Chapter 1: No Sleeping In The Store
[Not Edited]

"Are you free today?" Amber stared at her phone annoyed. 

"Nope, sorry I have a basketball game with D-"

Krystal cut Amber off. "Too bad, you're going with me to a new boutique." 

Amber groaned.

It was the spring of last year when Amber had fell into depression, though it was thanks to her friends that she came out of it. How they did it?

They dragged her into stores like this.

"Do I really have to?" Amber tried to reason, "I'm not going to be depressed anytime soon. And, like I mentioned, I have a basketball game."

Apparently Krystal wasn't in the mood for a 'no' and further argued. "Amber listen to me, it's a store that just opened. Today, for that matter. We have to go there before anyone else gets there. More specifically, we have to get there before Jessica does. You know how my sister is when she shops. She will buy everything in the store. Do you hear me Amber? Everything! There will be nothing left!"

"Yeah yeah, I got it. Calm down Krys." Amber chuckled at the younger girl and got up from her comfortable position on the couch and paused the show she had been watching. Walking over to her room for a change of clothes, she asked into the phone, "You picking me up?"

"Yup, I'll be there in 15 minutes. See ya." Krystal said, hanging up before Amber could say something back to the female.

Amber shrugged to herself at Krystal's action, then proceeded to take off her pajamas and wear her regular print-filled t-shirt, sweatpants, and varsity jacket. Grabbing her phone, she glanced down at it and cursed herself as it was at 2% battery life. Was I this stupid? God I'm not gonna survive this trip. Amber grabbed a snapback and exited her room into the kitchen where her roommate and long-time friend was reading the newspaper with a confused look on her face. 

"Hey Ailee." Amber grabbed a piece of toast off the said girl's plate.

"Hey Amber." She set the newspaper down and looked at Amber slightly mad and annoyed, at herself if anything. "Mind helping me with this?" Ailee moved to China 2 years ago though she and Amber knew one another back in the States since 4th grade. Problem with Ailee living in China was the fact she hardly knew any Chinese, save for the basics.

"Sorry, heading to another store with Krystal." Ailee pouted.

"Are you saying that you're choosing her over me?"

"I am saying that I'm choosing to not have a lecture than to have one." Amber reasoned munching the toast in her hand.

"Whatever Amber, leave me. Be like that."

"You know that you'll like me again by the time I get home. It's always like that-" Amber said grinning.

"Leave you worthless piece of ." Ailee tried hiding her grin as she threw the last toast on the plate at Amber. Dodging the piece of bread, Amber left yelling,

"Bye Ailee!"

Ten minutes had already passed since the supposed time Kyrstal was supposed to pick Amber up. Those ten minutes frightened Amber the most because her phone's 2% battery life had died one more percent leaving her with 1%. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up please, was Amber's mantra as she waited another minute or so before seeing the familiar black of Krystal's car. Entering the car, Amber told Krystal of her phone's battery problem.

"Oh, just use my phone charger." Krystal offered, using one hand to steer the wheel and the other to hold out the charger. Amber's hopes raised for a second, but then realized,

"Krys? My phone won't work with that charger. I'm a version or two late." She sighed in defeat and slept the whole way to the boutique; not that long of a drive, about 30 minutes in total.

"Hey Amber, wake up." Kyrstal nudged her friend to no avail, Amber stayed asleep.

"5 more minutes Ailee..." 

"DO I LOOK LIKE ING AILEE TO YOU?" Krystal yelled angrily which startled Amber from her nap. She groaned and rubbed her eyes that were adjusting to the bright Beijing sun. 

"Are we there already?" Amber asked yawning.

"Yes, we have to walk a block, but that should be about it." Krystal took ahold of Amber's arm, still mad about the 'Ailee' situation a few seconds prior, and started tugging. "Get up Amber."

"I'm up." Amber replied stretching as she got out of the car and closed the door. Locking the car, both females started their walk to the store.

"Why is there suddenly a shop in this district?" Amber tried to break the silence as she was bored. "It's usually a very popular area; not many would give a space in it, up."

