I glared at my phone; Hyejin was running late.

What was I expecting? It’s Hyejin after all.

I grunted.

I hated waiting; boredom was my constant enemy and I had to get creative to occupy myself.

I played with Kkomo until he was bored of me, then I rolled around on the living room floor until my back hurts; I even tried to work, staring at a blank canvas for what seemed like eternity, but my creative juices had run dry at the moment.

It was half past eight when the doorbell finally rang.

I jumped to my feet, ready to unleash my frustration on my so-called best friend when I saw an unfamiliar figure on the intercom screen.

I frowned.

The figure was wearing a cap, hiding their face from view, and was carrying plastic bags in both hands.

I became wary when I saw that the person was wearing an oversized coat that reminded me of an old serial killer movie. I shivered inwardly and pushed the thought away.

The doorbell rang again and the person leaned into the intercom. “Hello? Delivery for Miss Jung?”

My frown deepened.

When did I make a delivery order?

As if answering my question, my phone buzzed. I glanced at it and nearly cursed.

Hyejinnie

Wheein-ah~ I’m sorry!! Yong-ie took me out on a surprise date! Let’s re-schedule, ‘kay?

And by the way, I already ordered ahead of time. So enjoy!

See ya! <333

I sighed.

So this is what it feels like to be stood up by your own best friend.

I pressed the intercom button. “I’m sorry. Is it possible to cancel? My friend who made the order isn’t here.”

I knew it was hopeless to ask, but there’s no harm in trying. I was surprised when I heard the delivery person laugh.

“If you’re worried about payment, you don’t have to. It’s on the house.”

I frowned.

Who did Hyejin bribe to get the free food?

“I’m more worried that she ordered a lot,” I said, trying to reason my way out of a lonely dinner. “I can’t finish them all by myself.”

“You don’t have to.”

My mouth fell open when the delivery person tipped their cap back and Byulie-unnie’s face smiled back at me.

“B-Byulie-unnie?” I stammered. “Wh-What...?”

“Hello, Jung Wheein-ssi,” she said. “Can I come in, please? It’s getting colder out here and these bags are not exactly light.”

I didn’t need to be told twice; I hurriedly opened the door and let Byulie-unnie inside. I took one of the bags from her and led the way into the kitchen.

She took off her cap and whistled under her breath as she followed closely behind me. “Nice place,” she said. Then, she noticed Kkomo’s bowl on the floor. “Oh? You have a pet?”

I nodded as I took the other plastic bag from her. “His name’s Kkomo. Oh, speak of the devil. Here he is.”

As if summoned, Kkomo padded into the kitchen and greeted Byulie-unnie with curious eyes. Byulie-unnie chuckled and crouched down to pet him; surprisingly, Kkomo leaned into her hand and purred.

I stared at the cheeky cat in disbelief. “Wow, he rarely does that with strangers,” I said. “Usually, he would snort and walk off. He’s a chic cat.”

Byulie-unnie grinned, her eyes never leaving Kkomo. “He’s adorable,” she gushed, gently Kkomo’s fur.

“Why don’t you play with Kkomo in the living room, unnie? I’ll set up the table.”

She raised her head and looked at me with concerned eyes. “Are you sure you don’t need my help?”

“Yes,” I said, flashing a reassuring smile at her. “Besides, you’re my guest.”

She looked like she wanted to protest, but instead she just nodded her head and scooped Kkomo into her arms before heading for the living room.

From the kitchen, I could hear Byulie-unnie’s giggles as she played with Kkomo; I found myself smiling as I unpacked the food and dumped them neatly onto plates and into bowls.

I couldn’t recall the last time I ate dinner with someone; it had been a while since I started living alone and I rarely went back home.

As for Hyoyeon-unnie, I could only meet up with her for quick drinks because she works at night.

And Hyejin?

The last time I ate with Hyejin, just us two, was last month; before my self-imposed Hyejin ban and when I was still referring to our little outings as dates.

Suddenly, it struck me.

Is this a date?

I glanced nervously in the direction of the living room.

If it is, what should I do? I’ve only been on blind dates with girls. In broad daylight. This is new territory for me. What should I do? What should I-

“Are you okay in here?”

The sudden question jolted me out of my thoughts.

