When life gives you lemons, find out what kind of lemons are those?

What people crave most in this world is connection and for some people, it happens at the first sight. It’s when you know, you know. Some people might call it fate, some people might call it magic. Good for them. But that’s not how mostly work. For some people, it’s less romantic, a little bit complicated, and messy.

The horrible timing that makes people not able to say what they need to say when they need to say it.

Six years ago.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Oppa, where are you?” My best friend in the whole world called me when I was just done taking a shower.

Closing my eyes while drying my hair with a towel, I had to make sure that it was really her. “Ji Hyo-yah?”

Ji Hyo gasped from across the phone. “You have to ask? Don’t you save my number? Oppa, I’m offended.”

Her reply made me chuckle. “I’m not looking at the screen right now but I assume it’s you, Ji Hyo-yah.”

“And you don’t even recognize my voice? Can I be more offended than this?”

Again, I chuckled. “Mwo? Mwo? What do you possibly need that you have to call me in the middle of the day like this?”

Ji Hyo sighed. “Oppa, come to meet me.”

“Eo? Wae?” I sensed something wrong just by listening to her voice. “Gwaenchana?” I almost dropped the towel on my hand.

“Eo. Gwaenchana. I just need some advice from you, you know.”

“You’re not hurting anywhere?” I sounded a little bit panic and got a little chuckle from her. I seriously almost grabbed any clothes that I could find and just go straight to her, wherever she was.

“Aniya, I’m not. I seriously only need some advice from you and just to give you a sort of information.”

This time, I gasped. “Are you getting married?”

“Oppa, I’m single! I don’t even have any boyfriend right now!”

If I was there, I could imagine what kind of a murderous look she would give me. This partner – boyfriend and girlfriend thing had been kind of a bummer for us. She was in her late thirties and I was in my mid-forties and yet we still couldn’t find anyone that had that ‘connection’ with us.

“Mian, mian. I’m just joking.” I defended myself. “When? I should check my schedule with Gap Jin first.”

“I forgot that you’re busy.” Ji Hyo stayed silent for a couple of seconds before she continued, “It’s okay if you don’t have the time, Oppa. Let’s meet at another time.”

I actually didn’t know why she sounded so disappointed like that. It’s not the first time we dismissed each other’s invitation to meet because of the clash of our schedules. It’s not like she’s always free and not busy. But just by her tone, I sensed something was wrong.

“I promise I’ll meet you today, Ji Hyo-yah.” I settled. I really didn’t want to make her disappointed.

“Let’s meet at that small café near my apartment, Oppa.” Her voice got a little bit cheerful it made me smile.

“Geurae. I’ll call you later when I’m on my way to your place.”

And I was right. I had a schedule that day. However, my unsettled feeling about what Ji Hyo was about to tell me kind of made me lose focus on the show that I was on. I had to be reminded a couple of times because my mind kept wandering around. What could Ji Hyo possibly want to talk about?

It was not until later that day. Around seven in the evening I was able to drive to the café near her apartment. I wouldn’t lie, my heart thumped really fast. Why was I so nervous? I never really had this trouble whenever I met my best friend.

And the small café was quite busy I had to lower the hat I wore just to cover my face more. I also rechecked my mask to see if my face was covered enough. My eyes scanned around the small café to find another human being, clothed in the same way as I was – a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a black mask, sitting in the corner.

She lifted her head and waved her hand at me. Then she glanced at her watch on her wrist and even though it was covered by a mask, I was sure she smirked at me.

We started with small talk, munching around the French fries and tteokbokki that she had ordered.

“These green onions are really unnecessary, to be honest, and they cut them so small.” I complained, trying to get them out one by one out of my bowl.

Ji Hyo rolled her eyes. “Just eat them, Oppa, they don’t taste anything.”

“Never.”

“Anyway, can I tell you some big news? I want to show you something.” She said, looking at her purse.

“But before you show me something, I want to show you something.” I cut her.

She lifted her head. “What is it?”

I gave her my phone, showing a new script and the casts of a new variety/reality show. “I was offered to be the cast of a new show.”

“Another show?”

“Eo.” I grinned happily.

She furrowed her brows. “How many shows are you in right now? Five? Six?”

“Six!” I announced. “And with that new addition, seven.”

“Aren’t you tired? You’ve got a Daesang, what more do you want? How many shows do you want to conquer?” Ji Hyo shook her head with a low chuckle. “You really should get some rest, Oppa. With how much you’re working and exercising, when will you take a rest?”

“I’m as healthy as a twenty-year-old, Ji Hyo-yah. Do you want to see it?” I smirked.

Ji Hyo threw the cloth on the table towards me. “You’re disgusting. Anyway, my turn.”

I signed my hand, telling her to speak now.

She seemed nervous too it made me tilt my head. “I’d like you to be the first to know, Oppa. I’m having a baby.”

I choked on the food. “Mwo? Can you repeat it again?”

“I’m having a baby.” She whispered in my ear this time.

“You’re pregnant? With who? Do you even have a boyfriend right now?” I almost accused her of doing the stupidest thing in the whole world. Did she have a one night stand with a stranger? Or did she have a secret boyfriend that I, her bestest friend in the whole world, didn’t know?

