After lunch with Soonkyu, I can’t seem to concentrate on my work. She basically told me that her best friend is a nice person who has a relationship with a bad person. When I asked why she’s a bad person, Soonkyu said she’s a player type of a person. This bad person can’t have only one lover. Kim Taeyeon knew that too. But when they got together, Kim Taeyeon the nice person believed that this bad person had changed and stayed faithful to her. She indeed stayed faithful for a while, but then Kim Taeyeon had to move and of course, she started to have another lover. Sadly, she doesn’t believe it even though her friends told her many times. So her friends (i.e. Soonkyu) conclude Kim Taeyeon needs a better girlfriend.

 

When I first asked Soonkyu about her, she suddenly got an epiphany that Tiffany Hwang Miyoung and Kim Taeyeon belong together. Thus, she’s very excited to introduce me to Kim Taeyeon.

 

At first, I refuse to steal someone’s girlfriend. But Soonkyu said it’s okay if I steal her from someone bad. It’s even obligatory to help someone in need. Soonkyu knows that Kim Taeyeon only stayed with this bad person to get hurt again and again. The only way she will break the relationship if she sees that there’s still other nice person for her out there.

 

She said with a triumphant smile, that the nice person is me. 

 

She mentioned every good side of me and how it would be compatible with her cute friend, but I still feel wrong to break someone’s relationship. So I said to Soonkyu I don’t think I’ll do it.

She deflated a little bit, but then she said, “Oh well, if it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be.”

I didn’t know what she means by that, but we talked about other stuff and she didn’t mention her friend again for the rest of our lunch.     

     

 

The next two weeks after that lunch, Soonkyu never brought up Kim Taeyeon again and I guess she’s over the idea of ruining the said girl relationship. I’m relieved but also disappointed a little bit (I admit to myself that I am attracted to that cute friend of Soonkyu’s despite her unavailableness). One day, she told me she has tickets to this music festival for the weekend and she invited me because she knew one of my favorite bands would perform. 

 

After a thorough discussion, we decided its best to just meet at the venue. Thankfully it's not that difficult to find her since she says she'll wait for me near the entrance gate. But one thing she didn't tell me is that she's bringing her friends along. Not just her mere friends, but also that one particular friend.

 

That cute friend by the name of Kim Taeyeon.

 

Before I can do anything, Soonkyu spots me and waves, "Miyoung-ah! Over here!"

Her other friends (Kim Taeyeon and an unknown girl) look at me and suddenly I met Kim Taeyeon's gaze. 

 

Oh my god.

I can't pretend not to hear Soonkyu's and runaway, can I? 

 

I contemplated for a second before I made a definite decision to be brave and just go with it.

 

"Hey, Soonkyu-ah." 

I give her a fake happy smile and try my best not to kill her for setting me up without my consent like this. 

"Thank God you're here! The band I want to see it's about to start. We're about to ditch you." she says jokingly. 

I give her a split second glare and she just grins.

"Let me introduce you to my friends first. Tiffany Hwang, this is Jessica Jung and Kim Taeyeon." good thing she introduced me with my preferred name. 

I offer my hand to Jessica Jung and she shakes it, "English name?" she asks in English (of course). She has this cold aura and gives a small smile. Is it a smile? It's more like a twitch of her lips though.

"Yep. Born and raise in California." I answer with my signature smile, hoping it can melt her cold aura.

"Cool. Me too." she says still with that small smile.

 The next person I need to shake hands with is already smiling cutely and I can feel my heart's beating a little (juuuuuust a tiny) bit faster.

 

"Hi!" she says excitedly. I can't help to smile wider.

"Hi."

Her hand feels warm and I feel like holding on to that hand forever.

 

Creepy much, Hwang Miyoung?

 

 

"Good! Introduction has been made. Now let's go inside, shall we?" Soonkyu breaks my reverie and I instantly let go of Taeyeon's hand. Soonkyu claps her hands enthusiastically and has this annoying grin on her face. She links her arm with Jessica's and walk in front of Taeyeon and I.

Jessica gives me a smirk before turning ahead and walking with Soonkyu. A smirk? What's that all about?

 

There are a lot of people inside the venue and Taeyeon walks a little bit closer to me. 

 

Gosh.

 

We stop inside a big hall with a stage where the band Soonkyu wants to see is going to perform. The venue has more than one hall and each hall has a stage. Sometimes couple of bands will perform at the same time in different stage, but with great sounds proofing in each hall, the sounds won't clash.

 

Just in time, the band members start to come out and people erupt in cheers. Soonkyu being one of the loudest. Even Jessica looks a little bit excited. Taeyeon.... well she has this big cute smile on her face and got lost on cheering too. 

 

This is not so bad. Not so bad at all.

 

I don't really like this band, but I know a couple of their songs, so I sing along to the songs that I know. Soonkyu sees me singing and she puts her arm around my shoulder while singing along too. She squeezes herself between me and Taeyeon and puts her other arm on Taeyeon's shoulder. 

 

Soonkyu is singing her heart out and Taeyeon is laughing at her eagerness. I chuckle and our gazes meet. She stops laughing and smiles at me. I feel my cheeks warming and smile back at her. 

 

We continue to enjoy the performance and halfway through it, Soonkyu turns to me. 

 

"You're favorite band is going to perform in a while!" she shouts amidst the loud music and people’s singing. She takes out a booklet, which contains information of the festival's rundown. I take a look and it's true that my favorite band is going to perform in 5 minutes but on another stage. 

"Come on then!" I shout to Soonkyu, but she shook her head.

"I want to watch this until it's over!"

What the- 

"What's wrong?" Taeyeon asks. Soonkyu's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Tiffany wants to watch the other band, but Sica and I want to watch this till the end!" she answers Taeyeon loud and clear. Oh, really? Jessica wants to watch this band until it ends? I look over at Jessica and she watches us.......... with an unreadable look on her face.  

