WooYoung joined Minzy and Dara, who was looking around anxiously for someone.
“What are you guys going to do?” he asked.
“Dance,” Minzy answered, as Dara said “G-Dragon.”
WooYoung and Minzy looked at her confusedly.
“I-I mean, he’s coming here. Look!”
She was right. G-Dragon was walking up to them with a relieved-looking NichKhun.
“What are you going to do for the final?” Dara asked quickly, her eyes shining.
“Dunno yet. I’ll scrap something up. “
“Scrap something up. Scrap something up?! Who the heck do you think you are?” Minzy asked, stepping forward and jabbing a finger at his chest. “This is a final. You know, something that people work to pass, and not scrap up stuff for.”
“Lay off, Minz,” NichKhun said, stepping forward defensively. The tension hanging in the air was so thick that WooYoung could slice it with a knife and spread it on his seaweed. Not that he’d ever want to, of course.
Junho, who had been chatting with T.O.P. and CL a few feet away, cut his conversation and hurried over. “What’s the theme?” he asked hurriedly. Leave it to Junho to be the peace-maker.
“The theme,” CL said, sauntering over, “is to make something like a song or a painting or whatever, that represents something to you.”
Everyone stared at her dumbfoundedly. She sighed and rolled her eyes.
“That means, kiddies, that, for example, if you’re a dancer—“Minzy perked up,”—you pick a song that means a lot to you, or sends a clear message to everyone, or a special someone in the audience, and you dance to it. You have to put all of your emotion into it and make the judges feel everything that you’re feeling. Same goes for song. If you’re a writer or painter or any of those boring things, then you have to create something that expresses your feelings. Understood?”
G-Dragon patted her arm. “Lemme explain, Chae Lin--"he'd used her real name."So I’m a singer, right? I sing and dance. I either compose or choose a song that is currently relevant to my life, and I perform it with all I’ve got. Simple as that.”
CL rolled her eyes again. “You guys are weird.” She left, shaking her head and mumbling something.
T.O.P. walked over. “Don’t mind her. She thinks she’s really misunderstood; and she loves making things more complex than they should be.”
WooYoung was surprised. This was the first time he’d heard T.O.P talk; he had a deep, rich voice that most Asians didn’t posses, and he looked everyone square in the eye when he talked to them, which could be uncomfortable, but undoubtedly showed confidence.
“So what’s the point of this?” he asked.
Minzy shrugged. “I dunno, but I’m hungry. Wanna go grab something to eat?”
Woo looked over at Dara. “You coming, San?”
Dara’s eyes were locked on GD. “Wh-What? Oh, yeah, sure. Hey…G-Dragon, you wanna come?”
GD looked up from his always-present cell. “Yup. I’m hungry.”
WooYoung gave Dara a questioning look, which she openly ignored. Why was she acting this way? They were really good friends. What did Americans say? Best friends. What was she hiding?
**
Sunny watched Dara, WooYoung, G-Dragon (who was having a loud conversation with Minzy), and NichKhun walk out the double doors. It was Friday, and all of them had free periods. They were probably going to have a bunch of fun while Sunny was stuck here with the girls, who wanted to go shopping.
Why would you want to go shopping when your school had a uniform? Did it even make sense?
Sunny turned around just in time to catch SooYoung staring at WooYoung. An idea started to form at the back of her brain. Could she? Was it too risky?
“Jessica, we’re not coming with you,” she blurted out, before she could stop herself.
Jessica turned around and arched an awkwardly plucked eyebrow. “We? And who might this we be?”
“SooYoung and me.”
“SooYoung and I,” SooYoung corrected nervously. “And who said I’m not going?”
Sunny pulled her aside. “Look Soo, you know as much as I do that it’s gonna be super boring to go with them. They shop for the same things all the time, and besides, you like WooYoung—“ She reddened. “—Wouldn’t you rather be closer to him?”
“Do you think they’re gonna invite us to go with them?”
“No…But we could go where they went.”
“God, you’re such a stalker. You wanna go because you wanna be friends with them, don’t you?”
Sunny looked down at her Yuri-approved high tops.
SooYoung sighed. “You’re crazy. But I really like him, so fine. But if we get in trouble with Jessica, I’ll tickle you until you pee.”
Sunny giggled. SooYoung was nice, she was just a bit spineless.
