WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A GIRL FRIEND, you ask the best friend you do not like romantically for dating and fashion advice.
I've been taking selfies of my outfits in the mirror and sending them to Changgu.
changgu
STOPPP! my phone is going to explode! :/
chanmi
just pick the best!
changgu
lOOOOOK. IF THE GUY LIKES YOU, HE WILL LIKE YOU WHATEVER YOU WEAR
chanmi
stop the bs already. pick.
changgu
i like the rose pink dress. makes you look more feminine. but idk ask for second opinion! ask yanan!
chanmi
nevermind. im wearing your pick
changgu
wow i always thought i was the lesser best friend
chanmi
DONT BE RIDICULOUS! YOU ARE THE BEST FRIEND. ttyl!
I wore the rose pink dress and paired it with the fossil gray winter coat. I'm wearing a fashionable, useless coat right now and maybe it's okay if I don't do it everyday.
I grabbed my bag (still a backpack) and inspected myself in the mirror. My short hair (length above the shoulder) is still the usual straight oneㅡbut I wore a white headband. It's going to be cold but I think I can handle it.
I jumped like a penguin around my room. I can't believe this. I'm going out with a younger guy!
Should I back out?
Just then, my phone rang.
Front desk lady
I answered the call from the front desk lady of the dorm.
"Kim Chanmi-ssi, someone is asking for you in the lobby. The name is Adachi Yuto."
"Oh, alright. I'll be there. Thanks."
I glanced at myself across the mirror once more before leaving my room. I was actually nervous as the elevator's doors opened, revealing the lobby where a guy in a black coat was sitting comfortably in the white couch.
I suddenly felt shy all over. I obviously dressed differently this time. I don't want to seem like I put too much effort for this dateㅡbut it was too late to back out when Yuto's head shot up and his eyes met mine.
As I walked towards him, it felt like a death march. His eyes roamed all over me, splashing blush on my cheeks. "Stop staring!" I told him with a frown.
He smiled. Really smiled. Like, a genuine one. If I was more flirty, I would have said: Hey, handsome.
He rubbed the back of his neck. His smile turning sheepish. "Whoa, you look greatㅡI mean, beautiful and uh, cute."
Jeez. Why is this my first date ever?
I looked at him and smiled. "You're wearing red."
Yuto's hair looks soft when it's down. He still has his earring. He's wearing a red turtle neck and a warm, long black coat.
He grinned. "And do I look painfully handsome in red?"
I rolled my eyes as we walked out of the building. "Uh, not painfully. Just handsome."
He chuckled. "You finally admitted it."
"I didn't deny it in the first place."
WAIT, WAIT, WAITㅡHOLY SHIT. WAS I FLIRTING JUST NOW?
•
YUTO CAN DRIVE.
He has a freaking license. Where have I been all my life? "I want to learn how to drive, too." I told him.
He smirked, glancing at me sideways. "I can teach you."
"Ha. You kid."
"I'm not kidding. I'll really teach you, if you want to. Besides, what's another excuse to spend time with you?"
Jeez. This kid knows his games. "Where are we going?" I asked.
"You'll like it." he said, more as if reassuring himself. I, then, realized how nervous he could be behind this confident facade.
Yuto brought me to a fine restaurant. I'm talking about wines and violins and the type where you feel like you pay more for plate than the amount of food on it. So adult-ish.
I looked at him across the table. He raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"No offense, but can we afford this?" I asked.
He frowned and kept scanning the menu. "I can. I worked hard to have my own money so don't worry. This is not from my mom's card."
"Hey, that's not what I meant!"
"But you were thinking of it."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"Seriously? I wasn't!"
"May I take your orders, ma'am and sir?" The waiter asked.
I ordered the most familiar dish to me and waited for the waiter to go away before talking to Yuto again.
"I'm sorry you thought like that. I'm justㅡnot used to anything this fancy."
Yuto leaned back on his chair. Why does that look so fabulous? "Are you going soft on me now, Chanmi-ssi? Where is the Chanmi who was mean to me?"
"I wasn't mean to you! Well, maybe a little. Wait, when are you going to call me noona?"
He frowned so deeply. "Can't we just drop the noona thing?"
I looked at him thoughtfully. "Okay, but don't forget I'm older than you!"
"How many years exactly?"
I smiled sheepishly. "Guess?"
"One."
"Heol."
"Am I right or am I right?"
I frowned, looking at him intently. "Right." I said, stubbornly.
"Knew it."
We ate in almost complete silenceㅡnot because we didn't know what to talk about but because the food was too good and the music was too beautiful to bother.
"When are you gonna finish painting the staircase?" he asked.
"I don't know. Estimatedly, next week. Why?"
He shrugged. "Just have to know so you wouldn't see me in pyjamas again."
I laughed. "Those pyjamas were decent! Your PPAP dance wasn't."
He closed his eyes. "Why do you have to remind me that?"
"I'm forever teasing you about it."
Forever. What the hell, Chanmi. Yuto smiled though. "My mom was so disappointed by my dance. She used to believe I was a good dancer."
"Were you?"
He nodded with a grin. "When I was in middle school, I danced a lot in Japan."
"Since when were you in Korea then?"
"High school."
"How's it like? Migrating, I mean."
He shook his head. "Pain in the ass."
"I imagined so. I mean, not literally."
He bursted out laughing. I hid a smile. "You're funny." he said and then, "Language barrier was the most depressing part. I spent the first two years clueless about what's happening around me, and once I learned more about the language, I told mom I wanna transfer."
"Why?"
He shrugged, grabbing the glass of water. "Let's just say, I didn't have a nice experience with the previous school. The new one is cool though. I met my friends there."
"Why did you guys move here anyway?"
