Hyeri stared at the 4-R photograph that Hayeon was holding in her hands. “Hey, look what my cousin had sent my family through mail! You remember Yeon Hee right? I told you about her before, yeah and you know, she’s in the same university as Myungsoo in New York!”

“Oh,” Hyeri muttered softly but her eyes had almost popped out of their sockets as she took the photograph in her hands, examining it thoroughly. There was Myungsoo and a girl – obviously, Hayeon's cousin. She was drop dead gorgeous and Hyeri felt her stomach churn drastically. He had his arm over her shoulder as they smiled brightly in the picture. The sun was shining brightly, the clouds were evident and Hyeri guessed that they were at a park or at a nature reserve.

She flipped the photograph to the back and looked at the fanciful cursive writings. “Myungsoo and Yeon Hee <3 120707” Calculating mentally, the date written on the photograph was a Saturday in New York…. which was also around the same time when Hyeri herself patiently waited for her boyfriend to come online.

Realization hit her hard. Myungsoo was actually out with a girl instead of Skyping with his girlfriend. 

.

However, the photograph was obviously taken by someone else – it could be a stranger or maybe they went out in a group, not just the two of them.

Not that he couldn't go out with girls or any of his friends for that matter, but the fact that Hyeri had actually waited for a long period of time and even having to sleep in front of the laptop made her very upset and disappointed. Hyeri was not a ist and Myungsoo wasn’t restricted and was allowed to make friends with anyone including tall and gorgeous girls like Yeon Hee. She was an ulzzang and Hyeri felt her self-esteem and self-confidence deteriorate. 

Myungsoo had never once mentioned Yeon Hee before. He should have introduced her to Yeon Hee like how he did with Min Hyuk. Suspicion grew in Hyeri, for Myungsoo had always told her about the new friends he made at school.... Therefore, Hyeri started to feel uncomfortable and uneasy about Yeon Hee and Myungsoo. Why was Yeon Hee an exception? Unless... Myungsoo didn't want her to find out... Unless Yeon Hee was special.

Hyeri sighed loudly, snapping out of her uncanny thoughts and handed Hayeon the photograph while offering her temple a massage. She was bound to grow grey hair if she kept on thinking too much. “What did the letter say? Was Myungsoo mentioned?”

Hayeon nodded and passed the latter the envelope of Hyeri's curiosity. “She wrote plenty about him, I don’t even know why. But she doesn’t know that you’re my best friend… so yeah, she probably didn’t know Myungsoo has a girlfriend so don’t worry much about what she has written,”

Hyeri chose to ignore the latter’s comment because she knew the letter would have some juicy information that she had the right to know. She skimmed through the letter but her eyes lingered for awhile near the end.

“.... oh and I made two new friends, Myungsoo and Minhyuk-oppa! I went out with them on the previous Saturday morning! We went to fly kites at the park, the three of us with other major students. They're really nice to me! Who knows, maybe they'll come along with me back to Korea the next time I return for a visit! They miss Korea too! Anyways, Myungsoo's new so I'm helping him adapt to the life here in New York. He's a very fun person to be with - we're so cute together! Don't you think so? Look at the photographs! I took one with Myungsoo!!! We look good, don't we? Maybe we'll end up as a couple! He’s an amazing photographer; he’s here on a scholarship and will be leaving in Feb next year! I really need to spend more time with him! ^^” 

Myungso this, Myungsoo that.

Hyeri fumed at the sentence that had been hurriedly strikethrough about approximately 5 times. Despite that fact, she couldn’t believe that Yeon Hee had actually thought that they could be a couple.  Didn't she know that he already has a girlfriend and her cousin was best friends with that girlfriend? Well, Hayeon did say that her cousin didn’t know the existence of Hyeri…

But, didn't Myungsoo tell her that he already has a girlfriend? Did Myungsoo lie?

Hyeri cursed silently in her mind and frowned. She took out another photograph – Yeon Hee and Minhyuk. Poor Minhyuk didn't have a drawn heart to his. Hyeri felt slight sympathy towards him. Yeon Hee was obviously more interested in Myungsoo than him.

Oh, Hyeri was fuming in rage internally. Furious that Myungsoo didn't mention Yeon Hee to her at all; furious that he kept her waiting late at night though she didn't minded at first but now she minded very much, I beg your pardon. While she was waiting to talk to him desperately, he was actually out with Yeon Hee enjoying his time and by any chance, he could have forgotten his girlfriend back in Korea for awhile. 

She bit her lip in frustration though she didn’t want to let Hayeon that she was pissed at her cousin. But Hayeon should understand right? Hyeri had her insecurities, the situation and Yeon Hee weren’t helping any better.

“Relax; maybe they're just friends… Don't get too worked up for nothing,” Hayeon comforted her and offered her best friend a pat on the shoulder. “Besides, it would be both weird and awkward for the two of them if Myungsoo were to suddenly tell Yeon Hee that he has a girlfriend.... Think about it and besides, I’ve known Yeon Hee since young and I can tell you that she’s not very wise and clever about relationships. It could be just her one-sided crush – oh, she crushes very easily for your information.”

Hyeri debated with her thoughts calmly in the quiet and she saw things from different point of views. She was considerate towards Myungsoo and decided to listen to his explanation and maybe understand the picture more in depth. Yes, that’s right. She was going to be calm and reserved and not over-react or jump in unwise conclusions. She nodded at her friend's words of wisdom and digested her words whole-heartedly. “You're right; I'll wait for his explanation.”

“Let’s see what you have to say, Kim Myungsoo.”

✧✧✧

Myungsoo spun around his swiv