Zoa looks down at the phone on her vanity table when the screen lights up, showing a row of incoming messages from none other than her best friend Monday.
“Where are you? You’re still coming, right? You’re not backing out on us, right? ZOA? Hyewonie? Hyewon? Jo Hyewon Hyewon!!!”
She can’t help but roll her eyes as she turns off the dryer and grabs the noisy device.
“Shut up!” she types, adding an angry sticker and that of a cartoon character slapping its friend. “I’m still at home getting ready and I still have an hour so BE QUIET!”
“I just want to make sure that you’re not chickening out.”
“Why would I?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you’re scared and anxious to meet Jihan again?”
“It’s going to be awkward but I’m not afraid or anxious.”
“Good. Continue then. I will bother you again in twenty minutes.”
“I will turn off my phone.”
“Do that and this friendship is OVER!”
“Nosy ahjumma!”
“You’ll thank me one day.”
Shaking her head, Zoa roughly places her phone on the table before resuming drying her hair, now feeling slightly annoyed by her friend.
Exactly twenty minutes later, right before she starts her car, her phone signals another incoming message from Monday.
“It’s been 20 minutes! Where are you? Have you left? Traffic’s gonna be jammed so leave on time. Don’t be late.”
“OMG please just shut up!” replies Zoa, frowning at her phone while pressing the letters on her screen a lot harder than usual. “I’m on my way!”
“I was just being a great friend and reminder! Hurry up!”
Zoa sighs, drops the phone in her bag starts to drive. She tries to be patient for as much as she can in the congested city roads, tapping the steering wheel and checking the time every now and then. Her little anxiety is not caused by what Monday said about not being late but deep down, she’s quite excited to meet Jihan again thanks to all the reminiscing she’s been doing for the past couple of weeks.
She arrives ten minutes late at the restaurant her friends have chosen and gives her keys to the valet as she swiftly fixes her hair and sweater.
The waitress shows her to the table where three young women are sitting, talking while browsing through the menu.
“Hi. Sorry I’m late,” she says as she pulls out the empty chair next to Monday, right across from Jihan who looks at her with a small, shy smile on her face.
But before Zoa could react, Jiyoon has greeted her cheerfully, saying how wonderful she looks and how long it’s been since they last saw each other.
The red-haired girl sits down and soon the four of them are chatting away in a relaxed atmosphere, catching up on each other’s lives while exchanging gossip about their old classmates and teachers.
Two hours fly by and if it weren’t for Jiyoon's ringing phone, none of them would’ve realized what time it is.
“Whoops! I need to run or I’m going to be late,” Jiyoon says as she quickly unlocks her phone to send a message while gesturing to the waiter for the bill with her other hand.
“Running late? You still have another appointment at this hour?” asks Zoa.
The short-haired girl nods. “It’s for my upcoming drama. The main actor is super busy and can only meet for reading late at night, after his schedules are over.”
