“Hey, You should come with us to the bar. There are more than me and Sooyoung this time.” 

 

Jungeun looks up and sees Jinsol with her round glasses, makes her more attractive than before. While looking at Jinsol, Jungeun checks the clock in the room. It’s the time when they get lazy to work and waiting the time they will free from office works. Jinsol is one of them, walks to Jungeun’s desk and asks her to come with her group of coworkers after work.

 

“Sorry, but I have a date with my girlfriend tonight,” says Jungeun and continues at her work. 

 

“I see.” 

 

Jungeun thought it was done, but to feels the presence of Jinsol still in front of her desk, especially because of the perfume, vanilla musk. It makes Jungeun looks up again at her. 

 

“What?” asks Jungeun because she felt that Jinsol still want says something more. 

 

“I felt that you avoid me, we haven’t hung out together lately you know? What you do is prioritize the works too. I asked you to lunch together outside but you just eat here on your desk while working.” 

 

Now Jungeun felt bad about it. Yes, she avoided her lately, more like avoided them, Jinsol and Sooyoung. 

 

It started when Jinsol told her about her relationship with Sooyoung. Jungeun knew along the time she observed her friend. But she didn’t want to acknowledge it, it was obvious denial about them. Every time she looked at them together, the night of Jungeun is killing her heart softly. 

 

The night when Jinsol accidentally told her with Sooyoung beside her when having beers, her heart shattered. All she did was smiling in front of them, glad that night the alcohol has not consumed her that much. If it happened, she probably cried out in front of her, embarrassed herself, rambling out her feelings.

 

It was hard after that night for Jungeun.  

 

“Sorry if you felt like that way, I don’t know. I was busy lately.” 

 

“Make it time then,” says Jinsol. 

 

That was somehow selfish of her. It’s not like Jungeun doesn’t like that but the fact that she knew Jinsol is all for Sooyoung at weekends, the only time she gets much time. So she decided. 

 

Become a selfish too. 

 

“Then, how about tomorrow. We can hang out tomorrow.” 

 

“I can’t, I already promise with Sooyoung tomorrow.” 

 

“See, we are busy with our life. It just that we haven’t that time together not that I avoid you.” 

 

Jungeun thinks that she is smart enough that can manipulate her situation of avoiding Jinsol. Even though in the end it makes her felt bad about it, but what she can do? It’s all for her good and she knew it, it was selfish of her. 

 

Because at the end of the day, Jungeun can’t avoid them that much. Like right now, Jinsol just came forward about her act lately. 

 

“Is she coming to pick you up?” 

 

“Who?” 

 

“Your girlfriend, I never see her, you never give her picture either. I have thoughts that you are just making excuses about having dates?” 

 

Jungeun sometimes forgets how smart Jinsol is and her instinct sometimes freaks her out. But well one thing her instinct doesn’t work at, Jungeun’s feelings. 

 

“What? Nooo! How you think like that?” 

 

“Then, let me see her. Tell me her name.” 

 

“I can’t,” says Jungeun stuttered on her words. 

 

“Why? Because you just put that as an excuse?” 

 

Jungeun hates so much when Jinsol said the truth of it. Somehow it makes her want to cry, felt bad, and mad at the same time. It’s ridiculous.  

 

“FINE! But after this you never see the light of me!” says Jungeun and runs to the restroom, leave Jinsol on herself confusedly. She never sees Jungeun mad before. 

 

At the restroom, Jungeun checks every toilet and makes sure it is just her alone. When she checked, she put the warning sign in front of the door. She walks closer to one of the sinks, leans closer to it and sees her face in the mirror. 

 

 

She put her hands on her face, rub it frustratedly. She runs the water on and washes on her face. Cooling her down a little bit. Processing what is happening right now. 

 

Jungeun just to proves it to Jinsol. Simple as that. 

 

But the problem is Jungeun doesn’t have a date or even girlfriend either. This is ed up, thought Jungeun. She needs to find the way and there is one thing on her head for this kind scenario. 

