In Which She Was Different

Park Chorong

I was busily checking myself out in front of the mirror, ensuring that I dressed well and not embarrassed myself.  My friend party would be started in two hours, and I was the way too early to be ready—although the venue could be reached in no more than 20 minutes.  Once again, I checked myself out, observing the tight dress which wrapped me around like my second skin to make sure that there was no protruding unnecessary thread or unwanted stain which probably attached on my dress.  I shifted my observation to my makeup, pondering if I was being too much or not.  Checking my red lipstick and the eye makeup, ensuring that it was draw perfectly.  I was OCD when I was going to go to party.  I was afraid if I dressed up improperly for the party or my makeup getting ruined.  I kept convince myself that I was fine and looked gorgeous.

With cautious feeling, I stepped out of my room and bumped into Bomi who was struggling in tying her hair.  She dressed neatly in black shirt and black skinny jeans.  She looked boyish yet charismatic in the black set.

“Do you need some help?”  I offered when she was about to lose temper for tying her hair.

“Yes, please…  I can’t tie it neatly.”  She passed me the hair band.

“Because you’re not a neat person.  Even your hair rejected to be tied neatly.”  I scoffed, tidying up her hair.

“You’re funny.”  She grinned.

I tucked her hair in my grip, did not let any strands to slip out.  My eyes staring at her neckline.  It was beautiful—long and slim—as beautiful as her nose bridge.  I moved my hands faster, finishing a ponytail for her hair then let go my hands off, before I was turning into a ert for being blushed just by looking at someone else’s neck.

“Done.”  I said.

She reached her hands on her ponytail, it to ensure that it was tied perfectly.

“Perfect.”  She smiled widely.

“Where are you going?  To dress up—mmmm—well?”  I asked carefully.

“Same for you.  Where are you going—dressing up too much?”  She asked back.

“I asked you first.”  I snapped.

“Hahaha, arasseo…  My friend got a job to perform at someone’s party, and I was invited to join too—playing my guitar and sing.”  She answered brightly.

“Cool!  I wish I can see your performance.  You look so cool when singing and playing guitar.”  I blurted out, realizing that I was too excited.

“Mmmm, I’ll sing and play guitar for you often.”  She replied, sounded like a promise.

My face flushed when I got the reply.  I looked away to run away from this situation.

“You haven’t answer my question yet.”  She continued.

“Mmmm, I am going to my friend’s party.”  I answered quickly.

“I’ll leave.”  I added, turning my heel to head to the door.

“Let’s go together.”  She grabbed her guitar and followed me behind.

“How do you go there?”  I asked when we strolling the corridor.

“By bus.”  She answered.

“Mmmmm, I’ll give you a ride.  I still have lot of time before the party.”  I said hesitatingly.

“You drive?”  She looked surprised.

I nodded wordlessly.

“I should say no if someone has kindly offered a ride.”  She smirked.

We just entered the lift, bringing us down to the basement where my car had been parked.

“Eung, Bomi-ya—“

I stopped before finishing my sentence.

She turned around, facing me.

“Eung?”  She asked.

“Do I dress to much?”  I asked carefully, looking at her expecting the good answer.

“You are always being too much—too much stunning.”  She said blatantly.

Whether it was a joke, I already turned red by hearing it.  This girl in succeed to give me blushing cheeks several times with her cheesy words or her jokes.

“Babo!”  I murmured, turning my head away to hide my pinkish cheeks.

Arriving at the parking area, I quickly spotted my car as I always parked it in certain place.  I walked toward my car in rush, while Bomi was following me behind.

“Watch out!”  Bomi yelled and pulled me gruffly.

I jerked away, stumbled backward, about to hit the floor, but Bomi’s hands quickly caught me and wrapped me around against her chest.  She lost her balance and ended up by collide her back on the big concrete pillar.  I slightly heard a bump sound, but I had no clue about that sound coming from.

“Unnie!!!  Be careful!!!  You almost got hit by that car!”  She snapped.

I had just realized about what happened.  I was too focus in reaching my car until I did not realize that there was a car coming from another direction.  If Bomi was a second late reaching her hands out to pull me, I would end up lying on the ground with blood everywhere.

“I…  I am sorry…  I don’t see the car coming…”  I stuttered.  Still shocking about the incident.

“Are you okay?”  I continued, checking her body.

She grabbed my hands and looked at me.  I could feel my palms were cold, and my hands trembling.

“I should be the one who said that.  Are you okay?  You’re trembling so much…”  She said in worried look.

