“Mam, your card said you don’t have enough balance anymore?”

“What?” I asked the cashier, my hands starting to sweat while my body was slowly being covered by cold sweat from nervousness. I gulped hard and looked at the cashier as I said, “Try it again. Maybe there’s just some error”

I’m currently in the grocery store for my weekly grocery shopping. My allowance that was part of my scholarship got delayed for two weeks now. I’ve been eating some of Hyejin’s share of food in the dormitory. She and Byulyi have been giving me half of their food so I could feed myself.

It was only yesterday that I got a notification that my allowance is now already in. I clearly read it and I wasn’t being delusional that I finally have money to provide food for myself. I don’t want to ask Mom and Dad for money so they wouldn’t worry about me. I have to replace some of Hyejin’s food at the same time pay for her feeding me for an entire week. If my card still doesn’t have my allowance, I don’t know what to do anymore.

The cashier scanned my card again but she only frowned at the screen before she looked at me and shook her head. I gulped hard and pleaded, “Try it one more time. Maybe it will work”

She only sighed and did as told. Still the same result.

There’s already a long line at the counter where I'm staying and I’ve grown even more nervous and embarrassed from the trouble I’ve caused them. I could hear tongues clicking and murmurs of frustration from the people waiting for their turn.

I gulped hard and glanced at the counter again. “Just try it one last time. Please… I promise I was notified that my allowance is already here. I never lied” I whispered to the cashier while she just frowned at me.

The cashier sighed, seeing the desperation on my face, before she said, “Okay, but this will be the last time I’m trying your card”

“Thank you” I whispered and leaned forward on the counter to see if she swiped it perfectly. I glanced at the monitor and frowned when it still said that I didn’t have enough balance to pay for my groceries.

I sighed and reached for my card when the cashier handed it back to me. I gulped hard and blinked back my tears, feeling so defeated and helpless. There’s no way I’m letting my friends feed me again. I have to ask Mom and Dad for help and hope that it won’t make them worry.

I placed my card inside my wallet and mumbled my apology to the cashier. Thankfully, the cashier was polite and understanding and didn’t scold me for causing trouble.

Suddenly, a coffee maker, a carton of eggs, and packs of meat were being placed on the counter. I glanced at the person beside me and saw handkerchief lady. She was wiggling her arms while my eyes widened and my mouth hung open. I still looked surprised when she glanced and smiled at me.

She suddenly winked before she said, “I told you to wait for me. Why did you go ahead and pay without me yet?”

What? What?!

My mouth was still agape when she bit her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing. She glanced at the cashier and said, “I’m sorry. We’re supposed to pay at the same time”

What is she doing now?

She laid an arm across my shoulders and easily pulled me closer to her, “But Sujeong here…” Sujeong? “Went ahead and didn’t wait for me”

I don’t know what she’s trying to do and I was having a hard time processing the situation when she showed up, especially when we’re standing so close to each other and with her arm around my shoulders.

She looked at me again and gave me a pointed look. I blinked once before everything finally clicked. She wants us to pretend that we’re here to buy groceries together. I don’t know if that will be effective though, but I’ll give it a try even though I’d be bad at it.

I don’t know why she’s doing this though. I’m already in trouble. I don’t want her to be involved in it.

I slowly closed my mouth before I gulped hard. “I’m sorry, Hyejinie,” I whispered. I’m using my friend’s name since I don’t know hers. “But you were taking such a long time that I couldn’t wait anymore”

That seems like a valid reason. I think. Hopefully.

I’m sweating hard from nervousness, embarrassment, and now, from lying. I think I could even feel myself blushing since we’re still standing close to each other.

I glanced at her and saw her smiling so wide before she gave me a small nod. That for sure made me blush hard. Her face is so close to mine that I was able to locate a beauty mark right below one of her brows.

She finally dropped her arm from my shoulders, making me breath and relax. She turned to the cashier and asked, “What was the problem?”

“She insisted that her card’s not empty but when I swiped it, it kept on telling me that she doesn’t have enough balance” the cashier answered.

Oh no… 

She might think that I’m someone bad. I’m even more embarrassed now.

She pointed at the items she brought with her as she said to the cashier, “I’m paying that’s not a problem anymore. Kindly include the items I brought with me too”

If I could melt or be invisible in that moment, I would have chosen either of those options instead of standing right beside her. By saying that I’m really embarrassed is simply an understatement. I don’t want her to think that I don’t have my life together. I’m surviving and a struggling student, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t get my life together.

She helped me when I was too heartbroken. She chased me in the park to return my wallet. Now, she’s paying for my groceries. This is extremely and unbelievably embarrassing.

I tugged on her shirt, grabbing her attention while she was reaching for her wallet inside her purse. She finally turned her attention to me and raised her eyebrows at me.

I leaned forward and whispered, “What are you doing? You shouldn’t pay for my expenses”

“We’ll talk later”

She dismissed my request and turned to the cashier to hand her card. Her eyes were on the cashier when I kept staring at her.