I turned to find Byulyie-unnie walking into the kitchen with Kkomo comfortably snuggling in her arms; the sight warmed my heart.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I paused. “You two make a beautiful picture. I’m going to commit this to memory and paint it later.”

Byulie-unnie raised an eyebrow. “You paint?” she asked.

I heard the awe in her voice and blushed. “Yes,” I replied, averting my eyes as I placed the plates and bowls on the dining table. “It used to be a hobby and now it’s my job.”

“That’s cool.”

My heart was swollen with pride when I heard her simple compliment; it wasn’t like I hadn’t been complimented before, but it felt extra special coming from Byulie-unnie.

Byulie-unnie set Kkomo down on the floor and walked towards me.

My breath hitched when she came close; the smell of her perfume pleasantly filled my senses and I instinctively wanted to wrap myself in her warmth.

I whimpered when I felt her breath tickling my ear.

“I think you’re done,” she murmured. “Let’s eat.”

She placed a hand on the small of my back and gently ushered me towards the chair. She pulled it out for me and gestured for me to sit.

“Thanks,” I said shyly as I took a seat.

She just smiled and sat down opposite me.

I want this to be a date so badly. Is this normal? Or am I just desperate?

I pushed the thought away as we said our prayers and started eating in silence.

Suddenly, I was curious. “Unnie, how did you end up delivering Hyejin’s takeout?”

Byulie-unnie paused her chewing and smiled. “I don’t know if Hyejin told you, but Yongsun is a chef and she owns the restaurant Hyejin ordered from.”

My mouth formed a silent “O”.

So that’s how my devilish best friend gets free food. I hope she doesn’t take advantage of Yongsun-unnie too much.

“I work there too,” Byulie-unnie continued. “Since Yongsun is the boss, she decides that we’re doing a special night delivery. Except that she bailed on me and I had to do it alone.”

I smiled. “Hyejin texted me that she can’t make it after you rang the doorbell.”

She cringed. “Oof. You got it worst.”

We both giggled.

“For the record, I have no idea what those two idiots were planning until I heard your voice over the intercom,” Byulie-unnie said after we had calmed down.

My heart fluttered; it was flattering to learn that Byulie-unnie recognized me just from the sound of my voice.

“You think they’re setting us up?” I asked, hoping that I didn’t sound too eager.

Byulie-unnie shook her head. “I don’t think that’s what they’re trying to do…” Her quick denial was disappointing, but I tried to keep a straight face as she continued, “I think this is Yong’s way of cheering me up.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Wow. I feel used.”

“Oh no. It’s not like that,” she quickly said. “I think she doesn’t want me to be alone tonight and figured that you’re the best choice to accompany me.”

I smirked. “I didn’t realize I’m fun to be around. People always say I’m dull and boring.”

“Well, they’re idiots.” She grinned when I burst out laughing. Then, she added softly, “Only a worthy few can see you for the gem you are, Jung Wheein.”

My heart hammered against my chest and blood rushed to my face; her words echoed inside my head and I don’t think it would stop anytime soon.

“Thank you,” I said shyly. “No one ever said that to me before…”

“I repeat. Idiots. The lot of them.”

I chuckled. “Even my family?” I asked jokingly.

Her face reddened as she mumbled, “Well, maybe not your family…”

I bit back a laugh. “It’s okay, unnie,” I said, grinning. “I understand what you’re saying.”

She let out a relieved sigh and smiled. "Just so you know, I didn't stay only because you're fun," she said softly.

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? There’s another reason?” I asked, suddenly curious.

She nodded, beaming from ear to ear. “I get to be in the company of a smart and beautiful woman,” she said, giving me a greasy wink. “How can I resist?”

I was blushing from my neck to the roots of my hair now. I hid my warm face in my hands.

“Stop it, unnie,” I said in a muffled voice. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“Sorry, sorry,” she said, chuckling. “Let’s eat. The food’s getting cold.”

I took deep, calming breaths before raising my head; my eyes met with hers and I blushed again.

We were both smiling as we resumed our dinner.

______________________________________________________

A/N: Hi, this time it's a longer update.

This chapter has a few lines that I want to say to the precious gem of Mamamoo called Jung Wheein (and to all the haters out there) if we ever meet. ^_^

Thank you for reading until now and thank you for the upvotes and comments! ^^