06  Gray is for Depression    “Cheers for your independence, Jin-!” Sora yelled happily, her glass lifted in the air waiting for a toast. “Let us celebrate your freedom! Finally, we unraveled that jerk’s secret. I told you he didn’t give me this loyal-and-stick-to-one-boyfriend kind of vibe when I first saw him. See? I was right! He was so, so cheating on you.”
  The moment Sora heard what Jongin said, she immediately, sneakily stalked him until he reached the room where Soojung was. And when she made sure it was indeed the model he wanted to see, Sora ran back to Jinri straight away to spill the news. And now look where the gossip got them. They left the B Tower to have dinner but here they were, sitting by a *pojangmacha, eating meat, chitterlings, and other *anju while chugging down a bottle of soju. Who told you fashion designers were so picky and classy?
“No need to shove it off my face, Sora,” said Jinri dejectedly. She was feeling defeated. She sincerely hoped Sora wasn’t correct with her assumption. She truly believed Jongin wasn’t that kind of guy. She knew he couldn’t do that. That one night with Soojung was a mistake. It was nothing but an accident and Jinri soon believed that. All she was waiting for was for her boyfriend to ask for her forgiveness sincerely. She just wanted him to apologize and tell her he was wrong, he was sorry, he wouldn’t do it again. That it would never happen again. Just like in dramas, in movies, in novels, she wanted her man to do it like that. Maybe it was a little too much, but wasn’t that what all girls want? Her boyfriend apologizing with flowers on his arms, a candlelight dinner after, or maybe drive her near a beach, kneel down and tell her how sorry he was, kiss her tears away, hold her hand and ask for another chance. Just like in movies, she imagined it to be like that. But no. Jongin wouldn’t even apologize now. He had been cheating all this time. Too much for romantic movies.
  Sora sighed deeply. “Come on, come on. Lift up your glass. This deserves a toast,” she chirped encouragingly.
  Jinri obeyed and a loud clinking noise was made when their glasses hit. Both of them guzzled the alcohol in one go then letting out a breath of satisfaction.
  “You know what, Sora,” Jinri started. “I really, really thought he was the right guy for me. Honestly, everything I wanted, it was all in him. He’s got a job. He’s cool. He understands me. He treats me well. He knows what I want. He’s sensible. He’s a gentleman. It’s always nice talking to him. He listens.” She shook her head lightly and sighed. “I never knew… I didn’t expect him to…”
  “Cheat on you?” Sora continued for her.
  Jinri looked at her best friend in disappointment. Deep inside, she still refused to believe Jongin actually did something unbecoming.
  “Jinri, you know, at times, people seem to be the complete opposite of what they really are. They treat you good, they show you kindness, but the truth is they aren’t as nice as that. Because it’s always easier to deceive people with good and perfect actions than to show them who you really are. Because who you really are is rotten. It’s not something to be proud of. It’s not something you can brag about. But your fake, perfect self, it’s perfect to show others off.”
  “But you know what , Sora?” Jinri asked. “He did me wrong, he cheated and yet… yet I still love him. Damn it, Sora, because I still love him.”
  Sora rolled her eyes. “Of course you do. And it’s okay, Jinri. We just found out the truth, like, hours ago. You have plenty of time to move on. But for now, let’s drink. Let’s drown all the sorrows away. Pretty girls don’t deserve to be lonely. Come on, Jin-. Let’s drink more!”
  Jinri just forced a smile. At least Sora was still making her feel better. At least she still had someone who cares. At least, even if she lost her boyfriend, she still had her best friend.
  “I’ll forget about him, you think?”
  “Yes, you will. I mean, wake up, Jinri. Just how Katy Perry’s song goes, there’s tons of fish in the water. Jongin’s not the only one. Someone out there’s better,” Sora spat confidently as if to reassure her buddy. “Way, way better.”
