///chaewon\\\

You let out a whine when you get suddenly dragged away from her table when you were just a few steps away already. Eunbi, your good old friend drags you away from Minju. Frustration. All you feel is frustration with how Eunbi acts towards you. Doesn't she trust you? Is her perception of you that low? –that you're just playing around with Minju? You've only met Minju for about what? Twice and Eunbi is now judging you. Can you blame her though? You do have a reputation of playing around with girls' hearts but still, you do wish that she'll at least trust you with Minju. She is after all the person who should know you the best. 

"What the hell Chaewon?!" Eunbi looked stressed. You feel bad for being the cause of it but what can you do? You're doing nothing wrong anyways. It's Eunbi who is stressing herself out. 

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you instead ?" You were just walking towards Minju's table when lo and behold a furious Eunbi drags you by your collar. 

"No." Eunbi pulls you to take a seat at one of the stools outside her café. You puff your cheeks, following her obligingly. Eunbi sighs before starting to talk and you see how serious she is. Oh you better expect a whole sermon from her. "Didn't you get what I told you the last time? The poor girl has Goldfield Syndrome." 

"I know Eunbi." It was your turn to sigh."I know but please." You plead. You don't do that–your pride is always on the way preventing you from doing so. "Let me be her friend. Friendship. That's it and nothing else." 

"She has friends already and she most definitely doesn't need you to be her friend of all people." 

"Why? Because you really do think lowly of me that you think I'll be playing with her when I'm fully aware of her condition?" 

"The hell are you saying—" You cut her off when you slam your hands on the table. 

"So you really do then?" 

"It's not like that Chae… I'm just scared you know? Minju's a fragile girl. She easily gets attached and knowing you, you always leave girls hanging when they get attached to you." Eunbi explains with her head down. Your eyes soften. You haven't seen Eunbi like this. She really must've cared for Minju. 

"That's why I need you to trust me. Look at her." You point at Minju from the opposite side of the café's glass window. "Doesn't she look lonely? Yeah she has friends like you,yes ?" Eunbi nods in response. "But she still is lonely despite having friends because you're way too busy."

"Then isn't it perfect? I'll be her companion so she won't be lonely. I still have a lot of free time before—" You pause momentarily."You know that already." 

"Alright go ahead, just... just don't do anything stupid that will hurt both you and her." 

Chaewon places her right hand on her chest. "I promise." 

"Hello." A short greeting to start off the conversation. You mentally note that you should practice how to introduce yourself everyday to her because you'd be doing that for the next few months–hopefully. A smile etched on your face, you try your best to not smile widely like an idiot. However, you fail once she lifts up her head, looking at you. She smiled back at you before muttering a small 'hi'. You swear to all the heavenly gods that that smile is so one of a kind–a smile that can make you feel thousands of emotions single handedly. A smile you don't mind seeing everyday. She offers for you to sit down and who are you to refuse? 

"I'm Kim Chaewon by the way." You introduce yourself again to her for the third time. 

"Kim Minju." She answers, offering her hand for a handshake. You two shake hands. You feel a sudden surge of how do you even explain this–electricity? Sparks? That can't be, it's way too cliché. "I'm sorry but I'm kind of in a rush today. I still need to pick some stuff at the mall. It's nice meeting you Chae!" Chae. Your friends and family call you that as well but why does it hit differently when it rolls out her tongue? You see her leaving a tip on her table. She's about to walk away when you grab her hand which you also hesitantly let go off. She might be uncomfortable with strangers randomly touching her hand. You scratch your nape, a habit of yours every time you get nervous or shy. 

"Uh I'm sorry." You apologize. "But would you mind if I go with you?." You were never like this. Since when did you start running after girls? They should be the one running after you, not the other way around. 

"Why?" She asks. Of course, a stranger asking to accompany you isn't normal. You chuckle nervously, thinking of a believable reason. You're smart, you aced in academics back in college after all. What goes on inside of Kim Chaewon's brain that you can't even think of an answer to a simple question such as 'why'. 

"Hmm I want to stroll around with you—"

"With a stranger?" 

"Why not?" You shrug your shoulders as you stand up, matching your height with her, athough she's still a bit taller. She looks at you confusingly. She's cute when she's confused. "I heard strangers are the best companions." 

"No they aren't, what if they suddenly abduct you?"

"Do you think I'll abduct you or something?" You step a little closer to her and you see a small tint of red on her cheeks. A flustered Minju looks adorable. "Then lucky you, you have one hell of a good looking abductor." You flash a teasing smile at her, her already red cheeks turning even redder. 

"Shut up—" You walk past her, checking your watch. 10:00 am, perfect. 

"I won't take no for an answer." You continue to walk through the busy café. You notice Eunbi watching you together with Sakura who is giving you a deadly glare as per usual. You throw Eunbi a reassuring smile and mouth a ' you' to Sakura to which she also responded with the raise of her middle finger. Minju trails behind you, still confused. You stop walking when you're near the entrance. Gripping your hand on the steel handle, you open the door for Minju. Cheesy? It is but you do want to give a good impression to her–however, she still might think of you as a weirdo. 

"So? Where are we off to?" You ask while fishing your keys out of your pockets. 

"You're not coming with me." She says and starts to walk away, leaving you dumbfounded.

 You quickly come into your senses and you run after her. You catch your breath when you finally reach her–t'was useless when Minju turned around, her brunette locks flowing smoothly against summer's humid air. You felt all the oxygen inside your body draining out at the sight. It was like Aphrodite herself went down from mount olympus.

"Stop following me." Irritation in her voice, her brows furrowing when you heartily laugh at her. "What are you laughing at?" Minju brings her hand to her face. "Is there dirt on my face?" She asks. You point to the other direction with your index as you try to stifle a laughter, she might kill you once another laughter escapes your mouth. "The mall is that way." Her eyes widen when realization hits her, smacking her head softly. 

"See? You need me as a companion! You don't want to get lost don't you?" 

"A stranger is the last person I want as a companion dumbo." You amusedly stare at her when she hails a cab. Did she f