C h a p t e r  2: Blind Date

Waking up to a headache was not was she was expecting. With all that was going on in her life, she wanted to punch something. Today, being her blind date, Sulli forged through her closet for something to wear. It wasn't that she cared, it was that she wanted to dress down. She wanted to turn off the other person who was on the date with her, to purposely end the conversation right then and there. Fumbling through her drawers, she found a dull gray sweater and some leggings to put on. Leaving her hair down and adding no makeup, Sulli looked at herself in the mirror. "This will do," she commented as she turned around and put on some old sneakers.

Opening her bedroom door, she exited as she dragged her feet along the hallway. Looking at the time, she realized that she needed to hurry up and cursed at herself for sleeping in so late. Quickly grabbing her bag and wallet, Sulli exited her apartment. Sitting right next to her purse were her house keys, which were left on the shoe stand, untouched.

Rushing towards the elevator, Sulli frantically pressed the button as she watched the elevator numbers change one by one until it read fourteen, her level. Entering the elevator, she felt as if the air was trying to suffocate her all at once. “Why am I nervous?” Sulli thought as she gripped onto her purse. Once it read ground level, she hurried out of the elevator and apartment in distress.

Trying to walk as quick as she could to Lucky Moon, she was surprised by a phone call. Sliding it out of her pocket, she realized it was Krystal and sighed in despair, picking up with a grumble, "Yes Krystal."

"Sulli, are you going to your blind date?" Krystal coaxed through the phone.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Sulli questioned Krystal. "How would you know that I'm not there?"

Clearing , Krystal quickly replied, "I d-don't. I'm just telling you to hurry because I know that you're always late." After a pause, Krystal added, "Yeah."

"Okay..." Sulli sensed that something was off about Krystal, but chose to dismiss it. "I'm here.” Sulli referred as she entered Lucky Moon’s doors. “I have to hang up." Tucking her phone back in her purse, she looked around the restaurant for the table number she was supposed to be at. "Table eighteen..." Sulli's eyes roamed around the room until she finally spotted it. Popping out from the booth chairs was the back of someone's head. "That should be him then," Sulli muttered as she stepped closer to the table.

She sat down and placed her purse on the booth. Looking up, she couldn't believe it. Her voice squeaked as she stared in disbelief, "Choi Minho?"

"Sulli?" Minho responded with the same tone of disbelief. "Are you here for the blind date?" He noticed that Sulli was wearing very basic clothing, finding it a bit weird for a blind date.

Sulli slightly nodded without a reply.

"I didn't know you'd be a blind date kind of person." Minho remarked, remembering Sulli's attitude towards him.

Tilting her head, she replied, "I'm not."

"I see." He smiled as he looked at Sulli and continued, "Then we're on the same boat. This is forced on you too, right?" Then, he made the connection. The basic clothing was on purpose.

Once again, Sulli nodded, this time however, with a reply. "I just want to get something straight. I'm not in the mood to date right now." Grabbing her phone and pretending to look at the time, Sulli said, "It looks like I will be going." As she exited the booth, she felt someone's hands wrap around hers. Looking down at her hand and then at Minho, Sulli knitted her eyebrows together.

“Can’t we at least talk as friends?” Minho earnestly commented as he tried to convince Sulli to stay. “We live in the same apartment right above each other. We should at least know each other, right?”

Sulli inhaled in deeply as she took her hand out of his gasp, sighing in defeat. “Fine.” Sulli sat down as she positioned herself on the booth.

A grin building on his face, Minho looked at Sulli’s expression as he couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “I don’t bite Sulli. I know what you’re afraid of. I understand that we just met, but I assure you that I am not going to hurt you.”

Nodding in response, Sulli sat uncomfortably, hoping that the ‘blind-date’ would end soon.

“So, I guess we should get to know each other.” After taking a sip from his water, he continued, “I mean we’re technically on a blind date, but we can just think of it as friends getting to know one another.”

“Sure.” Sulli couldn’t help but become frustrated with Minho’s personality. It was too open for her, and she felt that it was almost too much to handle. Keeping her boundaries up at all times, she picked carefully what to say. In a way to deter Minho from asking her any questions, she decided to ask Minho questions. Without thinking, she blurted in an arrogant manner, “So why are you forced on this blind date?” Realizing what she had just said, she quickly covered with widened eyes. “Omo, I didn’t mean it to sound that way.”

“Gwenchana,” Minho chuckled as he assured Sulli he was not offended. “My reason is probably the same as yours. My mom is forcing me to go on blind dates when all I want to focus on is work.” Minho leaned back on the booth as he crossed his arms over his chest, seeking a comfortable position. “Ever since I––” Shaking his head, he cut himself off. “Nevermind, it’s not important.”

“What?” Sulli was confused. Minho’s usual smile had been wiped off his face, replaced by a frown that she couldn’t read. She didn’t know why, but it bothered her that she didn’t know the rest of his story.

“It’s nothing.” Minho looked back up at Sulli with another smile, but this time it seemed robotic to Sulli. “So, is that your reason for coming to this too?”

“Exactly the same.” Sulli couldn’t help but let out a small smile. She could finally connect with someone on a blind date. Everyone else she met was serious about it, and she would have to suffer through the entire date listening to their backgrounds. It was like a cycle, they would ask her who she  was, she would tell them, they would ask her to be their girlfriend, and she would have to be the bad guy and reject.