Krystal shrugged in response. "My sister still keeps up to date with our Korean friends and relatives and according to them, the owner is highly successful in Korea, hence why he got a spot. That's about all I got." Turning the block, she pointed to a store, "I think that's the one."

Amber followed her line of sight to see a store that looked more regal than its surroundings. Fantastic Trap, it read. Sure, the clothing looked nice, but at the moment all Amber cared about were if the boutique had seats or not. If they did, she could easily sleep through the whole trip and get home to play basketball with the rest of the boys like she had originally planned.

Entering the store, Amber's dream was practically granted to her as there were seats next to a counter. Running to them, Krystal held her back for a few seconds to remind Amber to stay there since they no longer had phones to communicate with one another. 

"Yes mom, I won't forget." Amber rolled her eyes and started back on her mad dash to the seats. Once getting settled onto the chair, she leaned her head on the counter's side and started to slowly drift back to sleep.

"Excuse me miss, there is no sleeping allowed in the store." Amber mumbled incoheret words as she rubbed her eyes again and turned to face the voice. Right behind the counter stood a male dressed as if he were to attend a movie premire, not be an employee at a boutique, not to mention his handsome face to go along with his formal wear. Amber didn't seem to care however, through her loud yawns and stretches of her arm, she asked,

"And you know this because-?" 

"I manage this store." He gave a smile as he leaned over the counter to see her face. "Henry Lau is my name, but Henry is just fine. How about you?"

"Me? Uh, I'm Amber Liu and the same goes for me, Amber is fine." She didn't know how she should feel about the whole situation she had gotten herself stuck in. Scared that out of all the people to catch her sleeping when she was not supposed to, it was the manager; or to be happy as he didn't seem to mind all that much.

"Really? That's so cool! Our last names only have one vowel different!" Henry pointed out gleefully.

"Ah, is that so?" Amber didn't notice the small the difference in names.

"Yeah it is!" Henry smiled. She looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face. He seemed too happy to be the store's manager. How was he even hired?

"I guess that's great." Amber returned his smile with one of her own.

"Amber!" She turned her head and saw Krystal walking to her without any bags in hand. 

"What happened Krys?" Amber paused her conversation with Henry. "Didn't find anything you like in the store?"

Blinking once, then twice, Kyrstal looked at the other girl before laughing. "That's funny Amber."

"Then I don't understand," she replied more confused than before, "why don't you have any-"

"Why don't I have any bags?" Amber nodded. 

"I ordered everything to be sent to my apartment." Krystal stated simply, inspecting her perfect manicure, wondering if she should revisit the nail salon.

Ah, Amber had almost forgotten, she's rich. "So are we done here?"

"Yup."

"I don't know why you brought me here in the first place then. All I did was sit." Krystal shook her head in disagreement.

"I wouldn't say that. I had planned on buying you new some new clothes so I needed you to come with me so I could ask the employees for their opinion." She grinned, "They have good fashion senses, not gonna lie, it kinda surprised me."

"Great, so can we go back now? I'm scared I might be late for my game." Amber got up. 

"Okay, okay." Krystal put her hands up in defeat and Amber started to walk to the exit.

"Bye Henry!" Amber said, smiling as she waved.

"Bye Amber, bye Krystal." Henry smiled back.

Amber stopped in her tracks. Krystal? How does he know Krystal? She turned to see Krystal hugging Henry closely. After they had let go of each other, Henry spoke first,

"It's great to see you, it's felt like forever since you and Jessica came to Korea."

Krystal laughed, "I agree, but I'm fine here in China. I hope you are too. If you need any help, just call me and I'll take you around."

At this, Henry whispered something into her ear that Amber couldn't quite make out as Krystal giggled at his comment, "Aww, fine, I'll do it. You owe me a favor though."

He nodded with enthusiasm.

Amber raised a brow. What are they to each other to be this close?

"Bye Krystal," Henry said once more before looking towards Amber's direction.

"And Amber," the said person looked him straight in the eye, confused on what he was to say.

Henry gave a bright smile,

"Have a nice day. Come again, okay? It was nice talking to you."

Chapter 1 is up~ 

I hope it was to your likings and please tell me what I can improve on because I still have no editor or beta reader //crai

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