“Ready to go?” Hae Jin cheerily asked Sungmin when they met up after class the following day.

            “I don’t have a choice, do I?” Sungmin said in a joking way, but deep inside he was still sensitive about it.

            “Aw, come on! Don’t be that way!” she bounced over to him, locked her arm with his, and beamed. “I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”

            He stared at her. “You plan to go shopping until dinner time?”

            Hae Jin bit her lip and pouted. “I might not find the perfect dress immediately. Things like these need a lot of time of planning, you know!” She chuckled and they began walking.

            “Won’t any dress be perfectly fine?” Sungmin scratched the back of his head. “I don’t understand why you need the perfect dress for this.”

            “You of all people should know how excited I am for this, Minnie,” she told him seriously, skipping as they walked. “I just want everything to go great on Saturday night. I want Hyung Shik sunbae to be happy and not regret that he asked me.”

            “You really like sunbae, huh?” he asked flatly, inwardly sighing.

            She nodded. “I like him a lot. Do you think it’s wrong for me to be this way?” She looked at him.

            Sungmin looked at her eyes for a moment. After a second, he sighed, chuckling and shaking his head to cover it up. “No, I guess it’s not wrong.”

            Hae Jin smiled again. “Thanks for being so supportive, Minnie. You know I love you for that.” She tightened their arm link and continued to skip.

            People are going to think we’re dating with this, Sungmin thought as he and Hae Jin got off the train and started for the mall. He looked down at their linked arms. But isn’t it really like a date? It’s just the two of us, at a shopping mall. We’re shopping for her clothes and we’re going to have dinner together later. He blushed slightly, comparing their situation to a real date. Yeah, it might be a date, but it’s for someone else. I can’t forget that we’re shopping for her Grad Ball dress. I can’t forget that this is all for Hyung Shik sunbae.

            Sungmin sighed.

            “What’s wrong, Sungmin?”

            Always so quick to notice a hint of sadness, Hae Jin. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

            Hae Jin nodded and looked ahead at the nearing mall. “I’m so excited! Do you think I’ll find a nice dress?”

            “We won’t stop until you find the perfect one.” He smiled at her, deciding to just throw away all his negative thoughts and enjoy the time spent.

            The two of them spent hours going in and out of shops, picking out dress after dress. At first Hae Jin took dresses from the racks by herself and went into the fitting room, then came out wearing her school uniform again. After some time passed, she grew comfortable with asking Sungmin’s opinion on the dresses and even trying out those that he picked himself.

            At one point, Hae Jin had brought six dresses into the fitting room—four of which were suggested by Sungmin. As he waited outside the fitting room, the assisting saleslady came up to him and said, “You two look very cute together. How long have you been going out?”

            Sungmin didn’t know what to answer.

            Just then, the curtains were drawn and Hae Jin stepped out with the first of the six dresses. “We’re not dating,” she said with a chuckle. “He’s been my best friend for years.”

            The saleslady looked at him, as if to confirm what Hae Jin had said.

            Sungmin nodded once and saw the lady look pitifully at him before attending to Hae Jin.

            “What do you think of this one, Minnie?” Hae Jin said.

            He looked at her in the dress and tilted his head. “Not so much. Try the others.”

            She sighed, a little exhausted, and nodded before going back into the stall.

            “Is it true?” the saleslady whispered to Sungmin. She was talking about Hae Jin’s answer to her question.

            He nodded, a little sad himself.

            “Oh, that’s a pity. You two are an adorable couple.” She turned away and walked to the storage room.

            A minute later, Hae Jin came out again in the new dress.

            Sungmin thought for a moment. “The color… doesn’t suit you very much.”

            “This is getting tiring, Minnie,” she said.

            He nodded, feeling a little exhausted as well. “After this shop, let’s go have dinner.” He smiled.

            She smiled back and returned inside.

            He closed his eyes while waiting for her, thinking about what the lady had said. So it doeslook like we’re dating. Too bad we’re not. Sungmin inwardly told himself to stop thinking before the bad thoughts came up again. It wouldn’t do any of them good.

            “Sungminnie,” Hae Jin said.

            He opened his eyes and took a look at her with the new dress. He sat speechless for a while. “That… That one’s good. But try the other ones too, they might be better.” He chuckled.

