Jung Woo drummed her fingers into the steering wheel, her eyes flickered back toward the glowing light of her phone screen and to that text from Hanee.

“Just ask for No:ze”

36. She was 36. Shouldn’t she already passed the age of being peer-pressured into situations that she didn’t want to be in?

“Dear God, what kind of name is No:Ze…”

Was it some kind of stage name? Did Hanee set her up with one of her hip hop rapper friend? Or would it be a B-boy this time? With Hanee, you won’t know for sure, that woman has a networking web of a spider.

“This. This is why I don’t go out anymore. This.”

About a week ago, she finally let herself be dragged into a bar for a night of drinking with her two Js. One beer turned into two, beer turned into martinis and before long, the three best friends lamented over their love life, or lack thereof.

Correction, Hanee and Hyowon both be thirsting to get a boyfriend very very soon, she on the other hand just cheered them on.

It wasn’t like she didn’t meet up with anyone at all. She dated here and there, just nothing serious. She cannot even remembered when her last serious relationship was. And honestly, she didn’t mind. She already got her hands full with her work and whatever time or energy left, she would rather spend it with a good movie or with her friends compared to putting herself out there. So in the end, she just subconsciously slid into a comfortable solitary life.

Not being in relationship doesn’t equal loneliness and loneliness, after all, is a choice.

Restraining herself from smashing her forehead to the steering wheel for being a soft idiot when drunk, she let Hanee guilt-tripped her into agreeing to this blind date, because apparently she declined Hanee’s offer to set her up with a good guy for way too many times. So, there she was, braving the city traffic on her way to Seongsu-dong to go on a blind date with a guy that called himself No:Ze.

“God, I hope he’s not young. Or weird. Or a ert.”

She shuddered at that last thought and prayed on as she turned into the semi-industrial area, driving adjacent to the Han River past a lot of repurposed small factories that was turned into arrays of cafes and restaurants. Slowing down as she drove into a quiet street off of the beaten path, she parked her black Audi and with a final sigh, got off her car.

Crossing over the sidewalk, she pulled the heavy wooden door and step inside the red brick – industrial factory to find a modern café, restaurant and art gallery. The space lit up beautifully with lots of natural light coming through the floor to ceiling windows, with cozy couches and coffee tables sectioned in one area and slightly more formal dining rooms in the other. She knew this place when she was hunting for a place to host her latest collection and remembered how she fell in love with the exposed beams and columns and the lingering smell of freshly brewed coffee that always made her feels like home.

She walked to the young hostess at the front desk, hesitating a little when the young woman greeted her, “I supposed to meet someone, No..Ze?”

“Ah yes, follow me.”

The hostess took the lead, walking down the hall to a corner table, sufficiently away from the other guests.

“Here we are.”

All of her imagination of beanie hat, oversized jumpers and heavy gold chain went out the window when she saw the crisp white shirt, sleeves folded up to the arms, black vest, no accessories and definitely, definitely not a MAN.

No:Ze looked up from her phone and all of the thoughts running through Jung Woo’s brain came into a screeching halt.

Dark brown eyes shone brightly against flushed cheeks, her full lips was a few shades of deeper pink, small oval face framed by a long black hair with bangs, the woman in front of her was extremely pretty and currently looking at her with a slightly dazed look on her face.

Jung Woo took her seat and heard the slight intake of breath from the vision in front of her. Looking at her full in the face now, Jung Woo stuck by her initial reaction. This woman was gorgeous. And oh so very young.

Damn you Hanee.

“Hi,” she began, “You must be Monika and wow, you looked like you just step out of a photoshoot or one of those twilight movies.” She gasped and covered in a nervous chuckle, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

Fascinated, Noh Ji Hye watched as blush bloomed on the older woman cheeks, she was so captivated that she swayed forward just to get a better view on how the pink shade spill its way down the other’s woman’s throat down to her chest. My god, she never seen such a beautiful woman. Pale, smooth skin with aristocratic features that would put any roman sculpture to shame. The V neck of the camel tone long sleeves cashmere dress that she wore accentuated her long neck, while the almost corset like black leather belt accentuate her small waist.

She wasn’t lying when she said that this exquisite woman looked like one of those vampire from twilight and was it her eyes or even her long black hair seems to sparkle.

