Kang Seulgi comes out of her shower, dripping because she doesn’t think towels are necessary if she is only alone in her place anyway. Her phone beeps just as she is reaching for the blouse she places carefully on top of her bed that morning that she will be wearing for that afternoon.

 

11:12 am

From: Joohyun

 

[Hey, I’m already here~ Where are you?]

 

“.” She slightly struggles to zip her pants while typing her reply.

 

11:14 am

From: Seulgi

 

[Just got out of the shower. Get inside the cafe first. It’s scorching hot outside.]

 

11:15 am

From: Joohyun

 

[I know that. I’m inside.]

 

11:15 am

From: Joohyun

 

[I sat inside. I’ll wait for you here.]

 

11:16 am

From: Joohyun

 

[Hurry up, okay?]

 

11:17 am

From: Seulgi

 

[Why are you so early?]

 

11:17 am

From: Joohyun

 

[The bus arrived early. And the driver probably wants to take a dump. He’s literally flying the bus.]

 

11:19 am

From: Seulgi

 

[Well, I’m glad you arrived safely then.]

 

11:20 am

From: Joohyun

 

[You have no idea.]

 

11:21 am

From: Seulgi

 

[Tell me about it later. Hey, I’ll just get dressed now.]

 

11:21 am

From: Joohyun

 

[Okay. I’ll wait here.]

 

11:34 am

From: Seulgi

 

[I’m going now. I’ll be there in five.]

 

Seulgi throws her keys on her polka dots bag as she enters the elevator of the building, pressing the keys too quickly for her to mind because as far as she is concerned, she is late. It’s not that she is never late though. As a matter of fact, she is almost always never late — but, she gives Joohyun a hard time every time she comes late.

 

And she just doesn’t like the feeling that she is the one who is late now.

 

Strangely, whenever she teases Joohyun about being late all time time, she never uses her few times late against her.

 

She enters the cafe and immediately looks at her left. No sign of Joohyun.

 

She looks at her right. Bae Joohyun is already looking back at her.

 

She automatically smiles as she strides towards her friend who is sitting alone on a table for two, gathering some glances from the people around them. Something they always get, by the way, and something she learned to ignore since long ago. It’s not always unnoticeable though. There are more obvious glances than discreet ones.

 

“Seulgi,” her friend whines at her.

 

“Hey,” Seulgi greets her back. Then, she instantly sees her hair barrettes and says, “Those look pretty!”

 

Joohyun smiles. “I know, right?”

 

“I just hope you’re as pretty as those barrettes!”

 

“How mean.”

 

“I’m kidding.”

 

Joohyun smiles again. “Let’s go?”

 

Seulgi smiles back at her. “Yeah.”

 

The walls at the hospital are still as plain and boring as the last time they went there. The nurses are still busy fiddling with their phones while the patients rot inside their rooms. Joohyun quietly follows behind Seulgi as the younger girl walks through the death and diseases glued and made one with the structure of the building.

 

“Grandpa, Grandma, I’m here again.” Her smile are the only thing that makes the room brighter when her grandparents see her.

 

Her grandmother immediately sits up from her curled position on her bed while her grandfather decides it’s time to stand up again. She quickly prevents him from falling down again by coming to him instead first. She knows her grandmother will understand.

 

“Grandpa, how many times will I tell you not to stand up without someone’s help?” Seulgi lightly scolds him.

 

“I just want to hug you,” her grandfather softly answers.

 

It breaks Seulgi’s heart.

 

From her memories as a child, her grandfather has always been a strong man. Someone who could plant both tall trees and little flowers and keep them alive. Someone who can carry heavy bricks to build their home. But also someone who can cook the most delicious but at the same time, healthy meals for them.

 

But now, he can’t even stand up to hug his granddaughter.

 

“Oh, come here, Grandpa,” she opens her arms and gives him a big hug. “I’ll come to you whenever you want to hug me, okay? Is that a deal?”

 

Her grandfather’s smile is one of her favorite things in the world. It has always been gentle. “Deal.”

 

Then, she comes to her grandmother who is just sitting on the bed next to her husband. She is already wearing a smile from the moment her granddaughter calls them from the door of their room and she is now wearing a brighter smile as Seulgi walks towards her to give her a hug as well.

 

“How are you, Grandma?”

 

“I’m fine,” she answers in a hoarse tone but just as she said that, she coughs blood.

 

“There’s still blood?” Seulgi worriedly asks, rubbing the back of her grandmother to soothe her coughs even just a little. “Why is there still blood?”

