Translation of Love

22

Double

"Let's go on a double date." Koko's face lights up, her big teeth poking through her full, pink lips. We're walking together to Korean class.

"Huh?" I'm really not into this idea.

"You said they know each other, that means it won't be awkward."

"So...?"

"So, let's do the cute shit people do when they're in relationships."

I snort at Koko. "Doesn't mean we have to do what they do."

She hits my arm. "Come on loser, you said this is your first real relationship. You're going to regret it someday if you do skip out on the cliche shit.

I sigh, looking at her excited face. We take a seat inside the classroom. The teacher is writing out sentences on the board already.

"Fine," I mutter. She hugs me, pinching my cheeks after. "Can people please stop doing this to me?"

"Not our fault you're cute when you're mad." She pokes my cheeks and I glare at her.

"Can one person come up here and translate these sentences into English?" The whole class goes silent and eventually, everyone looks at me expectantly.

Man people are really pissing me off today.

I sigh and get up, quickly writing out the translations on the whiteboard. I guess the two years I lived in Korea as a baby are paying off because I am learning everything a lot quicker than the others—as if the language I was storing into my absorbent, infant brain was finally being dusted off and put to use. Either that or Taeyoung's an exceptional teacher. Or everyone just sucks.

"Can someone other than Sohee do this next time?" The professor says this and the class mumbles in response.

. . .

The next day I'm in Koko's room, sitting down on her bed as she runs an eyeshadow brush over my eyelids. Today is basically make Koko happy day. Not only was I going on a double date with her, but I agreed to let her do my makeup.

"Jesus, your eyelids are way too big and, like, saggy?"

I snort, "Thanks for calling my eyes fat."

"Sorry, I've just never done makeup on double eyelids. There's so much extra skin I don't know what to do with." She laughs in my face, her breath smelling of the strawberry candies she stocks up on.

She leans back, looking at my eyes and holding the brush as if she is painting a masterpiece. "Can you stop frowning for like one second?"

I put on a big fake smile for a second, then let it drop back down again.

"Why am I friends with you again?" She asks me, moving onto eyeliner.

"Because you love me," I respond in a monotonous voice.

"Eesh, I hope you're not like this around Taeyoung."

My heart beats faster at the mention of him. "Luckily Taeyoung doesn't force me to do things I don't want to do."

"You said yes to this."

"Whatever," I mutter. She almost pokes my eye out when doing my mascara, so I snatch the wand from her hand and do that part myself.

"Your eyelashes are way too long girl what the hell."

"Sorry?"

"Maybe I'm just jealous."