Joohyun likes to believe that she’s a hard worker. 

     She is rarely ever late and she can’t even remember the last time she was absent. She sends her reports on time, finishes more than the required workload per day, and although she’s lacking in the ‘being a team player’ department, she genuinely believes that she’s one of the most intelligent and valuable employees in their building. 

     So when she comes back from her lunch and sees a piece of paper asking her to attend a meeting with her supervisor and someone from the HR the next day, it took everything in her not to go and march up to the top floor and demand an explanation. 

     Joohyun knows this is a termination meeting, but she can’t understand why. 

     She tries to think of something that might have caused this—Did she scare another employee again? Is it because she bolts right out the door the second the clock hits 5pm? Or maybe it’s because she keeps winning all of the friendly company games?—but nothing is bad enough to get her fired; reprimanded...maybe, but not fired .

     She carried the heavy weight of the upcoming meeting throughout the day—she even felt guilty for not focusing on her work before she realized that she’s going to get fired soon to which she decided to finally half- everything. 

     Sooyoung called her 30 minutes past 5pm. 

     “Where are you?” Sooyoung’s voice greets her through the static of the call. The line was noisy so Joohyun can only guess that Sooyoung is on her way. This does nothing but add guilt to her already horrible mood.

     “Uh, walking home? I don’t think I can make it tonight,” Joohyun replies.

     “What?” Sooyoung exclaimed. “Why?”

     “Something just happened at work a—”

     “No, no, I told you never to bring work at home!” The background noise suddenly changes into something quieter followed by a few greetings from familiar voices. “You’re only making your stupid boss rich, okay? Now get over here and drink with us!”

     Joohyun sighs. “Just say hi to Yeri and Seulgi for me, okay?” 

     “No! We will pick you up,” Sooyoung presses. Joohyun hears a quiet ‘But I just ordered?’ followed by Sooyoung’s hushed ‘Shhhhh.’

     Sooyoung doesn’t look like she’s going to drop this anytime soon, so although she despises the idea of having this conversation over the phone, Joohyun takes a deep breath and, “I think I’m about to get fired,” she says in one breath. “My stupid boss is gonna fire me tomorrow.”

     For a moment, the only thing Joohyun could hear was soft music and hushed whispers. If she wasn’t emotionally drained right now she would’ve ran over to where they are and smacked them for talking behind her back. 

     “Are you serious?” Sooyoung finally whispers.

     “Yeah.” Joohyun turns to a corner and takes a deep breath; she’s only a few blocks away from the comfort of her bed. “They called me for a meeting tomorrow. I think that’s when they’re gonna do it,” she adds.

     “That .”  

     “Yeah,” Joohyun sighs. “So I’d really appreciate it if you guys would let me be alone for tonight.”

     Sooyoung sighs. “Okay, but we’ll talk about this soon, okay?” Joohyun hears a ‘Are you already drunk?’ in the background and Sooyoung’s hurried, “I’ll leave you to sulk now. Bye,” before dropping the call.

---

 

     “She really loved that job,” Sooyoung says as picks around the food on her plate.

     “Yeah, she did.” Yeri agrees. “This . I wish we could do something to make her feel better.”

     “Yeaaaaah,” Seulgi drawls, staring at the cute therapy dog outside the window. A lightbulb suddenly lights inside her head. “Wait a minute.”

 

---

 

     Waking up to a ‘Meet us at the cafe near your work for breakfast! We have a plan!’ text from Sooyoung basically guarantees that whoever it is directed to will have an extremely... peculiar day. So Joohyun has already taken several deep breaths and a 20-minute preparation before she pushed the cafe door open.

     But no amount of preparation would prevent her fight or flight response from kicking in the moment she sees Yeri, Sooyoung, and Seulgi sharing a table with a clown. 

     A full on neon hair, scary make-up, and childish props clown.

     “Ah! We’re here!” Seulgi waves her hand up, preventing Joohyun to hide from the ticking time bomb currently sporting baggy, rainbow colored clothes.

     Joohyun begrudgingly walks towards their table, trying and failing to ignore the clown who is happily sharing a french toast with Seulgi. 

     “Don’t make me beg for an explanation,” Joohyun says, taking the seat farthest from the clown.

     “But don’t you wanna order first?” Yeri offers the menu to Joohyun.

     “ Yerim-ah! ”

     “Okay, okay,” Yeri nudges Sooyoung. “Sooyoung, explain.”

     “What? I’m the one who got her here!” Sooyoung nudges Seulgi. “Seulgi, explain.”

     “Okay, so we know that you really loved your job,” Seulgi cuts a piece of her french toast and happily gives it to the clown. “And today is going to be hard for you. So...we got you this,” she said, gesturing to the smiling clown beside her.

     “A clown,” Joohyun deadpans.

     The clown presses her honker twice and gave Joohyun an unnaturally big smile.

     Seulgi shakes her head. “An emotional support clown!”

     “A what? ”

     “She will sit beside you and hold your hand throughout the whole thing!” Seulgi smiles like it’s the best news she’s ever given.