Ji Hyo rolled her eyes. “No, silly, I’m not, not yet, but I’m working on it.”

“What do you mean?” I somehow sounded angry. “You’re talking nonsense, Ji Hyo-yah.”

Ji Hyo sighed. She looked disappointed by my reaction. “It’s just women’s fertility go down after a certain age, Oppa. And I really want to have a baby.”

“You can find someone, I know you can. Just in time. You have to look for him and be patient.” I didn’t agree with her idea. “You don’t have to be doing this.”

She shrugged as if my opinion didn’t matter. “Too late. I’ve gone to the doctor and she said all my levels are really great, considering my age, then she started giving me this lecture about my age. And I started agreeing with her about timing and why do I have to wait when I can just easily have one by myself.”

“You’re going to destroy your career, Ji Hyo-yah. The career that you’ve built for how many years? Twenty? It’s a taboo thing to do.”

“Well, I can just go out of town when I’m pregnant and deliver the baby there. Or I can just tell the world that yes, I’m having a baby by myself via a donor and you all don’t get a say in this. There are plenty of ways to do it, and public opinion is honestly the last thing on my mind.”

I was sure my face was tensed. “Have you talked to your agency about this?”

“Nope, I haven’t. I just want you to be the first one to know about my plan.”

“Where is all this coming from anyway?” I started talking to her slowly this time. Maybe she misunderstood the words I was saying. “Is this about Chang Joo? Because if it is, why don’t you just chalk it up as a mishap relationship and move on?”

She got upset when I mentioned her ex’s name. “This has absolutely nothing to do with that man. And how many times do I need to remind you to stop mentioning his name? Thank you for bringing it up, by the way.”

“All I’m saying is find the perfect man first before you go on about this. Deal with a relationship before you decide to bring an innocent life into this world, without a perfect plan nor thorough thinking.” I refused to agree with her stupid idea.

And the woman in front of me getting worked up. “I’m just tired of thinking about how this is supposed to go, Oppa. I’m just ready to do it now and I don’t care about anything else. The clock keeps ticking.”

I rolled my eyes.

Ji Hyo scoffed. “I don’t care about your opinion, Oppa. Seriously. I’m just here to tell you that I’m having a baby, with or without your approval. I really want to have a baby.”

Her stubbornness was really out of this world, I didn’t even know what to say anymore. “And how do you achieve that? How will you be able to find the ‘man’ for the production of your baby?”

She slapped my shoulder. “You don’t have to say it like that, it sounds disgusting. And I’ve been looking into a bank.”

“We have a bank here?”

“Stop pretending to be surprised by everything!” She sneered. “But I still haven’t found someone whom I really want to have a baby with. There are certain criteria that I really want to see in a man and still can’t find any.”

“You sound like you’re searching for your own perfect partner.”

“Well, who knows if in the end that man is the one for me.” Ji Hyo just shrugged carelessly.

Again, I rolled my eyes. “What kind of criteria are you looking for in that donor?”

“Someone healthy, that’s the most important thing. Doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink is more preferred so his organs are well, eats healthy food, exercise, and most importantly won’t go bald in his forties or fifties.”

“Are you describing me? Why don’t you just ask for my instead?” I laughed listening to the criteria she listed.

She scrunched up her face. “No, thanks, I don’t need someone who’s workaholic enough it might kill them.”

“Yah, I’m not a workaholic and it’s not genetical you know. What’s wrong with my ? They’re healthy, I’ve checked to the doctor.” I defended my babies. “My probably can give you twins or even triplets.”

“Arasseo, arasseo.” She shuddered at my words. “I’m sure you have killer . But we’re best friends, Oppa, it’d be weird, don’t you think?”

When life gives you lemons, construct a crude electrochemical battery.

“You really shouldn’t quit Running Man. I hate that I don’t have anybody that doesn’t betray anymore. I have no one I can trust.” I started complaining. “Kwang Soo is the worst, he literally did it in front of my eyes, I had to smack his head a couple of times to make him focus.”

Ji Hyo laughed. “It’s been ten years, Oppa. I can’t run anymore, my knees are bad.”

“You know we don’t need to keep running. The PD understands that, the viewers do too. We can just sit around in the mud playing quiz and all.”

“Yeah, but there are other opportunities that are calling my name.” Ji Hyo circled her hands around my arm. “I hate that I have to leave too, Oppa. I feel bad!”

“You should! Leaving me behind with all those moths.” I pouted like a little kid, but Ji Hyo had always kept up with my childishness. “Please come back, I promise I won’t treat you roughly anymore. I’ll treasure you, forever. No, I’ll even protect you with all of my beings.”

“Aniya, Oppa.”

“Jebal, Ji Hyo-yah.” I was now facing her. “We can work around whatever opportunity you’re working on right now. We can even-”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Try to lessen the physical activities so you won’t get too tired with that opportunity of yours.” I completed the sentence in a lower voice.

Ji Hyo smiled, staring at my eyes intently. “Did you hear what I just said?”

I became speechless I could only lower my gaze and stared at the floor. “I uh- well, uh- yeah.” Then I stared back at her awkwardly.

She gave this expectant look that I didn’t even know what to reply.

“Congra