While You Were Sleeping

Chapter 1

"So, I was thinking to take him to that new sushi restaurant, you know, the one with the cute Koi pond in the middle," Do Hye Ji talked with the lightning speed that only she could do. Seri used to wonder how a woman so small could emanate so much energy from her words alone. "What do you think?"

"Are you sure? Sushi for a first date?" she frowned, "Don't you think it makes you look impatient? Like eating things raw?"

Do Hye Ji pouted over her friend's objection but pondered for a bit then she sighed her dejection.

"I guess you're right, besides, I don't even know if he likes sushi or not," she then added, "perhaps a date in a café would be safer. We can move to a restaurant if the coffee session turned out okay"

"That looks like a great plan," Seri smiled. She had learned a lifetime ago to be very strategic with her best friend in terms of giving her direction. While Do Hye Ji was the sweetest person she ever had a fortune of being around with, but she was also stubborn to a fault. Steering her indirectly and patiently towards her favorable direction was always the way to go.

Smiling brightly, Hye Ji then started to pick her belongings and gave Seri the key for the pharmacy. "Well, I'll be off then. Again, thank you for taking this night shift Seri-ah, and on Christmas eve no less. That part-timer can never be trusted" she pouted, referring to the part-timer they specifically hire to fill in the night-shift but bailed for second time this month alone.

"No worries, I've told you many times I'm fine with the night shifts," she then added, showing Hye Ji her Tab and the designs draft, "there were never many customer and I got the perfect time to work on my designs"

Hye Ji smiled at her closest and oldest friend. "And a certain hunk getting his weekly vitamin is also a plus, right?" her smile was getting wider when Seri blushed, "Don't you think it's time to introduce yourself already? It's been months since you pine on the unknown guy"

Seri rolled her eyes, "Come on, we don't live in the 90's, I have dug info about him," she then added, "It's just weird introducing yourself when you already know his favourite condom brand and tooth floss"

Hye Ji laughed and shook her head. Her friend is a very pretty girl, but her self-confidence wasn't even half of a woman half as pretty and well-dressed as she was. That was why she was never that lucky in guys and in general dating area.

"Well, take it your way then, I have to go. If I wake up late tomorrow my mom would chew my head off with her passive-aggressive comments on how NO-ONE helped her preparing Christmas breakfast," she smiled, then added, "You're coming for lunch, right?"

"Sure, I'll bring your Appa's favorite Soju and grilled squid, as usual" Seri waved as Hye Ji commented, "That's why you're his favorite" and stuck her tongue while walking out of the store. Seri waved and smiled to her best friend until she was out of sight. Sighing, she looked at the sketch book she opened earlier and scanned the content. She was still a long way to go from completing the first draft and decided to utilize the silence and emptiness of the store to concentrate on her works.

~

It was almost 1.30 AM when the bell above the store door opened, and Seri was awoken from her short nap and greeted her practiced-welcome to the customer. Her breath was hitched when she saw it was none other than that specific hunk Hye Ji was referring to earlier. He smiled warmly to Seri before going straight into cold drinks sections and scanned the content.

Seri hastily rearranged her hair into somewhat less messy than its current state and subtly applied her tinted lip balm. She eyed the man moved to the ready to eat section and grabbed a couple of cold sandwiches. He brought the items to the cashier and Seri slowly scanned the item one by one.