     “Uh, thanks I hate it.” The clown clamps her hand over her chest as and gives Joohyun a very exaggerated offended scowl. “Yeah, I’m going to leave now,” Joohyun grabs her bag and makes her way out of the cafe.

     “No, wait! We already paid her!” Yeri exclaims.

     Without looking back, Joohyun replies, “That’s your problem.”

     “But don’t you want to make your stupid boss at least a little bit uncomfortable?”

     Joohyun stops. She turns around and looks at the clown dead in the eyes and (before the rational part of her brain stops her) says,  “Let’s go, clown.”

     The big smile and penguin-like waddle the clown did as she followed Joohyun’s order almost made Joohyun regret her decision. Almost. 

 

---

 

     Their first obstacle appeared in the form of the building security.

     “Let her in,” Joohyun commands. “She’s my...emotional support clown.”

     The clown crosses her arms and raises her eyebrow at the security guard. “Uh,” the guard takes a step back, trying to put some distance between the clown and himself. “Ma’am, I don’t think I can do that.”

     Joohyun sighs. “Mark, I’m about to get fired,” she gives him the best dejected look she can make, “So, just let me have this. Please?” The clown joins in by clasping her hands together and giving Mark a very exaggerated pout.

     Mark scratches the back of his head. “Alright, but you have to log in,” he says, dropping the log book onto the clown’s hands.

     And that’s how Joohyun learns the clown’s— Seungwan’s name.

 

---

 

     “So,” Joohyun starts. They’re currently squished inside Joohyun’s cubicle, passing time until she’s—they’re asked to go to the meeting. (She’s bringing a clown to a meeting. A clown. She still can’t believe it.) “Where did they find you anyway?” she asks.

     Seungwan opens to answer, but immediately catches herself and shook her head.

     “Is not talking a part of your act?” Joohyun asks.

     The clown nods. 

     Joohyun frowns. “Doesn’t that make you a mime?”

     This proves to be the wrong thing to say because the clown immediately got up and started blowing up a balloon. She ties the opening into a knot and after a couple of pulling and squeezing, Seungwan ends up with—what Joohyun guesses—a rabbit. The clown offers the balloon to Joohyun with a smile.

     “Uh, thank you?” Joohyun says, reluctantly accepting the balloon. But the clown refuses to let go. “What?” Joohyun asks. 

     Seungwan motions to the balloon. 

     Joohyun blinks. “Yeah, that’s a balloon animal?” 

     Seungwan shakes her head and again motions to the balloon then to herself. 

     “ You’re a balloon animal?” Joohyun asks. 

     Seungwan heaves a dramatic sigh and slumped back down to her chair. She aggressively waves the balloon animal before throwing it on the ground.

     Joohyun shakes her head. “Yeah, I don’t really care. I’m just trying to make small talk.” She tries to focus her attention to the things on her table, weighs in the pros and cons of stealing the office stapler, and she even starts to plan how she will react once her manager breaks the news. She got so immersed in her thoughts that Seungwan had to nudge her when the clock hit 10am. 

     Joohyun takes a deep breath, she returns the encouraging smile Seungwan gives her, and gets up to go to the meeting.

 

---

 

     “Joohyun, I was informed that you brought a friend with you,” Joohyun’s boss swivels his chair around and his eyes immediately lands on the girl beside Joohyun. “Oh,” he blinks. The HR sitting beside him has his mouth slightly opened.

     Joohyun grabs Seungwan’s hand. “This is my emotional support clown,” Joohyun says, trying her hardest not to roll her eyes when Seungwan squeezes her honker and takes a bow.

     “ Yes ,” The HR breathes, still transfixed by Seungwan’s...everything. 

     “Of course. Well, uh, have a seat please.” The boss says, offering the seat in of him. Joohyun is pleased to see that the HR is still staring at Seungwan in disbelief. 

     “I’ll just get straight to it, yeah?” The boss clasps his hands, “Joohyun, we’ve decided to let you...go,” he trails off as he’s distracted by Seungwan who is currently miming what he is saying. “Can I help you?” he asks.

     “She doesn’t talk,” Joohyun replies.

     “What?”

     “It’s part of her skit. She doesn’t talk,” Joohyun says, as Seungwan continues to mime in front of the boss and the HR.

     “Um,” The boss adjusts his coat nervously, “As I was saying, the company has decided to let you go. Today is your last day. You have been a very important part of this company and we greatly appreciate the work you’ve done here. Now, Jason will go over the logistics with you,” says Joohyun’s boss, nudging the still transfixed HR. 

     “Yes, the logistics. Um,” The HR starts to look through the papers in front of him. Seungwan decides this is the perfect time to make balloon animals and starts to blow and squeeze balloons beside the HR. “Will she really make balloon animals while I do this?” the HR asks.

     Joohyun nods. “Yes. It’s her job to support me...emotionally...during this tough time,” she says as she tries to stop herself from smiling.