 

Even she doubts it, but let’s try it. 

 

Jungeun takes out her phone and dials the contact that she saved a month ago.

 

“Hey, Jungeun!” call the other side of the phone so cheerful. 

 

“Hey.” It’s only that Jungeun can say, she doesn’t know how to start her plan. 

 

“Why out of sudden you call me? Isn’t that you are working in this hour?” asks the person full of questions confusedly. 

 

“Can I ask you a favor, Jiwoo?” 

 

“What is it?” 

 

“Can you pick me up at my office and act as….. my girlfriend?” asks Jungeun carefully at the “girlfriend” thing, cause she doesn’t want to make her neighbor felt Jungeun is a crazy neighbor.

 

“Girlfriend? I’m a girl, woman, and same-aged as you so I count you are my friend too. Why should I act as your girlfriend? I’m your girlfriend.” 

 

“Jiwoo.” 

 

“Yeah.” 

 

“It’s a girlfriend, like in a relationship,” explains Jungeun at Jiwoo’s pure heart and mind. Now she doubts about this plan.

 

Hear. It’s nothing. Silence. Jungeun thinks Jiwoo probably find her crazy or something. She even doesn’t know Jiwoo’s uality too. Probably she’s straight and against other uality. 

 

It’s over Jungeun thought. 

 

“Aaaaah, girlfriend. Sorry, I don’t know your uality so I thought it’s….. anyway, Why?” 

 

Jungeun frowns at what she heard. 

 

“Wait, you will help me?” 

 

“I think I should, you are heard desperately when asked me before but I should know why.”

 

“I will explain later, I left my work for long enough for this situation and it’s a lot to tell.” 

 

“Okay then.” 

 

“Are you sure? Like Did I offend you? Cause I don’t know your….” 

 

“No-no, it’s okay. I trust you and you won’t harm me or anything like that. It’s been a while so I will try my best.” 

 

Jungeun sighs, relieved, “Oh god, thank you so much.” 

 

“Well I’m not god, I’m Jiwoo.” 

 

Jungeun just laughed at that followed by Jiwoo. She admitted that was funny. Don’t know that Jiwoo can be that playfull. Perhaps she should talk to her neighbor more. Get to know her more. 

 

***

 

When Jungeun got off work, she doesn’t look at Jinsol or says goodbye like usual she did. Jungeun knew that Jinsol will follow her to in front of the lobby. Waiting for their girlfriends, well a fake one for Jungeun. She does the silent treatment at Jinsol. She still mad at her. 

 

So at in front of the lobby, they just nothing to do. Silence. Quite awkward. It’s unusual for them. 

 

“Jungeun, I-....” 

 

“JUNGEUNAAAH!~” 

 

Someone just cut off Jinsol there, so loud. Jungeun looks at the figure who does little run towards their spot. Jungeun quite surprised at how loud she was there, Jiwoo got attention from other workers. 

 

“Hey,” calls Jungeun when Jiwoo closer at them. 

 

“Woah. Oh, hello…” says Jiwoo at Jinsol, “You must be Jinsol? Jungeunie talked about you sometimes. It’s my pleasure to meet you. I’m Jiwoo.” 

 

Jungeun never talks about Jinsol to Jiwoo, so how is Jiwoo knowing….. aah, the nametag . Jungeun amazed at how Jiwoo introduces herself and read the situation. Look! Jiwoo is smirking at Jungeun now like she knows something going around. Jungeun hates how people so easy to read her. 

 

But the more important thing for Jungeun to process, Jungeunie? 

 

“Nice to meet you too,” Jinsol shakes the offer of Jiwoo’s hand. 

 

“Sol! Oh, hey Jungeun……” Sooyoung just steps out from the building and sees them. She’s looking at Jiwoo right at the moment she said Jungeun’s name. “Jiwoo?” 

 

“Sooyoung Sunbae? You are working with Jungeunie too?” 