Oh please, like you’re not, she thought.
They both turned around. “We have to…buy books for our after-school psychology classes,” SooYoung said. “Besides, we don’t wanna waste any money.”
“But we need someone to carry our bags,” Yuri rolled her eyes.
“Find someone else,” Yoona shot back, a stern look on her face. “Their studies are more important than your clothes. Just carry them yourself, if you love them so much,” She turned to them. “Go ahead girls. We’ll go together next time.” She winked at them and tilted her head in WooYoung’s direction. “See you later.”
Sunny was ecstatic; Yoona was finally showing some spine of her own and they were free!
**
WooYoung walked with NichKhun and Dara, watching GD and Minzy, walking a bit ahead, argue about what was easier: breakdancing or freestyle. Woo and Nich were making faces at each other over Dara’s head, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. NichKhun’s thick eyebrows shot up and he glanced at G-Dragon, and pointed to him.
WooYoung was confused. Had GD done something to his best friend? They had four classes together, and they sat together in all of them, almost instantly forming a bond. But she’d been acting weird and unlike herself lately. Maybe GD had made fun of her… But why?
The two boys watched as she edged closer and closer to Minzy, and joined their conversation, desperately trying, and failing, to come up with reasons for why breakdancing was better (a shocked Minzy stared on).
“You’ve…never liked breakdancing,” Minzy’s voice faltered a bit. This was something she took seriously.
“It’s awesome!” GD butted in. Dara shook her head eagerly. Minzy hesitantly stepped back and joined WooYoung as they chatted on.
“She likes him,” Nich stated, as if it were a well-known fact.
“Definitely,” Minzy agreed.
“How do you know?” Woo felt it his duty to defend his best friend.
“Don’t be naïve,” Minzy rolled her eyes. “It’s obvious. Very obvious. Dara hates breakdancing. And she’s always trying to talk to him.”
“It just doesn’t seem that way to me…”
“Why so defensive? Do you like her?” They’d arrived at the café.
WooYoung’s chubby cheeks flushed with color. “What? No. ‘Course not.”
Minzy raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth, but NichKhun stepped in between them quickly and dragged Minzy and WooYoung inside.
“Let’s eat!”
**
Sunny and SooYoung sat at a small table, Soo nursing a latte (??) and Sunny staring at a plate of dumplings. Across from them sat Dara’s group, all of them talking animatedly; NichKhun and WooYoung in whispers, giving sideways glances at Dara and GD, who were laughing about something, along with a bored Minzy who lifted her head only to make snide comments about things Sunny couldn’t hear very well from her position.
“The back of his head is so cute!” SooYoung squealed.
Sunny stared at Woo’s head. It looked like…the back of a person’s head. Nothing special.
“Yeah. It’s shaped like a pear.”
“You’re getting to sound like your sister more and more every day,” Soo commented, avoiding Sunny’s burning gaze. She hated being compared to Yuri.
Sunny opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud boom.
Both girls turned around to see Dara and co., which was now officially Sunny’s nickname for them, banging on the table. G-Dragon got on top of it and started rapping.
“Itjanha jogeum aju jogeum na sujumpjiman neon molla sokeun taeyangboda ttegeoweo nae mam jow arajweo. TV show-e na oneun girl deureun mudae-eseo bichi nandedo neon eonjena!”*
* You know, I'm a little bit shy sometimes, you don't know but you're burning like the sun, please understand my feelings.
Even though those girls that appear on TV shows are sparkling; you're always be the one, the star, in my eyes.
Sunny’s eyes automatically went to Dara, who was blushing like crazy. To be honest, it didn’t really seem like GD was singing directly to anyone, but just singing in general, but it seemed as if Dara took it very personally. Especially when he and Minzy started dancing; Sunny had never seen anyone look so embarrassedly furious.
“She likes him,” she thought out loud.
SooYoung’s tumbling locks flew as she turned to face Sunny, her cheeks blazing. “Who? Who likes WooYoung?? Is it that Dara girl?”
“No. I’m talking about Dara and the blonde kid.”
