I rolled out of bed and ran straight down to the kitchen. The reason I was so energetic and running was because I could smell the breakfast from my bedroom already. It was Wednesday and I was wondering who was still home this late--9 a.m. 

 

I made it down without tripping despite my rush and saw someone standing in front of the stove. It wasn't my mom I knew that. 

"Who are you?" I demanded. The person turned around and my eyes rounded in shock. 

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" Sunhee laughed at me and and brushed me off to return to cooking. "Um hello? Did you break in?" I asked her raising my voice.

"No! Geez, calm down. Your mom let me in because you took too long to wake up. Are you always this loud in the morning?" She said with her back still facing me. I was still a bit tired and didn't feel like arguing do I didn't respond. I took a seat at the table and leaned my head on my hand. 

 

"Here." Sunhee handed me a bowl with mixed vegetables and an egg sunny side up on top of rice. 

"Bibimbap? You eat this for breakfast?" I asked Sunhee, not that I was complaining, because it smelled delicious. 

"Yeah. My mom does this instead of seaweed soup because I hate that stuff." She replied, "so, happy birthday Hyunji." Sunhee said to me with a smile and stuck a spoon in my rice. I looked at it then picked it up, mixing my bibimbap. 

"You're a little late. Two days to be exact." I fed myself a scoop of rice. I up a breath at the hot and freshly made food. 

"Well excuse me. You tweeted your birthday pictures too late," Sunhee said with attitude. 

"Thanks for turning the blame on me bestie." I shook my head with a small chuckle. 

"No, no. Haha. Let's go shopping today as a pardon okay? It's on me of course." I narrowed my eyes at her and purse my lips with suspicion. She laughed. "No? Okay forget--" I raced up to my room for a shower before she could take back the offer. 

 

 

"Could you please hurry? I'm growing old on your couch." Sunhee called me. 

"Calm down grandma." I said as I came down the stairs. I was dressed in black skinny jeans and a collared short-sleeved blouse. 

"Finally, let's go." She said and hurried me out. I locked the house then went to her car. 

 

"Where are we going?" I asked. 

"This mall I know. It's a little further away from the university." Sunhee said keeping her eyes steady on the road. I nodded to myself and enjoyed the ride.

 

We arrived at a fairly large department store, which was one entrance into the mall. The inside looked much bigger than the outside of the complex--with three stories and spiral stairways at every corner to get you there. It was a high-end mall no doubt about it. 

 

We walked into a quaint shop with a Spring feeling atmosphere and theme. 

The two of us scanned through some racks aiming for the sale items, which were still in-style items, by the way, at a nice price. 

"Do you shop here often?" I asked Sunhee as I pushed through hangers.

"Nah. Not anymore. Too lazy to drive all the way here." She shrugged her shoulders. My mouth made an "O" shape as she explained. 

"Do you like this?" Sunhee held up an oversized black sweater with stars along the neck line. I grinned at the cute article and nodded. 

"It's cute." 

"I thought you'd think so. It's your style." She waved it around in front of her and examined it with her hands for the material. "I'll buy it for you. Wait here." Sunhee told me as she walked away. I moved on to another rack. This time for shoes. 

 

I found a really cute pair of silver heels disguised as sneakers, which seemed to be the trend right now. I asked for my size and put them on. I stood in front of the mirror, feeling satisfied with the look of them on me and decided to buy it. Sunhee came next to me when I arrived at the register. 

"You're buying those?" She pointed at the shoes. 

"Yup," I handed the cashier my debit card and she swiped it. 

"They're cute. It'll go with you sweater." Sunhee held the bag that contained my sweater and waved it in front of me. 

"Mhm." We then left the store when we were done and walked around the mall more. 

 

 

Sunhee and I walked around the complex exploring the floors and shops for about two hours. Both of us bought a few things from different stores. (I even got to buy CDs!) Later I felt my phone vibrate then ring in my pocket. I whipped it out and checked the I.D. Lee Jonghyun? Why's he calling?

 

"Jonghyun-sshi?" I answered. 

"Hello? Hyunji? It's Daehyun." Daehyun?

"Why do you have Jonghyun's phone?"

