“Best friend. Friend. I was his girl friend. And not his girlfriend.” I thought with a long sigh as Joon whistled happily, as he waited for the green light at the intersection. 
“So… how did you two run into each other?” I decided to ask as casually as possible, pressing the button to open my side window halfway. 
Joon smiled glancing at me. I was getting something for Hyori noona at Le Petit Boutique for her birthday, when I spotted Hyuna trying on some of the tiaras.” He explained.
I tried not to roll my eyes at this. Trying on tiaras? “Oh that’s a coincidence.” I replied, fiddling with my large bear cellphone charm on my phone. 
“Yeah. And so she saw me from behind the mirror when she was seeing how the tiaras looked and so we just started talking again.” He added, making a left at the large mall complex. 
“We’re meeting her at the mall?” I asked glancing around at all the people passing through the parking lot with bags, as he parked. 
Right as he was about to answer I heard distinct clacking on the ground and spotted Hyuna in the flesh. A perfectly sunkissed tan, long reddish brown wavy hair grazing past her shoulders, in jean cutoff shorts, a white tanktop and silver stilettos.
Trying not to cringe, I gave her a small smile and wave, as Joon beamed. I was getting slightly nauseous but kept cool. Joon and I left the Civic, and walked over to Hyuna who handed him aboutfive bags to put in his trunk. Then the three of us walked into the mall together.
Apparently she wasn’t done shopping yet. As soon as we walked through the heavy double glass doors of Nordstrom, Hyuna latched her arm through Joon’s much to my dismay. 
She kept smiling at me though, reminding me of a very skinny squirrel. “It’s so nice to meet you Jiyeon. Joon talks a lot about you.” She said trying to make light conversation.
I smiled back. “Really? It’s nice to meet you too. I…” I started to say when I spotted my classmate Seungho leaving the food court. 
Hyuna and Joon looked at me funny and I smiled sheepishly. “I just remembered I have to talk to a classmate about a project. I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit.” I told them hurriedly.
They looked even more confused but shrugged heading towards Pinkberry.
I rushed over to Seungho who looked a bit surprised to see me. “Seungho sunbae.” I greeted him, slightly out of breath. He gave a small smile. 
“Jiyeon. What’s up?” He asked, motioning for me to sit down at an empty bench next to him.
I sat down. “Professor Yi’s project. I was just wondering how far along you were on it.” I asked.
He looked bewildered. “Project? Ah the consumer report? No. Not yet. It’s the weekend Jiyeon.” He said as if that explained him forgetting about it.
“Oh. Okay.” I said knowing what to say next. He looked at me suspiciously. “What’s really going on?” He asked me.
I hesitated, but then sighed. “Well actually I was just trying to get away from one of my guy friends and this really annoying girl.” I explained. 
He nodded in understanding. “Ah. Well. I’m heading over to the Ice Palazzio if you wanna come. HyoMin noona should be there too.” He offered.
I shrugged. Stay at the mall and be a third well, while being nauseous or go ice skating with a classmate and a good friend? Plus I guess it’d be good to get to know Seungho better.
“Okay. I’ll just let Joon oppa know I’m leaving not that he’d mind anyway” I told him and texted Joon I was leaving.
-
Joon was having an animated conversation at Pinkberry with Hyuna when his phone beeped. He flipped it open.
Oppa, sorry to leave you and Hyuna ssi so suddenly. But Seungho sunbae invited me to go iceskating. See you both later hopefully. –Yeon
He looked surprised and wondered about this classmate of Jiyeon’s. Hyuna looked curious.
“Something wrong?” She asked. Joon smiled shaking his head and went back to his story.
-
Jiyeon walked out of the mall complex with Seungho a little hesitantly, wondering about Joon’s ‘hangout’ with Hyuna but tried to shake it from her mind.

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Isabel Santos Copyright 2012.

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