Substitute Soulmate

The Same

"So, Sehun, do you live alone?" Chohee asked.

"I do."

"Isn't that just great," Chohee winked at Mina.

"Stop it," Mina warned.

Sehun glanced at Mina then asked, "Do you two perform with Mina?"

"We're all a part of the same group," Chohee replied.

"That's right!" Jun clapped his hands together then pointed a finger at him. "I thought you looked familiar. You were downtown when we were doing a flash mob. I remember seeing you with your girlfriend."

"What?" Chohee frowned at her boyfriend for saying something so incredulous.

Looking at his girlfriend, Jun explained, "They were with a dog. I saw them in the front."

"That's not his girlfriend," Mina stated hotly.

"Oh, she's not?" Jun looked at Sehun questioningly. "Then who is she?"

Sehun stared at the tabletop. He didn't want to be sitting with these people he didn't know. They seemed two or three years too young for him. Unable to share the same mindset.

"That's my sister-in-law," Mina exclaimed.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry," Jun apologized. "Geez, I didn't know. I thought your sister-in-law would have moved away after your brother...never mind. Forget it. I shouldn't have opened my mouth." He earned a slap on the arm from his girlfriend.

"Forget it, Mina," Chohee coaxed. "Jun's just an idiot."

"If she married into our family, she's forever in our family," Mina glared. "She can never betray my brother." Shoving her chair back she stood, "I'm going to the bathroom."

Sehun watched Mina stomp off feeling dejected himself. If Namjoo could never stop thinking about Yeol and his family, who could he ever be to her?

¤¤¤¤¤

"Here," Haneul handed Namjoo a sandwich. They were meeting outside of Haneul's work place, a small shopping mall. The friend had been able to snatch an early break thanks to another co-worker. After the call the best friend had quickly ordered food and drinks and waited for Namjoo to arrive.

"I haven't called lately. How's it going?" Namjoo asked taking a bite of the food. "Some fries would be nice."

"Hey, you called with a short notice," Haneul reminded. "And it's same old stuff. My house is leaking, so I've been complaining to the landlord. God, that old man is awful."

"I thought you were moving," Namjoo said.

"Not yet. Bills, you know how it goes."

"I know too well," Namjoo smiled.

"So," Haneul glanced at her, "you called all of a sudden. Something wrong?"

Haneul had spent the most time with her since Yeol died. If Namjoo was suffering the friend could guess it. Everyone had been too occupied in their own shambles, so Namjoo had shed tears with her friend.

"My mom thinks it's time for me to move on," Namjoo stared at the bricked ground. "She set me up with one of our neighborhood neighbor's son."

"Oh," Haneul murmured. "And?"

"He talked about marriage, a honeymoon, and a baby," Namjoo grumbled still angry over it. "Obviously I'm the last resort for him."

"Oh geez," Haneul sympathized. "Well I'm guessing it didn't go so well on your part."