~ 구 ~

"May I help you shop ma'am?" 

The saleslady asked Hayi with a tight smile on her face, it seemed like she has been used to her lips curled upwards everyday even so Hayi still wonders if the other's jaw gets tired of too much smiling and talking.

Hayi shook her head and took a few steps towards where an array of cosmetics were displayed, rows of shelves in which the types of make-up to the eyes, lips, even to nail polishes were spread and sort thoroughly, type by type, color to color and even size to size.

She felt unreal, too different to the other customers who were picking every product, asking their benefits and price, some were also consulting the salesladies, even having free trial to those newly shown products. She was an alien to these kinds of things, to be really honest, she had only tried wearing those powders and glosses whenever an important situation arises, like her auntie's wedding and promenades, where her mother almost knocked her out just to force her to at least put shimmer and color to her pale face. She shuddered at the thought of it.

Hayi turned backwards and saw the small lady in her reddish pink (was that fuchsia?) uniform still standing from where she left her and still smiling.

"On other note, I think you can help me." She grinned; embarrassed that she looked like a homosapien brought into the city where she barely knew the existence of fire and rocks. The saleslady smiled widely and walked past her with a small shopping basket on hand.

"Let's go this way ma’am; I know just the right things for you."

And Hayi followed suit, the saleslady began to talk about how effective and great their products are, and made Hayi try their latest lip balm that was shown to public just a week ago, it's name was XOXO and it tasted like strawberry and mint, she wondered if those what you call lip balms could be eaten because it smelled delicious. The saleslady went to the next shelf where she studied Hayi's face and the latter could only turn her head sideways away from the awkwardness, never had she seen someone who studied her face thoroughly, scanned her skin type from her blackheads to other acnes. It was very weird but considering the salesladies do those just made Hayi understood why the business was very successful.

"You have a very fair skin. Hmmm... although these dark circles under your eyes aren't helping."

"What?"

"I see. You haven't been sleeping early, am I right?" She said as a matter of fact, the young girl nodded in agreement.

"You should sleep early and get eight hours of sleep, hydrate yourself so your skin wouldn't be as dry as sandpaper," said the saleslady while she got a cream and handed over to her customer. "Why don't you try this product? It will remove your eye bags."

Hayi pondered whether she'll buy the bottle or not; she has a tight schedule everyday so sleeping for eight hours would be nearly impossible. "Eh, I think this would bring no good. I really don't sleep much." She returned it to the shelf and the other nodded.

Looking at the little basket she has been carrying, it was full of beauty essentials. She hasn't included shopping on her plan but it was nice and she could not afford not to buy these, maybe this would make her at least a bit attractive to him. What was her point on visiting this shop anyway?

Before they shifted to another shelf, Hayi softly pulled the other's arm to stop her. The saleslady gave a questioning look and Hayi gulped, maybe she knew a bit, it won't hurt to ask right?

"E-excuse me, but do you know Kim Jiwon?"

The saleslady, whose name was Hyosung from her name pin, was flabbergasted upon hearing what her customer asked. Slowly formed an 'O' and then to a thin line towards a smile.

"Of course! He is the owner's younger son of the two. How did you know him? Perhaps are you one of his classmates? Or a ssasaeng?"

Hayi was astonished; well it was really nice to ask and to think that she perhaps asked to right person, a grin formed from her lips. "Aniyo, I just know him.." What should she say, should she say she's his ex-girlfriend. That might sound bitter! What then?

"Uh, I'm his old friend. I haven't seen him for a while and then news spread to town that he came back from States." She said, smiling widely to convince the other her lie. That wasn't a lie! I'm his old friend too, nonetheless...

Hyosung nodded, "Jinjaro? Well we're also surprised to see him come back here after they migrated to US. But it turns out we should be happy because manager-ssi told us he will be manning the Korean branches of the business."

Hayi raised a brow, "What? Why so? I mean why can't his older brother manage this? He's definitely older than Jiwon, so he's much reliable."

"I don't know about that though, I'm just an employee you see." Hyosung shrugged, wondering why the heck this girl in front of her was asking her too many questions.

Meanwhile the former realized she was asking too much for usual customer so she cleared and bowed, “I’m sorry, I guess I went overboard.”

“It’s okay. We’re already used to girls who ask about Jiwon.”

"What?"

"Oh," said Hyosung, quite startled from sudden loud response she got from her customer. The other people inside the store have started to look at the two of them and they bowed and apologized immediately from the sudden commotion.

"Miss, I'm really sorry. I just cannot believe what you said." Hayi said, holding the other's arms as she tried to make her leave.

Hyosung faced her again and smiled, "its okay. This is the first time I also said that fact to a customer, and looking from your reaction, I think I won't be saying it again."

Hayi chuckled nervously, she wasn't sure if the saleslady meant it as a joke or what. Why is she smiling like that! Wahhh.

"Well I think we are already done touring the whole store, would you like to proceed to the counter ma'am?"

Hyosung asked and headed for the counter beside but before she could do it Hayi asked her one last question.

"Is, is Jiwon..."

The older grinned at her and answered, "Yes ma'am he's still single as of now."

*****

In television, most of the time there are relationships from a lead to a supporting actor; the lead soon finds about the existence of the other lead and as a result, the former two couple will break-up and the two lead actors would be together in the end. Or another case would be: the two lead actors are together and going strong not until someone breaks the two of them apart. Either two of the cases show that there is no such thing as a long lasting relationship, all are just short terms.

"Do you think Jae Hee and Hoon will end up together?"

Hayi shrugged, eyes still fixed on the screen. They were watching a marathon of the drama, Doctor Stranger, which Suhyun found from her brother's laptop. Surely, her brother was too immersed on being a reliable doctor someday.

