The Perfect Life

This Time Around

"Wow, you came," Namjoo said as way of greeting.

"You called. I had to show up."

"I messaged," Namjoo corrected.

Sehun said nothing.

"You need something?" Namjoo asked. "I'll pay since I am in a good offering mood."

She had ordered herself a slice of pecan pie with a whipped topping. She was already halfway through. Beside her dish sat a mug of steaming tea. Not a coffee person. Interesting. He didn't like coffee either.

"I'll take a cup of tea."

"What kind?"

"Anything."

Namjoo left her seat and went up to the counter. In a few minutes she returned with a replica of her mug and slid it in front of him.

"You work around here?" he wondered.

"I started at a law firm nearby."

There were three in the district. Dikaion Law Group; S&K, LLP; and Young & Kim.

"You're a lawyer?" Sehun asked surprised.

"I wish."

He pondered her answer for a minute. "You're not?"

"Of course not. I'm a legal assistant," Namjoo replied. "You should be relieved."

"I guess I should be," he said for humor.

Namjoo glanced at her watch. "Sadly, I didn't call you here to chat. Your friend talk to you?"

"I heard." He said. "About a picnic."

"It's a picnic?" Namjoo repeated with a hint of disgust.

"Why?"

"If you won't show up, I won't show up."

"I already said we would carpool there."

"Then don't."

"Why?"

"Call him and tell him you'll go there separately, but don't show up." Namjoo ordered.

"That's...kind of rude."

"Of course not," Namjoo said with all innocence about her. "They're a couple after all. You really want to intrude on them being lovey-dovey. They only want us there to boost their ego that they're such a lovely couple."

"You really think that?"

"I know so." Namjoo sounded confident. He didn't know what to say. Suddenly she seemed like the opposite person she had been to him so far. She didn't want to support her friend's relationship? If Sunu needed him he would be there for him.

"Ok?" Namjoo said as way of ending their conversation. Grabbing her mug, she took a long satisfying sip. Scooting her chair back she stood, "You can have the rest of my pie. I've got to run."

Like that she was out the door leaving him perplexed.

†††††

And then like that she could just tell Sohee that Sehun wasn't going to make it. Now there would be no chance of the friend trying to hook her up. Namjoo could end up third wheeling and leave early for the day.

Turned out Sehun wasn't bright enough.

Saturday morning, she watched him shuffle out of Sunu's blue SUV. When he looked her way, he seemed just as baffled. Lifting up the picnic basket, Namjoo followed Sohee.