I don’t have time to decipher what Jessica’s look means when someone says, "I'll go with her! I want to watch it too!" 

My head instantly turns to the source of voice. She looks expectant and I can see from the corner of my eye, Soonkyu is grinning widely before she says, "Cool! We'll meet you there then!"

“Okay!” Taeyeon cutely waves to Jessica and starts to turn away.

I try to protest to Soonkyu, but she pushes me again, "Go on!"

I want to slap away her stupid grin, but I do want to watch the other band and the cute Kim Taeyeon is waiting for me.

So I turn and start walking with Taeyeon to the next hall.

 

*

(flashback a little bit)

“Hey, you guys don’t mind if my friend come along, right?” Soonkyu asked us when we’re approaching the venue.

Jessica threw me a look before she went back to her cellphone, “Sure.”

I raised my eyebrows. Jessica was not one to easily accept someone to tag along with us.

“How about you, Taeng? You’re okay with it?” Soonkyu interrupted my bemused thought of Jessica’s behavior just now.

“Eh? Yeah, of course, I’m okay. Might as well make new friends.”

“Great! She’ll be here soon.”

“Is she your colleagues?” I ask the suddenly more excited Soonkyu. She’s excited to watch the music festival, but somehow I got the feeling she’s gotten more excited now.

“Nope, I met her in college.” She said while looking around, “Oh, there she is.”

I looked at her direction.

"Miyoung-ah! Over here!"

 

My eyes fell on this particular woman and the first thought that came to my mind was she’s definitely my type.

 

 

 

 

 

Wait, I didn’t even know I have a type in girls.

 

*

(Present time)

 

When we’re in the next hall, turns out the performance is delayed.

 

So I stand there not knowing what to do with the cute Kim Taeyeon by my side. (I won’t stop saying cute in front of her name since that particular adjective belongs to be there. Period.)

 

An angel voice inside of me tells me to go back to where Soonkyu and Jessica are but an evil voice tells me to get to know her, get close, and steal this cute girl from her bad girlfriend. I’m contemplating the two options when one clear voice without a hint of angel nor evil screams inside my head: ‘What the hell is wrong with you?! You could just be her friend!! There’s nothing wrong with befriending such an intriguing person.’    

 

Before I can take any action, she speaks up, “Let’s just wait, shall we?”

I finally turn my head at her. All the voices inside of me died down in an instant, “Sure.”

She sits down on the ground like all the people inside the hall to wait for the performance and I sit beside her.

 

She pulls out her cellphone from her purse, unlocks it, stares at it for a second, but then swiftly puts it back with a frown. 

“So, you must be very close with Soonkyu, huh?” she asks before I can figure out her action with her cellphone earlier.

“Yeah. How do you know that?”

 

‘How do you know that?’ Gosh, can you think of a dumber question, Hwang Miyoung? 

 

“Well not everyone can call her by her Korean name.” she chuckles and it’s a very cute chuckle. Not so much of a dumb question then.

I smile, feeling less nervous by the minute. “We’re inseparable since college.”  

“You took the same major as her?”

“Yep.”

“Ah, I see.” She nods and turns her head towards the stage.

I should say something, shouldn’t I? If I don’t, it will seem like I’m rude or something and it will turn awkward.

“How about you?”

She turns her head to me again.

“Um.. I mean you’re close with Soonkyu too, right?”

She smiles, “She and Jessica are practically my only friends in this city.”

“Oh? You just moved here?”

Okay, I know she just moved here since Soonkyu already told me. But I need to be not creepy and keep this conversation going.

“Yeah.”

“What makes you moved here?”

“An impossible-to-pass work offer.”

“What kind of impossible-to-pass work offer is it?”

“The kind that puts more money on your bank account.” She grins and I chuckle.

“Ah, that kind.”

“Yep. That kind.”

 

By the time the lights dimmed, people standing up, and the band is about to play, I already know which company she works for (an investment company), the university she went to (one of the best university in her hometown), and a little bit about her family (one older brother & one younger sister). The same goes for her. She knows all those information about me too. She’s so easy to talk to and I conclude being friends with this cute creature is probably doable.

 

The performance ends with a bang and I can’t help but cheer as loud as I can when the band takes their exit. I look beside me and I can tell Taeyeon is having the time of her life too. She’s smiling widely while still clapping her hands and eyes still on the stage. She becomes fully aware of my staring and turns her head. Our eyes meet and we have this daze smiles on our faces.

Honestly speaking, watching my favorite band performed with her makes the experience more meaningful.

“That’s one hell of a show.” She comments.

“I never expect less from them.” I say back.

She nods in agreement and takes out her cellphone that seems to be buzzing for some time now, “Oh, Soonkyu!” she picks up her cellphone.

 

Wow, I even forget that I went here with Soonkyu and Jessica.

 

“Where are you guys?” she asks while looking around for them in this large crowd of people. I start to look around for them too but there are too many people here.

“Soonkyu-ah, why don’t we just meet at the food & beverage area?” Taeyeon stops searching for them and looks at me instead, as if asking if it’s a good idea to meet them there or not.

I give her a thumb up, showing that’s indeed better than searching for them in this mass of people.

She gives me a smile that I swear will be one of many memorable things that I remember from tonight.

“Okay, we’ll meet you there then.”

 

“Where were you guys?” Taeyeon asks the other two as soon we approach them.

“We’re standing way in the back. I guess we came after half the set-list had been played.” Soonkyu answers while giving me a teasing look.

Ugh.

“So where to now?” I ask and glare for a split second to Soonkyu who smile even wider.

 

“I’m hungry.”

Those two sentences from Jessica are enough to decide our next destination.