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Krystal peered from behind the booth, wearing a pair of sunglasses to partially hide her face. She knew that it was wrong to spy on Sulli’s blind date, but she was so curious to see how it would end. Plus, Sulli’s own mother had commanded her to make sure that the date went well and to report anything that happened to her. From her angle, however, she couldn’t detect who the blind date was with.

As she craned her neck outward, someone tapped her shoulder to her surprise. She flinched as she turned around only to be met with the least expected person.

“Taemin?” Dragging him into the seat opposite her booth, she harshly whispered, “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask the same of you.” Taemin replied.

“I’m here because my friend Sulli is on a blind date and her mom told me to tell her how it went.”

Taemin chuckled as he placed his hands over his mouth.

“What’s so funny?” Krystal sternly whispered.

“Is it possible that my friend and you friend are going on a blind date together and we’re the ones spying on them?” Taemin couldn’t stop laughing. It was like he was in a movie, all the coincidences happening one after another.

“What do you mean?” Krystal couldn’t see what Taemin was trying to say. She crossed her arms as she waited for Taemin’s explanation.

“I think my friend is on a blind date with yours.” Taemin outrightly asserted as he pointed to the booth.

“Wait,” Turning around to see the booth again, she saw a change in Sulli’s expression. Unlike the other times when she turned around, Sulli was genuinely happy. She was laughing and enjoying her time. Seeing Sulli like this, Krystal smiled to herself, knowing that once Sulli was happy, she would be as well. “Who’s your friend, he’s special to be able to make Sulli laugh.”

“Choi Minho.”

“I see.” Krystal initially did not register the name until she whipped her head back towards Taemin. “Wait, who again?”

“Choi Minho,” Taemin replied, this time with a hint of annoyance. “Why are you acting like this is the world’s biggest scandal.”

“I’m not,” Krystal remarked in defiance. “I’m just shook that it’s him again.”

“What do you mean, him again?”

“Oh mianhe, I forgot to tell you what happened yesterday.” Gathering herself into a comfortable position, she placed her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together. “So, my friend Sulli came back from the airport, and I guess she was clumsy and forgot to check her luggage tag and––”

“They picked up each other’s luggage,” Taemin ended with his conclusion.

Krystal nodded with a smile as she remarked, “What a smart boyfriend.”

“Yah, was that sarcastic?” Taemin pretended to be offended as he crossed his arms across his chest. Ending the act, he sat up again as he continued, “I’m actually not as smart as you think. Minho was the one who told me about it yesterday. Then, I am assuming the shy and introverted girl is––what’s her name again?”

“Choi Sulli, and yes.”

Taemin glanced over at the booth as he commented, “They seem to be having a good time, I mean both are laughing.” Returning his gaze back to Krystal, he sparingly asked, “If you’re so extroverted, how did you become friends with an introvert?”

“It’s kind of a long story.”

Taemin looked down at his watch and grinned. “Take as much time as you need. I have all day.”

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17 Years Ago…

Six year old Krystal had been outside at recess with her friends. The playground was an open area for everyone to relax from the long hours of school and meet new friends, at least that was how it was for Krystal. She was loved by everyone, having secret admirers from kindergarten and on. When she walked around, her friends would follow her wherever she went, earning her a reputation for being the most popular first grader in the school. She set off the new fashion trends and was willing to take time out from herself to help others. She was the perfect six year old, and even the teachers respected her for that.

Running around on the playground was amazing to Krystal. She loved the feeling of being outdoors and feeling her hair wisp away in the wind. The sensation of moving around climbing on monkey bars, sliding down slides, swinging on swings, she loved it all.

As she walked past a group of students, she heard shouting. Curious to what was happening, Krystal’s feet led her to a group of girls threatening a girl.

“What are you guys doing?” Krystal questioned.

“Oh, Krystal, you shouldn’t talk to her. She’ll ruin your reputation.” Scoffing at the ground, the girls smirked, “Sulli, you are just a nerd.”

Krystal stood dazed. Her mind couldn’t comprehend how those girls could be so rude. As if Sulli weren't suffering enough, a ball came flying as it hit Sulli on the head. The girls laughed as they stood watching Sulli cry in pain.  Krystal couldn’t take it anymore. “Guys, leave! I don’t want to see you guys being so disrespectful towards her. She is also a human, so treat her like one.” Kneeling down besides Sulli, Krystal offered out her hand. “Sulli is your name right?”

The girl nodded as she refrained from putting her hand in Krystal’s. Krystal heard running footsteps as she watched a boy run closer and closer to come retrieve the ball that hit Sulli. Before returning to the soccer field, he noticed that tears were streaked down her face. Placing the ball on the ground, he grabbed his handkerchief and offered it to her. “Here, take it. You can give it back to me tomorrow.”

Sulli didn’t move. She sat still on the ground as more and more tears left her eyes. The boy kneeled down besides Krystal as he asked Krystal if he knew what went wrong.

“All I know is that she was bullied by another group of girls, but I got them to leave her alone.”

“Good, that’s what you should’ve done.” Krystal noticed that this boy was older than her, maybe around nine years old. He seemed to have this natural air of leadership that she respected. “Here––” Turning to Krystal, the boy asked, “What’s her name?”

“Sulli.”