6

“Do you like sushi?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Joohyun blinks her eyes at the sudden question thrown by Seulgi. Ever since they have stepped out of the building, she can’t help but think of ways to help herself out this awkward situation. Her mind has been preoccupied with that thought, causing her to unintentionally pay no attention to literally everything. Without her realizing it, they’ve already stood in front of the line of some small shops where people currently bustling in lunch crowd. She takes a sidestep when a swarm of people makes their way towards her direction.

As she comes to think, they didn’t even take their cars in order to reach this current place. Who would have thought that the CEO didn’t mind walking at all?

She whirls her head towards Seulgi and wonders what she has thought about her by now for always losing her focus. The latter however only puts a small smile and Joohyun doesn’t know how to make out of her expression.

“I said… Do you like sushi?” Seulgi gestures at the small Japanese restaurant on the end of the corner, its logo is hidden by another shop from their perspective and if it isn’t for Seulgi who kindly points it out, she might not see it at all.

No, I don’t like raw things. It might upset my stomach.

Joohyun wants to tell her but the twinkle in her eyes has made her reconsider her answer.

“I…… do.” Joohyun with much uncertainty, finally responds back. Eyes are trailing somewhere, as long as it isn’t Seulgi who by now has a straight pleased face.

“Okay. So, sushi it is.” The latter happily announces and beckons her towards it. She walks joyfully, as if there’s a spring in her step and Joohyun has to remind herself again that this bouncy figure in front of her is her actual boss.

“Err… but why sushi?”

The smaller woman can’t help but ask as both of them make their way to the said restaurant.

She for one doesn’t even understand why someone in Seulgi’s status would even want to eat in this kind of place. Sure if she wants sushi, there are so many better places selling sushi in this area, even though their current place isn’t shabby at all, but still, Seulgi could afford way more than this. She is a CEO for Goddamn’s sake.

“Because I like sushi? Because you like sushi? So, why don’t we eat sushi?” Seulgi can’t hide the amusement in her tone. “It’s a win-win solution. Is there any good explanation aside from that?”

“Or perhaps you don’t actually like sushi but you only agreeing because I happen to suggest it?”

Joohyun tries her best not to let out any gasping sound. How could she guess it just right?!

They both have taken their seats and now are scrolling through menus. She hides her face with the said lists as her eyes trail on these unfamiliar names.

“No, I’m fine with sushi but still… aren’t you going to those fancy restaurants instead this kind of places?” Throughout that Joohyun’s voice has considerably reduced in a small timid voice by the time she is done asking. She mentally facepalms, here she goes being judgmental again.

“Oh? Why?”

This time around, she hears Seulgi ask her back with curiosity filled tone. She peeks at her over the menus and ponders whether she has offended her in some way, though wouldn’t stop blabbering unnecessary things.

“I don’t know? Errr… you’re definitely rich so yeah?”

There’s a pause before Seulgi eventually replies to her comment.

“I like it here because they sell out one of delicious sushi I have ever eaten.” Seulgi reasons out while she scans the calm surroundings. “This might not be the best place though but I’m comfortable with the homey feelings they emit here.” The woman continues to conclude, eyes finally land hard on her and because of that action, Joohyun has to shift on her position in response because of the subtle glare Seulgi currently wore is sending her quite unsettling feelings.

“And you see I’m nowhere near rich. My parents are.”

Seulgi tilts her head, examining her as she put the plastics covered menus on the table. “From the way you’ve addressed me earlier, it seems like you got the idea of me to totally act like those spoiled rich kids right? That I might would never consider this kind of place just because it’s below my oh-so-standard or some sort of it?”

The lack of respond she gets much later has made her heart drop by a little. She has partly expected it, though she does hope Joohyun would at least see her differently out of those stereotype people puts about them being rich. Seulgi shakes her head slowly and chuckles to herself.

“Honestly speaking, I don’t give any damn about me being your boss. Just please answer me truthfully, Joohyun.” Seulgi leans in her seat, looking all serious with both hands resting on their table’s surface. “I know, I’m kinda forcing you though, are you annoyed by me for doing this to you? Did I come across so eager in the past few weeks? Do I make you uncomfortable with my actions?”

It seems like forever as Joohyun couldn’t find a word to respond. She didn’t even mean to imply anything, she was just curious, that is. It’s true that she was a bit perplexed by the way Seulgi treats her, remembering that they were practically strangers to each other. But it’s not to the point that Seulgi made her feel uncomfortable or anything, it’s not done in such ways. So, imagine her horror when suddenly Seulgi shoots her a look of disappointment, the latter even mumbles audibly at her.

