§§§§§

Hooking her into something was so easy Namjoo was ashamed of herself. Six in the morning she had gotten up, a highly unusual time for her on a Sunday morning. Here in front of the mirror she’d spent the past half hour combing and straightening her hair. Most likely the next three hours would be spent on finding something perfect to wear. Going out somewhere with Sehun had become something as rare as going on a vacation with her parents. Ever since college he’d been too hooked on his studies to enjoy a day out with her, that was excluding the hours she had with him at home.

Sehun hadn’t given her any detail in on what they were doing, just that he wanted her to go out with him. And that was enough to have her heart jumping meters high. Already she was imagining scenarios of their day out. Today Sehun would be all alone with her. No books, no homework, no projects, and no noisy friends.

Just the two of them.

Sighing happily Namjoo bobbed her head from side to side along with the upbeat soundtrack coming from the music player on her phone.

By 10AM she finally made her way downstairs. Sehun was sitting at the kitchen table playing a crossword puzzle section from the morning newspaper. Her mother was by the stove eagerly preparing breakfast. Her father probably wasn’t even up yet. His affair with sleep was much deeper than his love for the sports channel.

“Why, look at you,” her mother teasingly noted turning around as Namjoo approached. “Are you going on a date or something?”

At the comment received Namjoo smoothed her hands over her floral dress. She’d wanted to dress up while yet, appearing casual. If she outdid herself she feared embarrassment, and she didn’t want Sehun to feel flustered by her appearance. Things would become quickly awkward if they were mistaken for a couple. Making him uncomfortable would be the most terrible thing she could do today.

Laughing awkwardly to shrug her mother off she glanced at Sehun to discover him looking her over. Then turning back to his crossword unfazed he commented, “Took you forever. I guess you are a girl.” Then speaking to her mother, “She’s been up since six getting ready. I could hear her music all the way from next door.”

Namjoo made a face at him from behind while at the same time, feeling disappointed he hadn’t appreciated her effort to look pretty. She wouldn’t let it weigh on her though. It was just Sehun and if he was any way different with her it would probably make her uncomfortable.

Maybe that was why it was so much better having him as a friend, and why their friendship hadn’t gone any further. Insulting each other wouldn’t leave battle wounds, because they were friends with no intent to harm. Being lovey-dovey was unimaginable.

“We’re heading out, so you don’t have to worry about breakfast for us,” Sehun slid out of his chair.

“You two enjoy yourselves,” her mother smiled. “Once Namjoo starts classes it’ll be a long while before you two can go out like this again.”

“Have a good day,” Sehun said opening the door.

“We’ll be back soon, mom,” Namjoo called out before following him outside.

Sehun held his hand out as they started toward her car, “Your keys.”

“I thought I was driving.”

“I’ll drive today,” Sehun told. Namjoo shot him a stare before handing over her keys, wondering what he had in mind today. Very rarely since she’d gotten her car had he offered to drive the vehicle that was hers. What was the occasion today?

“Where are we going?” Namjoo asked getting into the passenger’s seat and pulling the seatbelt over herself.

“We’re going to have breakfast.”

“Well, duh,” Namjoo said.

“And,” he went on, “the rest is my secret. You’ll find out when we get there.”

A part of her rolled forth with the wheels in excitement. Sehun was in a good mood, she could easily tell by the tone of his voice. Was he planning a surprise for her? It was just going to be the two of them, so what…what was it he had in mind for her? The anxiousness that made her feel like she was walking on air made her organs all giddy.

Very shortly they arrived at one of Seoul’s very sophisticated cafés with high wood walls and floor to ceiling windows. An energetic, trendy song was currently playing from the radio and the café densely occupied with morning goers. They sat down by one of the longer tables in the middle of the café with individual cushioned chairs extending all the way to the corners.

“What do you want to eat?” Sehun asked.

Namjoo glanced up at him realizing she’d sat down before he had. She had expected him to sit down with her.

Glancing at his watch he asked again, “We have some time. What do you want?”

Namjoo peered around taken off guard by him offering to order something for her. Between the two of them neither bothered to buy things for each other. They were in the type of relationship where one did things individually or did their part in buying grocery and paying separately for their own portion. It had always been a fair game, but suddenly Sehun was offering to buy breakfast.

Something was definitely different today and Namjoo couldn’t grasp the situation. Yet, she wasn’t about to reject it because she liked it. This difference in Sehun today made her extremely fuzzy inside.

“A sandwich and mocha,” Namjoo said.

