I nodded at her and said, "Sorry for crying."

Katie smiled and me and patted my back, "It's okay, Zurich! We understand. By the way, your bestie wanted to say something." She shot a look at Johann, who couldn't look straight into my eyes.

"Come on, you'll say something to her, right?" Hammy gave a slight push to him.

"Buns, I… I'm sorry," Johann said and finally met my eyes, "I'll stop teasing you about the Sports Festival, so… please don't get mad at me anymore."

"Johann…" I stared at him to see if he was really sincere.

Johann had always teased me about a lot of things, but I never got angry at him for so long because he was always the first one to say sorry.

"Let's go home, now," Johann told me, and so, we waved goodbye to the three of them.

We seemed okay when we walked in the streets together. He didn't talk about the sports activities anymore, instead, he talked about some random topics. Because he was being funny, I forgot that I got mad at him earlier that night.

And when we reached my house…

"Buns, wait, I want to ask you something," Johann said in a serious tone.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Zurich, can you be my prom date?"