NARRATOR
"Hello!" Waving her hand, she said, "I am Iseul Kang. Just your average high school student. Very average. About almost everything. Ah… what else?". She looks up and looks straight again. "Nah! Only this much."
As she spoke, some passersby gave her who-is-this-crackhead look and whispered among themselves. One was like, "Why is she wavin' in mid-air? Is she mad or wha?" Then this child was like, "Mama, who is she talking to?". "Don't look there, darling." The mother covered her child's eyes and hushed, "She is not sane."
"Jesus Christ!
[Not again!]
"Whatever, let's get back to the topic. So, my best friend Joonwoo Han suggested we go out today to cheer me up. Don't get it twisted. We are f.r.i.e.n.d.s. Get that shit inside your head. I am wearing such pretty clothes, waiting for him? Nah! For myself. To cheer myself up!" she said with courtesy. "I know he would say this is a date, but it's not, and I will act like I don't care."
"Shall we start our date?"Joonwoo strokes his newly cut hair.
"Knew this!", she thought to herself and shouted, "Not a date!"
Just as she said that, her stomach rumbled.
"Let's eat then. You gave me the answer yourself."
They had street food and then went to the amusement park. They took pictures in the booths and interacted with men cosplaying different characters. Sometimes Joonwoo suffered from motion sickness, and most of the time, Iseul ran around like a kid.
"Today was a blast!" she said as she got off the dragon ride after riding it for the fifth time, while Joonwoo's wallet was exhausted already.
"Wait here! You ain't getting another coin off this guy". Joonwoo ran toward the ice cream store and came out with two chocolate ice creams. " For you. Chocolate. Right?", he asked before handing it over.
"Right", she said, licking the ice cream right away.
[How romantic…]
"No more rides," Joonwoon said as he wiped the little drop of ice cream off Iseul's face.
"You did not see my new house. Want to check it out then?".
Joonwoo acted as if he was hesitating, "I mean it's... umm... too ear-"
"Hey! Hey!" she cut through, "I am also calling Sooyeon. Don't get the wrong idea!"
He burst into laughter. "Teasing you surely is fun."
They walked together to Iseul's house. When they reached, Joonwoo started looking around and was somewhat impressed. The house was smaller than a villa, full of paintings, statues, and lamps.
"I texted Sooyeon there." Iseul looks down at her phone, "She will be here any-"
Suddenly, the bell rang and both of them looked at the door.
"Speak of the devil," Joonwoo remarked.
Iseul walked towards the door and replied, "She will live for a thousand years," as she opened the door.
Sooyeon arrived breathlessly, "Reporting for duty, huff… huff… Captain!"
Sooyeon has been Iseul's soul sister since childhood. They went on vacations together, had sleepovers, and have been in the same preschool, middle school, and even high school now. She is like so smart and bright that she can pass her exams with flying colours even without studying. She is somewhat short-haired, dark brown; she looks a bit darker than usual, perhaps because of her trip to Hawaii with her family. She wore a hoodie and a pair of joggers with a cap. Her hair under the cap was in a mess, and she was sweating.
"At ease, Lieutenant! Did you come here running?!"
Sooyeon scratched her head and then nodded.
She noticed Joonwoo at the back, and he waved at her. She got frustrated and ran into the room.
Iseul closed the door, but it got stuck. A beautiful hand opened the door.
"Won't let me in?" asked a person who was older than the three of them and half a head taller than Joonwoo, who was already a head taller than both Iseul and Sooyeon. He was leaning on the jamb, huffing.
Haejun is a charismatic and popular sophomore at the same high school and is also Sooyeon's elder brother. He is the heir to a company. He wore a track jacket over a tank top and track pants. His hair, just like Sooyeon's, was a mess. However, it still looked perfect with his handsome face and lean, muscular body.
"Oh, Marshal! You are here too?" Iseul looked a bit frustrated.
"Will I be entertained outside the door?!" he leaned towards her.
She gestured her hand inside the room, and Haejun, with a friendly smirk, walked inside without looking away from Iseul. He looks around between conversations and says that he likes it, though he owns a few like this thanks to his luck as an heir to a big company.
"We can explore the house 'cuz I haven't yet.", replied Iseul.
"Wait! I just remembered the big news," burst Joonwoo.
"No no no", hissed Iseul
"Hmm…", he had a smug look on his face and winked wickedly at Iseul.
"What is it?" Sooyeon asked curiously, looking at both of them.
"We went… For an… Outing… Hey stop! Casually.", Iseul said while muffling Joonwoo. Joonwoo, breaking free, shouted while raising both of his hands up in the air, "It's a date!" Iseul pulled his hair. So did he. "I don't even like you", said Iseul, disgusted, while shaking his head with his hair, and they started fighting again.
While everyone was focused on the fight, someone's expression changed to bewilderment.