 

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” her grandmother repeats.

 

That’s what she always say. But she can’t be fine all the time. No one can be fine all the time.

 

“Grandma, are you taking your medicines?” Seulgi asks.

 

“I am.”

 

“Are you eating?”

 

“I am…” her answer is hesitant.

 

“Grandma, if you don’t eat, you’ll not get well.” She can’t help feeling frustrated.

 

“I’m fine,” her grandmother says again, touching Seulgi’s chin. It’s a gesture she always does ever since she was little. It’s a gesture she always misses from her outside the walls of the hospital.

 

Then, she suddenly remembers Joohyun. “Oh, right,” she stands up and reaches her right hand on the air as if to grab her friend’s.

Joohyun comes closer, wearing a bright smile of her own.

 

“Grandpa, Grandma, this is Joohyun. She’s a friend.” She honestly doesn’t think the second part of the introduction is necessary. Her grandparents are never ones to judge her and she knows that but she still goes on with it anyway.

 

To be certain? Seulgi’s not certain why.

 

Joohyun doesn’t seem to mind because that’s what they are. They are friends.

 

She smiles at her before giving Seulgi’s grandparents a hug of her own. Seulgi has always told her how her grandparents love hugs — especially from her. She has always told stories of how her grandparents raised her and loved her as her own parents would.

 

“I’m sorry,” she suddenly says when they are walking out of the hospital. “I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

 

Joohyun looks at her for a second before saying, “What are you talking about?”

 

Seulgi gives her a little smile. “We’re only supposed to watch a movie, remember?” she answers. “The hospital is just too depressing. I hope I can just bring Grandpa and Grandma home already.”

 

“You’re crazy,” she tells her, shaking her head a little. “You know I have grandparents, too, don’t you?”

 

She lightly nods.

 

“And if they are in the hospital, too, although I’m hoping they won’t be, but if they are, you’ll visit them, too, won’t you?”

 

She stares at her for a brief moment. “I will.”

 

Then, Joohyun smiles at her brightly. “See?”

 

Seulgi can’t help smiling as well. “Thank you.”

 

She shakes her head again, chuckling. “You are crazy.”

 

 

“I should get a boyfriend who can eat abundantly like me,” Seulgi suddenly says, finishing the last of the feast in front of her she calls late lunch. She also finishes her iced red tea before lightly dabbing the napkin on her lips.

 

Joohyun considers it for a moment before clapping her hands together. “Mino!”

 

“What?”

 

“Mino likes to cook. Do you want me to introduce you to him?” Joohyun’s eyes are suddenly sparkling.

 

“I said someone who can eat abundantly like me. Not necessarily someone who likes to cook,” Seulgi tells her, as a matter-of-factly. “Besides, I don’t like someone I don’t know.”

 

“How are you ever going to know someone when you’re not trying?” Joohyun rolls her eyes at her.

 

Seulgi opens to answer but closes it again, ignoring her answer for her as she calls it on Joohyun instead. “Why are you so worried of me? You should get worried for yourself.” Her eyes are teasing but she doesn’t probe further.

 

“I’m taking my time.”

 

“Well, you shouldn’t. And you’re older than me, you know. If there’s someone you should be worried of, it should be yourself.”

 

“I’m only three years older than you,” Joohyun reasons with pouted lips. “I still see Bogum around.”

 

“And?”

 

“And nothing,” she answers with a soft sigh. “I’m glad you showed me who he really is before anything can happen between us. I’m okay now. I’ve already moved on.”

 

“But you never were together,” Seulgi tells her.

 

“I know,” Joohyun answers. “But I gave him my trust. It still hurts to be two-timed like that.”

 

“That’s why you shouldn’t give your trust so easily like that.”

 

“I know. I’m now more careful.”

 

“Just know who the person really is before anything.”

 

Joohyun nods. “By the way, can you investigate this new guy for me?”

 

“Investigate for you?” Seulgi laughs. “Do it yourself. I have myself to look out for already.”

 

“But you showed me who Bogum really is!”

 

“Because I happen to know him, okay?” she laughs again. “I’m not your investigator, Joohyun.”

 

“But you are my friend.”

 

“Well,” Seulgi begins.

 

“Well?” Joohyun smiles.

 

She makes a face at her. It’s an uncertain no now. “Let’s watch Miss Peregrine’s at the end of the month,” she suddenly changes the topic.

 

This time, Joohyun makes a face of her own.

 

“What?”

 

“I already agreed to watch with Mino,” she tells her with an apologetic expression.