“Oh…Psh. Way to state the obvious,” she rolled her eyes and tossed her hair back. “I’m gonna go talk to him.” She pushed her chair back and went over to where GD and Minzy were now freestyle rapping back and forth while WooYoung and NichKhun danced in the background, completely lost in their own world, laughing like they were having the time of their lives. Dara watched WooYoung and GD, clapping for both of them. Sunny wished Jessica and Yuri would do something like that in the middle of the mall. Well, even if they did, it would probably involve a lot of sexy choreography, and would be thoroughly planned, down to the outfits. Sunny just wanted friends who went with the flow of things and understood each other without words. Was that too much to ask?
**
NichKhun’s face scrunched up as he tried to copy WooYoung’s fast movements. Backward, forward, to the left, to the rig--
“Oh screw this!” he shouted out in frustration, making WooYoung laugh. “I’m just gonna dance my way!”
WooYoung lightly hit him on the head. “You’re not a bad dancer,” he proclaimed. “You just need to find your own style.”
Just then, a waitress stepped forward timidly, keeping her head low. “Um, excuse me, sir. We’d like you kindly ask that you either sit down or leave.”
“Oh…” All four of them stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at her. The girl’s face turned crimson as she tried her best not to stare at NichKhun.
“Please don’t misunderstand. The customers like your performance, but our boss is very strict, and he doesn’t.”
“We’ll leave,” Minzy said quickly. “But don’t think I won’t talk to Boss McTightPants later.”
All of them stared at her.
“That doesn’t even make sense,” WooYoung and GD blurted out. NichKhun just laughed.
Another girl walked up to them, which made WooYoung wanna scratch his head. What was with girls talking to them today? As she got closer, he recognized her as SooYoung, or Apple Cheeks, as Suzy had named. She was…literally everywhere he was. He wondered if there was a specific reason for it. Did she want something?
NichKhun nudged him and waggled his full eyebrows suggestively, making weird gestures.
“Hi,” SooYoung said, a radiant smile plastered onto her face. “How are you?”
“Uh…good.” NichKhun elbowed him; he glared at him as best as he could without looking like a chubby-cheeked freak. “Ah…yeah.”
It didn’t look like she was leaving anytime soon; she’d pulled up a chair and was posed on it like some sort of model, hands folded on her lap, legs crossed, chin up.
“Draw me like one of your French girls!” NichKhun whispered, just loud enough for Woo to hear.
“So, WooYoung…Your name sounds like mine.”
“Yeah. Yeah…”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Um…yellow. What’s yours?”
“Blue. What’s your favorite band? Where are you from? What do you like to do in your spare time? Have you ever had a girlfriend? Do you have one now? Who is she? What kind of girl do you like?”
WooYoung reeled back, taking a step with every question she shot his way.
“Um…I don’t have a favorite band; I’m from Seoul, I dance, no, no, no, and I don’t know?”
“Real smooth,” NichKhun snorted.
“So…Do you want to go out for sushi sometime?” SooYoung cocked her head to the left and stared at him expectantly like some sort of American “puppy”.
“Um…Okay?” WooYoung didn’t understand why he kept answering questions with questions, but he was feeling extremely awkward and uncomfortable. SooYoung was the exact opposite. Besides the frequent, unexpected flush in her cheeks, she looked completely cool and laid-back, as if this was something she did every day. And knowing her close friends, she probably did.
WooYoung had no idea what he was getting himself into, but he hoped it wouldn’t be so bad.
“See you at school,” SooYoung abruptly got up, a look of satisfaction on her face.
WooYoung and NichKhun watched her leave. NichKhun turned to him and grinned. “You’re either an idiot, or the smartest person I’ve met. You just picked up a girl without even wanting to. C’mon, let’s get out of here before they throw us out.”
*
On the way back home, WooYoung signalled NichKhun to go ahead without him. He pulled Dara back and stared at her, hard.
“What’s going on?”
Dara just giggled nervously. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
“Just because I look like a squirrel doesn’t mean I’m stupid. Do you…like somebody?”
She snorted. “Who would I like?”
“Your eyes say otherwise. Is it…NichKhun?”
“No! Of course not. I told you, I don’t like anybody.”
“Ya, do you know how hurtful this is? You’re one of my closest friends, and I tell you everything, from my crazy mother to my eye-catching older brother, who tends to drive me up the wall with how calm he is because he really should be a jerk, with all the attention he’s getting; and you don’t even tell me who you like?”
