The Third Woman

Love?

How do you know he is the right one? This question popped up in Ri-Ta's head as she watched a couple fighting outside the window. Would she find the right person as well?

She sat in a lovely Café and waited for her best friend, Ji-Jeon. It was the last day before they would finally graduate from high school and would be university students. They would study, Party, and live like the young people she saw when she went home, sitting in a bar and drinking alcohol until they couldn't anymore. She was excited because, after tomorrow, she would finally be able to study what she always wanted to. Ri-Ta wanted to be a teacher. Ri-Ta was drinking her matcha chai latte when she looked up and saw her best friend, Ji-Jeon. As Ji-Jeon walked, waved to her, and called her name, the other people in the cafè were fascinated by her. Ji-Jeon was beautiful, and because she came from a wealthy, she would dress in expensive clothes, and everybody could see that she came from an affluent household.

On the other hand, Ri-Ta came from a poor household, but she tried her best not to show it, and Ji-Jeon didn't care about how she dressed. They had become best friends in their last year of High school. Ji-Jeon had spent her vacation in Spain and had brought souvenirs for all her classmates, but this was forbidden, and when the teacher saw that she had given every classmate gifts, she was scolded and had to clean the gym as a punishment. Ri-Ta had noticed that the teacher had taken away the gifts, but she hid her gift. She later gave Ji-Jeon her gift back when she was in the gym, but she didn't want it before, so Ri-Ta kept it and helped her clean the gym. Since that day, they have become best friends. Ji-Jeon had arrived at the table, and she began to speak: Ri-Ta, I have to tell you something. I have learned that my parents want me to study abroad to become a jewelry maker, so I have to look in Italy for a few years and fly to Italy tomorrow. Ri-Ta was heartbroken that her best friend wouldn't like being there when she began her studies at Seoul University. Still, she knew that Ji-Jeon's parents had many shops for jewelry, and her father was the CEO of a famous jewelry company. So, her parents had already decided that she would study abroad.

Ri-Ta knew that Ji-Jeon was sad about it, so she decided they should go shopping. Ri-Ta: Let's go. Ji-Jeon: Where? Ri-Ta: We are shopping since it is your last day in Seoul. We will have so much fun and stay in touch after you arrive in Italy. You can tell me how Italy is, and I can tell you how university life is here. So let's go. Ji-Jeon hugged Ri-Ta and was thankful that she knew how she felt. They stood up, left the Café, went towards the big street, and walked towards a shopping mall. They had so much fun. Ji-Jeon brought many things that would remind her of South Korea and Seoul.

When they arrived at a shoe shop, Ji-Jeon got new shoes, and when she saw that Ri-Ta looked at gorgeous shoes, she asked Ri-Ta: Do you want them? Mi-So: No, I can't wear high heels; I get nauseous when I wear them. Ji-Jeon: Try them on, please? Ri-Ta didn't want to, but Ji-Jeon had already asked a staff member of the shop if they could try on these shoes, so Ri-Ta didn't have a choice and wore them. They were perfect in every detail. The fabric of the boots was made out of blue satin, and the shoes' strap was made of Swarovski diamonds. Ri-Ta loved these shoes and knew they were expensive, but she didn't want Ji-Jeon to buy them so expensive.

Ji-Jeon knew that Ri-Ta loved them, and she wanted to give her these as her farewell present, but she knew that Ri-Ta wouldn't accept them. So she asked the staff member if she also had the same shoes in her size and wanted to buy the same ones so that Ri-Ta wouldn't know that she would also get these shoes as a present. The staff member returned to the warehouse, and she had the identical shoe again in Ji-Jeon's size. Ji-Jeon tried them on, and they were perfect. She then said: I will take them both. Ri-Ta:
Ji-Jeon, I can't accept this present, the shoes are way too expensive. Ji-Jeon: Ri-Ta, you are my best friend, and I know you love these shoes. And you can think of it as a farewell gift from me to you since we won't see each other for some years. Just accept it. She wore her shoes, stood up, and went to the cashier.