AeGuk's Dilemma

AeGuk had a problem. He had to break up with Fedora.

He liked Fedora, she’s never done anything wrong and is always so nice to him and she liked him back. It was perfect and it still would be if Allie wasn’t in the picture.

After his first encounter with this roommate’s cousin he found out that both him and Allie were majoring in the same thing, and they had a whole bunch of classes together. So they spent a lot of time together.

Allie was close to perfect, not only was she fluent in Korean which meant they could speak Korean together, but she was gorgeous. But she didn't flaunt it. She had the same body as Fedora, but she was a lot shorter. And she always wore huge sweaters because she was used to the blistering heat of Arizona, and she looked ridiculously cute.

He realised there was a problem when Allie asked him if he had a girl friend. He didn’t want to say yes. Of course he didn't lie, he told the truth but just that he even thought of lying showed that something was wrong.

So mix the fact that AeGuk thought that Allie was close to perfect and that he didn’t want her to know that he had a girlfriend, it all amounts to one thing; he had to break up with Fedora.

A month into the school year and Fedora had invited herself over to AeGuk’s college for the day. AeGuk was nervous the whole week before the day she was supposed to arrive, because one; he had to break up with her and two; she was gonna meet Allie. He contemplated trying to keep Fedora away from Allie, but figured it was pointless anyway.

“What’s up with you?” Roshawn asked the day before Fedora’s visit. They were studying in their room, and had been completely silent up until then.

“W-what?” AeGuk asked.

“You’ve been jumpy all week,” Shawn said.

“Have I I?” AeGuk asked.

Shawn shot him an incredulous look, “yes. You have. Just now you jumped when you heard the sound of someone passing our door.”

AeGuk blushed, he hadn’t noticed that he had reacted. “S-sorry,” he said.

“Hey, no need to be,” Shawn said, “Just tell me what’s up?”

“F-fedora’s coming here t-t-tomorrow,” AeGuk said.

“Your girlfriend?” Shawn asked.

AeGuk nodded.

“Why are you so nervous then?” Shawn asked.

AeGuk wondered if he should just tell Shawn about his breakup plan. Maybe it would help.

“I’m excited to meet her,” Shawn said.

AeGuk frowned, “Y-yeah?”

“Yeah, what? Is she mean?” Shawn asked.

“N-no no,” AeGuk stuttered, “Sh-she’s wonderful.”

“Then what’s up?” Shawn asked, impatience slipping into his voice.

“I-i-i’m gonna b-break up...” AeGuk paused, his stutter made it a lot harder to just say something, “with her”

Shawn was silent for a second, obviously shocked.

“Why?” He finally asked.

AeGuk frowned, he did not want to explain. He was already tired of talking.

Shawn started to say something then stopped and stared at AeGuk. AeGuk looked away, he hated it when people stared at him.

“This doesn’t, perhaps, have anything to do with Allie, does it?” Shawn asked, his voice oddly level.

AeGuk didn’t want to say anything about Allie, but his face gave it all away as he could feel it heat up and he knew he was bright red.

“Foreal?” Shawn asked jumping a bit, “You like my cousin?”

AeGuk shrugged.

“That is so weird,” Shawns aid, “And oddly cute. You guy’s look good together.”

AeGuk felt like his face was on fire.

Shawn laughed, “Man, your face looks like a tomato.”

Now AeGuk glared at Shawn and made a point of turning back to his homework.

“But seriously dude, good luck.” Shawn said after a minute of silence. “I had to break up with a girl once, and it was tough.”

AeGuk just hoped he would actually go through with it.

--

The day of Fedora’s expected arrival AeGuk was freaking out, he couldn’t even talk, as Shawn discovered when he asked him if he wanted to get some quick breakfast before Fedora arrived.

They walked the whole way with Shawn holding up the entire conversation.

“Dude, why aren’t you talking?” Shawn said as they sat down with their food.

AeGuk couldn’t even speak, he kept thinking about Fedora being in his room later meeting Shawn and Allie. And having to break up with her

“You really need to chill,” Shawn said, “You look white as a ghost.”

AeGuk frowned.

Shawn shrugged and took a bite of his breakfast sandwich, “at least eat something.”

But the food in front of AeGuk just made him feel sick, just looking at it. So he pushed it away and shook his head.

“Man, you need something in you to get you through the day,“ Shawn said, pushing the food back towards AeGuk.

AeGuk glared at Shawn, and picked up the food and headed towards the garbage cans.

“Where are you going?” Shawn called.

AeGuk dumped the food out and walked back to Shawn.

“Hey, I could have eaten that,” Shawn said, “And now you wasted it. What about the starving Africans?”

AeGuk rolled his eyes.

“Fine, let’s go,” Shawn said, finishing up the last of his sandwich and gulping down his juice.

And they went back to their room.

AeGuk almost passed out when they opened the door to find Fedora’s already there and laying on AeGuk’s bed.

“Hey!” Fedora exclaimed, jumping up from the bed and tackling AeGuk with a hug.

“I missed you!” Fedora said, pulling away from the hug with a big grin on her face.

AeGuk nodded, not sure what to say and even if he could talk right then.

“And who’s this?” Fedora said referring to Shawn and so far not noticing AeGuk’s lack of words.

“I’m Shawn, AeGuk’s roomie,” Shawn said.

Fedora eyes widened, “Woah, AeGuk never told me you were black!”

