"The rain fell, so you don't have to worry." /Youjin/

Chapter 8

[Friday night]

Eunbin was super excited for her date tomorrow with Inhae. She was planning her outfits and making mess in her flat. Snacks were here and there. When she got excited nothing could stop her from snacking. Loud music was heard too. One of the rappers in Inhae's bands released a mixtape and she got one. Not that she was into hiphop, but more like it's a way to get closer to Inhae. She wanted to know what kind of world he dealt with. But her small party was cut off when her door was knocked hardly.

"Who is it?" She yelled.

"Blinddating master. My blinddate got cancelled. Hurry open this door!"

Eunbin rolled her eyes and turned off the music. She opened the door and saw Yeeun with a pack of six beers in her right hand and an unidentified black plastic bag in her left hand. Whatever in it, Eunbin was sure it's food.

"Ta-daaah~" Yeeun waved her two full hands in front of Eunbin's face. She walked inside and saw the messy flat. "Did tornado fly around here or something?"

Eunbin realised there was no space for her and Yeeun to sit on the floor. She kicked her stuffs here and there to make space. "Kind of. Have you closed the door?"

Yeeun put down her stuffs. "I have." She hadn't. The door was not completely closed and Eunbin was too busy to see that.

"So, what should I wear tomorrow? Any idea?" Eunbin sat down and tried to check that unidentified plastic bag. Yeeun slapped her hand.

"Owner's first." She took out the food from the plastic bag. It was seasoned chicken feet. "Bought this in that market near my high school."

Eunbin quickly took the chopsticks. "Whoa! It's been a long time then. This chicken feet tastes the best."

Yeeun nodded in satisfaction. She took one chicken foot and started eating it. They talked and talked over chicken foot and beer, from paintings to those full-makeup girls in the studio. Eunbin took a glass of water with her since she couldn't drink even with small percentage of alcohol. She had such a weak liver.

"Don't wear jeans, just saying."

"What?" Eunbin took one chicken foot.

"Your date. Don't wear jeans."

Yeeun's voice was so loud that Youjin stopped his hand from opening his flat door. He was just arrived and saw that Eunbin's door wasn't completely closed. He was contemplating whether to tell her to close her door or not.

"Wear comfortable and warm clothing. You know Inhae is more likely to be late, so you can wait without being uncomfortable with your outfit." Said Yeeun. "What time is it, tomorrow?"

"He said around 4," Eunbin gulped down her glass of water, "he told me to meet at that usual park."

Yeeun glanced at her friend. "Your alcohol tolerance is still weak, huh? It's only a..."

There was a loud bang on the flat door. It was closing.

"...beer."

Eunbin poked Yeeun's arm. "Ya! You didn't close the door?" She stood up and walked to the door. She peeked outside and no one was there. She went back to sit again. "Maybe it was wind."

Yeeun was being ignorant and ate another two chicken feet. She saw Eunbin's phone was lit up. "Your phone."

Eunbin took her phone on the floor and saw a text. From Youjin.

Youjin: 'Close your door properly.'

She fluttered her eyelids rapidly reading the texts.

"What is it?"

"I think it was him. He closed my door."

"Who..." Yeeun stopped her sentence and dropped her chopsticks. "He's home?? Wait, I'm not dressed properly."

"You really have a weird timing. It's almost 11 pm. He's maybe tired too." Eunbin started to clean up her messy room. "If you want to stay, help me tidy these mess."

Yeeun quickly got up, took the remaining beer cans and her bag. "No, thank you. I'll be going home then."

[Saturday afternoon]

Yeeun went to buy some new colour tubes as she ran out of viridian blue and was browsing another red shade for her painting. At the art supplies store, she got a text from Eunbin.

Eunbin: 'He said he's late. His earlier schedule was messed. Talk to me, I'm sleepy, I think I can sleep right here right now.'

Yeeun just sighed and knew this would happen again. She went to the till to pay her paints and took a moment outside the store to call Eunbin.

"I knew it! Don't sleep there, you'll scare the kids." Yeeun said. "I still have one other errand to be done. Want me to go there after I'm done? Just tell me if he has arrived or not."

Yeeun could hear that Eunbin's voice was very weak, indicating that she was very sleepy. She continued her errand so she ran to the next store, which was located a block away. She ran too fast to see someone was at the alley intersection. She bumped her head hard.

"I'm sorry. Is your head okay?" He said. "Eunbin's friend?"

Yeeun lifted her head and saw Youjin. It was him that she ran into. "I'm okay. A bit dizzy, but okay. I have to hurry so that I can finish my errands then meet Eunbin."

"What is it with Eunbin that you have to hurry?" Youjin asked out of curiosity.

"Her boyfriend is late again, and she's alone in the park right now." Yeeun quickly fixed her hair. "My name is Yeeun, you can call me that. Don't 'Eunbin's friend' me."

"Ah, sorry." Youjin nodded lightly. "Then you have to hurry. You can go first."

Yeeun excused herself and waved her hands to Youjin. She ran again.

[At the park]

The park was getting crowded with people since it was Saturday. From families with little kids to couples, they were enjoying the fresh air. Everyone was waiting for the sunset while Eunbin sat alone on one of the bench under the tree.

She texted Yeeun again to make sure.

Eunbin: 'He's not here yet.'

She yawned and yawned. Trying to focus on people around didn't help. She even got sleepier after seeing the kids who were running around with kites.

As if her eyelids were glued, she shut her eyes and started to sleep. She could sleep sitting down with her head down, swinging left and right.

After awhile, she felt someone sat next to her and placed her head on what appeared to be a broad shoulder. She was too sleepy to open her eyes so she continued her nap. Somehow she felt safe that she had no worries.