"I don't have your number so I'm using hyung's," he told me.

"Oh okay then. What's up?" I asked.

"Come by the bar in...thirty minutes. I have an early show." Daehyun told me without asking. 

"What if I was busy then?" I brought up. Sunhee stood next to me waiting for me to get off , but she didn't look impatient either. 

"Are you?" He asked. 

"Um, well.." I hesitated. Sunhee and I were headed home anyway.

"Good. See you later then." Daehyun ended the call with that. I blew my bangs in annoyance at myself. 

 

"What was that?" Sunhee asked. 

"I have to be somewhere in thirty minutes apparently," I said most mumbling. 

"Where?" 

"Just this place. It's personal. I'll just drive myself." Sunhee just nodded understandingly and drove me home. 

 

 

 

"Thanks for the sweater Sunhee!" I smiled at her from the window before turning toward the house. 

"No problem. You better enjoy it." She played. I stuck out my tongue then waved as she drove away. I looked at the time on my phone and saw I had fifteen minutes to meet Daehyun. I quickly unlocked the door to my house and went up to my room to grab the keys to my car. I left the house with ten minutes left.

 

--

I arrived at the bar and drove into its garage. I made my way to the entrance saluting the doorman, who already knew me since I came almost every Wednesday for the show. The bar was empty as usual and I took my usual seat. I spun in the chair and put my purse on the counter. 

"Bartender!" I yelled. Jonghyun came out of a door by the shelf with alcohol and turned his head in my direction. 

"Oh Hyunji!" He smiled that angelic smile of his that I've missed for a good month. 

"Did you just come out of some secret door? I've never seen that before." I laughed. He brought his finger to mouth and "shushed."

"You didn't see that okay Hyunji?" He winked at me. I laughed.

"Okay." I whispered and winked back at him. Daehyun came over soon with Youngjae. 

 

"Hyunji! You came." Daehyun beamed. I raised an eyebrow at him. 

"You told me to right?" I asked. He shook his head slightly and smiled almost shyly. He was being a little weird. I heard snickers which seemed to be coming from Youngjae and Jonghyun. I eyed them all weirdly but shook it off. 

 

"Where have you been Hyunji?" Jonghyun finally spoke up to break the awkward silence. 

"Studying for finals," I said spinning in my chair out of boredom. Youngjae was sitting next to me and helped spin me. I smiled and laughed at him as he played with me. Daehyun sat silently behind Youngjae, kind of making me curious but not really. 

"You'll throw up Hyunji-ah," Jonghyun laughed from behind the counter. Youngjae stopped spinning me. 

"Daehyun," I called him as I slowed. He peered from behind Youngjae, who moved over to reveal him fully. "It's been an hour. When are you going to perform?" I asked him. 

"Oh, I performed already." He said looking at me with a blank expression. I tilted my head a bit confused. 

"So why did you ask me to come?" I questioned. Daehyun looked at me as if taken aback by my question. 

"Oh uh," he started. 

"So you can watch me perform." Jonghyun interrupted. The latter looked at Jonghyun. 

"Oh jinjja? Hooray!" I clapped. Jonghyun smiled then glanced at Daehyun. 

 

 

After Jonghyun's performance, which was amazing and electrifying as usual, Daehyun nudged me. The crowd and I were busy clapping but I turned to him.

"Hm?" 

"Have you eaten yet?" Daehyun asked me. 

"Oh. No I haven't." I realized only then that I hadn't eaten since breakfast. Daehyun chuckled a little, his eyes pulling upward from his smile. 

"Let's grab something to eat yeah?" He suggested.

"Us two?" I asked with a kind of surprised tone. Daehyun raised and eyebrow and chucked a bit. 

"What? Am I still a stranger to you?" He reiterated my words from the first time we met from that joke.  I laughed realizing what he did. 

"Haha let's go," I agreed easily. Daehyun jumped out of his seat and signaled Youngjae. Youngjae nodded then averted his eyes from Daehyun to me then back to Daehyun. He laughed and saluted to Daehyun later to disappear in the crowd. Daehyun then guided me out of the bar and into the city.

---

this is more fun than writing my paper for English class haha :)