You've Been in My Mind (English)

Arch-Enemies to Something More

"Ugh, why is this taking so long?" a young woman muttered in frustration, shifting her handbag from one hand to the other as she stood outside the military base gate. She had been waiting for nearly two hours now, her patience wearing thin. As she stared at the gate, memories from two years ago came rushing back—she had stood in this very spot before, talking to a young man dressed in a military uniform.

That day, she had come to see him at the base—just two days after their high school graduation—only to find out he had enlisted in the military.

"What are you doing here?" the young man had asked, stepping out of the camp to meet her. The soldiers at the gate had already told her civilians weren’t allowed inside without an appointment, but she hadn’t bothered to get one. Her visit had been impulsive. If she hadn’t overheard her parents talking about his enlistment, she wouldn’t have known at all.

"Are you just going to stare at me?" he snapped when she said nothing, her eyes sweeping over him from head to toe. "If you don’t have anything to say, I’m heading back inside." He turned on his heel, ready to walk away.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" she blurted out, stopping him in his tracks. "Even if we don’t always get along, I thought—" she hesitated, clenching her fists.

He turned to look at her then, and his sharp gaze immediately caught the tears welling up in her eyes.

"What? Are you seriously about to cry? Here?" he asked, glancing around uneasily. Soldiers were moving in and out of the base, and if anyone recognized him, rumors would start flying in no time. The last thing he needed was people assuming he had just abandoned his girlfriend to join the military.

Except, they weren’t like that—not even close. If anything, they had been mortal enemies since childhood. If they were to make headlines, it definitely shouldn’t be over something this ridiculous.

"And this—this is exactly why I didn’t tell you," the young man said, crossing his arms.

Hearing that, the girl snapped her gaze up at him, eyes narrowing. "W-what do you mean by that?" she asked.

"This. You and your habit of crying over everything." He stated it bluntly, no hesitation in his voice.

"That’s not the point!" she shot back, frustration lacing her tone. "I don’t care what you want to do with your life. But you could’ve at least told me! It feels like—" she paused, biting her lip.

"You’re right. We don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things," he interrupted. "But tell me—if I had told you I was enlisting, would it have changed anything? You know how my family is. It’s tradition. No matter how you look at it, this was bound to happen."

Since they were kids, he had always known that joining the military was his fate after high school graduation—even if it wasn’t what he wanted. It was a family tradition, one he had no choice but to respect. The only reason he hadn’t told her was because he didn’t want to see her upset. For all their bickering, they had grown up together. Their families were close, and deep down, he knew she’d be affected by his departure.

"Besides, isn’t this what you wanted?" he added with a smirk. "No more competition. No more rivalry. With your mortal enemy stuck in a military camp, you don’t have to compete with me anymore."

She shot him a sharp glare, catching the teasing tone in his voice. He was obviously trying to lighten the mood, but that didn’t make her feel any better.

"Why are you looking at me like that? It’s not like I’m entering a seminary. And it’s just two years of service." He chuckled, placing a hand on her head.

"Come on, admit it—you’re gonna miss me," he teased.

"I won’t miss you," she huffed, brushing his hand away. "I’m just annoyed that you didn’t tell me." She crossed her arms and looked him dead in the eye. "While you're stuck in military training, I’m enrolling in a prestigious college. I’ll finally beat you in all things academic."

"Well, good for you. At least you’ll get a two-year head start," the young man said with a smirk. "By the time I’m out, you better be on a level I can’t catch up to. You’ll be my college senior."

The girl just stared at him, unsure how to feel. She wasn’t sure if she should be happy that they wouldn’t be entering college simultaneously. She had grown used to him always being around, even if he spent most of his time teasing her. At least she always knew he was there. She couldn’t deny it—he had been a huge part of her life. Because of him, she had achieved things she never thought possible. In academics, she always pushed herself to the limit, unwilling to be left behind.

"Go home. Your mom is probably looking for you," he said when he noticed her just standing there, lost in thought.

"Are you eating properly here?" she asked instead. "I could—"

"Don’t come back here." His sudden interruption caught her off guard, making her stop mid-sentence.

"I’m not on vacation—I’m in military training. It wouldn’t look right for people to keep visiting me. Even my family knows not to come here, and that includes you. Don’t worry, I’m not starving." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

"Adrian!" A voice interrupted them, causing both of them to turn toward the sound. A young woman holding a bouquet was approaching them.

