The sun ray slowly creeps into my bedroom through the single window in the room. It is finally morning and I wake up with a happy feeling inside of me. Maybe it is all because of my good sleep. It has been ages since I sleep soundly in my own bed. I wake up with a happy beam on my face. I am that happy this morning.

After another morning (but not a serious) squabble with Joon Hyun, we get out of my apartment and catch a train straightaway as we arrived at the station towards CGV Cheongdam Cinecity for another day on the job as a ticketing clerk. For some reason, after the spat that we had last night, both Joon Hyun and I are talking animatedly and happily since we woke up this morning. I just can’t stop smiling even though he keeps on teasing and making fun of me as we walk from the train station to the cinema complex. At this very moment, I am b with happiness, and I have lost counts of how many times I have thanked God for bringing him back into my life. It is nice to have a friend by my side for a change.

 

“You’re looking very chirpy today, Gaeul-ah. Something good happened last night?” Joon Hyun and I are surprised to suddenly be greeted by a voice, and we find Minho timjangnim smiling back at me once we step off the final step of the escalator in the cinema’s lobby.

“Oh! Annyeonghaseyo, Minho timjangnim,” I greet him back while bowing. Joon Hyun faithfully stands on my side facing my tinjangnim.

“It is rare to see you smiling, and it is even more shocking to see you smiling at this early time of the day.” He chuckles. “So? What happened? You won the lottery ticket?”

“Mwo? Eh…aniya…” I blush slightly at Minho timjangnim’s assumption.

“Then? You won a concert ticket?” Minho timjangnim continues fishing out for an answer from me, and that makes me more uncomfortable being in the spotlight. In return, I shake my head silently. After a few more assumptions, suddenly he snaps his finger and his lips curl into a sly smirk.

“Aah! I finally figured it out. You went on a date with your namja chingu, didn’t you?”

I gulp. Mwo? I blink at Minho timjangnim then turn to look at Joon Hyun. Namja chingu? Joon Hyunnie? I gulp down my saliva again. At one point, I feel embarrassed by Minho timjangnim’s remark.

Joon Hyun stares back at me before he glares at Minho timjangnim. “Aish this ahjussi,” he says irritably while his eyes glare at Minho timjangnim from up to bottom.

I clear my throat and shake my head in denial. “…I-I don’t have…namja chingu yet…”

“Seolma. You don’t have namja chingu? How can that be possible?” He scoffs in amusement and continues, “A yeppeun yeoja like you doesn’t have namja chingu? How is that even possible?!” And now, Minho timjangnim is laughing gaily, which causes me to blush deep red while Joon Hyun’s temple starts pulsating in anger.

“What is this ahjussi trying to say? Yah old man! What are you trying to do here?!” Joon Hyun approaches Minho timjangnim with an alarming distance between them both. Oh no. Not again.

“Err… Minho timjangnim? I should get going. It is already time for me to start working.” I give another bow and hurriedly walk to the locker room in the back. My locker key is already in my hand, but I pause before my locker and look around the room. No one is here. Then, I turn to face Joon Hyun.

“Wae?”

“Are you going to be like this all the time?”

“What do you mean?” He frowns deeply.

“This! Being constantly angry at the men who talk to me. Is this never gonna stop?”

“Mwo?” There’s the annoyed look again. “That old geezer is obviously has ulterior motive when he said that! Whoever makes that cheesy statement nowadays? What a .” He folds his arms across his chest. I can hear his breathing – it seems he is trying his hardest to control his anger.

 I frown back at him. I check the room again to make sure the coast is clear. “Yah! Joon Hyunnie! Are you always this hot-headed? Yesterday you were angry at Min Joon-ssi and now at Minho timjangnim? Do you actually have some anger issue?”

He glowers at me with a raised eyebrow. Now he’s really mad. Uh oh…

“Like I’ve said last night, I am PART of your thoughts and imagination. So, whatever I am going through right now is actually a reflection of your own mind and thoughts. Haven’t you realized that yet?”

