Will We Stay Friends Forever? — Chapter 16

Will We Stay Friends Forever? Chapter 16 opens with an awkward coincidence at the cinema as A-Young runs into Ju-Young, who has arrived with her childhood friend Lee-Do. A-Young explains she was supposed to come with a friend but the plan was canceled, while Lee-Do is surprised by how friendly A-Young and Ju-Young seem, and Ju-Young calls him over to say hello after he buys popcorn and Coke. The introduction quickly turns tense as Ju-Young introduces A-Young and Lee-Do, whose intimate relationship with Ju-Young A-Young recognizes. Lee-Do abruptly claims they are late and drags Ju-Young away despite her protest that there is still plenty of time. Will We Stay Friends Forever? Chapter 16 then shifts into Ju-Young's perspective as Lee-Do questions why she bothered talking to A-Young, and she admits she normally would not have, but she sought out A-Young because she needs inspiration for a romance work. She describes A-Young as normal in a good way, cute, unpretentious, and head over heels in love, making her good stimulation and a welcome change from staying home all day, while Lee-Do warns her not to talk too much about him. The final portion centers on A-Young's unrequited feelings for Manager Lee, tracing her ideal of love to growing up as a late-in-life child watching her affectionate parents and her older sister with her husband. She recalls being drawn to the manager's looks, personality, popularity, and proper boundaries, deciding to make a move even after sensing he had no feelings for her, telling herself she does not want regrets. Will We Stay Friends Forever? Chapter 16 closes on that fragile resolve as reality fails to follow a movie-like introduction, leaving A-Young alone with her yearning and the blunt distance she felt from him.