Secrets of Attraction

Twenty-Three: SUZY

"Consider this a yoga-vention, you need to go." Stephanie tugged on my foot.

"You can't miss my first class," Yoona said.

They both flopped down the the foot of my bed while I put a pillow over my head and screamed into it. It was forty-five minutes before class started and I had no interest in finding inner peace, no matter how bad I needed it. I'd broken the cold-shoulder routine with eomma and begged her to let me take a mental-health say from school - from life, really. Playing the I-just-found-out-who-my-father-is-and-he's-leaving card might have been a bit dirty, but she'd agreed on the condition that I put my portfolio together and attended yoga class that night, since it would be her first time assisting and she needed the moral support.

I'd finished my portfolio, but I was waffling on the class, which had more to do with being in the vicinity of Soop than anything else. I sat up and pleaded my case again.

"I don't know myself anymore. Why would I angry-kiss Joohyuk and pick a fight? I can't be trusted to be within ten miles of the boy."

"Come on, Soo, you're going through an insane amount of stuff, you're allowed to act a little crazy. And angry-kissing is kind of hot. I'm sure he got over it," Yoona said.

"Is that Yoona or Anna speaking?" I asked.

She blushed. "I'll never tell."

I flopped back down onto my pillow and stared at the ceiling. They were breaking me down about yoga, but there was something else I hadn't told them - something that had me even more unsettled than my father leaving or the whole Joohyuk situation. After I'd put together my portfolio, I researched summer programs in the city. I'd been doing it for fun, on the off chance that there was something interesting.

The tuition was ridiculous and it involved transcripts and letters of recommendation and it was totally, totally insane, and I hadn't even bookmarked it or anything.

And yet I couldn't stop thinking about it.

That would be an experience. It wasn't much more than New York. And Juhoon had offered to pay for New York. I could do the father thing with him and eomma could live her yoga without me underfoot for a while. It could be a win-win situation all around. Maybe she could even come out and visit and we could fly home together. Could he handle living with me under the same roof for a month? Could eomma?

"So you got jealous, and had a pissed-off make-out sesh. You're human. And you both promised me celebratory coffees, so I'm holding you to that. Besides, you have to wish Joohyuk good luck, or break a leg, or whatever it is you say to someone before a battle," Stephanie said.

She stood up and rummaged through my dresser, pulling out my favorite pair of yoga pants - the ones with the daisies up the side that made me smile every time I was in a downward dog. She tossed them over to me and they landed on my head, one leg draped over my face. I grabbed them and playfully narrowed my eyes at her.

"If that's not enough to convince you, I saw on the calendar that Haein is focusing on inversions tonight. Which means his shirt will be flipping a lot. Which means a one-way ticket to abtopia."

"Does Jisoo know you lust after Haein?" Yoona asked.

"I don't lust after him. I'm just admiring the view."

"Yes, every time Stephanie catches a glimpse of Haein half-naked she thanks the universe for creating such perfection," I said. Maybe going to class to drool over Haein's abs would be a good start on the road back to normal. It wouldn't be the worst way to spend an hour.

"Right. As long as he doesn't assist me, I'm fine."

"Then she turns into a melting lust puppy."