"I don't know. I can't see the point of them being together, you see, it's like what she's trying to say right now is she's gonna die soon."

"What do you mean she's gonna die?"

Hayi pouted, "I'm just kidding. I bet she'll just leave Hoon after the premier's surgery was over."

"Why do you think so?" Suhyun frowned, eyes torn apart from the television and now focused on the other who was still watching the episode.

"I just know so," said Hayi and ate popcorn from the bucket.

“That would be really sad though. Hoon searched and waited for her to come and be together again but she’ll just leave and throw away all the efforts he made. That’s Lee Jong Suk! If I were her I wouldn’t dare leave him, such a hottie.” Suhyun said and ogled at the actor. It was true though; he was such a handsome and very attractive male nobody can resist.

“But what if she has reasons, Suhyun? I think it is okay.”

The younger didn't bother to ask for more explanation and watched the drama. It was when the two were at the parking lot and arguing yet again, Hoon was asking for an explanation about why does the premier wants him to perform the surgery. It was a little dramatic and in the end, Jae Hee told him everything, including her plan. She planned to take Hoon away from the surgery and she'll do the job, so that he could take care of his mother in the future.

"Do you think she'll be successful?" Suhyun asked again, taking a sip from her cola.

"Mollaaa, yah stop asking and just watch aish."

Hayi don't even know if she'll be successful. It would be a really tough battle to begin with and she doesn't even know if she will be with him in the end. What if Hoon might end up with Soo Hyun in the end? Well that's likely possible since it seems like the latter has started admitting her feeling towards the man.

Hayi could only shake her head.

"Ani, I think she'll succeed. I hope so."

"I hope so too! Man, if that happens they'll beat Romeo and Juliet! So romantic!"

Later that night, Hayi went to her room and slumped on her comfy maroon bed. She sighed; it was surely a very busy day. Suhyun insisted that she will sleepover at Hayi’s place. Even though Hayi objected, her mom soon arrived and Suhyun asked permission to the elder; without any hesitation, her mom allowed Suhyun to stay for the night and even prepared Suhyun’s belongings. Yes, for someone like Lee Suhyun, she already has a bit of her stuffs here. What are friends for right?

Hayi rolled to get near to the small drawer beside her bed. She opened it and obtained her mini notebook where the list was written. Turning the pages she landed on the list and observed it once again, her thumb slowly touching the written notes. She looked carefully at the third step and sighed.

“Ahhh... that was refreshing!” Suhyun got out of the bathroom, twirling the towel around her damp hair as she walked towards the vanity mirror to prepare herself.

"God, you startled me," said Hayi as she sit on the bed and watched how Suhyun opened her bag and opened a bunch of bottles and put those on her face. Her face irked as she looked at her friend.

"What are you staring at? I know I'm beautiful..." the latter grinned as she opened the cleanser and put some on a cotton ball. Suhyun raised her brow as she looked at Hayi through the latter's reflection; she was looking at her like Suhyun was doing something illegal.

"Why do you put too much stuffs on your face? Does it add effect to your skin? But you're about to sleep so why do still need to put those?" It rained questions from the inexperienced Hayi.

Suhyun turned her chair around and faced Hayi, her right hand working on cleansing her face. "Yah, are you some stone age person? You don't use these?" Her friend only shook her head in response which made Suhyun in disbelief.

"Oh my gawd! Hold me I'm about to faint." She said as she jokingly fanned herself and collapsed on the floor. Suhyun creeped to the bed and kneeled, her elbows propped on the mattress and faced Hayi.

"Hayi this, what I'm holding, is a cotton ball."

"I'm not dumb to not know that."

"Okay, okay, sorry." Suhyun raised her two hands as if she was stopping a car. "What I put there was a cleanser, you scrub it on your face to remove the dirt you accumulated the whole day. Because if you don't cleanse your face before you sleep you're gonna get pimples, like that." She pointed on the family of acnes forming on her best friend's forehead.

"YAH! You don't have to be so rude and point it like my pimples are criminals!"

"I'm sorry but I'm just explaining."

"Aish, I know that but I don't really use them. Okay?" She said grumpily but stood up from her seat and opened her cabinet; carrying a paper bag she dropped those in front of Suhyun.

"I just bought that the other day." She said as the other started examining the contents of the bag.

"Wahhh... you bought a lot!" Suhyun exclaimed as she found too many products and displayed those on Hayi's table. She raised the empty paper bag but realized the shop imprinted on it.

"Wait, is this Jiwon umma's shop right?"

"Yup, how did you know?" Hayi went over to Suhyun and studied the stuffs she recently bought, good thing her mom gave her allowance and she received her monthly salary on the coffee shop.

"I buy there sometimes you know," replied Suhyun, Hayi nodded.

But knowing Suhyun, she took a different meaning to all of this. She glanced at Hayi and gave a meaningful look. The latter has formed a crook on her brows, "what?"

Suhyun then began to grin, "Ani, I'm just wondering why you visited the shop since you are a stranger to cosmetics. I'm really just wondering, you don't need to answer you know."

Hayi mocked her friend but then raised her hands in defeat. "Arasso, arasso, I went there to ask about Jiwon. Happy?"

Suhyun gave her a thumbs up and an I-told-you-so look, the other just rolled her eyes and lied on the bed. Afterwards the former joined in but both were still not sleeping.

a/n: here you guys go! Thank you very much for your patience! Me and my sis just watched Doctor  Stranger as of now bec I'm having Lee Jong Suk feels mian hahahaha can't help it. Oh well, what can you say? I know it's lame hue. Tell me your thoughts! I love you all~