“Tell me, is it G-Dragon? It is, isn’t it? Does he know?”
“Stop it!” she yelled suddenly. “You’re not my older brother, I don’t have to explain anything to you, least of all my relationship status!”
WooYoung pulled back, hurt.
“I…don’t like this. I don’t like it at all. What if he hurts you?” he mumbled quietly.
“He’s a good guy. You don’t even know him! Actually, you’re really one to talk. I saw you talking to that SooYoung girl. Do you see me interrogating you? No, you do not. Although…I do wonder what she asked you. But I didn’t ask, did I? No, I did not. And there’s a reason for that. Do you know what a private life is? No, you don’t. Because you don’t have one. A lot of people here don’t. All they do is broadcast their thoughts and feelings…”
Dara kept blabbering about random things as WooYoung looked on, his mind wandering.
It bothered him so much that she liked G-Dragon. G-Dragon didn’t deserve such a sweet, kind, funny girl to like him. But then again, what had he ever done to Woo that made him dislike him this much? Was it the fact that he was too Americanized?
That was ridiculous. There had to be another reason.
*
Later; nighttime
“Hey Junho?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No, chipmunk. I don’t really care much for girls. I mean, I do, but my future comes first. Besides, I haven’t met anyone I really like yet.”
“Oh….Do you have any close girl friends?”
“Some.”
“Would you ever like them?”
“I don’t know. I think it depends on the person. Some people can’t fall in love with people that they know too well, and others prefer it.”
“Ah…So it all depends on you.”
“Yes, WooYoung, thank you for that deep philosophical statement. Now shut up and go to sleep, both of you.”
“Easy for you to say, Khun. You’re like, the star of this school when it comes to looks, right there next to Taec.”
“And yet he doesn’t have a girlfriend.”
“You don’t either, Junho.”
“Meh.”
“Meh my ass. Go to sleep, both of you. Girls aren’t something you should dwell so much on, WooYoung. Because they might like other people and you wouldn’t want their crazy obnoxious dancer friends finding out, would you?”
“Now if only I wasn’t so out of the loop. What’s going on, Woo?”
“You’re mistaken, Nich. G’night, Junho.”
“Uh…”
“Ass.”
“What are you guys going to do?” he asked.
“Dance,” Minzy answered, as Dara said “G-Dragon.”
WooYoung and Minzy looked at her confusedly.
“I-I mean, he’s coming here. Look!”
She was right. G-Dragon was walking up to them with a relieved-looking NichKhun.
“What are you going to do for the final?” Dara asked quickly, her eyes shining.
“Dunno yet. I’ll scrap something up. “
“Scrap something up. Scrap something up?! Who the heck do you think you are?” Minzy asked, stepping forward and jabbing a finger at his chest. “This is a final. You know, something that people work to pass, and not scrap up stuff for.”
“Lay off, Minz,” NichKhun said, stepping forward defensively. The tension hanging in the air was so thick that WooYoung could slice it with a knife and spread it on his seaweed. Not that he’d ever want to, of course.
Junho, who had been chatting with T.O.P. and CL a few feet away, cut his conversation and hurried over. “What’s the theme?” he asked hurriedly. Leave it to Junho to be the peace-maker.
“The theme,” CL said, sauntering over, “is to make something like a song or a painting or whatever, that represents something to you.”
Everyone stared at her dumbfoundedly. She sighed and rolled her eyes.
“That means, kiddies, that, for example, if you’re a dancer—“Minzy perked up,”—you pick a song that means a lot to you, or sends a clear message to everyone, or a special someone in the audience, and you dance to it. You have to put all of your emotion into it and make the judges feel everything that you’re feeling. Same goes for song. If you’re a writer or painter or any of those boring things, then you have to create something that expresses your feelings. Understood?”
G-Dragon patted her arm. “Lemme explain, Chae Lin--"he'd used her real name."So I’m a singer, right? I sing and dance. I either compose or choose a song that is currently relevant to my life, and I perform it with all I’ve got. Simple as that.”
CL rolled her eyes again. “You guys are weird.” She left, shaking her head and mumbling something.
T.O.P. walked over. “Don’t mind her. She thinks she’s really misunderstood; and she loves making things more complex than they should be.”