            She stuck her tongue out at him.

            Hae Jin tried on the remaining dresses, and they were getting very tired already.

            “Sungminnie,” she called from inside the stall as she changed into the sixth dress. “I think… I think I like this one most.”

            “Well come out and let’s see.” He yawned.

            The curtain was drawn and out came Hae Jin with a light blue, strapless dress.

            Sungmin eyes widened as he saw her and he blinked a few times. “You look…” He swallowed and tried to calm himself. “You look amazing,” he finally said. “That’s the dress. Definitely.”

            “You think so?” she smiled.

            He nodded. “I don’t know what else to say, Hae Jin.” He smiled. “That dress is the perfect one for the Graduation Ball.”

            Hae Jin grinned. “Why, thank you, Minnie. I’ll change back into my uniform and pay, then let’s go eat! I’m starving.” She laughed and turned around.

            “Wait!” he said.

            She looked back at him. “Yeah?”

            He smiled and shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’ll wait for you by the counter.”

            She nodded and went inside the stall.

            “Do you like her?” the previous saleslady’s companion asked when he got to the counter.

            “Huh?” Sungmin gulped, unable to think of an answer.

            “By the way you looked at her with that dress, it looked like you do.” The lady chuckled. “Is it true that you’re not dating?”

            “We’re not dating,” he confirmed.

            “Why is that? You two look perfect for each other!” the previous saleslady chirped in.

            He faked a chuckle. “We’ve been good friends for about five years now. I don’t think she’ll accept me as anything more than that,” he admitted.

            The two ladies were silent.

            Realizing what he had just said, he bowed. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I said that.”

            “Maybe you should try,” one of them said. “She’ll understand, I’m sure.”

            “You should have seen how her face lit up when you complimented her,” the other one added.

            “I couldn’t possibly,” he told them. “She’s buying that dress because she’s someone else’s date this Saturday. She really likes the guy, and I don’t want to ruin anything.”

            “So you do like her!” they laughed.

            Sungmin looked down. Did he really?

            “Hey, Minnie,” Hae Jin came to the counter with the dress she was going to purchase. “Are you sure this is the right one? Because we can continue looking after dinner.”

            The two salesladies looked cautiously at him.

            He nodded. “Positively, definitely sure it’s the one.”

            Her eyes sparkled at the words. “That’s good.”

            He nodded again before looking down.

            “That took us a while, didn’t it?” Hae Jin said to Sungmin as they sat down with their food.

            “A loooong while.” He laughed. “Are you tired?”

            She nodded. “But I need to look for shoes after this.” She sighed. “The handbag is no problem. I think I can borrow from my mom.”

            “Girls are so needy,” he teased.

            “Hey, Min, if you need to go already, I’m fine with that. I’ve dragged you around too much for one night.” She stuck her tongue out.

            Sungmin laughed again. “I’m just as tired as you are, but I’m good. I’ll stay with you until you finish.”

            She smirked. “Do you regret accepting my plea to accompany me?”

            He thought for a moment. “Nope.”

            “Oh really?” She chuckled. “Why do you think so? If I know you, you’d be complaining so much by now.”

            I don’t regret coming with you today. Because I came with you, I saw you in the most beautiful dress in the world. Because I came with you, two ladies said that we look like a good couple. Because I came with you, I’m eating dinner with you right now. Those are three things that have never happened before. Although that dress is for Hyung Shik sunbae, I would have felt more hurt if you didn’t ask me to accompany you. Sure, you like him a lot, and you have dozens of other girl friends, but you asked me to be here with you. That makes the difference.

            Sungmin shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just enjoying my time.” He smiled.

            “Thanks, Minnie.” She smiled back. “I’m enjoying my time too.”

            The hunt for shoes didn’t take as long as Sungmin had expected. They were able to find a decent pair of heels that went well with the dress under forty-five minutes. It was sooner that he had expected. Now Sungmin was feeling a little sad that their time together for the night would come to an end sooner as well.

            On their walk back to the train station, he offered to carry the bag that held the dress. It was much heavier than the shoes, and Hae Jin looked exhausted.

            Hae Jin cracked a tired smile. “Thanks, Sungmin,” she said sleepily. “I’m tiiiired!”

            “I can imagine.” He chuckled.

