"I think you're fine
You really blow my mind
Maybe someday, you and me can run away
I just want you to know
I wanna be your Romeo
Hey Juliet"

August sang quietly along with her IPod as she slowly walked through the mall, her eyes trailing along each store front in search of a present. After all, it was one thing to want to buy a gift for someone, but another entirely to actually pick something out. So far she had combed the mall up and down, both floors, several times with no luck. Even if it was discouraging it wasn't as though she was entirely to blame. She had just met Taemin a few months ago, and even then they didn't get much of an opportunity to talk. He was always busy with one thing or another, and she was also starting to feel the strain of celebrity life with their debut coming up soon.

"Ma'am, if you aren't going to buy anything then could you please move along? You're blocking other's view" a woman's voice asked, drawing August's attention to the fact that she had been standing in front of a store for the past few minutes. When had she stopped walking? Blinking in confusion, August pulled off the baseball cap she had been wearing and ran a hand through her hair. Glancing over at the woman who had addressed her August instantly noticed the uniform she was wearing, which meant that she was working at this particular shop. That also meant August couldn't get mad at her for being impatient, since the lady was just doing her job.

"Oh, um... My English is not good" the woman mumbled, worry lines appearing on her face as she took in August's foreign appearance.

"It's alright. I understand Korean" August assured the woman, smiling charmingly at her. "I'm sorry about obstructing the view of your store. I've been searching for a present and I guess I got caught up in my own thoughts" August apologized, doing a full ninety degree bow. The woman, flustered by the foreigners sudden display of fluent, albeit accented, Korean waved her hands frantically in front of her face and smiled nervously.

"Don't worry about it! Um, might I ask who the present is for?" The woman asked when August straightened up once more. Even after being thrown off guard like that the woman was still showing exemplary sales person skills. Soon she would probably be trying to sell August everything in the store, claiming that it would be the perfect gift for Taemin. August was about to politely excuse herself when her thoughts caught up to her and she realized that this might be a good thing. After all, it wasn't like she had any idea what to buy him anyway. Maybe a second opinion would be a good idea.

"Um... there's someone I need to apologize to. A boy" August explained, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. Even if she hadn't given the full details it was still embarrassing to admit her mistake to a perfect stranger. Especially when a large, knowing smile appeared on the woman's face. Somehow, August was positive the woman didn't actually know what was going on.

Gesturing eagerly for August to follow her, the woman hurried into the shop. Hesitantly August did as she was told, peering into the small store to see what exactly was inside. It looked like a clothing store, but not the kind that August usually shopped in. This was where the 'stylish' lived and breathed, and where August choked and died. Swallowing hard, she reached out and flipped over the nearest price tag to see exactly what she had gotten herself into. Even though her grasp of the Korean money system wasn't that great yet, she was pretty sure all those zeros meant that what she was looking at was very, very expensive.

"So why did you and your boyfriend fight?" The woman asked, gesturing for August to join her at one of the displays. August's jaw hit the floor at the word boyfriend, much to the amusement of the store clerk. Hurrying over to the woman, August's mouth moved soundlessly as she tried to form the words to deny what had been said. Laughing, the woman gestured to the display they were standing in front of. It was a bunch of accessories, ranging from earrings to tie clips. Unsure of what she should be looking for, August pretended to scrutinize each item, making vague comments when it seemed appropriate.

"So what does your friend like to do?" The woman asked after a few minutes of August's painfully indiscreet helplesness. Even though she hadn't said 'boyfriend' the implication was there, so August still felt heat creeping into her face. It must have been a slow day because a few of the other employees had gathered around to listen in on the conversation, the word 'boyfriend' apparently having drawn them in. With so many eyes on her August felt a brilliant flush of red on her face. Pulling her baseball cap back on she pushed the brim of the hat down to try and hide her face.

"He really likes dancing. Plus he's really amazing at it" August said, not trusting herself to look up. It was bad enough imagining people staring at her, she didn't need to prove it to herself.

"A dancer? Has he ever danced with you?" The woman asked eagerly, romanticizing what August had said.