Shawn eyes widened but he laughed, “Can’t believe he left that out!”

Fedora laughed along with him, then turned back to AeGuk, “so you have to show me around the place.”

AeGuk nodded, knowing he probably had the same look of shock on his face as he had when he first saw her in his room.

And Fedora noticed it obviously, because she looked at him a second longer and frowned.

“You okay?” Fedora asked, “You haven’t said a word since I came here, and you have this petrified look on your face.”

AeGuk tried to say something just as Allie appeared in the doorway mid sentence, “Is she here-” she was saying until she saw Fedora.

“Oh, hi!” Allie said.

Fedora looked at Allie and turned back to AeGuk, “Who’s she?”

AeGuk wanted to disappear.

“Allie’s my cousin,” Shawn said.

“Allie,” Fedora said, laughing a bit, “Such a simple name. Well nice to meet you, Allie.”

“You too,” Allie said, “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Really,” Fedora grinned, “Probably all good stuff, I’m sure.”

“Oh, a few bad things here and there,” Allie joked.

“Of course, nobody’s perfect,” Fedora said. “Now can I get some time alone with AeGuk?”

Shawn and Allie shared a look and shrugged,

“We’ll be out of your hair,” Allie said.

“See you later, man,” Shawn said.

Then they were gone and it was just AeGuk and Fedora. AeGuk wished he could have left with Shawn and Allie, but he was stuck here with Fedora and an inability to talk.

Fedora went over and sat on AeGuk’s bed, “So what’s up?”

AeGuk shrugged.

“Since when were you mute?” Fedora asked.

AeGuk shrugged again.

“Is something wrong?” Fedora asked.

AeGuk couldn’t talk, and was actually happy for an excuse to not say anything.

“Come on, just say something,” Fedora said, sounding annoyed now.

“I-i-i-i-i-,” AeGuk tried.

Fedora frowned and asked again, “Is something wrong?”

“I-i-i-i-i’m,” AeGuk tried again. “S-s-s-s-s-s-...soooorrrry.”

Fedora stared at him with wide eyes, “What’s up?”

AeGuk frowned, it felt like saying those two words had taken up all of his energy. He didn’t think he could say another word.

Fedora frowned, “I think we need to get you to the nurse.”

“W-wha-?” AeGuk said, confused.

“This isn’t normal,” Fedora said, jumping up from the bed, “What if you’re having a stroke!”

Aeguk shook his head, “I-i-i-I’m F-f-fiiine.”

Fedora raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing it.

AeGuk sighed, “R-reeeally.”

Fedora sat back down, ‘Then what’s up, why’re you so nervous? That’s why you’re stuttering so bad right?”

AeGuk knew he should just tell her. But he didn’t think he could. He wanted to just spit it out, but that’s impossible for him.

Just then Shawn and Allie came back into the room.

”Is everything okay in here?” Allie asked.

“Yeah,” Fedora said, “I guess.”

AeGuk sighed, glad that Fedora was just gonna let it go for now.

“Let’s get this campus tour started then,” Fedora said, standing up.

AeGuk smiled at her, thinking a campus tour would be easy and hopefully loosen up his nerve.

“You guys can come and fill in whatever AeGuk misses,” Fedora said to Shawn and Allie, “And I want to get to know you guys too.”

“I’m down with that,” Shawn said.

---

During the tour AeGuk slowly found his voice again and was talking like normal again. They went to the cafeteria for some lunch and AeGuk found himself actually having a good time.

“And then I hear my name and I’m like, what?” Fedora said, talking about her homecoming queen win from a few years ago. That was when her and AeGuk got together.

“That was also the night me and AeGuk started officially dating,” Fedora said, grinning and putting an arm around AeGuk’s shoulder and pulling him close.

AeGuk blushed and Shawn raised his eyebrows at them.

“Me and Allie have to go,” Shawn said suddenly, giving AeGuk a long look.

AeGuk frowned and begged with his eyes for them not to go.

Allie looked confused but stood up along with Shawn and said, “yep. Places to go, people to see.”

Then they were gone and it was just AeGuk and Fedora.

“Wanna go back to your room and hang out?” Fedora winked

AeGuk felt his face go red and shook his head.

Fedora frowned, “why?”

“I-I-I,” AeGuk tried.

“No, not again,” Fedora groaned, “Just talk please. You obviously have something to say.”

And AeGuk knew she knew what he had to say, so why wouldn’t she just say it for him?

“Come on,” Fedora said, crossing her arms.

AeGuk sighed, “I-I-I-I... w-want to b-b-break uuup.”

Fedora frowned, looked at him for a long pause and said, “okay.”

She stood up and started walking away then stopped and turned back.

“Is this because of Allie?” she said.

Aeguk cannot lie, his face tells it all.

Fedora laughs, “Really! She’s so cute, that’s ridiculous.”

AeGuk looked at Fedora, not sure what to say.”

Fedora walked back over and sat down, “you’re breaking up with me because you want to date this tiny little Asian. Please see the irony in this.”

Aeguk just shrugged.

“Look at me!” Fedora said, opening her arm out wide, “I’m the opposite of that!”

AeGuk still wasn’t sure how to respond.

Fedora shook her head and laughed, “well good luck. I hope she likes you back.”

AeGuk did too.

Or else this was all for nothing.

And just like that AeGuk had broken up with his girlfriend of more than two years, and now he had the new problem of what to do about Allie.

But that’s for another day.