When Joy woke up, it was 2:21 pm on the afternoon of November. The weather was chilly, sun rays gleamed through her thin curtains, the fire from her vanilla pumpkin candle that Yeri gave her for her birthday has gone out, and she could hear neighbors argue through thin walls. She glanced at Haetnim who was just sitting on top of the kitchen counter. She grabbed her phone to check if she's gotten any email or text from her job interview but as expected there wasn't any. Getting up from her bed, Haetnim ran towards her for a hug. Joy lifted Haetnim and carried her back to the kitchen counter.

"Is Haetnim hangi (hungry)?" she asked in a babyish tone which she would only use when talking to her dog. Haetnim wagged her tail and barked. She smiled and kissed Haetnim's head before pouring the food in Haetnim's bowl. When she opened the fridge, there were only boiled eggs, uncooked eggs, leftover rice, and water. Right. It's Friday and she has a day off which meant that she needed to go to buy groceries. She petted Haetnim one last time and went to shower.

Her lifestyle had been always like this for the past six months. She would go to work for her four different part-time jobs all week except Fridays. She hadn't been employed for a job in which she had majored in and it had always been frustrating but she reminded herself to be strong. Her part-time jobs had always exhausted the life out of her but luckily she got Haetnim waiting for her at home which was enough to energize her.

Graduating from college was the happiest day of her life. She bawled her eyes out on Irene's shoulder like a while Yerim recorded her for her youtube vlog. Her parents weren't happy because they wanted her to major in engineering but that wasn't what she wanted. Her parents hated her guts, they hated her friends, they hated everything about her and so the little argument turned into something bigger than it's supposed to be and then she was kicked out of their house along with Haetnim. Her sweet innocent Haetnim.

With the remaining money in her bank account, she was able to afford a small apartment. It wasn't in its best condition but it was the cheapest she could find and she needed a home for her and Haetnim. She was lucky enough to have her friend's support and to work two part-time jobs, the only solution to pay off her apartment and car bills, her needs, and her college loans. But they weren't enough, so she decided to take on another two part-times. And now she lived in a loop in which she goes home exhausted with no time to take care of herself but Haetnim. She had gotten used to it.

Now she sat on her red velvet sofa which she found next to the trash one morning. The sofa was in good condition so she didn't see the reason why she would let it sit outside just to be thrown away. The sofa faced her bed while the table sat in the corner of the room just below where the 2005 tv model was hanging.

She changed to her usual home attire. Haetnim had just finished her meal and she ran to her owner's arms once again, her cheek.

"Was it good!?" she asked cheerfully as she tickled Haetnim's belly. Just then her phone began to ring.

"Irene?" she asked confused. Haetnim wagged her tail as she looked at her owner.

"Did you just wake up? I've been calling you for the past 30 minutes!" the girl in the other line said irritably.

"I was in the shower, why?"

"Just wanted to ask if you're down to go to a friend's house tonight?" Irene beamed.

"Which friend? Yeri?"

"No, I mean she isn't your friend but we can introduce you to her." she knew damn well that Irene was referring to her friend who owns a club. The club, Irene's normal habitat. Irene, the party animal who parties every night.

"Irene, if you're asking me if I want to join you at a party, then that's a no." she deadpanned.

"Come on it's your day off and besides you work tomorrow in the afternoon. We can send you home earlier if you want." Irene suggests.

"No. You know I'm exhausted and I don't have time to do this right now."

"You're so ing lame. This is why you've been single all your life, Joy." Joy threw her phone down on the sofa, offended at the remark. Haetnim had jumped off Joy's lap and began to play with her squeaky toy.

"Thanks, as if that's gonna convince me to join you, Irene."

"Oh my God, I'm sorry! I just want you to have fun again. Can't you just let loose even for once?" Joy sat there fiddling with her toes. That's right, she used to tag along with Yeri and Irene at parties. She would dance momentarily but most of the time, she found herself sitting alone at the bar or having an argument with a stranger who would try to either flirt or start something with her. But ever since she graduated, she hadn't had enough energy and time. She knew Yeri's just coming to make vlog videos. She doesn't wanna party with Irene because she didn't want to act as her parent and watch over her the time she gets wasted. Not gonna happen tonight.

"If Yeri's coming, I'm coming." Joy deadpanned and she could already feel Irene smiling through her phone.

"Okay! So pick me up?" Joy sighed. She knew it. What a pain in the .

"Yeah yeah whatever," she replied before ending the call.

She's just gonna come along, party, try to relax for one night. What's the worse that could happen, right?

"Haetnim, come. Let's go for a walk."

...

Before Joy pulled up by Irene's apartment, she dropped off Haetnim at Hayoung's house, one of her friends. She didn't put too much thought on her outfit. She threw on a vintage jacket over a white top, wore jeans and white shoes. When Irene hopped in her car, she eyed her, carefully. A smirk formed on Irene's lips before she chuckled.

"You're drooling, Joy. I know, I look good." the woman said confidently. She didn't defend herself though, because Irene did look beautiful. But she wass just a friend and she was pretty much straight. Maybe, she didn't know. Irene messed around with everyone. Joy didn't even know what she was either. She'd been living for 22 years and yet she still hadn't been in a single relationship. Maybe there's something wrong with her.

"Just what are you wearing?" she said in reply as she drove off to the party.

"What's wrong with it? I thought I looked good?" Irene said, pouting, as she the radio.

"It's almost winter. I thought you hated the cold?"

"Well, whoever offers me their jacket at the party, then maybe I'll sleep with them. If they're attractive... not arrogant... not y... if they're not too boring too. Whatever. If they're worthy why not lol."

"What if it's a woman?" Joy swallowed right after she asked. She felt like it was an unnecessary question.

"Then I'll sleep with her. Nothing wrong with that, right?" Irene asked as she put on red lipstick gently on her lips which Joy felt the need to glance for a quick bit before turning her attention back to the road.

"I don't know, isn't that... like kind of weird?"

"Nah. You shouldn't be talking, ." Joy turned her head at Irene who had a smug smile plastered on her face as if to piss her off.

"Shut up!" she blushed, gripping the steering wheel tighter. She didn't need to be reminded about that. It's not like there's something wrong with being a . "It's just that I didn't know you swing that way."

"Relax, I was messing around. I'm just saying, there's nothing with it. People have preferences and if you're not into women, that's fine, nothing wrong with that either. But there's something wrong with you being a ." Irene broke into a burst of laughter.

"I'm trying, you know? I've tried checking men out at parties back in college but when I imagine myself doing it with them, it makes me feel, I don't know, disgusted? And I've been working nonstop so I don't have time to go on dates." Irene didn't say anything this time. The latter crossed her legs as she sprayed perfume on her neck.

"Jokes aside, maybe you're not into dudes. And there's nothing wrong with being a ." She's not quite sure about that. Last time she checked, she was never interested in women. It's not like she was ever interested in men. She might be an alien. "You're beautiful, Joy. You would get people whipped over you if you smile a little bit more. Not gonna lie, I would date you if you weren't such a boring ." Jo