     “Um, okay. So,” The HR starts to discuss the logistics. Joohyun wants to say that she tried her best to listen to the HR, but her attention keeps unintentionally focusing on Seungwan and her balloon animals. 

     Joohyun woke up automatically assuming that this will be the worst day, but seeing Seungwan try her best to make sure that she’s the biggest inconvenience to Joohyun’s bosses, today doesn’t seem so bad anymore. 

     (And catching Seungwan wink at her from time to time is also a plus.)

 

---

 

     “So, it’s done,” Joohyun neatly puts away her picture frames into her box. “Will you finally talk to me now?” she asks. 

     Seungwan stares at her for a second, then grabs a piece of Joohyun’s office wipes. Seungwan starts wiping the clown make-up off of her face. 

     Joohyun grabs Seungwan’s hand. “I just wanted you to talk to me, I didn’t ask you to—”

     “I can’t talk when I have the clown make up on. I respect my craft, okay?” Seungwan says, as she continues to wipe make-up off of her face.

     “Yeah, okay,” Joohyun rolls her eyes, trying to ignore the rapidly increasing butterflies in her stomach as she slowly sees more of Seungwan’s actual face.

     “So,” Seungwan throws the dirty wipes away, “What I wanted to say earlier was I’m a silent clown. Silent clowns are very different from mimes and I am offended that you compared me to them,” she says.

     Joohyun frowns. “Uh, sorry?”

     “Yeah, you should be!” Seungwan exclaims.

     “I am!” Joohyun exclaims back. 

     “Okay, take me out to lunch then.”

     Joohyun blinks. “What?”

     “You said you were sorry,” Seungwan crosses her arms.  “So make it up to me.”

     Wait. Weren’t they just arguing about clowns and mimes earlier? Joohyun must have heard that wrong. “By eating lunch with you?” she clarifies.

     Seungwan nods. “Exactly.”

     “But how will tha—”

     “Come on, I’m hungry,” Seungwan grabs her arm starts to drag her out of her ex-cubicle.

     Joohyun sighs. “I think I liked you better when you were making balloon animals.”

 

---

 

     Seungwan without the clown make-up is, although it pains Joohyun to admit it, beautiful. She’s still dressed in the hideous clown outfit of course, and the baggy, splotched onesie with the crazy wig is not really doing anything for Joohyun, but Seungwan is somehow is owning it. 

     Seungwan’s attractiveness doesn’t stop the looks they’ve been getting from the people around them, though. But if Seungwan doesn’t seem fazed by it, then Joohyun won’t be either. Being mildly attracted to a clown is a new low for her, but, hey, if this is the price to pay for going on a date with a cute clown then Joohyun will take it. 

     “You’re staring at me,” Seungwan’s voice cuts her out of her musings. She takes a bite of her burger then says, “You think I’m pretty don’t you?”

     Joohyun feels heat rush to her cheeks. “I think you’re prettier with the clown make-up on.” 

     Seungwan hums. “Well, I think you’re pretty even when you’re red as a tomato,” she smirks.

     The heat on her cheeks tripled. Desperate to get out of the situation, Joohyun changes the subject. “So, is being an emotional support clown a regular thing?”

     “No, you’re special,” Seungwan winks.

     Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, Joohyun asks, “How did that happen?”

     Seungwan chuckles. “Your friends came in the store at 7pm, just as I was closing, and drunkenly demanded an emotional support clown. I asked what an emotional support clown is, they explained, and I took on the job.”

     “You have a store?”

     Seungwan shakes her head. “I work at a party store.”

     “And you’re also a clown?”

     “Yep.”

     “Why?” Joohyun asks. 

     Seungwan narrows her eyes. “You’re way too judgemental for someone who is currently unemployed.”

     “No it’s just, of all the jobs you could have, why did you pick this one?”

     “Ah, that’s a first date question,” Seungwan says, leaning back in her chair.

     Joohyun is suddenly taken aback. Didn’t Seungwan practically force her to go on this date earlier? Isn’t this her way of making it up to Seungwan? “Is this not a date?”

     “You want this to be a date?” the clown asks, her eyes widening. 

     Joohyun crosses her arms. “Don’t you?”

     “I, uh,” Now it’s Seungwan’s turn to get flustered. She takes a sip of her drink and stares at anything but Joohyun, “I mean, I just thought, um, I just wanted free food.”

     “What?” Joohyun shrieks.

     “But, um, if this is a date then I’d bring you to, um, somewhere nicer. Do you want to, uh,” she stutters.

     “Don’t hurt yourself,” Joohyun mumbles.

     Seungwan suddenly stares at Joohyun like she’s searching for something in Joohyun’s eyes and when she found it, she looks back down on her plate and softly says, “I’ve always wanted to be a clown. I guess it’s a childhood dream that I never grew out of. Plus, I’ll take whatever helps me pay for grad school. So, there.”

     Joohyun frowns. “I thought that’s a first date question.”

     “Yeah,” Seungwan smiles bashful. “It is.”