I had my game face on during the Calvin Klein show and the after-party. 

I took pictures as my thoughts are getting haywire over the patterns and designs, and how I can incorporate and execute some of them in my future collections. I know I will stick to the modern classic, the style I'm mostly comfortable with. But the thing with Fashion Week, regardless of the city, is it makes you inspired and energized to go out of bounds. I guess we'll see.

As wine overflowed at the after-party, I went around to introduce myself and my brand, while I reconnected with familiar faces and friends. Somehow for me, parties like this during Fashion Week are a double-edged sword, inviting you to kick back and relax, yet at the same time makes you put your guard up as you network and socialize.

No rest for the wicked in New York, I guess. All this as I kept Irene and Amber at bay at the party, just in case something wicked happens. Irene was pretty in pink, while Amber looked like a boss with her silk top. Man, what I would give for that fool on a silk top.

----------

"Hey, we can't be heading back to the hotel after the after party, right? Let's have a real nightcap!" Irene tells us, slightly slurring her invitation.

"With the way you're speaking right now, I don't think so," Amber said as she examined our model friend.

"I agree. Let's go somewhere quiet to sober up and have coffee instead," I seconded.

"Since when did you guys become no-jam? Are our days of food, wine and laughter now relegated to memories of our youth?" Irene insisted, but not before stumbling at the sidewalk to betray her faux sobriety.

Ah, food and memories. I usually associated food with good memories, and marshmallows gave me a good one.

It was years ago. I was already on my way out of the company building after yet another exhausting rehearsal. To my members' credit, we finished practicing early because it was exams time. 

So there I was, looking forward to spending my spare time in my bedroom staring into space, having a few luxurious hours of not having to think about our looming debut, and...

"Pssst!"

Well, that's a rude way to interrupt my planning. I turned up my chin and walked on.

"Hey miss! I mean boss!"

I pretended not to hear anything.

"Boss Jung!"

How silly! I turned around to see who had the nerve the give me a weird English shoutout in a sea of Korean speakers.

"Oh it's you," I acknowledged, the crowd around us pausing to look at the unlikely acquaintances before shuffling to mind their own businesses.

"Sorry for the shouting, I just needed to get your attention and, well, it suddenly hit me that I didn't know your name," Amber said, her voice dropping the volume as she made the realization.

"It's Jessica, and also, local customs dictate that I should tell you I'm older than you both in Korean and American ages, so you better think of a different way to call me other than Boss Jung."

"No offense, Jessica unnie, but I think Boss Jung suits you better."

I shook my head and shrugged as a form of surrender. Amber had a point. Plus, I liked the sound of it too.

"Shouldn't you be at a training room practicing your Korean or something?"

"Exams, so nearly all trainings and classes are ending early this week. Hey boss, would you like some coffee?"

"No thanks, I've been weaning myself from coffee recently. Gets me dehydrated from rehearsals."

"Let's have hot choco instead then. My treat, to pay you back for walking me home the other night."

At that moment, my stomach grumbled. Such great timing. Besides, who am I to turn down free snacks?

As we walked our way to the nearest cafe, Amber suddenly chuckled.

"What was that for?"

"Didn't you hear the whispers around us just now, Boss Jung? They thought I was Donghae sunbaenim!" Amber said in between laughs.

"You liked those comments, don't you?"

"Not entirely..."

"Liars go to hell..."

"Fine, I like them, but I'm amused by the comments too."

"You're so self-centered and you haven't even debuted yet!"

"Am not!

"Am too!"

Needless to say, the bickering continued inside the cafe. I chided Amber for her terrible haircut and for not learning Korean fast enough. She teased me for tossing aside the cucumber slices on my burger. 

"Why? Why waste these precious cucumbers?" Amber cooed to the vegetables I tossed aside.

"Ew, precious my foot!" I exclaimed in disgust, as I moved on to my cup of hot choco with weird white toppings.

"Oh my God Jessica Jung, please don't tell me you abhor those marshmallows too?" Amber asked in a mix of shock and curiosity.

"What marshmallows? Aren't these tofu?"

I was serious. She fell silent. And then, she laughed.

"You can't be serious!" 

"You're mocking me!"

"I'm not! And you look too cute to be mocked anyway," Amber said. "But if you hate marshmallows, hand them to me over instead."

"I really thought these were tofu. And I don't hate marshmallows, but seeing you give me those puppy eyes, then fine, take them."

"You're the best, Boss Jung!"

And before you know it, the marshmallows are gone. But the laughter we shared over snacks went on and on, and I liked it. I liked having her around, too. 

It was a great day. It was the day I realized I liked her.

----------

"Two hot chocolates and one espresso. The food will arrive shortly," the waiter said, bringing me back to earth. The espresso was for Irene who took a nap on the side; the hot choco for me and Amber.

"Thanks," I said as I prepared my phone to take a picture of my cup.

"Aaaaaah, just like the old times," Amber exclaimed after taking a long, first sip of her cup. "Hey Jess, are you throwing those marshmallows away again?"

"Ya, are you really that hungry?"

"You're mocking me."

"Seriously Amber, let me take a photo first, then you can take them."

"You're the best, Boss Jung!"

I typed the caption with the past memory in mind: "Hot chocolate with marshmallows <3 Oh wait... is it TOFU?"

"Hey Jess, can I take a photo of your cup too?"

"Weirdo, you have your own cup."

"On the contrary, the cup is no more," Amber said, holding her cup upside down as proof.

"You're the worst, Am."

"You're the best, Boss Jung!"

Minutes later, Amber and I are in stitches over her Instagram story of my cup, which bore this caption: "Hot chocolate with no marshmallows :P (Cause i ate em all)"

The laughter we shared went on and on, and I liked it. It was a great night, and I still liked her.