Joy’s in trouble.

 

It’s dark out and the traffic is light. She drives smoothly under the summer night skies with her boss, Seolhyun, seated at the backseat, scrolling through her phone.

Her boss’s radio guesting ended later than expected. She can feel her phone vibrating with each passing minute since 10:43 PM. Drumming her fingers against the steering wheel as she looks ahead —she was late. Wendy will beat her .

She leaves the keys to the hotel valet minutes after Seolhyun stepped out of the car and bade her a good night. She makes a run to her locker to get her backpack, not even bothering to change into her uniform. Running in slacks can be comfortable too.

 

//

 

“I’m here!” Joy shouts, a little out of breath as she slows down in front of an already-closed mall. She rests her palms on her knees, regaining strength, before greeting the girl in front of her. “Sorry, Wannie.” She apologizes, “there were a lot of fans today.”

 

The shorter girl tries to show her annoyance by pinching her ear. “I’m hungry.” She protests.

 

“Yeah, okay. I’ll buy you dinner. Let’s go.” Joy offers as she takes Wendy’s totebag, getting ready to head home.

 

Hot pot and dumplings taste better when you’re hungry, and when you’re with someone who feels like home, Joy reflects as she looks at the girl eating in front of her. Wendy’s endless stories about the snobby people at the department store are always funny. She’s always so cute trying to express her disdain because she’s a good person with a good heart, who never holds grudges, even with people who are mean to her.

 

It kinda feels like an honor too; being her personal diary. Wendy needs a good friend, and she’s happy she gets to be one.

 

Joy has already went out of her way to settle in an apartment that was opposite to her, which she thought was a delight; this way, she is at her constant beck and call.

 

//

 

“What do you want for dinner next week?” Wendy asks while looking at the notes application in her phone for her grocery list. Joy was a frequent crasher at her apartment, and free dinners have been an unsaid agreement too.

 

“Mmm, anything sounds good.” The taller girl absentmindedly answers. Everything Wendy makes is delicious, so she really doesn’t have a preference.

 

Wendy nods as she types on her list. She picks up a pack of beef and places it in their cart.

 

“By the way,” Wendy starts as they enter through another aisle; she is at the front of the cart as Joy pushes, and scanning the shelves for whatever item she needs. “Since it’s your day off tomorrow, you should come visit at work.” She looks back at her with a knowing smile. “It’s finally happening!”

 

Joy’s eyes shot up. “Is it really?” she replies with more enthusiasm. She didn’t need any more information from her companion. She wanted this as much as she does: Wendy’s voice will finally be heard by many – as an announcer over the department store’s intercom.

 

It wasn’t the biggest dream, they both knew. However, they both believed that Wendy was born to be in front of the microphone. And every single chance that happens, they celebrate.

 

Joy claps her hands together in glee before stepping closer to the short-haired girl, locking her in an embrace. “OH! I’m so happy!” She exclaims. “We should totally celebrate. Let’s buy everything in this store.” Joy announces as she starts putting unnecessary amounts of canned tuna in their cart, which made the other girl laugh.

“Hey, hey!” Wendy stops her while still stifling a laugh. “We don’t need this much tuna.”

 

She suddenly drops everything she was holding. “Okay. I’ll buy you more meat then. Let’s go back.” The taller girl prepares to turn the cart when...

 

“Wendy!”

 

A familiar voice calls out, making both girls freeze, also making Joy stop their cart.

 

This guy again, she mentally scoffs.

 

Joy hated it when he stuck around a second too long around her; his smiles are dicey to be considered sweet, and he always acted like he knew Wendy more than she did. It was annoying, to say the least.

 

Like one time, she found out Wendy was working an hour past lunch so she decided to visit her and bring her a burger, because it was easier to consume than holding a bento box. And this guy had the audacity to laugh and say it was “unhealthy” before handing her a sub. Wendy eats instant ramen for dinner; Joy argues in her head, what is he trying to prove?

 

Pretentious prick, Joy thinks to herself before fake-smiling and packing up her stuff to leave. Wendy doesn’t notice it, so she smiles and waves at the taller girl, thanking her for the trouble.

 

And now, here they are. This guy shows himself in a grocery store of all places, interrupting their moment.

 

“Wendy!” He calls out again, walking towards to their direction. Joy’s smile falls as she looks at him, narrowing her eyes because she just loathes him.

 

Wendy drops her hands from Sooyoung’s waist and turns to look at Eunwoo.

“Hey, Eunwoo!” She greets him back, matching the guy’s zest with her smile. Wendy doesn’t notice the girl beside her sneer a little, irked. Joy can’t help herself but wrap a protective arm around the shorter girl’s waist, as if to say she’s mine.

 

Well, she isn’t.

 

No one cares; Joy mentally rolls her eyes when the newcomer was showing a pack of ready-made kimbaps to her friend, saying he was there to buy a quick dinner. She feels so unreasonably agitated.

 

“Well, we’ll be going. Enjoy your dinner.” Joy cuts him off when he was about to say something more, and pushes the cart past them.

 

//

 

“What was that about earlier?”

Wendy asks out of the blue as they near their apartment. Turns out, she noticed the girl’s sudden change in attitude.

 

“What was what?” Joy replies, trying to act oblivious. She lightly swings the grocery bag she was holding to amuse herself. Also, to avoid looking at Wendy’s eyes and feel guilt.

 

“You know....at the grocery. You were kinda weird towards him. He’s a good friend, you know.”

 

The taller girl shrugs. “We...have frozens.”

 

A lame excuse because she didn’t know exactly why she acted rude too.

 

They reach Wendy’s front door and she watches as the shorter girl keys her password in. Joy then hands her the bag she was holding. “Here. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She says in an unusual manner.

 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Wendy asks in concern. Her eyes are worried and her lips are forming a pout.

 

No, I’m not. She wanted to say, but she was afraid that if Wendy asked her more about it, she wouldn’t know what else to say. There is an unsettling feeling inside of her and she doesn’t like it at all. Moreover, she doesn’t like it that Wendy knows she’s bothered by something she can’t explain.

 

She lies, of course. “Yes, I’m fine. I’ll go with you tomorrow, okay? I can’t wait to hear your voice. See ya.” Joy passively reminds her before heading to her apartment, not waiting for a response.

 

She leans her forehead on her door once she’s inside. Closing her eyes and taking a deep exhale.

 

I think I’m in trouble.

 

//

In videogames, if you forget to save the game after quitting, all of your memories from that moment vanishes. 

 

Joy wished that were the case. 

 

Still, she’s there. 11:00 am on the dot, as if she didn’t make a complete, flustering mess in front of her friend last night. 

 

Holding her phone up in the air to record Wendy’s voice, ignoring the stares of passerbys. 

 

“Thank you so much and we hope you have a pleasant day at Day1 Department Store! Happy shopping!”

 

She puts her phone down once the intercom beeps again; smile still unwavering. 

 

That was Wendy alright. Voice that sounds like all the angels took their time when they were making her vocal chords. 

 

The voice she heard so many times over the past years — whether happy, or sad, or tired. It was all music to her ears. 

 

“That’s my friend. she’s amazing, right?” she nudges to a nearby customer who gave her a confused nod before walking away. 

 

They’re so unlucky for not being friends with her. They do have the luck of hearing her voice, however. She thinks as she shakes her