I pulled out a shirt and hoodie from my cabinet and laid them on the bed. I walked back to my cabinet and pulled out baggy jeans and denim shorts and laid them on the bed as well. Then I took a step back and stared at the clothes in front of me. I crossed an arm and leaned my elbow on it as I held my chin while I contemplated which ones I’m going to wear today.

The bathroom door opened and Hyejin came out with her hair already dry and fully clothed. She walked behind me while I still stared at my clothes.

“Hyej… Can you help me?” I asked as I turned around and glanced at her.

She folded her pajamas and placed them on the chair by her study table. She turned to me and raised her eyebrows as she asked, “What’s wrong?”

I pointed at the clothes in front of me and said, “Which would go together from these?”

She walked and stood beside me as she stared at my clothes. She furrowed her eyebrows while I was just looking at her expectantly. “You bought new clothes?” she asked.

I nodded my head at her before I turned to face the bed. “I did. I just bought the ones that I find pretty but I never thought about mixing and matching them up. You’re better at this than me”

“You bought new clothes?” she asked in disbelief, her voice raising a little bit.

“I did. Weren’t you listening to me earlier?” I asked exasperatedly as I pouted at her.

“You don’t buy new clothes. You never buy new clothes”

I pouted harder and stomped my foot as I whined, “I do”

“Yeah, but not these many all at once” she said, pointing at the clothes on my bed. She narrowed her eyes at me as she slowly turned her head to face me again. “I thought you’re not coming with us. Why are you even picking something to wear?”

“Can’t I do that? Just help me. Come on…” I whispered as I wiggled her arm.

I never bought clothes unless I badly needed to. I spent just a little bit of my savings just to buy these ones.

It’s the twenty seventh today and the fifth time Yongsun and I will be seeing each other again. I’ve been wearing oversized shirts and hoodies when we met for the past few months, but this time I wanted to wear something other than those.

She dresses prettily when we see each other and I wanted to be presentable today as well. I don’t wear dresses like her though. I mean, I do, but I’d prefer pants or shorts everytime we go out so I could move freely. I’d have to act lady-like if I wear skirts. I wanted to have the freedom to jump and run as much as I can when we’re together.

Before Hyejin could answer my question, we heard a loud knock on our door. Hyejin walked towards it and opened the door, revealing Byulyi behind it.

“Let’s go,” Byulyi said to Hyejin.

“I’m not ready yet. Let me just finish up. Why don’t you help Wheeinie while waiting for me?”

The two of them walked further inside the room, Hyejin went to her side of the room while Byulyi stood beside me. “What’s wrong?” she asked the moment she reached me.

I pointed at the clothes on bed and said, “I don’t know which one of these would go together”

Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at my clothes. “Are these new?”

“Yes”

“You bought new clothes?” she asked, looking at me in disbelief.

“Yes, but I don’t know which ones would match well together”

“You bought new clothes?” she asked, her voice raising a little bit.

“I do! Why are you and Hyejin not listening to me?” I whined, stomping my foot a couple of times from frustration.

“You never buy new clothes. Well, not as many as these all at once”

“That’s what I said also” Hyejin chimed in, standing on either side of me.

“I thought you couldn’t come with us. Why are you dressing up as well?” Byulyi asked.

“That’s what I said also…” Hyejin said in a singsong voice.

“I couldn’t. Just help me pick something” I whined even more.

“Why are you even dressing up though? Are you meeting someone today?” Byulyi asked while Hyejin gasped beside me.

“Is that the reason why you declined Byulyi’s invitation even when she’s paying for the food? Who are you meeting?” Hyejin frantically asked, grabbing my arm and shaking it forcefully.

“No one” I pouted, looking at my clothes so they wouldn’t know that I’m lying. I closed my eyes and sighed heavily before I whispered, “If you wouldn’t help me, then just go. I’ll try to figure this out myself”

“You’re aware that you’re bad at lying to us, right?” Hyejin taunted.

I shook my head and groaned loudly. Then I started pushing them to the door. “Just go. You’re not helping”

“Whee…” Byulyi whispered softly while I still pushed them to the door. “You don’t have to say who it is. We don’t want to pry if you don’t want us to. Just tell us”

I stopped pushing them while they turned around to face me. I sighed heavily once again before I mumbled, “A friend. I’m meeting a friend”

“The same friend you met last month?” Hyejin asked curiously while I nodded at her.

“This friend must be really important if you want to dress up to meet them” Byulyi whispered, a slow smirk forming in both of their faces.

“Enough to decline the opportunity of eating in a Chinese restaurant” Hyejin said teasingly.

“You know, Mom sent me these gift certificates so that all three of us could go” Byulyi said as she blinked her eyes innocently to make me feel guilty. And it’s working really well.

Sometimes, I don’t know if my friends are being sincere or if they are baiting me. One second, they looked so genuine, and on the next second, they would feast on making me flustered by teasing me. I know they mean well, but they couldn’t just stay with that and had to really add some teasing with it.

“I told you I can’t today. I was vacant yesterday…”

“I had classes,” Hyejin protested.

“Then tomorrow” I suggested.

“It expires today though” Byulyi countered while I just pouted at her. She suddenly pointed something behind me and said, “I like the hoodie and the baggy pants. I think they match well”

“No, the crop top and the denim shorts would match perfectly,” Hyejin said.

“Your opinions are clashing” I mumbled as I turned around and eyed the clothes on my bed.

“Just wear whatever you want,” Hyejin said exasperatedly. “Are we meeting this friend of yours soon?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly.

“Are you afraid that I might steal whoever this person is from you? That they might be attracted to me more than to you?” Byulyi said teasingly.