Ji Hye dared herself to look even more closely over the harmony of full lips, high nose and oh damn…. Her eyes. The older woman’s eyes captivated her, glittering with intelligence and seems slightly judging, practically screaming that she is and always will be better than anyone. Ji Hye gulped, should she kneel down in supplication?

“No:Ze?”

Even the sound of the older woman’s voice sent shiver down her spine.

“Ah yeah, all of my friends called me that. It’s a shortened version of Noh Ji Hye, like if you speak it really fast, you’ll get Noze and I guess it’s easier.” She blabbered and stopped when their eyes met and she quickly lowered her gaze, *those eyes would be the death of me.*

Jung Woo nodded, “Ji Hye it is then.”

“Add ‘Noh’ in front of it, and I would have to call you mommy.” she mumbled under her breath and froze when she heard an “excuse me?” coming from the woman in front of her.

“Uh nothing, this is a nice place.” She cleared and smiled slightly to cover her blunder, wanting nothing more than to dig a hole six feet under and buried herself in it.

Luckily, their waiter showed up then, handing them the menu and explaining the specials for the evening before letting them perused the menu in leisure. Both quickly looked down at the elegant white art paper with crisp italic lettering and let the silence filled the air.

Jung Woo looked up from the menu and raised an eyebrow when she caught the shy glances from Ji Hye, “Do you come here often?” she broke the silence, hoping to throw the girl a bone for some reason that she couldn’t phantom.

“No.” A small dimple appeared along with a deeper blush, “I rarely eat out, but Hanee unnie said that you really like this place. You might have to recommend me the food, because I honestly don’t understand French.”

“You should try the duck confit then.” She said nonchalantly as she continued her charade of perusing the menu that she already knew by heart.

“Du….ck?”

Jung Woo looked up and saw the dark pink rushed over the cheek of this attractive stranger up to the tips of her ears and cannot help the smirk to form on her lips. Cute. Very cute.

“I think I’ll just stick with chicken.” She murmured to herself and thank the universe when the waiter returned to take their orders and immediately left them again in an awkward silence.

Jung Woo studied the girl, brow furrowed in confusion and annoyance. What was Hanee thinking? If she wanted to get her friend a job as a model for her latest fashion show, it really doesn’t have to be under a guise of a blind date. The girl practically looks like a painting come to life, she would be stupid to say ‘No’.

Having no patience to continue playing the game, she leaned forward, hands clasped together at the desk.

“So…. Any catwalk experience?”

“I walked dogs before, but usually cat-sit. Never really try to walk a cat before, they’ll probably scratch me if I try.”

Jung Woo blinked, never in a million years would she expect such answer.

“You are not a model?”

Ji Hye gapped at her and broke into a wide, toothy smile that set Jung Woo’s heart beating just a half beat quicker. “No. Not a model. I’m a fixer. I fixed things. That’s how I know Hanee unnie actually, she has a tendency to break things around her apartment.”

“Oh?”

Ji Hye nodded, “My Dad is the building manager where Hanee unnie lives. He’s getting old now, so sometimes I filled in for him and help out. I’m really good with my hands.” As if suddenly realizing the double meaning of her words, Ji Hye’s eyes bulged wide for a moment and she began to stammer a bit, “I mean, I’m good at fixing things.”

Puzzled, Jung Woo didn’t know how to respond. She was not a model. So did Hanee really set her up on a date with a woman? Did she really think that because she didn’t show any interest to date men, she might be what? Interested in woman?

“So, are you?”

“What?”

There was a twinkle in Ji Hye’s eyes, a light mischief when she parroted back the question right back at the older woman, “A model.”

Jung Woo rolled her eyes at the cheekiness but offered her a tight smile nonetheless, “No, but I do work with them a lot. I’m a fashion designer.”

“And you’re friends with Hanee unnie?”

The shade was delivered in such a throw away manner that it took Jung Woo awhile to realize that this young girl just dissed their mutual friend’s sense of fashion. Hiding the emerging smirk with the wine menu, she muttered, “Hanee is a lost cause.”

A light chuckle was the only indication that Ji Hye heard her reply, “I guess maybe that’s why Hanee think we will have something in common.”

Jung Woo held her tongue to ask what exactly she meant when their waiter came with their food and left them again with a polite bon a petite.

As if she could read the older woman’s mind, Ji Hye offered her a more elaborate explanation, “I design too, in my spare time, Hanee unnie saw one of my sketchbook and won’t stop pestering me about