WooYoung was surprised. This was the first time he’d heard T.O.P talk; he had a deep, rich voice that most Asians didn’t posses, and he looked everyone square in the eye when he talked to them, which could be uncomfortable, but undoubtedly showed confidence.
“So what’s the point of this?” he asked.
Minzy shrugged. “I dunno, but I’m hungry. Wanna go grab something to eat?”
Woo looked over at Dara. “You coming, San?”
Dara’s eyes were locked on GD. “Wh-What? Oh, yeah, sure. Hey…G-Dragon, you wanna come?”
GD looked up from his always-present cell. “Yup. I’m hungry.”
WooYoung gave Dara a questioning look, which she openly ignored. Why was she acting this way? They were really good friends. What did Americans say? Best friends. What was she hiding?
**
Sunny watched Dara, WooYoung, G-Dragon (who was having a loud conversation with Minzy), and NichKhun walk out the double doors. It was Friday, and all of them had free periods. They were probably going to have a bunch of fun while Sunny was stuck here with the girls, who wanted to go shopping.
Why would you want to go shopping when your school had a uniform? Did it even make sense?
Sunny turned around just in time to catch SooYoung staring at WooYoung. An idea started to form at the back of her brain. Could she? Was it too risky?
“Jessica, we’re not coming with you,” she blurted out, before she could stop herself.
Jessica turned around and arched an awkwardly plucked eyebrow. “We? And who might this we be?”
“SooYoung and me.”
“SooYoung and I,” SooYoung corrected nervously. “And who said I’m not going?”
Sunny pulled her aside. “Look Soo, you know as much as I do that it’s gonna be super boring to go with them. They shop for the same things all the time, and besides, you like WooYoung—“ She reddened. “—Wouldn’t you rather be closer to him?”
“Do you think they’re gonna invite us to go with them?”
“No…But we could go where they went.”
“God, you’re such a stalker. You wanna go because you wanna be friends with them, don’t you?”
Sunny looked down at her Yuri-approved high tops.
SooYoung sighed. “You’re crazy. But I really like him, so fine. But if we get in trouble with Jessica, I’ll tickle you until you pee.”
Sunny giggled. SooYoung was nice, she was just a bit spineless.
Oh please, like you’re not, she thought.
They both turned around. “We have to…buy books for our after-school psychology classes,” SooYoung said. “Besides, we don’t wanna waste any money.”
“But we need someone to carry our bags,” Yuri rolled her eyes.
“Find someone else,” Yoona shot back, a stern look on her face. “Their studies are more important than your clothes. Just carry them yourself, if you love them so much,” She turned to them. “Go ahead girls. We’ll go together next time.” She winked at them and tilted her head in WooYoung’s direction. “See you later.”
Sunny was ecstatic; Yoona was finally showing some spine of her own and they were free!
**
WooYoung walked with NichKhun and Dara, watching GD and Minzy, walking a bit ahead, argue about what was easier: breakdancing or freestyle. Woo and Nich were making faces at each other over Dara’s head, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. NichKhun’s thick eyebrows shot up and he glanced at G-Dragon, and pointed to him.
WooYoung was confused. Had GD done something to his best friend? They had four classes together, and they sat together in all of them, almost instantly forming a bond. But she’d been acting weird and unlike herself lately. Maybe GD had made fun of her… But why?
The two boys watched as she edged closer and closer to Minzy, and joined their conversation, desperately trying, and failing, to come up with reasons for why breakdancing was better (a shocked Minzy stared on).
“You’ve…never liked breakdancing,” Minzy’s voice faltered a bit. This was something she took seriously.
“It’s awesome!” GD butted in. Dara shook her head eagerly. Minzy hesitantly stepped back and joined WooYoung as they chatted on.
“She likes him,” Nich stated, as if it were a well-known fact.
“Definitely,” Minzy agreed.
“How do you know?” Woo felt it his duty to defend his best friend.
“Don’t be naïve,” Minzy rolled her eyes. “It’s obvious. Very obvious. Dara hates breakdancing. And she’s always trying to talk to him.”
“It just doesn’t seem that way to me…”
“Why so defensive? Do you like her?” They’d arrived at the café.
WooYoung’s chubby cheeks flushed with color. “What? No. ‘Course not.”
Minzy raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth, but NichKhun stepped in between them quickly and dragged Minzy and WooYoung inside.