            As they waited for the train to arrive, Hae Jin started to sway back and forth in drowsiness. Her hold on Sungmin’s arm loosened and her eyes closed. He looked at her and chuckled. After a while, Hae Jin leaned on his arm, asleep.

            Sungmin’s eyes widened and he felt awkward with her leaning on him like that. But he could feel that Hae Jin was about to sway and possibly fall at any second now. Without thinking, he put his arm around her to keep her stable. Hae Jin flinched a little but continued to sleep, her head now on his chest. Unable to do anything else, he kept his arm there around her.

            A moment later, the train arrived, and once it stopped in front of them, Sungmin saw their reflection in the window. A sleeping Hae Jin, who had never been that close to him before, now had her head resting on his chest. And just like the perfect boyfriend, Sungmin kept her close to him. They did look like a couple. Why did that bother him so much?

            We’re never going to be this way, Sungmin admitted to himself. After the Graduation Ball, Hyung Shik sunbae will surely ask her out. They’ll be one happy couple. They’ll be told that they look adorable and perfect. Hae Jin will always be my best friend. I will always only be hers.

            “Hae Jin, wake up,” he whispered as the door opened. “It’s time to get into the train.”

            Hae Jin opened her eyes and blinked. “Oh, sorry for sleeping on you.”

            He removed his arm from her and they entered the train. The train wasn’t too jam-packed, but it was a little crowded. Fortunately they found a free seat.

            “Sit down,” Sungmin told her. “I’ll be standing right here.”

            “I’d rather stand with you than sit by myself, you know.” She chuckled. “It looks awkward if I’m sitting alone then you’re hovering over me. “Why don’t you sit down?”

            “How does that make a difference?”

            “Trust me on this.” She grinned. “Sit down, Minnie.”

            He shrugged and did what she said. As he sat down, he said, “I don’t know what you’re trying to—oomph!”

            She sat on his lap and laughed. “Told you it would work. I’m not that heavy, right?”

            “Silly girl,” he chuckled. “Actually yes, you are very heavy.” He stuck his tongue out.

            “I’d slap you if I could.” She laughed. “But I guess I owe you for dragging you all over the mall tonight. Thanks again, Min.”

            “It’s no problem.”

            They both grew silent and after a while, Sungmin was sure that Hae Jin had fallen asleep again. Their get off point was two stops away, so he allowed her to just sleep. Feeling tired himself, he closed his eyes and rested his head lightly on her back. He was close to fully falling asleep when an abrupt stop woke him up. People from the train screamed as they almost fell, and Sungmin had wrapped his arm around Hae Jin’s waist to prevent her from falling.

            “What happened?” Hae Jin asked, realizing the commotion.

            “You can sleep through anything, can’t you?” he teased. “Just a little sudden halt, that’s all. Our stop is the one after this already.”

            She nodded. “Huh? What’s this?” She looked down and touched Sungmin’s arm on her waist.

            “Oh, sorry. I was just afraid you’d fall.” He pulled his arm away.

            “No, it’s okay,” she stopped him. “I might fall again.”

            Sungmin smiled secretly and kept his arm in place.

            The two of them stood up as the train neared their stop. There were only a few people left on the train, and so they could get out easily. As the train stopped, Hae Jin’s phone rang from inside her bag. She frantically started searching for it. Sungmin took the bag of shoes from her so that she could search properly.

            As the doors of the train opened, Hae Jin was still rummaging for her phone.

            “Come on,” Sungmin said and stepped out.

            “Yeah yeah, wait.” She stepped forward.

            Sungmin continued walking, assured that Hae Jin was right behind him. “It’s pretty late,” he said. “Should I you home?” There was no reply. He spun around and found Hae Jin still at the train doors, but the doors were closing already.

            “Hae Jin!” he yelled, but she was still busy looking for her phone.

            Sungmin dropped the bags he was holding and made a mad dash for her. “Get out of there!” He pulled her out of the way just in time for the doors to close completely without squashing her. But in Hae Jin’s surprise and Sungmin’s haste, they both fell off balanced. Sungmin was falling backwards with Hae Jin following him. He held both her shoulders so that she wouldn’t hit the ground.

            Hae Jin yelped as she fell on top of him, but they both fell silent as their lips touched.