March 23rd 2013
I sat in the coffee shop tapping my feet to the beat of the music blasting through my headphones. I drummed my fingers on the wooden table in time with the rhythm. I felt at peace when I was listening to music, it was like my own little way to escape reality for a few minutes. I looked around the coffee shop. Only a few other people sitting on stools around the the small, circular tables. Harry was behind the counter as usual, long brown hair tied up in a ponytail while he put new pastries in the display and dusted off the cappuccino machine. Same as always. I liked things that stayed the same. I'd never been to fond of change. All of a sudden there were two people standing right in front of me. A girl and a guy, both about my age. The guy was quite tall and lean and had blonde hair with a hint of brown that flopped in front of his dark brown eyes. The girl was rather short, she was skinny but she did have a few curves. She had messy, wavy blonde hair that went down to her shoulders. Her big blue eyes were sparkling with excitement. I pulled my headphones out of my ears and smiled at my two best friends.
'Hey Newt, hey Emma,' I said.
'Hey Minho,' Newt sat down across from me and clapped me on the shoulder.
Emma just stood there, beaming. She looked so excited I thought she was going to burst.
'You okay, Emma?' I chuckled.
She glanced at Newt, and he laughed.
'Go ahead and tell him, Emmy,' he grinned lovingly at her.
Emma took a deep breath and then put her hand in front of her face, her ring finger pointing upwards. For a second I thought she was flipping me the finger. Then I realised she was showing me something. A small, elegant diamond ring. My mouth hung open.
'We're engaged!' She squealed.
She sat down next to Newt and hugged him, still smiling hugely at me. Newt had a massive grin on his face too.
'Holy shit!' I exclaimed, still gaping at them.
I can't exactly say I was surprised. Newt and Emma had been dating for four years, I knew it would happen eventually. However Newt and I were twenty-two and Emma was twenty-one. They just seemed so young… it was hard to believe their relationship was so serious. But I'd seen them together, and I knew they were very much in love.
'That's great!' I said, pulling myself together.
'It is, isn't it?' Emma giggled and pecked Newt lightly on the lips.
'Dude, why didn't you tell me you were gonna propose?' I slapped Newt playfully on the head.
'Well, I didn't really plan it. It's just I was walking by this restaurant and I saw this guy proposing to his girlfriend, and they both looked so happy. And I thought, I'm ready to do that with my Emmy. So I picked up a ring, went over to our apartment, she opened the door and I just… proposed!' Newt told me.
That didn't sound very romantic.
'It was so romantic!' Emma gushed.
But it worked on Emma.
I got up from my seat and they got up from theirs. I pulled them both into an embrace.
'Thanks for being cool,' Newt whispered in my ear.
I nodded.
Newt and I had been best friends since we were four years old. We met Emma in high school. Newt and I both had huge crushes on her. Okay maybe not crushes. I was head over heels in love with her. I asked her out and she turned me down. Then she and Newt got together and Newt and I had a falling out. Eventually I just told myself to get over it and be happy for them. Emma became my friend, and I hadn't had feelings for her since. But I've always felt just a little bit awkward about Newt and Emma's relationship. I was kinda bummed when they moved in together, and when I walked in on them having sex (okay, that was a LOT awkward) and now this. They're getting married. But hey, I'm cool with it, right?
'I can't believe you're actually getting married!' I tell them.
'I know, right? I feel like such a grown-up,' Emma laughed and put on her best grown-up face.
Newt kissed her on the cheek and tucked her hair behind her ears. Emma blushed and smiled. They were a very cute couple, really.
Emma and Newt invited me back to their place, and by the time we got there Emma had all the wedding details planned. Newt gave her a high five.
'Awesome, I didn't have to do any of the planning!' He chuckled as he unlocked the door.
'I just need to go to the toilet, guys,' I said and headed for their bathroom.
'Dude, you use that bloody thing more than we do!' Newt shook his head.
I rolled my eyes at him and walked into their bathroom.
When I came out Newt and Emma were sitting on their weathered brown couch, Emma somehow looking even more excited than before. Newt turned around and looked at me.
'We're getting married on May 23rd!' He said.
'May 23rd? That's only two months from now!'
'We just figured, why wait?' Emma piped up.
I felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head. Two months to plan a wedding? Are they crazy? I faked a smile for their sake.
'Perfect! I'll be there in a real fancy suit,' I winked at them.
They both grinned at each other, and then at me.
'I'm going to call Teresa and see if she'll come wedding dress shopping with me,' Emma said.
Before we met Emma Newt and I used to hang out with this guy Thomas all the time, but then he got a girlfriend (Teresa) and totally ditched us to be with her all the time. When we met Emma she suggested we just get to know the girl, and then we could all be friends. So Newt, Emma and I became friends with Teresa. Well, more Emma than anyone else.
Emma pulled her phone out of her pocket and went into another room to talk to Teresa, leaving Newt and I alone. I plonked myself down next to him on the couch.
'Hey, man, are you okay with all this?' Newt asked me quietly.
'What? Yeah of course! Really, I'm so happy for you guys,' I told him and patted him on the shoulder.
He looked relieved.
'Listen… Minho…' he looked down at the floor.
'Yeah?'
He looks back up at me.
'Will you be my best man?'
A smile broke out on my face.
'Hell yes, dude! Definitely! I'm gonna need an even fancier suit now…'