“Ah, I see. I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable, though all I wanted to do was befriending you.” She watches Seulgi retreat to her former position with unmistakably gloomy expression. “People will surely think of me as a spoiled rich kid who does nothing but cause trouble. I don’t even deserve befriending anyone.”

“No!” Joohyun’s own voice surprises herself and she is even more surprised at the sudden presence of the waiter that pops up on their table without notice. “Oh my god!”

“What would you like to order Miss?”

The young man ignores her shocked expression and processes to jolt in the order Seulgi has swiftly mentioned. He turns to her and asks, “What would you order, Miss?”

“I’ll have the same as her.” Joohyun utters quickly to send him away as soon as possible. She couldn’t be careless over her order that she isn’t even able to spell, all she has to do now is to clear their misunderstanding. She pays her attention back to Seulgi when the waiter is no longer in sight.

“I mean, no. I was just curious and you aren’t spoiled. I didn’t mean to imply anything at all. I swear. Please forgive me.” Joohyun clutches the edge of their table and bows her head a bit. “I’m really sorry for everything. You deserve the best of this world could ever give…” Joohyun’s eyes widen at her latest chosen words, she lifts her head up spontaneously. What the heck did I talk about?

“Errr…I mean,” she sheepishly corrects herself with a grin. “You deserve to befriend anyone you want in this world.”

Seulgi doesn’t even respond to her words, but she knows that the latter has directed all her attention towards her. She takes it as a sign to continue voicing her concerns despite her earlier poor chosen words that have successfully made their situation turn awkward for her liking. “I wouldn’t be lying though. You were kind of making me suspicious over your way too friendly behavior. Add that to you who suddenly sent me a gift? How am I supposed to react to that?”

Joohyun asks lowly with a genuinely confused face. “It’s weird but okay nonetheless. I just really wonder, if it’s what you normally do to start befriending people, you sure take a matter of friendship to a whole new level.”

She hears a chortle coming across her and raises her brows at the sight of Seulgi’s smiling face.

“Wow… I’m impressed. You’re such a blunt person.”

The black haired girl angles her head to the side at her remark. “Is it a bad thing?”

“No, of course not. At least for me though not everyone will find it amusing, I admire your trait.” Seulgi slouches even more as she elaborates; her gaze is filled with delight and Joohyun doesn’t have any idea about what it means. “I don’t normally do what you told me though only to certain friends that I deem close enough...” Seulgi chuckles when Joohyun’s jaw starts to gradually drop after her reasoning out. Seulgi’s earnest explanation is supposed to enlighten her, but no, it only makes Joohyun question her even more.

“So you’re saying that you are already considering me your close friend? In such a short period of time may I add?” Joohyun is flabbergasted, she puts her hand over her opened mouth in disbelief. Never once she met this kind of person in her life. “Okay, this’s really weird. You’re weird. I won’t sugarcoat anything because you’re really weird.”

Seulgi bursts into a fit of laughter and Joohyun doesn’t find it funny at all. “How come you act this friendly towards strangers? People will surely take you for granted though.”

“I didn’t say that I do these things to everyone right? The closest ones remember?” Seulgi points out with curled up lips. “And yeah you’re right, but I trust my friends.”

“Oh my god. This is even weirder. You’ve already put your trust in me? People you just met? A total stranger?” Joohyun raises both of her hands with incredulity clearly painting her face as the latter approves in a firm nod. The way Seulgi tells it out has caught her off guard like it was the mundane things to say or do which is a big no. “What if I take your kindness for granted? What would you do then?”

“You’re not a stranger anymore though.” Seulgi shortly remarks back, much to her surprise. She then probes her in a lower voice. “Would you do that to me?”

The nonchalant, casual respond causing Joohyun to be a bit bewildered by how innocent this person is. Is she for real?!

“Uh no… but still, you’ve to be careful. People change, you know.”

“Thanks for your concern but I believe in my instinct. You’re a good person.” Seulgi replies gleefully and processes to rummage through her business bag. “You know the actual reason behind my sudden gift to you that day was to actually apologize.”

The word apologize instantly perks her ears, so she fixes all her enormous attention to Seulgi again. “What’s there to apologize?”

“I know what caused you to be sick that day.” The latter says as her hand has stopped searching around, she pulls a familiar little note and places it on their table for her to see. However, she feels like her eyes have stopped blinking the moment Seulgi show it to her. A mass of flashback is attacking her right there and she has a hard time to swallow the rising lump inside by the time she gapes at the sight.

“I’m sorry for not contacting you right away.” Seulgi adds with a sorry look. “You were waiting for me right?”