“Let’s eat!”
**
Sunny and SooYoung sat at a small table, Soo nursing a latte (??) and Sunny staring at a plate of dumplings. Across from them sat Dara’s group, all of them talking animatedly; NichKhun and WooYoung in whispers, giving sideways glances at Dara and GD, who were laughing about something, along with a bored Minzy who lifted her head only to make snide comments about things Sunny couldn’t hear very well from her position.
“The back of his head is so cute!” SooYoung squealed.
Sunny stared at Woo’s head. It looked like…the back of a person’s head. Nothing special.
“Yeah. It’s shaped like a pear.”
“You’re getting to sound like your sister more and more every day,” Soo commented, avoiding Sunny’s burning gaze. She hated being compared to Yuri.
Sunny opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud boom.
Both girls turned around to see Dara and co., which was now officially Sunny’s nickname for them, banging on the table. G-Dragon got on top of it and started rapping.
“Itjanha jogeum aju jogeum na sujumpjiman neon molla sokeun taeyangboda ttegeoweo nae mam jow arajweo. TV show-e na oneun girl deureun mudae-eseo bichi nandedo neon eonjena!”*
* You know, I'm a little bit shy sometimes, you don't know but you're burning like the sun, please understand my feelings.
Even though those girls that appear on TV shows are sparkling; you're always be the one, the star, in my eyes.
Sunny’s eyes automatically went to Dara, who was blushing like crazy. To be honest, it didn’t really seem like GD was singing directly to anyone, but just singing in general, but it seemed as if Dara took it very personally. Especially when he and Minzy started dancing; Sunny had never seen anyone look so embarrassedly furious.
“She likes him,” she thought out loud.
SooYoung’s tumbling locks flew as she turned to face Sunny, her cheeks blazing. “Who? Who likes WooYoung?? Is it that Dara girl?”
“No. I’m talking about Dara and the blonde kid.”
“Oh…Psh. Way to state the obvious,” she rolled her eyes and tossed her hair back. “I’m gonna go talk to him.” She pushed her chair back and went over to where GD and Minzy were now freestyle rapping back and forth while WooYoung and NichKhun danced in the background, completely lost in their own world, laughing like they were having the time of their lives. Dara watched WooYoung and GD, clapping for both of them. Sunny wished Jessica and Yuri would do something like that in the middle of the mall. Well, even if they did, it would probably involve a lot of sexy choreography, and would be thoroughly planned, down to the outfits. Sunny just wanted friends who went with the flow of things and understood each other without words. Was that too much to ask?
**
NichKhun’s face scrunched up as he tried to copy WooYoung’s fast movements. Backward, forward, to the left, to the rig--
“Oh screw this!” he shouted out in frustration, making WooYoung laugh. “I’m just gonna dance my way!”
WooYoung lightly hit him on the head. “You’re not a bad dancer,” he proclaimed. “You just need to find your own style.”
Just then, a waitress stepped forward timidly, keeping her head low. “Um, excuse me, sir. We’d like you kindly ask that you either sit down or leave.”
“Oh…” All four of them stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at her. The girl’s face turned crimson as she tried her best not to stare at NichKhun.
“Please don’t misunderstand. The customers like your performance, but our boss is very strict, and he doesn’t.”
“We’ll leave,” Minzy said quickly. “But don’t think I won’t talk to Boss McTightPants later.”
All of them stared at her.
“That doesn’t even make sense,” WooYoung and GD blurted out. NichKhun just laughed.
Another girl walked up to them, which made WooYoung wanna scratch his head. What was with girls talking to them today? As she got closer, he recognized her as SooYoung, or Apple Cheeks, as Suzy had named. She was…literally everywhere he was. He wondered if there was a specific reason for it. Did she want something?
NichKhun nudged him and waggled his full eyebrows suggestively, making weird gestures.
“Hi,” SooYoung said, a radiant smile plastered onto her face. “How are you?”
“Uh…good.” NichKhun elbowed him; he glared at him as best as he could without looking like a chubby-cheeked freak. “Ah…yeah.”
It didn’t look like she was leaving anytime soon; she’d pulled up a chair and was posed on it like some sort of model, hands folded on her lap, legs crossed, chin up.
“Draw me like one of your French girls!” NichKhun whispered, just loud enough for Woo to hear.