 

“Okay,” Seulgi slowly says.

 

“You can come with us!” Joohyun immediately continues.

 

“And be a third wheel? Thanks, but no, thanks,” she answers, as quickly as Joohyun suggested it.

 

“We’re not like that,” she says. “We’re just friends.”

 

“Right,” Seulgi nods.

 

“We’re only just friends, Seulgi,” she insists.

 

“Okay, okay,” she says. “But I’m still not coming with you.”

 

Joohyun makes a face at her again. “But you also watched Don’t Breathe without me.”

 

“Because someone asked me first!” Seulgi reasons. “How many times are you going to bring that up?”

 

“Mino asked me to watch Miss Peregrine’s first.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Okay.”

 

For a moment, they are just quiet.

 

“Come on, it’s just fifteen minutes before the cinema opens,” Seulgi suddenly says, standing up.

 

“Let’s go to the restroom first,” Joohyun says.

 

“Okay.” She walks a couple of steps ahead.

 

But Joohyun catches up and reaches for her hand, something she always does whenever they are together. Sometimes, she randomly hugs her just wherever — while they are waiting for the bus or when she is standing behind her on the escalator. There are also times when she just leans her head on her shoulder as they walk side by side.

 

Seulgi lets her do whatever she wants. It’s not like it harms her or anything anyway.

 

 

“Do I have something on my face?” Joohyun asks.

 

“Nope.”

 

“Why do people keep staring at us?”

 

Other than their purple and orange dyed hair, Joohyun’s insanely beautiful looks and her incredibly thin frame, Seulgi is not sure herself. Or she thinks she is. Actually, she is wondering how Joohyun is only noticing it now and why her hand is still on hers if she has noticed it already.

 

They have been friends for so long that Seulgi doesn’t really mind if other people think they are more than friends. Because they know for themselves that they are friends and no other people’s judgment should matter more than how they see themselves together.

 

She thinks about being more than friends with Joohyun as she thinks of being more than friends with her other friends. And as she has concluded with her other friends, she will always choose being friends over being more than friends.

 

Even with Joohyun. Actually, especially with Joohyun.

 

Seulgi just doesn’t think they can be more than friends. Or they are even compatible.

 

“I don’t know,” Seulgi answers instead. “We’re just walking, right?”

 

“Right,” Joohyun agrees.

 

Perhaps it’s unthinkable for other people that two people can actually be friends and remain friends in this world when everyone is looking for love. But people can actually.

 

People can just be friends.

 

 

Of course, it doesn’t escape their day about how Sooyoung didn’t tell both of them she already has a boyfriend.

 

“Don’t worry,” Seulgi begins. “If I have a boyfriend, I’ll tell you about it.”

 

“It’s been one month!” Joohyun continues to fret. “And to hear about it from other people is just the worst!”

 

Seulgi thinks about it. “But can you wait at least an hour? We might be on a date or in the middle of making out or something.”

 

Joohyun makes a face at her. “That’s not really…”

 

“I know, I know,” she laughs at her friend. “I’m kidding.”

 

“But do tell me about it,” she immediately says. “I’m only saying I don’t need the details of you making out with your boyfriend. I might get jealous or something.”

 

“You sure is scaring me sometimes,” she grimaces at her.

 

Joohyun laughs.

 

 

10:47 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[Hey, are you home now? I just got home.]

 

10:54 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Just arrived. I was about to message you.]

 

10:58 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[My legs hurt.]

 

11:00 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[Don’t walk.]

 

11:01 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Cruel.]

 

11:02 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[I’m kidding.]

 

11:03 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[I know.]

 

11:03 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[I’ll take shower now. Sleep already. Rest your dead legs.]

 

11:04 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[They’re not dead!!!]

 

Seulgi laughs as she slips out of her pants.

 

11:05 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[Goodnight, Joohyun.]

 

11:06 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Should you not rest first before taking a shower?]

 

11:06 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[I rested already.]

 

11:07 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Wait until 11:11 pm.]

 

11:08 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[Why?]

 

11:09 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Let’s make a wish together.]

 

11:10 pm

From: Seulgi

 

[Are you serious right now?]

 

11:10 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Yes!]

 

11:10 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Okay, forty seconds to go.]

 

11:10 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Fifteen seconds.]

 

11:10 pm

From: Joohyun

 

[Go!]

 

Seulgi draws her curtains a little and watches the stars above. She smiles a little before closing her eyes and whispering, “Let us be friends for a long time.”

 

 

End