Those words have slapped me across my face; and it pains me right in the heart. So…? I am actually the one who has the anger issue? My breathing becomes harder and heavier. How is that possible? This is too complicated. I can’t understand a thing he just said.

Seeing my troubled look, Joon Hyun scoffs. He casually arches his back to meet my eyes on the same level. “Don’t be upset with the fact Gaeul-ah. My hot-headedness must be a defense mechanism that you subconsciously created to protect yourself. So, just see it as I am an overly protective friend of yours. Much simpler right?” Then, he gives me that warm smile that I very much like from him. Joon Hyun-ah… Your words never fail to always make me feel secured and safe. My face breaks into a smile. Gomawoyo Joon Hyunnie.

He grins back. “You’re very much welcome.”

“Yah! That’s not fair! Don’t read my mind anymore!” I still find it odd and scary to know that Joon Hyun can actually read my own thoughts. That means there’s nothing I can hide from him. Is that a good thing?

I shake off the fleeting anxiety I am feeling at the moment and continue to beam at Joon Hyun. “Let me make it up to you.”

He frowns. “Eh? What is it this time?” His sarcastic expression is starting to boils my blood. He is back to his usual self. Cheeky bastard. Just my luck.

“You’ll see.” And I swiftly unlock my locker and put away my belonging. Later, I walk out of the room in search of someone. Is he not here yet?

“Who are you looking for?” Joon Hyun mindlessly joins the search party without having a clue of the subject I am looking for.

“You’ll see.” I grin teasingly. He snorts loudly in respond. “Oh! Here he comes!” By saying those words, I come running towards Min Joon who is just arrived in the lobby. “Min Joon-ssi!”

“Gaeul-ah!” He is definitely surprised by my calling. Then again, I never call him out for all the times. Only he does the calling most of the times. “Waeyo? Something’s wrong?”

“I just wanted to ask you this. How old are you again?”

“Mwo? Err…24?”

“And I am 26. So, you should be calling me “noona” and not “Gaeul-ah”. Arasseo?”

Min Joon gapes at me with eyes that couldn’t stop blinking. He must be in a shock state by my sudden chirpy and straightforward attitudes today. “…waeyo…? Why all of a sudden?”

 “…geunyang.” He becomes more perplexed, and I smile slightly to lessen his confusion. “I am doing this for my chingu.”

“Chingu…? Nugu?”

“…ne. Nan chinguya. He doesn’t like you calling me without the honorific. So… I guess you just need to start calling me “noona” from now on.” I catch a glimpse of Joon Hyun, and he is smirking from one ear to another. You’re that happy huh? I chuckle lightly under my breath.

“He? Namjada…?” Min Joon pauses. He seems upset in some way. Is it that upsetting to call me “noona”? Aigoo this Min Joon saengie. My head shakes at this absurdity. “…arasseoyo, noona…,” he eventually agrees. I smile widely and bow my head to show my appreciation to him. “Kamsahamnida, Min Joon-ssi.”

“Yah Gaeul-ah.” I turn to look at Joon Hyun. “You better get going. The witch is here already.” He puckers his lips to signal the location of the so-called witch at the ticketing counter. Sora unnie is here, and it seems she hasn’t noticed me. I better hurry.

I am about to walk away when suddenly my arm is grasped by a firm grip – Min Joon is grabbing onto my arm. “Min Joon-ssi…?”

“Don’t be afraid, Gaeul noona. I will protect you from her today.”

I go wide-eyed hearing the bold statement Min Joon just made. And I glance to my side: Joon Hyun is scowling at Min Joon with such intense eyes. He is visibly not happy with Min Joon’s words.

“MWO?” With deadly glare, Joon Hyun moves towards Min Joon until there is only an inch left that separate his face from Min Joon’s.

Heol. Not again.