The Hidden Treasure

~11~

Hyejin and Megan teamed up to tackle the closing chores and soon they were locking up the shop and walking down the darkened streets.

"Megan, stop bouncing as you walk. People are staring," laughed Hyejin. Her friend was almost walking on air after meeting her favorite K-Pop star of all time. She adjusted the strap of her bag and pushed some stray hair from her face.

"I can't help it, Hyejin," sang Megan excitedly. "I met V and discussed manga with him! You have no idea how incredibly awesome that is and how random?! Like, who would have thought...nevermind. I'm obsessively rambling." She giggled and put her arm through Hyejin's. She had been contemplating all night (except when she was almost completely mind blown with fangirl feels) exactly how she would bring up the subject of Namjoon and make it sound incredibly organic.

The two walked in amicable silence for a few steps before Megan stopped and acted like she was thinking hard. "Hey," she said.

Hyejin stopped and looked at her curiously. "Hm? Why did you stop?" She wondered why her friend's face was scrunched up in such a painful looking way.

"I was just remembering something," said Megan, sounding very strange to Hyejin.

"Was it something painful? Because frankly, you look like you're in pain."

"No, silly!" Megan laughed awkwardly and slowly started walking again. "I noticed you have your old class picture up on the wall. It's not even your senior class picture. Why?"

Hyejin shrugged. "I don't know." She wasn't sure why that picture was so dear to her. To be honest it had been her most interesting year of school. Her rival had kept it interesting, she had good teachers, and it was during that year that her love for reading had finally blossomed.

"Wasn't that one guy...oh what was his name..." Megan snapped her fingers as if that would bring the answer to her mind much quicker. "You know that guy you used to compete with for top spot in school?" Megan again looked like she was in some incredible pain trying to remember the boy's name.

"Kim Namjoon?" Hyejin looked a bit puzzled as to why her friend would bring up someone she had only probably mentioned once or twice to her and who knows how long ago that conversation might have been.

"Yeah! That's him! Whatever happened to him?" Megan looked at her with great interest and Hyejin began to feel a bit weirded out.

"I don't know? Why are you bringing him up? That seems so random, Megan." She laughed and wondered when her friend got so weird.

"I guess seeing him in that picture reminded me." It was at that moment Megan realized she had messed up.

It was Hyejin's turn to stop walking. "Wait a minute," she said with narrowed eyes. She eyed her friend suspiciously. "I know you've heard his name, but I don't think you've ever seen his face. How would you know who he is?"

Megan pretended to get choked on some invisible something and grabbed Hyejin's arms to drag her into a nearby convenience store in hopes of distracting her. "I need a drink of something, Hyejin! I haven't got my currency converted yet so be a good friend and buy me something, hm?" She pouted cutely and Hyejin laughed, ending up forgetting what they had been talking about and bought her friend a soda.

Megan let out a sigh of relief as her friend paid for her drink. Dodged that bullet.

The two girls left the convenience store and headed home to Hyejin's apartment.

Hyejin put in the door code and opened the door, kicking off her shoes in the entry way. "Remind me to give you the key code so you can come and go as you please during your stay." She hung up her jacket and bag.