In the realm of dreams

Part 9 - Day after Sports day

Baek Yoona

My cousin Soomi came over on Saturday morning. She was going to spend the weekend with me. Soomi was a year younger than me and effortlessly glamourous with her luscious hair and glass skin. But she still put enormous effort on her looks. She was used to being the centre of attention wherever she went and she enjoyed every bit of it. She already knew she wanted to be a make-up artist when she grew up and was my go-to person to seek advice on all things beauty and fashion.

We spent the morning catching up on each other's lives and eating pastries in bed. She told me about her latest break-up. Her boyfriend of four weeks – a medium-term relationship in her books – had broken up with her because he felt threatened by all the male attention she attracted.

'I mean it's not like I can tell the boys not to look at me, can I?' She didn't seem particularly heart-broken, a serial dater since middle-school Soomi went through boyfriends faster than bees went through flowers.

Our group chat was flaring up on my phone.

'We need to celebrate Yoona's double first-place' – Soobin

'Yes, let's go for dinner.' - Jisung

'We will have double dinner  - one for each medal Yoona got' – Soobin

'I vote for noodles and BBQ' – Jisung

'How about friend chicken' – Soobin

'That's not really a celebration food' - Jisung

'@Yoona, how is the ankle?' – Sooho

'Yes, how are you feeling now'? – Soobin

'I am better now. Been icing and resting my foot' – ME

'Can you come out to dinner with us?' - Soobin

'Dinner Dinner' – Jisung

'Erm....my cousin is here to visit. Can I bring her along?' - ME

'Of course, bring her. More the merrier!' - Soobin

'How old is your cousin? Yippeo?' – Jisung

'Shut up, @Jisung' –Soobin

'Banjang, Yoona what's your preference for dinner?'

'Noodles' – ME

'Noodles' – Sooho.

'Ooooo – okay, noodles it is then' – Soobin.

Soomi got really excited when I told her we were meeting my friends for dinner.

'Do you have any hot guy friends? Or are they all nerds?' she asked.

'Erm....they are kinda nerdy I guess'. Sooho was hot in his brooding, nerdy but secretly sporty way. Broad-chested, intelligent eyes hidden behind his glasses with thick, glossy hair. But I wasn't about to tell my cousin that. She might think I find nerds hot. Or worse she might become interested in Sooho.

'Oh. Never mind. At least let me doll you up for your celebratory dinner. I have been dying to replicate this hairstyle Jisoo did at the Houston concert. Your long hair is perfect for it'. She showed me a photograph of said hairstyle.

'Well obviously Jisoo can pull it off, but I am not sure about doing it myself'.

'You just need to dress up a little. Don't worry I have brought the perfect dress for tonight.' Of course she has. My cousin was ever so prepared.

I resigned myself to my cousin's thorough beauty regime and succumbed to her fashion advice. She spent ages doing up my hair. I had to admit it was something totally different to what I was used to. And it looked good.