 

Now Jungeun and Jinsol look at them confusedly. Seems like they know each other , thought Jungeun. It’s a really small world huh?

 

“Jungeunie?” Sooyoung looks at Jungeun. “Aah, no-no. I’m not working with them. I’m at different departments, different floors. So it's true that Jungeun has a girlfriend.” Sooyoung looks at Jungeun again and lasts at Jinsol. 

 

Jiwoo glances at Jungeun who hasn’t spoken any words and looks at them, especially Jinsol. 

 

“Well, I’m here picking up my Jungeunie because she asked me. I’m quite confused because she never wants me to pick her up when we scheduled our dates. So I guess she has an exceptional reason for it for today,” says Jiwoo who looks at Jinsol intently and Sooyoung at the last. 

 

Jungeun wants to say thank you at the moment to Jiwoo after that. She doesn’t know her fake girlfriend is so smart to read the situation. How smooth every word from her too and for very important how Jiwoo acts, it’s so believable. Jungeun thought Jiwoo can be an actress. 

 

Now it’s time for her moves. 

 

“Let’s go, Jiwooming! I’m hungry and it’s quite late now.” Jungeun just walks leave them without saying goodbye at Jinsol and Sooyoung, still at the mood of how mad she is. 

 

“Wait a minute….” yells Jiwoo, then turns her body at Jinsol and Sooyoung. “It’s nice to meet you, Jinsol and Sooyoung Sunbae too.” After that Jiwoo runs to Jungeun, as soon as beside her, Jiwoo links her arm at Jungeun’s. 

 

Jungeun startled with that but at a second thought guess it is necessary since they are still at Jinsol’s vision.   

 

“Jiwooming? Seems nice and cute,” says Jiwoo with a poke at Jungeun’s with her elbow. 

 

“Glad that you like that, is it weird?” 

 

“No, not at all.” 

 

“You catch a glimpse of what happens, don’t you?” 

 

“A little bit,” answers Jiwoo honestly. 

 

“You did well there. They want believe it or not, I don’t care anymore. I snapped at Jinsol before calling you. I hate she saw through of me except my feelings,” explains Jungeun a little bit. 

 

“I hate she knew I lied about having a girlfriend and dates…..” Jungeun stops with her rants. “Sorry about that. I still kinda heated.” 

 

“It’s okay. Like what I said on the phone, I want to know why and I got it entirely now. Jinsol is so pretty though, you are lucky having a pretty friend there.”

 

“You know Sooyoung too. She’s a goddess,” adds Jungeun. 

 

“And they are looks so shiny together, bling-bling.” 

 

“SHINY? What a phrase!” Jungeun laughs at how Jiwoo is wording that. “But yeah, I agree with that.” 

 

“Right? I was surprised to see Sooyoung Sunbae too. I don’t expect that.” 

 

“Why? You liked her?” 

 

“Who doesn’t like her? Half of the college has a crush on her.” 

 

“I see.” Jungeun nods at how she got the information. 

 

It seems like she’s nothing compared to Sooyoung. No wonder Jinsol never see at all of her feelings even they are so close, perhaps because of that. Closeness. Like because it so close, Jinsol never sees it while with Sooyoung who at the distance of her vision, she sees hers instead of Jungeun’s.

 

Jiwoo slightly feels something at how Jungeun responses to it. She looks at the buildings around them. An idea just comes at her. 

 

“Hey, how about we have a date now? A real one.”

 

Jungeun looks at Jiwoo, “What?!” 

 

“I know this good place around across that street,” says Jiwoo pointing out her fingers. Then Jiwoo looks at Jungeun now who confusedly. “Seems you have a bad mood, I was thinking I treat you some foods. You know foods solved everything right?” 

 

“Who said that?” Jungeun chuckled at that. 

 

“I am,” answers Jiwoo with her big smile. Jungeun just witnessed such a view there. 

 

How I can decline that when she’s so that smiley?