“I’ll be back,” he said then walked away. Namjoo watched him unable to help but grin happily. She didn’t have to wait long before Sehun returned with their food and took the seat across from her. As he sat down Namjoo couldn’t help but think how suave he was today. He even smelled really good.

They dove into their food gladly with the casual remarks of how good it was. Then Namjoo asked, “What’s with you today? And what’s with coming here?”

“You’ll find out,” Sehun assured and glanced over her shoulder when the door opened. That was when she caught his eyes lighting up before his arm shot up into the air and he called out, “Over here!”

Curious about who he was calling out to Namjoo turned in her chair to see a pair of girls and a pair of guys walk in. At once Namjoo could tell they were college students by their modern fashion. Smiling insanely brightly, one of the girls waved at Sehun as she neared then grabbed the seat beside him. Something constricted within Namjoo’s chest as she watched and further witnessed how they warmly greeted each other. For a second she felt as if she didn’t exist at all.

For certain she knew Sehun was the type to make new friends everywhere he went. He was just like that. Outgoing, positive, and approachable. He was a person who always had people around him. Yet, right now Namjoo felt like it took all her effort to remind herself of that fact.

“Hi,” she turned to her right at the male voice and saw a hand extended out. “I’m Taihee.”

“Oh…uh…hi,” Namjoo absentmindedly shook his hand.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

The girl in front of her, the one with Sehun jumped in to ask, “Is she Namjoo?”

Eyes her, but all Namjoo could see was the closeness between the female and Sehun. Disappointment oozed inside uncontrollably.

“Hey, we were talking,” Taihee lightheartedly scolded.

The female laughed before Sehun spoke, “Namjoo, this is Seona. I told you about her, remember? I met her at Soojin’s birthday party.”

Birthday party…

Namjoo’s memory shot back to that night. Jealousy easily rose up through her, but she forced herself to smile and nod for her own sake. “I remember. Hi, Seona.”

“I heard you got accepted at Hanyang. Congratulations,” Seona congratulated.

Smiling again Namjoo forced herself to say, “Thanks.”

After a short round of introductions to Sehun’s friends Namjoo quickly felt ostracized. Sehun’s attention was elsewhere. Today wasn’t their day. Breakfast felt even less special when Sehun offered to buy Seona breakfast. So this was her. The one woman that could bring her hopes crashing down.

Midway through their conversations exploding around her Namjoo stole a glance at Seona beautiful and feminine. Without much effort, with not even a pretty floral dress on she looked nearly perfect in ripped jeans and a simple t-shirt. With just that she had caught all Sehun’s attention. In the mere second of their arrival, Sehun, her friend, childhood mate, and classmate forgot all about her. Namjoo felt like a jaded quarter turned into a nasty colored penny.

After an unfulfilling and silent breakfast Namjoo followed them outside feeling more like a sixth wheeler. As they approached the lot with vehicles whipping down the street like the breeze the group turned to look at her. “We’re going to go catch a movie downtown. Want to join us?”

Her eyes darted over to Sehun standing close to Seona. How long had they known each other that they seemed like they were even closer than she was to him? What kind of good friends were they?

“Come join us,” Seona’s friend chipped in.

“It’s just going to be another boring day with these guys,” Seona added. “Why don’t you come along? The more the merrier.”

As Namjoo debated she could quickly foresee an hour with them ostracized again. Fact was, she didn’t know them well enough to comfortably be herself as she was with her high school gang. They were college students far ahead of her time like Sehun while she had lagged. She just wasn’t a part of them. Namjoo didn’t want to look petty, but these people were Sehun’s people. She didn’t want to be a mean person by not getting to know his people, because she could, but she couldn’t be around him while knowing that look in his eyes.

Unlike those guys and girls, she knew Sehun. She had grown up with him. She could tell when he was attracted to someone. He was a book to her.

“It’s fine. You guys go ahead,” Namjoo softly rejected.

“Aw, come on,” Taihee urged. “It’ll be fun.”

Smiling, Namjoo shook her head, “Maybe next time…”

“Then, next time for sure,” Sungwoo said.

“Ok, next time,” Namjoo nodded reluctantly. Bidding them farewell with a last greeting Namjoo turned to walk away, but shortly halted when she realized her keys weren’t on her. Feeling hotly embarrassed, she swerved around. She didn’t want to face Sehun or his group again, but she couldn’t get into her car without her keys.

“You decide to come with us?” Taihee asked upon her nearing.

Namjoo sighed a smile and shook her head. Her heart lurched upon approaching Sehun and Seona. She was so utterly disappointed in today, but most of all she didn’t want Sehun to see it in her.