"I know, right? I didn't like it here at first. But my parents have business here and they want me and Akari to learn Korean things so we can manage it well somewhere in the future."
"Akari?"
"Oh, yeah, Akari is my older sister."
"You have a sister? Why haven't I seen her before?" I asked in surprise.
"She's still in Japan, finishing this year's semester in college. She'll move here next year." He said, "Enough about me. Let's talk about you."
I sipped water. "Uh-huh?"
"Well?" he said, anticipating something.
"Well, you know a lot already. I paint. My friends. That's pretty much my life. Boring and ordinary. My mom is an artist, too. My dad is a lawyer."
He whistled. "Wow. So different..."
I chuckled, finishing the last piece of food on my plate. "I know, right? Here's the story, my mom worked her hardest on this grand painting but when she was turning it in, the buyer won't pay her what they agreed for. So, she sued himㅡand my dad was the lawyer."
Yuto nodded thoughtfully. "And the rest is history."
"Yup."
"Wait, did they win the case?" Yuto asked.
"Yup." I said again. "My dad apparently told mom that if he wins the case, she should go out with him."
"Damn. I like your dad." He said grinning.
I shrugged. "I like my dad, too. Waitㅡthat didn't sound weird, right?"
"No, I like my dad, tooㅡwhen he wasn't too busy."
As we headed out of the restaurant, I felt the cold wind kissed my legs. I was only wearing thin tights to match my whole outfit. "Don't you think," I began as we walked to the car. "Our parents liked us better too back when we weren't too busy with our own lives?"
He smiled, and with so many human images I've already painted, I knew that one was sad. "They sure do." he said and looked at me. "I hope you'll like our next destination."
•
ART GALLERY.
He brought me to the art gallery that I've been wanting to visitㅡbut tickets were so difficult to get. Always sold out.
"Ohmygoshㅡhow did you get the tickets?" I asked him.
"I bought them." he said nonchalantly.
I groaned. "Of course, you did. Nothing's free in this world anymore."
He grinned sheepishly. "I admit I must have used a bit of mom connections."
I smiled at the paintings hanging on the wall. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to visit this place!"
I walked and looked around like a kid surrounded by different flavors of cotton candies. Yuto walked quietly beside me, watching with unhidden amusement in his eyes.
"Of all the things I knew in art history, my favorite is the Minhwa art." I told him. "It's the Korean folk art. They are artists who painted mythical creatures and have gone to different places to paint what they see in real life." I explained and proceeded to other paintings. "I want to do that someday."
"What?"
"Travel and paint. Hopefully."
"Why hopefully? You can always travel and paint."
"Both words obviously require a lot of zeroes in my card."
"Well, you can start in Seoul. Visit places and paint them."
"That's why I'm working for your mom." I said, glancing at him.
"I have something to ask you."
"Go ahead."
"Nah, not now. When you finish the staircase."
I looked at him. "What is it about?"
He grinned. "Don't get too excited."
As Yuto walked me back to the dorm, we were in silence. The back of our hands brushed each other's as we walked side by side. My mind was going to different places.
If he holds my hand, I'm going to die.
But he doesn't.
Until we reached the front of my dorm. I turned to him and smiled. "Thanks for today. I really had a good time."
And I was being sincere. I haven't thought about anything else but him, art, and our date for the whole day. It was like a short getaway.
"Is that honest?" he asked, taking my hand. I almost gasped. When I watched our fingers interlaced, I wanted to paint the moment.
A smile crept on my lips. "Yeah, honest."
He smiled back. "I didn't know what you would like. A fancy, adult dinner, not sure. But bringing you to art gallery was plan b if plan a failed."
I chuckled. "Both plans succeeded, but Yuto...?"
"Hm?"
"Just... be yourself. You don't have to take me to more adult-like dates. Although I enjoyed this one, I would like to know what kind of date you really enjoy."
His smile widened. "Um, the kind of date that's with you?"
I rolled my eyes, smiling. "I was really boring, right?"
"I was never bored." he said, lifting our hands together until it looked like we were making a pact. "I like getting to know you."
"And... don't you feel like running away yet?"
"Running away? Nah."
I laughed. "This is crazy."
"What is?"
"You and me."
"Right." he said, smiling.
"I should go." I said.
He nodded. "Good night, Chanmi."
"Good night, Yuto."
He pulled my hand towards him and kissed the back of it. "See you tomorrow."
"Y-Yeah," I said, flustered by the feeling of his soft lips on my skin.
"Wait, I think it's about time we exchange numbers."
•
I ran to my room and I shrieked in my pillow. And then I received a call. I thought it would be Yuto, but it was Yanan.
When I answered the call, I immediately heard Changgu's voice in the background. "Let's go home... Yanan... she's probably sh-leeping."
"Holy shㅡis Changgu drunk?" I asked.
"Chanmi-ah, where are... you?" Yanan asked slurrily.
"Are you drunk?"
"Come... out... I'm here."
I leaped off the bed and peeked out the window. I spotted two figures in front of the dorm. "What the hell?" I ended the call and rushed out.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, hugging my elbows.
Changgu pouted, frowning. "Yanan... doesn't want to... go home..."
"You guys are drunk! Can't you be more responsible? At least, drink inside instead of wandering aroundㅡ"
My words were cut off when Yanan hugged me. His body was slumped on mine, so heavy. I could smell the alcohol in his breath when he spoke.
"We... broke... up..." he said and hugged me tighter.
The three words rang repeatedly in my head. Gain and Yanan broke up. I thought I would be jumping in joy, but I was more worried about Yanan.
"I'm sorry, Yanan." I said and hugged him back.
• • •
A/N: sorry i couldn't update earlier. it was a busy day ><
thanks for reading ♡
please don't forget to vote on this chapter if you liked it 💕