“You, are my partner, to the ball.”  

The phrase she chose was very straightforward, and a little risky. Even ChungHa knew that she wouldn’t even do that, but she did. Minso thought of it as a better way for ChungHa to get closer to him. I guess she didn’t need my help, she thought. “Sure,” he said. Minso and ChungHa’s faces both shot up to his direction.

“S-seriously?” She kept stuttering her words out of happiness.

“Yeah. I mean, we are good friends, so I don’t see why not.” Although his answer lightened her heart, she felt sad. She knew that he thought they were going as friends, which is not what she wanted. On the other hand, Taehyung never thought more of it. ¸

“Um, guys?” Minso interrupted, “I hate to jump in, but I should be getting home, I still have to practice choreography for my class.” ChungHa used that as an excuse to escape the conversation because she couldn’t stand the rejection of the one she loved, even though he did say he were to go with her. “Hey! I’ll drive you, so we can hang out at your house. Here, since I have a license, I’ll drive the Lamborghini to your house.” She took Minso by the arm and pulled her, but was suddenly tugged back.

“It was nice to meet you after a few years, see ya tomorrow!” Then she left. Taehyung stood there, smiling. It was clear that both friends had missed each other for a while. 

When they got home, the first thing that ChungHa did was cuddle the 옥붕 (Ogboong). She kept hugging it, kissing it, and bouncing it’s up and down in her arms. Minso was in her living room, dancing to the song she is going to teach to the intermediate class. The couches and coffee table were moved to the side, giving her enough room to dance.

Just when she was in the middle of a move, Ogboong ran across the floor, clearly trying to run away from ChungHa. Ogboong ran in between Minso’s legs, making her stumble in her movements, and ChungHa coming from the dining room accidentally collides with Minso when she was trying to catch Ogboong. They both fall on the ground and laugh. “I miss all the fun times together,” she said. 

“Let’s go watch Riverdale, shall we?” They both smiled and stood up. They put the couches and table back to where the belonged and the tv. 

They were watching the second season of their favorite show, Riverdale. They both loved the Archie Comics when they were young, and wanted to see what they would look like if they were real. They realize, Veronica is different from her original character from the comics, and how Archie is hot in this version. Ogboong kept on trying to cuddle with them, only to get the food they were eating. When it gets to one of the parts where Veronica kisses Archie, ChungHa sighs.

“What’s wrong Chungy?” She explains to Minso how she still has a crush on Taehyung, and when every time she feels like she is getting closer to him, she drifts apart from him easily. And whenever she sees Veronica and Archie kiss, it makes her feel sad because she is still single. Minso understands what she is going through, but also doesn’t. She knows what it feels like to drift away from someone you love, she just doesn’t remember experiencing how and why she experienced it. She isn’t even sure if she experienced it.

“Look,” Minso reassured her, “I’m 100% sure he likes you back. He is just trying to play hard to get, you will get him sooner or later, just try to show him you love him. Maybe, you can at the ball! how about that?” She nodded, which showed Minso that she probably had an idea about she was going to do. Although Minso felt happy for helping her out, she felt a little empty. She doesn’t know why, either. It is as if a heart has been carved to a smaller heart.

Just then, the doorbell rang. 

*DING*

“I’ll get it,” Minso said, and paused the show. She got up and went to open the door. “Hey, Minso! Long time, no see! How have ya been, huh?” Her faced show irritation, because she was irritated. She definitely didn’t want to see him right now. Not after what happened.

“What do you want, JeongHee? I’m busy.” Minso was about to shut the door on him, until he put his foot to stop it from closing. He quietly cussed under his breath, opened the door and walked right in. “I see you have no respect for your elders, especially since he has you schedule for classes.” He handed the schedule for her to take a look at. The schedule read:

December 9 - Intermediate 5-9pm

December 16 - Intermediate 5-9pm

December 23 - Intermediate 5-9pm

December 24 - Advanced Adults 6-10pm

The last date on the list confused her. “Why am I teaching advanced adults?” JeongHee looked confused as well, and took the schedule from her. Apparently, he explained to her that she had to substitute on Christmas Eve because the teacher is going to the hospital to get surgery on her. 

“I know the schedule is perfectly fine with me, it’s just that, next week on December 16th, she has to go to a ball with me,” ChungHa interrupted. She has been looking over Minso’s shoulder the whole time because she was bored sitting on the couch and doing nothing.

“And who are you, pretty girl?” He seductively said. He held her hand, but she pulled it away, looking disgusted. It made Minso giggle a little bit. “First of all, I’m her best friend and SECOND, I am not yours, so back up your ing tail and don’t flirt with me.” Minso ‘ooed’ a little at her best friend’s burn to her team leader. They both high fives each other and stared at him to listen to his response. 

“Touché. If your friend hadn’t saved you back there you wouldn’t have been able to get a free day next week. I wasn’t in the mood to argue with someone I didn’t know who was lesser than me...” His burn stung her, badly... She held her hand up, which made him flinch, but then let it down trying to calm herself. Then, she walked away, back to the living room. “Well, I guess I won. I’ll see you in two weeks. Bye Minso!” He said, and she closed the door. She walked back to see ChungHa have ice cream in her hands.

“Hey! You have to share that with me!” They both laughed, until Minso’s phone started to ring. “Oh, god. Is it the JeongHee guy? I don’t want to see him anymore...” ChungHa said. It was obvious that she was done with him. “No,” Minso said, “It’s Sehun.” ChungHa got up and walked over to her. 

“Hello?” Minso said after picking up.

“Hey, sis. How have ya been?” He sounded like he was in a lot of pain. She was worried. “Yo, what’s wrong dude?”

“Hello?”

“Eomma?”

“Yes honey, your brother is in the hospital.” Minso was shocked to here that, so was ChungHa. “What happened to him?” Her voice was shaky, and clear that Minso was starting to get worried. 

“He was attacked by those bullies of him, you know, the usual.” 

“Usual? What part of this is usual???” Minso was starting to get mad. She didn’t like the fact that what her mom said sounded like she didn’t care at all for her brother. “Relax,” her mom said, “they just took it a little too far. We will take this to court, if that’s what you want, but he will recover just fine...”

Minso was not angry, but pissed. Why would her mom take it to court just for her? Why couldn’t she do it for the sake of Sehun? “너 미쳤어? (Are you crazy?) Why don’t you do it for him instead of doing it for me? Why don’t you actually care do something about it for him instead of caring a lot more about me, huh?!?!” Then, she ended the phone call. On the other side of the phone, Minso’s mom was very upset and mad. She didn’t know why her own daughter would do that to her, nor did she ever care about her thoughts on her own brother. 

“What was that about?” ChungHa asked. 

“My mom, and her annoying ” she said and walked back to the living room to watch more Riverdale.

It’s already 7:45pm, and ChungHa rushes to leave. “Where are you going, Chungy?” Minso asked in a sweet, soothing voice. 

“I have the night shift at my work, don’t worry! We can go shopping tomorrow for our dresses, bye love!” Then, she left. <