"No! No! Like this dancing" August exclaimed, taking a step back from the display and showing the woman a quick demonstration of tutting. She would have to remember to thank that choreographer of theirs when she met him next time for teaching her how to dance. Impressed, the woman and her coworkers gave August a quick round of applause, deepending August's blush as she bustled back over to the display and bowed her head. "Um... I'm not sure what kind of gift a dancer would want, though" August sighed, staring intently at the mysterious accesories in front of her. Beside her the woman smiled and rested against the glass counter, her eyes trailing over August's face.

"You haven't known him for very long, have you?" She asked, drawing a few knowing nods from her coworkers. That was the most annoying part, how they all acted like they knew exactly what was going on when, in reality, they were way in left field.

"We only met a few months ago, and he's been really busy. We're pretty much perfect strangers" August sighed, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. The employees made a few sympathetic comments and glanced around at each other. August was positive she could catch the words 'unrequited love' being murmured amongst the women, which did nothing to improve her mood. "Plus he's a year younger than me, so I'm not sure how to work out our relationship. Korean culture is a lot different then American, after all" This got quite the reaction out of the women, who started mumbling about a thing called noona, whatever the heck that was. Raising my eyebrow I glanced over at the closest pair, who quickly averted their gaze to avoid making eye contact with me. One small step for August, one giant triumph for all those who had been forced to spill their guts to bored employees.

"So what did you fight about? If you two hardly see each other, I don't see how a fight could start" the woman asked, her eyes never leaving August's face.

"He... um... he came to see me and... um... I didn't know he was on the other side of the door... so... I kind of hit him..." August's shoulders slumped as she related the events of two days past. A few giggles sparked up amongst the small group that had gathered around her, which were quickly shushed by a stern glare from the others. Smiling sympathetically, the woman stretched out her hand and rested it on August's, which she had clasped tightly on the counter.

"Is he angry with you?" She asked gently, to which August shook her head. "So then you're just buying the gift because you can't forgive yourself" the woman sighed, and August knew that every female employee in the store was acting as though they understood everything. They probably did, too, or at least would if they weren't still under the assumption that Taemin was her boyfriend.

"Well, if he's a dancer, how about something like this?" A new female voice suggested as it's owner came up beside August, holding something in her hands. Apparently she had gone off to look for a gift while the her coworkers did a little impromptu therapy session with August. Accepting the suggested gift, August held it gently in her hands and turned it over to get a better look. It was a brownish gold colored sweatband with some Korean characters stitched into the soft fabric. Frowning in concentration she held the characters closer to her face, willing them to magically make sense. With as bad as her spoken Korean was, her reading skills somehow managed to be even worse.

"It means 'aim high in your career but stay humble in your heart" the woman who had brought over the gift explained, pointing to each character as she spoke. "It's not very romantic, but..."

"It's perfect!" August exclaimed, grinning happily as she extended the sweatband out to the first woman, the one who had been conducting the therapy/gossip session. Nodding and returning the smile, the woman rang up the sweatband while another, eager to help in the 'romantic' gift-giving, bagged it neatly in a small brown paper bag. When the price came up August pulled out her wallet and, after some assistance in discerning the different types of bills, paid for the present.

"Good luck. I'm sure he'll love it" the woman said as she handed over the bag, which August eagerly accepted. Nodding, she took a few steps away from the counter and bowed deeply to each of the women.

"Thank you so much" were the last words out of August's mouth as she hurried out of the shop and back onto the tiled floor of the mall. She already had some workbooks her mother had bought her when they first moved to Korea, and even if they were meant to teach Korean she was sure they would come in handy for the tutoring. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the weekend to come. Smiling, August pulled out her IPod and slipped the earbuds over her ears. Flipping through her music she came across one of her favorite songs and hit the play button, starting it up. As the music came on she start to lip sync the lyrics and doing a small dance while she walked, drawing attention from several of her fellow shoppers.

"You think I'm pretty without any make-up on
You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong
I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down

Before you met me, I was a wreck
But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life
Now every February you'll be my valentine, valentine"

Chapter 4 Note: This has actually really happened to me. NEVER go shopping when the mall isn't busy because those employees will eat you alive! XD

Songs Used:

Hey Juliet - LMNT

Teenage Dream - Katy Perry