“I’m not courting my friend. I just had a failed relationship. I’m not so sure I’m ready for one”

“Then why do you bother dressing up to meet this friend?” Hyejin asked.

I turned around and squeezed in between them to open the door. I glanced down and saw that they are already wearing their shoes. I moved back to where I was standing before. Then I pushed them out of the door as I said cheerfully, “Have fun! I hope you enjoy the food! I hope you get full too! I’ll see you later!” Then I closed the door right in front of their faces.

“Have fun on your date too!” Hyejin shouted from the outside.

“It’s not a date!” I argued, pouting at the closed door.

I rolled my eyes when I heard them laughing loudly outside. I sighed heavily before I walked back to the bed. I chose to wear the top that Hyejin chose and the baggy pants that Byulyi liked. Since I’m the only one left in the room, I stripped off my clothes right away and wore them.

I placed the other clothes back on my cabinet and grabbed my white bag before I slung it over me. I walked to our shoe cabinet and grabbed my white rubber shoes before I wore them. I checked my phone, wallet, and keys inside my bag before I headed out of the dorm to meet Yongsun at the front entrance of the university.

I sighed in relief when Yongsun wasn’t there yet. I looked at myself and inspected my clothes, running my hands on them just to make sure that they weren’t crumpled. Then I looked around me to see if Hyejin and Byulyi were following or sneaking around me. When I couldn’t see either of them, I bent my head low and started kicking the ground while I waited for Yongsun.

A few minutes later, a car suddenly honked, causing me to glance towards its direction. I stood up straight and smiled when I saw Yongsun’s car coming towards me. She came once again. I still couldn’t believe that she really came to see me.

I heard locks clicking so I moved forward and opened the passenger side door. I smiled at her as I climbed inside her car and said, “Hi, Yongsun!” I closed the door before I reached for the seatbelt and fastened it.

When I turned to face her to lock my seatbelt, I noticed her staring at me with her eyebrows furrowed. I gulped hard and stared at her nervously when she looked like she’s glaring at me.

Is she mad at me?

“Is there something wrong?” I nervously asked her before I gulped hard once again. If she doesn’t want to see me, I’m fine with it. I just don’t want her to be mad at me for forcing her to meet me. She’s not obliged to see me though, but I would be sad if she’d tell me that she doesn’t want to see me now.

She slowly leaned forward and cupped my cheeks while I stayed staring at her. She cupped my cheeks but she’s still glaring at me. She suddenly held my arms, making me both confused and nervous. Then she ran her hands down my arms before encircling her fingers around my wrists as I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

Was I dressed so badly? Maybe she doesn’t like how I’m dressed today.

I was about to frown when she cupped my cheeks again and glared harder. I wanted to ask her again what’s wrong but my voice was stuck to my throat. The ferocity in her eyes is really intimidating. I’m not so sure how I was able to stare right back at her, but I surely couldn’t speak in front of her now.

“You looked skinny. You seemed skinny. I think you lost weight the last time we saw each other. Have you been eating properly?” she suddenly asked while I shook my head, unable to process what she’s saying because I’m still nervous and scared. “You’re not eating properly?” she asked, getting mad at me. “I’m feeding you” she whispered.

She was about to move away so I frantically reached for her wrists and held them. “Wait! No, that’s not what I meant” I mumbled hastily.

“What do you mean then?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at me.

I gulped hard before I released a nervous breath out. “I have been eating properly. I never skipped my meals” I whispered softly while she narrowed her eyes at me, doubting me. “I promise!” I said desperately as I rubbed my thumbs at the back of her hand to convince her more.

I pouted at her when she was still unconvinced of what I said while I continued to look at her nervously. Then she sighed and started rubbing her thumbs on my cheeks. “Okay…” she finally said.

I smiled so wide, trying to ease my nerves, and saw her smile back at me. Her eyes aren’t glaring at me anymore. I relaxed and slowly loosened the tension in my body.

She squeezed my cheeks just as I squeezed her wrists. Then I turned my body to face the front again, accidently hitting her hand. “Sorry” I mumbled just as she started moving the car away from the university.

“Can I raise my legs up on the seat?” I asked her.

“Sure”

I smiled and happily kicked my shoes off my feet before I raised my legs up. I hugged my folded legs and rested my chin on my knees. “Thank you” I said to Yongsun once I’m comfortable.

“Remember what I told you last month?”

I turned my body to face her and saw her glancing at me briefly before she faced the front again. “Trying something new?” I asked for her to clarify.

She nodded as she asked, “Is there something you want to try?”

“I do…” I whispered shyly. She raised her eyebrows at me and nodded her head, encouraging me to continue. I sighed heavily before I said, “I’ve always wanted to dye my hair”

“I think that’s great. Why are you hesitating?”

“They said it would hurt my scalp that’s why I’m kind of afraid to do it”

Hyejin and Byulyi dyed their hair together back when I was still dating Hyoyeon. I wasn’t able to come with them even though all three of us planned to do it. They went ahead of me and dyed their hair to encourage me to do it as well. However, they also said that it hurts that’s why until now, I didn’t have the courage to do it even if I really wanted to do it. I’m afraid of doing it and my friends got tired of encouraging me. Hyejin and Byulyi would just ask me to tell them if I’m ready to do it.

“It would only hurt your scalp if you keep doing it consecutively. It would damage your hair too. But if you’ll do it occasionally, then you don’t have to worry about it” she explained. “So we’ll go to the salon to get your hair done, but I’m going to feed you first”

“It would take hours, right?” I asked and saw her nod her head. “Then all you’ll get to do is wait for me. That won’t b