“Um…my keys,” she said.

“Oh, that’s right!” he exclaimed and dug into his pocket for them. “Sorry, Namjoo.”

She couldn’t reply. Not in front of Seona who felt so utterly close by, and because she partially didn’t want to tell Sehun it was ok.

“Hey, get home safe. I’ll come back later,” he said. With a nod Namjoo turned to go. When she backed out of her space in the parking lot and began driving away her eyes remained glued on the rearview mirror, watching Sehun walk away with his group.

Today should have been their day.

§§§§§

Sehun had looked forward to this day all week. Other than being around Seona and her friends on campus and at club meetings, he hadn’t hung out with them outside of campus. And it proved to be a joyful time as he predicted.

After watching movies, they went to the dock to ride on paddle boats competing against each other. The loser to make it back to land would pay for lunch. Naeul had paired with Sungwoo while he paired with Seona. Taihee acted as referee on land. In the end, he and Seona won the match and lunch was decided on Sungwoo.

Sehun had been nervous from the start, anxious whether he could match up to Seona and her group of friends. It turned out they weren’t much different from him and his friends. They were inviting and had welcomed him with open arms. He easily felt like one of them. Seona, though, was still the only one he wanted to impress. She was very friendly and cheerful, getting along with her was of no difficulty at all. Perhaps it was because he’d met her once long ago and maybe it was destiny meeting her again.

After lunch they wandered through the traditional market taste testing foods and snacking at cheap stalls. It was Naeul who suggested they have a barbeque at the park before ending the night. They all chimed in agreement before flocking to her car and to the store, arriving at the park with screaming children in the distance half an hour later. By then the sun was midway down the sky.

As the girls prepared the food Sehun and the guys prepped the fire at the grill.

“Man, I can’t believe Witch Kang is forcing us to take a quiz tomorrow,” Sungwoo complained, “I hate first period classes. Why do they exist.”

“You didn’t study, huh?” teased Taihee nudging Sungwoo.

“I won’t fail the class anyway, I don’t care,” Sungwoo laughed. “What about you, Sehun?”

“Nope,” he replied. “No quizzes for me.”

“Lucky fool,” Sungwoo mumbled.

“After the new semester starts we get a four-day weekend, don’t we?” Sungwoo asked. “Lets go out of town for a getaway. What do you say?”

“We’re freaking broke college students,” Taihee reminded. “Where can we go?”

“Hmm…” Sungwoo rubbed his chin in thought. “We can save money starting now. I heard that if you look well you can find a luxury hotel for ten dollars a night. That’s pretty cheap.”

“Then you look,” Taihee cunningly said with an under breath laugh.

Sehun snorted while listening to them. He was currently occupied with fanning the smoke coming from the grill.

“You should invite that little friend of yours,” Taihee suggested. He giggled then nudged Sungwoo, “I call dibs on her, so don’t touch her.”

Snorting loudly Sungwoo muttered, “I don’t want to touch a baby. She probably hasn’t even had a man yet.”

“Hey,” Sehun called with a note of warning, “don’t talk about her like that.”

“Sorry,” Sungwoo apologized. “Didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Not me, but you’re offending her,” Sehun pointed out. “And I don’t like you guys talking about her like that, so don’t do it.”

“Chill, man,” Sungwoo held his palms out.

“Yea, you better shut up,” Taihee teasingly scolded Sungwoo.

Exhaling, Sehun returned his attention back to the grill. If there was one thing he forgot, it was also that these guys were also a bit older than him and it had only been less than a month since he’d gotten acquainted with them. What kind of people they were inside and out, he had still yet to find out.

“Anyway,” Taihee leaned in, “you said you live at her house?”

“What about it?” Sehun glanced at the guy. Taihee was a little shorter than him, but he was stocky and built well. If he recalled, Seona had said Taihee’s older brother ran a fitness gym. The guy probably went there a lot.

“You know her well?”

“If you were paying attention before, Seona said they grew up together, idiot,” Sungwoo chimed in.

Taihee made a face at the friend before asking Sehun, “Then you two must be close.”

Sehun further observed the guy. After getting together with them this morning he could tell Taihee had just recently shaved before coming out. The smell of aftershave had strongly lingered from the man. Wang Taihee looked after himself well. Clothes were fashionable, color of his shoes were paired up with the color of his shirt, and he was fit. Maybe he was a B+ student if not worse.

“What do you mean?”

There was a particular vibe flowing off the guy. Sehun could nearly decipher what it was, but a part of his brain refused to register this instinct.

“She’s not seeing anyone, is she?”