Two

29 August

Do not let me see him. No matter how, I should avoid him.

***

      "Minah... I’m asking you, why are you mute?” Jihyo’s grumbling successfully woke me up from my daydreaming.

“Oh right, sorry...What did you say?” I asked and slowly continue to splash some water on my face, hoping that somehow my cheeks won’t show some red.

From the mirror I could see how Jihyo rolled her eyes before she muttered her question once again, “Where did you go last night?”

“I met a friend of mine so I slept there,” I replied as I splash enough water to get rid of the cleanser. I tried to say the closest thing with the actual incident without really exposing everything about last night. Because I, myself, am still not clear about last night’s incident.

From the mirror again I could see how Jihyo squint her eyes. It is not easy to have a psychologist as one of your best friends. “Colleague?” she asked.

“Huh?”

“The friend that you met last night, your colleague?”

“No. My fifth grade’s friend.”

“From Busan?”

I nodded. I met my best friends when I moved to Seoul from Busan around my junior high year. Dahae and Jihyo have been friends from their first grade; Eunhye came to join their link when she moved to Seoul around her fourth grade. Basically the three of them have known each other for quite a long time till they met me.

“It’s surprising to have you went straight to sleep without removing your make-up.” Oh hell no, how do I suppose to reply her? The three of them know me so well for being the one with the most sensitive skin; I am a very diligent human when it comes into my skin care. I spent lots of money for the skin treatment, that’s why you would never find me go to sleep without removing my make-up.

Suddenly the door opened and I see Dahae still with her messy hair got inside. I let go a breath full of relief for having my sweet reason to avoid Jihyo’s interrogation.

“Move, I want to pee.” Dahae said as she walks toward Jihyo who seems to not going to let go of her throne anytime soon.

“Just use bidet if you only want to pee,” Jihyo replied.

I take the chance to quietly move away before Jihyo decided to resume her interrogation regarding my missing in action last night. I grabbed the white towel and stepped out of the bathroom. Vaguely I heard about the argument of Dahae and Jihyo regarding the effective usage of bidet and toilet. I saw how Eunhye is still asleep, slightly opened. Switching on the TV while I wipe my face with the towel, I lowered down the volume so to not disturbing Eunhye’s sleep; I got stuck at a channel playing ’10 Things I Hate about You’. I don’t know why, but this movie always succeeds to make me laugh. I had always wanted a sister, younger or older doesn’t really matter. I envy Kat and Bianca Stratford, whom even always argue, but in the end reconciled and always do whatever they can for each other. Too bad my wish never comes true; I should be satisfied with two older brothers whose is quite big which make them going super protective and even possessive when it comes to me.

I whined to my dad and mom numerous times of how I will end up being an old hag, a old hag at that, for as long as my two older brothers do the same threat to all the male population who tries to get to know me. Their main threat is that they will make sure to beat whoever that makes me sad or cry into a pulp. Thank god, one by one they left me alone when I entered my senior year. Jisub oppa, the oldest one left us for his education at Australia. A year later, Insung oppa followed his footstep. Although the both of them always managed to come back at least once every six months, but basically it’s the first time ever since my whole fifteen years that I was really free from their grip. Oddly enough, in just less than one month later, I started to miss their suspicious stare and snarky comments and threats for all those boys who I invited over or came without any invitation at all.

I don’t know how, but my popularity as a student who actively takes part in school’s organization since elementary school till university and often involved with lots of activity consists of boys, I’m still single today even if I’m already 28 years old. How come Eunhye, my friend who never has a relationship since Junior High and Senior High now are going to get married first than me? It’s not like I envy her upcoming status as ‘Mistress’, I’m just...confused. It seems like I’ve been spending my time with a wrong man all these time if until now I’m still single. Unlike Dahae who changed her boyfriend like she changed her clothes that I sometimes find it difficult to keep track on her current boyfriend’s name, I’m the type of woman who always have pretty lasting relationship with a man.

My first boyfriend Lee Jongsuk, our relationship lasted for three years around our senior high era. Then when I entered university I went through two boyfriends and when I entered internship till now, I only went through another two boyfriends. My last boyfriend, Kim Hyunjoong just got married around a month ago after breaking up with me three months before. Maybe this is the first time ever for me to experience not having a special relationship with a man for more than three months straight. All these times I thought that I’m that kind of woman who can’t stand being single, that’s why I always make sure to have one man to accompany me. But now, I have to admit that I kind of starting to enjoy my new status as a single woman. Now I started to understand why Jihyo whom never looks bothered for being the only single one amidst us eversince she came back from America till now.

My daydreaming got disturbed by Dahae’s loud voice trying to wake Eunhye up.

“Bride-to-be, please wake up. It’s almost nine o’clock and breakfast hour is going to end soon.” When Eunhye doesn’t seem like she will move, Dahae pulled the blanket away from her. Thankfully I’m sitting at the other bed so Dahae’s prank didn’t really bother me. But instead of getting up, Eunhye pulled up her leg and hug it.

Because there’s still no reaction from Eunhye, Dahae turned her attention to me. “By the way, where the hell have you been last night?”

I was going to give the same reply I gave to Jihyo before to Dahae when suddenly Jihyo emerged out from the bathroom with mouth filled with foam and hand gripping unto her red tootbrush. She is brushing her teeth yet she couldn’t wait to express her opinion. In the end, I and Dahae scolded her to go back and finish her activity. Less than ten seconds later, Jihyo emerged out, minus the foam on .

“I was just saying that I couldn’t be more agree with Dahae regarding breakfast. I’m famished!”

Right after hearing ‘breakfast’, Dahae quickly forgot her question toward me. I saw her walking to the wardrobe and pulled out her jacket.

“So we leave Eunhye here alone? She is still drunk!” I panicked. “You’re crazy.”

“So you want to wait for her till she wakes up, starving yourself in the process?” Jihyo slipped her scarf unto her neck.

I doubt myself right away. I know that my stomach has been asking to be filled with food but on the other hand, I d