It was a hot, sticky night, the kind that neatly surpasses a pleasant, drowsy warmth and causes nightgoers to break into an uncomfortable sweat. Regardless of nature's many inconveniences, human beings continue to come and go; and, on this particular boiling summer night, the twenty-four-hour convenience store was teeming with customers. A long teenage girl manned the register, her slim, solid hands moving deftly as she counted out the correct change. She was not gangly by any means, rather possessing full, rounded-out thighs. When the girl was confused, her big eyes would widen and her babylike features become prominent to onlookers. One could tell the girl hadn't quite grown into her face yet, as she tended to stare down at her toes and seemed at a loss as to which facial expression to keep when there were no customers and nothing to do. However, in this respect, she was not much different from most kids her age who were simply trying to understand themselves. 

A familiar face walked up to the sales counter. It was someone the girl had known since they were kids: her best friend, Lee Chan. The boy had been glancing down at his phone while waiting in line for the register, but now he lifted his head and flashed her a grin.  

"Seon-Mi . . . " he said, raising his eyebrows tauntingly. 

Lee Seon-Mi groaned. "Gross, you're here, idiot." Lee Chan slid several five-hour energy bottles onto the counter. Seon-Mi furrowed her eyebrows and sent her best friend a look. He scratched the back of his neck and leaned against the counter, evading her concerned gaze. 

"What's wrong? Are you having them again?" she mumbled under her breath so that only he could hear. 

Chan blew out his breath, shaking his head. "Look, just sell me the drinks, and we can talk later." Seon-Mi searched his face, her eyes darting between his cheaply concealed dark circles and the thin little frown lines at the corners of his lips. 

"My shift ends at eleven. Wait outside for me." 

He looked down, then back up to her. You look so defeated, Seon-Mi wished she could say to him. I just can't bear seeing you like this. Chan met her eyes, then closed his own.

"Fine." He sighed. "Now hurry up and do your job, fool." He ruffled her hair and she pulled away, smiling. She scanned and bagged the energy drinks without wasting so much as a small movement. "Wow," Chan snickered with a -faced grin. "You move your hands so fast. I wonder what else those hands can be good for."

Seon-Mi scoffed. It was the unfortunate case that Chan's ual cracks came so often and were so shameless that she was hardly surprised anymore, and she certainly couldn't rebuke him. She shoved the plastic bag at his chest and he grabbed at it, laughing. "Why are you like this?" She said, stating fact rather than asking a question. "Now get out. My manager will really fire me this time." Chan laughed, raising his hand in farewell as he pushed the door open and stepped outside, the bell jingling in a friendly way. Seon-Mi spared him a fond glance. I really hope you'll be waiting outside, Lee Chan. She turned to the next customer and apologized profusely.

"I'm really sorry for the wait; my stupid best friend keeps coming around and bothering me at work."

The customer, an old man in a gray wool suit and red tie, laid down a baguette and a bag of balloons on the counter and chuckled. His laugh was deep and scratchy and rumbled throughout his entire chest. He was startlingly kind. "Oh, that's alright. You kids were cute; I don't know if this is okay to ask, but are you two a couple?"

Seon-Mi felt not as though the air had been knocked out of her chest, but rather slowly squeezed out of her lungs, breath by breath, until there was nothing left. She was used to people asking her this, but it still hurt every time. She colle