Best friend | Lizrei

Chapter 5 - The name 'Liz' (past)

6 July 2021 (5 months earlier)

Rei

A few minutes away from the apartment complex, we realised we had no idea where we were going. "Wait, where is this café anyways?"

Jiwon looked at her phone. "Minju-unnie said their was a café nearby. Apparently Hyewon-unnie owns it"

We followed the directions of the map. It didn't take long before we got to the destination. A ding rang as soon as we entered the café.

"Oh Jiwon-ah!" A girl at the counter called out. Jiwon waved with a smile so I waved too.

Jiwon lead me to the girl and introduced me. "Rei, you've met Minju-unnie right?"

"Yeah I have. Nice to see you again" I smiled politely to her.

"This is Hyewon-unnie, she owns this place with her wife Eunbi-unnie" Minju-unnie teased, making the café owner look at her in disbelief.

"Yah! We're not married" She fought back.

"Okay unnie, we'll just sit over there"

We sat at a two-person table by the window, the menus already there. As I read the menu, I sensed that Jiwon was staring at me.

"What? Is there on my face?" I asked, putting my hand over my mouth.

She giggled, showing her cute smile and that dimple that everyone adores. "No, I'm just admiring how fluent you are now. Before, you always asked if you were reading it right and now you don't"

"Well, you helped me a lot so if it weren't for you, then I wouldn't be as fluent in Korean as I am now" She seemed to have dozed off so I continued to read the menu.

"Kim Rei"

I looked up at her, confused. "Kim Rei?"

"Yeah that should be your nickname because you're so fluent now" She smiled so innocently.

Liz

"Liz"

My head shot up after she spoke. I looked at her in confusion.

"Your nickname should be Liz. You mentioned once that your English name is Elizabeth right? But no one really calls you that so.. Liz"

"Hmm.. Liz.. I like it"

"Jiwon?"

Rei and I turned our head in sync to the owner of the voice. It was Wonyoung and Hyunseo.

"Oh Wonyoung, Hyunseo. What are you guys doing here?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm friends with Minju-unnie and Hyewon-unnie. I come here quite often and I've never seen you two here"

"Our first time here, Minju-unnie actually recommended this place. Rei, this is Wonyoung and Hyunseo. Wonyoung and Hyunseo, this is Rei" I introduced them.

"I've seen Wonyoung in school but I haven't seen Hyunseo. What year are you in?" Rei asks. I glance at the two girls with a smile.

"I'm in my second year.." Hyunseo says without finishing her sentence. "Of middle school"

Rei widens her eyes "Ehh???"

We laugh at Rei's reaction, which honestly predicable since this always happens. Wonyoung and Hyunseo left to sit at their own table.

❁

After finishing our breakfast, we headed to a park near our apartment. As soon as we got there, Rei ran to the swings like a little kid.

"Liz!! Hurry!" She shouted out to me as I smiled but I didn't walk any faster.

"What do you want me to push you?" I said sarcastically.

Rei continued to swing her legs back and forth slowly, not going to high. "And?? What if I do?"

I sat on the swing next to her and she stopped swinging. "Hey, don't let anyone call you 'Liz' okay?"

"What do you mean?" I looked at her confused, tilting my head to the side slightly.

"It's just that, I don't want other people calling you 'Liz' when I'm the one who gave you that nickname. I want it to be something between us and only us, so no one else can call you that" She frowned cutely.

"Okay, I won't"

Her head went up instantly when she heard it. "Promise?"

I held out my pinky. "Promise" and she accepted.

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