“So, WooYoung…Your name sounds like mine.”
“Yeah. Yeah…”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Um…yellow. What’s yours?”
“Blue. What’s your favorite band? Where are you from? What do you like to do in your spare time? Have you ever had a girlfriend? Do you have one now? Who is she? What kind of girl do you like?”
WooYoung reeled back, taking a step with every question she shot his way.
“Um…I don’t have a favorite band; I’m from Seoul, I dance, no, no, no, and I don’t know?”
“Real smooth,” NichKhun snorted.
“So…Do you want to go out for sushi sometime?” SooYoung cocked her head to the left and stared at him expectantly like some sort of American “puppy”.
“Um…Okay?” WooYoung didn’t understand why he kept answering questions with questions, but he was feeling extremely awkward and uncomfortable. SooYoung was the exact opposite. Besides the frequent, unexpected flush in her cheeks, she looked completely cool and laid-back, as if this was something she did every day. And knowing her close friends, she probably did.
WooYoung had no idea what he was getting himself into, but he hoped it wouldn’t be so bad.
“See you at school,” SooYoung abruptly got up, a look of satisfaction on her face.
WooYoung and NichKhun watched her leave. NichKhun turned to him and grinned. “You’re either an idiot, or the smartest person I’ve met. You just picked up a girl without even wanting to. C’mon, let’s get out of here before they throw us out.”
*
On the way back home, WooYoung signalled NichKhun to go ahead without him. He pulled Dara back and stared at her, hard.
“What’s going on?”
Dara just giggled nervously. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
“Just because I look like a squirrel doesn’t mean I’m stupid. Do you…like somebody?”
She snorted. “Who would I like?”
“Your eyes say otherwise. Is it…NichKhun?”
“No! Of course not. I told you, I don’t like anybody.”
“Ya, do you know how hurtful this is? You’re one of my closest friends, and I tell you everything, from my crazy mother to my eye-catching older brother, who tends to drive me up the wall with how calm he is because he really should be a jerk, with all the attention he’s getting; and you don’t even tell me who you like?”
“Tell me, is it G-Dragon? It is, isn’t it? Does he know?”
“Stop it!” she yelled suddenly. “You’re not my older brother, I don’t have to explain anything to you, least of all my relationship status!”
WooYoung pulled back, hurt.
“I…don’t like this. I don’t like it at all. What if he hurts you?” he mumbled quietly.
“He’s a good guy. You don’t even know him! Actually, you’re really one to talk. I saw you talking to that SooYoung girl. Do you see me interrogating you? No, you do not. Although…I do wonder what she asked you. But I didn’t ask, did I? No, I did not. And there’s a reason for that. Do you know what a private life is? No, you don’t. Because you don’t have one. A lot of people here don’t. All they do is broadcast their thoughts and feelings…”
Dara kept blabbering about random things as WooYoung looked on, his mind wandering.
It bothered him so much that she liked G-Dragon. G-Dragon didn’t deserve such a sweet, kind, funny girl to like him. But then again, what had he ever done to Woo that made him dislike him this much? Was it the fact that he was too Americanized?
That was ridiculous. There had to be another reason.
*
Later; nighttime
“Hey Junho?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No, chipmunk. I don’t really care much for girls. I mean, I do, but my future comes first. Besides, I haven’t met anyone I really like yet.”
“Oh….Do you have any close girl friends?”
“Some.”
“Would you ever like them?”
“I don’t know. I think it depends on the person. Some people can’t fall in love with people that they know too well, and others prefer it.”
“Ah…So it all depends on you.”
“Yes, WooYoung, thank you for that deep philosophical statement. Now shut up and go to sleep, both of you.”
“Easy for you to say, Khun. You’re like, the star of this school when it comes to looks, right there next to Taec.”
“And yet he doesn’t have a girlfriend.”
“You don’t either, Junho.”
“Meh.”
“Meh my ass. Go to sleep, both of you. Girls aren’t something you should dwell so much on, WooYoung. Because they might like other people and you wouldn’t want their crazy obnoxious dancer friends finding out, would you?”
“Now if only I wasn’t so out of the loop. What’s going on, Woo?”
“You’re mistaken, Nich. G’night, Junho.”
“Uh…”
“Ass.”
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