I looked away from her and glared at my groceries. I have to think about how I’m going to repay her. She’s being too good to me and I think I’ve been nothing but a burden to her. I felt her pat on my back. I couldn’t even enjoy how soothing her hand was on my back because I’m embarrassed that she’s paying for me, and anxious on how I’m going to repay her.

I pouted at her to let her know that I’m not happy about her paying for my groceries. She just chuckled softly, so I pouted harder.

Our attention was brought to the cashier again when she called for her manager. I tensed up and saw her doing the same too. I was so caught up on finding a way to pay her that I forgot about our cover. The cashier must’ve seen through our lies.

I looked at her nervously and saw her looking at me already. I saw her gulp hard, which only made me more nervous, before she shook her head. She leaned closer to me and whispered, “Try to relax. We won’t get caught. Don’t worry”

I froze while feeling cold sweat running all over my body. My hands were even trembling hard. I can’t relax. I don’t know how to relax. It already seemed like the staff had caught us.

I frantically scanned my eyes all over her face, trying to get courage from her, but she averted my gaze right away. I wanted to cry from nervousness at that moment but she suddenly held my hand. She squeezed it once before she started rubbing her thumb on the back of my hand.

I was worried that she might not like to hold my hand for a long time because of how sweaty my hands were already. But she held on, so I held her hand tightly, afraid to let go of it. Afraid that she’ll let go of it.

“Is there something wrong? Didn’t my card work?” she asked the cashier.

“Everything’s fine, mam. I just need the manager to verify something” the cashier responded calmly.

Verify something?! That’s it. They have really caught us.

“Verify? My card needs to be verified?” she asked the cashier while I just stood beside her helplessly. I wanted to run but I don’t want to leave her as well. All she did was help me.

The cashier wasn’t able to respond to her question when the manager arrived. I felt her squeeze my hand while I carefully watched the manager, ready to beg and own our mistakes. The manager, however, never paid attention to us when he just leaned to the screen and did a couple of taps on it.

When he finally faced us, I opened my mouth to admit our mistake but my voice seemed to get stuck in my throat. He suddenly smiled at us before he said, “Congratulations! You have won our anniversary gift!”

We what?!

I was still confused but when I didn’t hear anything about us getting caught and heard the word won, I started jumping from excitement and relief while I clapped my hands. I faced her and smiled so wide. When our eyes met, I moved forward and wrapped my arms around her while still jumping from excitement. “We won!” I exclaimed.

She held my waist and laughed softly as she said, “Okay, okay. We won. I know.” Then she patted my head before she rubbed her hand on my back, which is definitely soothing. I like the pat a lot too. It felt like I’m the best kid in town when she did that. I slowly calmed down but slightly rocked myself on my heels when I could still feel the excitement.

“What did we win and why did we win?” she asked the cashier.

The cashier handed her a stab before the cashier said, “You won one week’s supply of groceries, a box of pizza, and soda. The store we’re handing out small gifts in celebration for our first anniversary”

“Congratulations and thank you” she said to the cashier while I nodded, agreeing with her. “How did we win?”

“You were our 270th customer,” the cashier explained. “This morning our 27th customer won the same prizes as you. If we could reach 2,700th customer then they will be our third winner. The store opened on the 27th last year and we're handing out gifts that has something to do with the number twenty seven”

I glanced at her right away and smiled even wider. She whipped her head to me and smirked before she whispered, “Twenty seventh”

“Twenty seventh” I whispered back to her, my body buzzing from excitement.

We grabbed our groceries before we headed to claim the prize. I was still slightly nervous about getting caught so she proposed to claim the prizes before we ran to her car. Once we grabbed the prizes, we headed out of the grocery store.

“Where’s your car? Where’s your car?” I frantically asked her.

“We'll run on the count of three. Just follow me” she answered and I nodded at her right away. I jumped on my heels as I stared at her, feeling myself still buzzing from fear, excitement, anxiety, and a whole lot more emotions.

“One…” she started to count but didn’t finish and started running instead.

“Ah… unfair!” I whined as I ran and followed her, hearing her laughing loudly. I was having a hard time running from the plastic bag of groceries in both of my hands.

I saw her stop at a black SUV so I went to the passenger seat, thinking that this must be her car. “Open! Open! Open!” I said, coaxing her to move faster as I jumped on my heels.

“Wait, let me grab my keys first.” She placed all the items she carried on the hood of her car before she grabbed her keys in her purse. Then she unlocked the car and transferred all the items in the backseat.

I hurriedly followed her before I went to the passenger seat, fastened my seat belt, and locked myself inside. She was taking all her time getting inside the driver seat. I couldn’t stop my knees from bouncing anxiously while she only laughed at me when she saw how anxious I still am.

“Come on. I’m still nervous” I whined at her.

“Okay” she responded while still laughing at me, so I pouted harder at her.

When we were finally away from the grocery store, I released all anxiety out of my body as I sighed heavily. I slouched on the passenger seat, slowly sinking onto the seat.

“Are you okay now, Sujeong?” she asked