NINETEEN

Three days after Summer Empire, the event was still on top of fashion and entertainment headlines as celebrities and happenings there are still talk of the town….and there’s no sign of a woman named Han Soo Ri.

“You seemed to be in a hurry, are you going somewhere?” Taeyeon asked Eunji as she started gathering her stuffs after a quick department heads meeting in the company. Suho had to excuse himself for a phone call.

“I’m meeting someone for lunch.” Eunji replied.

“Who?” and the question didn’t came from Taeyeon.

“Hayoung, a friend from Chick.” Eunji replied as she made an eye contact with Suho.

“Well then I guess I’ll have to cancel our lunch reservation.” Taeyeon suddenly said which garnered a confused look from the other girl.

“Lunch reservation?”

“Well, I was thinking if we could go on a lunch, you, me and Suho but I think you can’t come so I’ll cancel it.” Taeyeon replied which suddenly made Eunji feel bad.

“Oh my God I’m sorry I didn’t know…”

“Since it was supposed to be an ambush invite so you wouldn’t say no, but it seemed like you already got plans.” It made Eunji feel worse.

“We can definitely move it some other time, I know you haven’t met your friends from Chick for a long time so that’s more important, don’t feel bad about it.” Taeyeon tried to lift her mood up.

“Is Tris coming?” Suho butted in.

“No, it’s just me and Hayoung, Tris is attending an event today.” Eunji replied, it just made Suho nod.

-

“I miss you so much! It feels like ages when it’s just a month.” Hayoung continues to blabber about how much she misses Eunji as they’re now eating their lunch at a pizza parlor, yes, that’s an awesome lunch for them.

“You’ve repeated that for a hundred of time already Hayoung, I got it.” Eunji can’t help but chuckle. She felt bad about cancelling the lunch for three that Taeyeon planned but she promised to make it up to them even though they said that it was fine. She suddenly felt worried as what if Suho won’t be eating lunch… but she just let the thoughts pass even though she knows that it’s a 70:30 possibility.

“I just missed you okay? I feel sad, I’m all alone in the cubicle now, Tris hasn’t hired anyone yet and Soo Ah on an indefinite leave because I of I don’t know reason…” Hayoung said cutely which made Eunji chuckle and pinch the latter’s cheeks. She’s like her younger sister.

“How’s your love life anyway?” Hayoung suddenly asked which made Eunji roll her eyes. Hayoung knows it as well; she can’t keep a lot from the younger one.

“Come on, I’m sure something has changed right? I mean before you said you treat each other as if you don’t know each other at all… it’s been a month…” Hayoung insisted.

“Am I gonna end up on Chick’s homepage if I answer that?” Eunji playfully asked which made Hayoung laugh.

“I’ll see about that…” Hayoung joined in.

“Well, we actually became… friends? I mean… as far as I can see, we have started to treat each other as friends, we became more civil and normal?” Eunji doesn’t actually know how to explain their situation but she thinks that it was the best way to describe it. They became ‘friends’ and that’s what matters the most.

“So, have you fallen?” Hayoung nonchalantly asked which made Eunji stop herself from eating as her eyes widen at the younger.

“What? I was just asking. Come on, don’t use the ‘we’re just pretending’ or ‘it’s just a media play’ on me since you know I won’t bite it. He’s Kim Junmyeon, one of the hottest and well known bachelor in South Korea, don’t tell me you haven’t atleast, checked him out?” Hayoung pointed out.

Check him out? Has she tried it? She can feel her cheeks hot as she realized that she did… every time she sees him honestly… she noticed that he’s got a unique fashion style just like his cousins, he styles his hair up most of the time and it makes him look so hot, when it’s down… well… he’s still hot. He’s got a great skin complexion and she must admit that the night when they were soaked wet in the pool and she saw his chest and such? It hunted her for days. She can say she’s sinful as she can honestly say that he’s got some nice . He may not be as tall as his other cousins but his features are outstanding.

“Earth to Jung Eunji! Bring her back from imagining her so-called boyfriend!” her thoughts were cut off when Hayoung started to call her out with matching hand movements.

“Yah!”

“Why? You were spacing out and blushing, you’re probably thinking about him huh?” Hayoung teased which made her roll her eyes.

“Whatever you say Hayoung, yes I’ve checked him out and he’s got a nice , is that enough?” Eunji gulped on her juice.

“Ooohh, Jung Eunji checking asses out...” Eunji rolled her eyes. Hayoung may be younger than her but the girl can sometimes be too liberated for her own sake.

“But anyways, you said you’re friends right? So, when are you planning to end all of this?” Hayoung suddenly asked which caught her again off guard. This question is honestly hard for her as the only one who could answer is Suho’s mom and she hasn’t said anything yet.

“I don’t know, we’re just waiting for whatever will Suho’s mom say…”

“What if she says you guys have to get married?”

“Oh Hayoung!”

“Why? It was hypothetical… besides, you guys make a good couple, look, I even saved pictures of you!” Hayoung pulled her phone out and shoved the screen on Eunji’s face to let her see the pictures of them that she saved. Those were from the events where they attended or some paparazzi shots that most probably circulated the net.

“Don’t you make a good couple? I can imagine how your future child will-“

“Oh my God.” Hayoung was cut off when Eunji suddenly uttered. She was staring at the entrance door of the restaurant. It was somehow private so there were a few people even if it was lunch time.

“Isn’t that Han Soo Ri?” Hayoung asked as she recognized the person Eunji was looking at.

“You know her?”

“Yeah, she was once featured in Chick because she’s got a good nail business in Japan, the HSR Nails. There’s a group of people who admire her since she just finished her university years, but there’s also a rumor that she’s actually a sasaeng fan of someone we don’t know, but it wasn’t proven since a lot of people are saying that those were just false accusation for her. It was actually weird that she went to Japan and continued her university education there even when she was already enrolled in one of the most prestigious universities here...” Hayoung explained and that hit Eunji. That it was the girl was a bit familiar to her, she was once featured in Chick and she has once visited HSR Nails when she travelled to Japan.

“Do you know her?” Hayoung asked as she noticed that Eunji’s eyes were still on her. Eunji didn’t reply, instead, the luck was on her side as Soo Ri’s searching eyeballs landed on her.

“Hi!” Soo Ri approached them, it made Hayoung’s brow raised as she was confused as to how the two got to know each other.

“Oh hi.” Eunji obviously tried to sound civil and she’s good at it.