The girl’s brows furrowed as she watched the newcomer stride confidently toward them.

"Adrian!" The woman beamed as she reached him, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

The girl’s frown deepened at the sight, while Adrian looked just as stunned.

"Ester, what are you doing here?" Adrian asked, peeling her arms off and putting some distance between them.

"What else? I came to visit you. Good thing you’re outside. I was here yesterday, but they wouldn’t let me in—apparently, visitors aren’t allowed." She turned to the other girl, eyes scanning her briefly. "Oh, you’re here too? I didn’t even notice." Her tone was indifferent, almost dismissive.

"Wow, am I really that small that you didn’t see me?" the girl retorted, annoyance creeping into her voice.

"You’re not just small—you’re insignificant. What are you even doing here?" Ester sneered, eyeing the girl with thinly veiled disdain.

"I don’t owe you an explanation," the girl snapped back, irritation flashing in her eyes.

"Enough, both of you," Adrian interjected with a sigh. "You should go home. I’m heading back inside."

"But I just got here! You want me to leave already?" Ester pouted, looping her arm around Adrian’s. "Don’t you miss your girlfriend?"

The girl rolled her eyes at the display. She had never liked Ester, not even from the beginning. It didn’t matter that she was Adrian’s girlfriend—she just rubbed her the wrong way.

"Of course, I miss you, but you know visitors aren’t allowed here. And besides, I just got in," Adrian replied, his tone calm but firm.

"Why did you have to join the military in the first place? Now we have to be apart," Ester whined, resting her head on his shoulder.

Watching the sickening display, the girl made a face as if she were about to gag before turning away. But her reaction didn’t go unnoticed.

"I saw that," Ester said, straightening up.

The girl glanced at her, unconcerned.

"Sweetheart, did you see that? She’s making faces at me," Ester continued, her voice laced with childish complaint as she clung to Adrian’s arm.

The girl sighed dramatically, looking up at the sky as if pleading for patience.

"Are you really going to let her disrespect me like this? She’s making fun of me," Ester pressed, turning to Adrian for backup.

Adrian exhaled, his expression serious. "Elleri."

The girl hesitated, eyes flicking to Adrian. She knew his girlfriend would always come first, but was he really siding with her over a childhood friend?

"What?" she asked, feigning innocence. "I didn’t do anything."

"Go home. Your mom is probably looking for you," Adrian said firmly.

"Fine. I’m leaving," Elleri muttered, turning to her bag, about to grab something—but stopped when she caught sight of Adrian smiling softly as he spoke to Ester.

"Stupid Adrian," she whispered under her breath before walking away.

As she stood outside the military base gate, memories from two years ago flooded her mind. This place held no good memories for her—only heartbreak. The man she had quietly fallen for belonged to someone else, and she had to pretend it didn’t matter. To him, she was nothing more than a friend, an arch-enemy, and nothing more.

"Why is this taking so long? What time is he even coming out?" she muttered under her breath, glancing at her wristwatch before looking back at the gate. She had arrived in the afternoon, and now, the sun was beginning to set—yet there was still no sign of Adrian. Her legs ached from standing for hours.

"Excuse me," a voice said softly.

She turned to see a uniformed soldier approaching her, seemingly noticing that she had been waiting for quite some time.

"Yes?" she replied simply.

"Are you waiting for someone? I’ve noticed you standing here for a while now."

"Yeah, I am. A friend," she explained. "Today’s supposed to be his discharge, but I haven’t seen him come out yet."

The soldier frowned slightly. "The discharged servicemen were released this morning—you might’ve missed him."

Her lips parted in shock. Morning? Why had no one told her? If Adrian had been released hours ago, she had wasted her entire day standing here for nothing.

"It’s getting dark, and it looks like it’s going to rain soon. You should head home," the soldier advised.

She glanced up—the sky was heavy with dark clouds, the undeniable sign of incoming rain.

"Thanks, officer," she said, giving him a small nod before walking away. She flagged down a taxi and climbed in, disappointment settling deep in her chest.

She had been expecting to go home with Adrian. Her parents were waiting for them, expecting them to arrive together. What was she supposed to tell them now?