“Let’s just grab a taxi.  I’ll send you first.”  She stated firmly then linked her arm around my shoulder, dragging me along to grab a taxi.

“I can go by myself actually.”  I said when we already in the taxi.

“I don’t think so.  You’re still had cold sweat and so ing trembling.”  She was still holding my hands firmly.

“Language, Yoon Bomi!”  I snapped.

“I am sorry…  I speak harshly when I worry about something.”  She replied solemnly, rendering to make me blush again.

“What time your performance is?”  I asked, feeling bad to make her accompany me to go to my destination first.

“It will start in one and half hours.”  She glanced on her wristwatch.

“You are going to be late if you send me first.”  I whined, retracting my hands from hers.

“I am fine.  I think my place is close to your destination.”  She replied calmly.  She did not look like a usual Yoon Bomi.

The taxi drove along the road until it reached closer the destination.  It stopped in front of a garden decorated by glowing lights and luxurious ornaments.  In the middle of garden, there was a stage with music instruments stood up in order.

“I think you’re here.”  Bomi peeked through the window.

“And I think I am also here.”  She added.

“What do you mean?”  I looked at her.

“I think I’ll perform here—at your friend’s party.”

“For real?”

After paying for taxi’s fare, we both got off the taxi.  The venue was still empty.  Only the waiters and waitresses preparing the buffet, and the band was doing rehearsal.  Both Bomi and I walked slowly toward the venue, but as soon as she spotted Eunji who was playing the keyboard, she quickened her pace, leaving me behind.

“You broke your guitar?”  Eunji said in shocking face.

I looked up and saw them checking the guitar.  It was cracked on the right hip.  Bomi rubbed it carefully, and I clearly saw her sad face while looking at it.

“I don’t think I can use it anymore…”  She murmured.

“How can you break it?  You always carry it carefully.”  Eunji asked in disbelief.

“I don’t know.  It might collide into something.”  Bomi put her guitar back in the guitar case.

“Use my guitar then…”  Eunji walked away, took her guitar and gave it to Bomi.

I was mulling to remember about previous incident.

Was it the sound I heard?  The cracked of Bomi’s guitar?

I kept asking that question to myself.  Starting to feel guilty, I approached the stage and talked to Bomi.  I should say my apology because the guitar looked so precious to Bomi as Eunji had mentioned that the ignorant and messy Bomi always took it care carefully.

“Bomi-ya?  Is your guitar broken?  I had an odd sound when you saved me from the car, is it your guitar?”  I said in guilty.

“Aaaaa—it’s not, Unnie.  It’s probably broken when we were on taxi—bumping into something.”  She replied lightly.  But I knew she was lying.

“Don’t lie!  I know it’s because of me.”  I snarled.

“I am not, Unnie…  Please calm down…”  She frowned.

When I was about to retort, someone tapped my shoulder.  I turned around.

“Changsub-ah?”  I said brightly, spreading my arms to pull him into my hug.

He moved closer and wrapped his arms around my waist, placing his chin on my shoulder.

“You always come early…”  He spoke in the middle of the embrace.

“I just anticipate about something that may happen.”  I replied softly.

He retracted the hug and faced me, putting his hands on my shoulder.

“You haven’t healed yet?”  He asked in worry tone.

“I am better now.”  I smiled lightly.

I looked away to see Bomi who had been caught up looking at us the whole time.

“We’ll talk later.”  I said in low voice, then dragged Changsub away.

“Who is she?”  He asked when we were away from the stage.

“Promise me that you will not tell my parent about this.”  I hesitated.

“Why?”  He furrowed his eyebrow.

“I trust you—I hope you will not destroy my trust on you.”  I said carefully.

“Trust me.”  He stated solemnly.

I blew out a heavy sigh before telling him about everything—about how I ended up living with Bomi—about the quarrel—about our different personalities.  Changsub was listening to me without trying to interrupt.  Being with him, always gave me a comfort and pleasure feeling.  He was my best friend, and would be always like that.  Although he was rich, he always being humble and did not mind to let his hands dirty to do any job.  Moreover, he was a good listener.  I had no one but him.  Whenever I got trouble, he never failed to make me feel better.

“It’s cool.”  It was his word after listening my whole story.

“Cool?”  I frowned.

“I bet my all fortune to say that you already listed your to do list about your new place.  How you decorate it—how you spend your day—how to arrange your thing.  But, that will make you realize that life is really unexpected, isn’t it?  You have no clue that the thi