  Well, Jinri thought otherwise. It would be a lot of work moving on from Jongin. It was different from Minho. Actually, Jongin helped her forget about her ex and obviously, he did a great job. But now that it was Jongin she needed to forget, she could never imagine anyone that could help her. No one except maybe Jongin himself. Again.
  But she knew, this time it wouldn’t be possible.     “Someone’s looking for you,” Hyemin told Soojung who was idly slouching on the couch, playing some games on her PSP.
  “I thought I have half an hour break before the photoshoot starts.”
  Soojung had her schedule for Marie Claire today, just a complete spread in the magazine for a few pieces from the collection of a designer from Britanni itself. She’d just finish taking a few shots. Now they were to have their next set of frames. The photographer just had to take a short break to take a few important calls.
  “It’s not about the photoshoot. It’s,” Hyemin started hesitantly. “It’s something else.”
  “What is it? Oh shoot! I almost died, you freaking zombie!”
  “Someone’s –”
  “Soojung,” someone cut her Hyemin off, stepping inside the room.
  It was a male’s voice. Definitely not from a staff. And definitely not Sehun’s as well.
  “Jongin,” she immediately sat upright, not forgetting to pause the game on her PSP.
  Seeing the awkward atmosphere starting to take over, Hyemin said, “I’ll leave you two, for now, And Soojung unnie,” she mouthed the next words, “don’t talk for too long. Photoshoot starts in 30 minutes.” Then, she left the room, gingerly closing the door behind her.
  Soojung was still wearing the last outfit she used for the shoot which was a well-tailored high-waist shorts paired with a very, very thin long-sleeved shirt, making her dark blue bra very, very visible. Well, it was intended to be seen on the pages of a high-class magazine, not for a live show. So she decided to grab her coat hanging on the backrest of the couch and wrap it around herself. But the thought of this man in front of her seeing way more than her bare legs and the silhouette of her bra, she shivered and flushed.
  “W-what are you doing here?” she asked, trying to act cool like her normal self.
  “What do you think?”
  The statement was offensive, but the tone Jongin used wasn’t. And it didn’t affronted or surprised Soojung. They were not friends, cronies, whatsoever, she didn’t expect him to talk politely to her. And from what she believed in, Jongin wasn’t the type to talk gently like an angel. But he didn’t seem too bad either. Just somewhere in between. But who was she to judge?
  “Why here? Have you gone to Jinri yet?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her waist to tighten the coat over her body.   He shook his head. “Not yet.”
  “She can see you here, looking for me. Or maybe she won’t, but someone who knows you will, and Jinri will soon know. It’s not appropriate,” she spoke.
  “I have other things planned for her. She won’t talk to me so I have to try something grander. And nothing’s inappropriate if we are not doing anything wrong.”
  She sighed before saying, “That’s not how the society works.”
  Soojung didn’t see the point. Why were they talking like some crappy philosopher anyway? Weren’t their conversation supposed to be chilly and vivid? Youthful and cool like how they were. It was pointless and awkward rather.
  “So should I take you to a café or something?” he asked nonchalantly.
  Soojung laughed humorlessly. “I’m working. And it’s not like we’re buddies to have coffee inside some cozy café. Just say what you have to say now. You’re already here anyway.”
  “It’s so awkward saying it here. I just thought of that now,” he admitted, embarrassed. His hand scratching an inexistent itch on the back of his neck proved it.
  She thought it was a little bit charming, but brushed the thought off her head. She eyed him questioningly, as if asking what now.
  “What time are you off?” he asked.
  She looked at the wall clock hanged on the dull-painted beige wall of the room. A quarter before 2 in the afternoon. That was when it struck her that she only had a cold slice of pesto garlic bread for lunch. She was starving but she had to work. Her stomach was used to irregularly scheduled meals anyhow. She just shrugged.
  “4PM,” she said plainly. Photoshoots don’t usually take that long, but she had some fitting scheduled after. “Maybe 4:30?”
  “Okay, I’ll wait.”
  Her eyes opened a bit wider. Was