Plus One | Yanan Spin-Off ✔️

Chapter 3

chapter 3 || fitting

     Yanan was helping his mother bake the second batch of donuts for her new business when the doorbell rang. "Yanan, go get the door." She said as she pushed the tray of doughs into the oven. He walked towards the door and opened it, thinking maybe his father returned from work earlier than usualㅡbut found Elkie instead.

     "Yanan!" She called with a slight frown on her face and then she stopped to look at him and bursted out laughing. "Is that a  new look? What kind of face powder did you use? You look like you're ready to star in the next The Grudge movie."

     He shot her a glare but Elkie couldn't stop laughing. Yanan's blond hair was tied in a bun. His face got dust of white flour andㅡhe's wearing a bright pink apron. He rubbed his face consciously. "Why are you here?" He asked her anyway, letting her inside.

      She was still laughing when she said hello to his mom. "Yanan looks so funny." She told her.

     "He gave me a hand in baking." His mom said grinning fondly at Elkie.

     "Oooh, what a good son!" Elkie said, looking at Yanan teasingly. She sat behind the kitchen island.

      "Grab some donuts and tell me if they're perfect." His mom said.

     Elkie quickly grabbed one freshly baked donut and took a bite. She spent the next minute quietly munching. "Hm. It's perfect. I love the buttery taste! Everything you make is just perfect. How do you even manage to do that?" She asked his mom who smiled in satisfaction.

     "Aiyoo, you flatter me. I still need to decorate them though."

     "Let me help you." Elkie volunteered. "I'm pretty good at designing!"

     "Alright, alrightㅡif you're not busy."

     "But why did you come here? Just to eat donuts?" Yanan asked, sitting beside her and grabbing tools to help design the donuts.

     "I smelled the donuts all the way from my apartment." Elkie said grinning, "Just kidding. I have a problem. You have to help me."

     "What is it?"

     "Come with me after this. I have to shop for a dress. I've been invited to the acquaintance party of this film project!"

     "What! Seriously?"

     "It's like they know that the movie will be a blockbuster because they are having a pre-celebration. And huge celebrities would be there! I have to look the part, you know. Imagine bumping into Gong Yoo while looking like a sack of potato."

     "Gong Yoo is Korean! Why is he there?"

     "Oh, didn't I mention it? The movie will feature actors from different asian countries. Gong Yoo as Korea's rep." Elkie explained and then gasped, "Or what if I run into Kris Wu? Ohmygod. I can't breathe. I can't breathe."

     Yanan frowned, nudging her arm with his elbow. "You're going alone?"

     "Of course not! You're going with me, right? You're my plus-one." She said nonchalantly.

     He suddenly remembered freshman year when there was a dance called 1,000 Nights. Everyone was required to attend for extra-curricular grading. Yanan wasn't planning to attend but Elkie convinced him that it's once in a lifetime chance.

     "Come on, Yanan, in a thousand days, we'll be off college and we might never get a chance like this again."

     "It's just a stupid dance where everyone else brags about having a date."

     "So? You can brag too. I'll be your plus-one. I'll try to look gorgeous for you." She said, wiggling her eyebrows goofily.

     Yanan broke into a smile. "How can you look gorgeous when you're like that?"

     "Do not underestimateㅡthe power of makeup." She said and they both laughed.

     "Fine. I'll go since you look like you really want to."

     "That's what I'm talking about. Stop sulking. Start partying. This is college!"

     Elkie pulled him out of his reverie. "Hey! Are you listening to me?"

     "You know I hate dances."

     "Oh, come on, please? You get to see celebrities here. What if you meet Baifern there?"

     Yanan's eyes widened. "She'd be there?"

     "She's in the cast, but I don't know if she'd attend the event. But if she does, you'll definitely miss her by not coming with me."

     Elkie named a few more actors from different parts of Asia, each name Yanan recognized since they both made it a habit to watch films from different countriesㅡsince, well, they studied fine arts and majored in filmmaking. They're both interested in the different ways of filming different countries do. "Or you might meet Ady An! You love Ady An!" She continued to try to convince him.

     The corner of his lips turned up as he filled the top of the donut with a blue frosting. "Fine. I'll go."

     "Yeees! You're the best."

•

     Elkie took a deep breath inside the fitting room. She's wearing a long, lacy red dress; sleeveless and embroided with some beads, tight from her chest all the way to her hips and then loose underneath. Her heart was hammering inside her chest at the fact that Yanan was waiting for her outside the fitting room. He'd rejected three dresses. Would he reject this one too?

     She opened the door and found him still seated on the couch, fumbling on his phone. She cleared her throat. "Yanan,"

     Yanan looked up immediately, his phone dropping along his jaw. Elkie hid a smile. "Whoa," He muttered, eyes wide.

     She raised an eyebrow, "So?"

     He cleared his throat, face heating up. "Yeah, that's the dress. You look like an actual lady!" he said grinning.

     "What was I before then?"

    "A sack of... potato?"

     "Just shut up." she said before closing the fitting room to change into her ordinary clothes.

     Yanan could finally breathe again.