Joohyun only clamps close, every single word coming from the companion before her—it goes through her without any proper reply because all she tries to do at the moment is to connect the dots.

She would never forget her signature favorite pink note.

And that messy wobbly handwriting on it that contains her full name and numbers which she has written purely out of her clear mind in a panic state.

Joohyun can feel her inner self screaming when reality finally catches up. “OH MY GOSH! YOU REALLY ARE THE OWNER OF THAT CAR?!”

X

“Why don’t you eat your food?”

Joohyun only dips her chopsticks on the ketchup and plays with it without much thought. She would never know how messed up her fate is just now. How come she has like literally everything related to her boss. Don’t get her wrong, she doesn’t hate her or anything. It’s just very uncanny to be connected to a stranger this much in such a short time. She still couldn’t get this strange thought out of her mind.

Seulgi looks at her with concern and stops eating her own food. “Are you seriously still thinking about it? I told you not to though. I don’t even want you to pay the insurance. The point of me telling you it is to let you know that I actually got your note and we could end this matter peacefully. I will settle everything so you don’t need to worry.”

“That’s it.” The quiet woman finally meets her gaze; she puts her utensil down immediately. “I don’t understand this. Why would you be this kind to me? I don’t recall doing the nicest thing to you? In fact, all I did was the opposite ones. Ever since we met!” Joohyun’s temple creases even more. “I happened to be suspicious of you most of the time because why do you even let me off this easily? Or perhaps, are you trying to take some revenge on me for all the wrongdoings I did before?” She tries to inquire the possibility. “If so, I deeply apologize for my rude acts. I will as far as making an open letter if you want me to.”

“Okay so can you afford to cover all the insurance?” Seulgi’s tone is set to business, changing into one hundred eighty degree different from her normal chirpy voice. “It’s ₩ 1,113,510 in total.”

Joohyun’s mind stops functioning for a moment at the mention of those digits. “I-I…”

“See?”

It makes Joohyun boil in some sort of anger at the way Seulgi easily shrugs her effort to be responsible. She could feel her pride wounded. Just because she wasn’t born with a silver spoon in , Seulgi doesn’t have any right to imply her with it, to flaunt her ego like anyone isn’t matter. “I can! You don’t need to think so low of me for not answering right away.”

Joohyun spats with determination. “It might take longer but I’ll able to afford it!”

Seulgi realizes her earlier words might somehow hurt Joohyun’s feelings, her eyes round in panic. “I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean it that way. Just-” she huffs and bites her own lip, feeling frustrated with herself. “Just forget it, I’m sorry again. I just want to befriend you. I apologize if my sincere attempts have somehow made you uncomfortable and doubtful. There’s no ulterior motive or whatsoever just so you know.”

Both of them ensue into a silence as they don’t know how to respond to their earlier arguments. On a side note, Seulgi could perfectly understand the growing doubt Joohyun probably has because of how overboard friendly she treats the latter. Seulgi doesn’t even understand herself for acting that way. One thing for sure, it just comes so naturally out of her. Though it would be very creepy if she were to behave in the way she did towards Joohyun to anyone else.

“Is it delicious?”

Seulgi stares at Joohyun who suddenly exclaims and begins to poke her untouched food with chopsticks. The black haired woman wears a curious look with a hint of small fear reflected in her eyes. Their gazes meet in the process. “I’ll be very honest with you. You’re right. I don’t actually like sushi. Specifically, the raw ones, as it might upset my stomach so I don’t know if this food is quite good for me to enjoy without the need to waste my entire time in toilet much later.”

An embarrassed small smile makes its appearance on Joohyun’s face, which unknowingly sets herself at ease. She reaches for her own utensil and picks up a roll for Joohyun to see. “I call dibs for this octopus filled sushi. One of my favorites and I assure you, this’s very much cooked so you may try it out.”

She places it on Joohyun’s plate, all the while beaming at her. The latter, however, only throws a weird face. “Didn’t my order is basically the same as yours? Why would you give me that?” She motions at the additional role of sushi on her plate.

“Think of it as an honor.”

“Err… okay. Whatever floats your boat, boss.” Joohyun starts eating and quietly enjoys her lunch much to her surprise.

“Suit your taste bud?”

“Yeah….” She picks another roll and happily chews to herself. Joohyun even puts both her thumbs up to express herself when she feels like she has to give a proper reaction to appreciate the taste. “It’s surprisingly great.”

“Glad to know that.”

Stuffing with a roll by herself, Seulgi inwardly grins to no one in particular. It hurts to smile that widely, but she just can’t help herself.

This day’s event is turning out to be pleasant, indeed.

#REDFLAVOR IS A BOP!!!