You Wonderful You [[Hiatus]]

Never Mind

The shop's walls were glossy and white. It looked to have dancing lights behind them, changing colors with the music that played from the speakers overhead. The inside was dim. The wall lights and the spotlights shining down on the displays brought a relaxed ambience. It was like a club and a museum in one. On one side of the store was the clerk's desk and a comfortable waiting area. On the other, were multiple displays of phones and phone cases. Juna left the low end streets on the outskirts of Gwangju two whole years ago. She still marveled at how modern and luxurious a simple phone shop was made to look in highly populated city areas.

She walked over to one of the displays. A recent version of her current phone sat glimmering in the warm spotlights above. She picked it up, admiring all sides of the slim, wide design. It was beautiful. She'd had hers for the past six years. It suffered a few scratches but it still worked as she needed.

"Are you gonna get it?"

Juna looked as another woman around her age appeared at her side. Min Joo, her childhood friend. The two had reconnected when Juna moved to Seoul. A year ago, they both put their money together to afford a bigger apartment they could share.

Juna shook her head. "No."

"Really?" Min Joo's eyelashes fluttered under her brown bangs. "Even now? It's about time for a new one don't you think?"

"I think about it, but mine works just fine. There are more important things I could spend money on besides replacing things that aren't broken." She carefully places the phone back on its stand.

Min Joo's face scrunched up, "ah, you're seriously still frugal after all this time. It's not bad to get yourself something once in a while, you know." Her friend paused until she saw something. "See?"

Juna followed her gaze to one of the TV monitors. A music video of the most famous K-Pop group was playing. She hadn't watched many of their music videos before, but she could see why they were so popular. The colors in the video alone pulled your attention. The tune was catchy. The choreography was vigorous and executed perfectly. And, of course they were all good looking. However, their sparkling good looks did make her feel like she lacked femininity in comparison. She frowned down at her oversized street wear.

"You work for a successful company that brought the world those flower boys!"

"I type and email documents at a desk all day." Juna answered lifelessly.

Min Joo wagged her finger, "for a successful company though." The two chuckled.

"What's this? Old maidens drooling up at a bunch of idols. Jeez, that's so pathetic." Someone scoffed from behind. The two women turned to find their third in company. Kyung Soo, Min Joo's cousin and Juna's childhood nemesis turned friend as of a year ago.

"Ya! Who are you calling old maidens, huh?" Min Joo complained as Juna threw playful jabs at him.

The man hopped backwards, "ya! Ya! Ya! I'm holding expensive stuff, stop!" Juna stopped and laughed at his high maintenance. "Can you honestly call yourself a woman?" He whined.

Min Joo embraced her friend. "Cheong Kyung Soo, watch it! Remember who saved your cousin from those rotten bullies in elementary while you just stood by and cried. Can you call yourself a man?"

"That was when we were kids!"

Juna smiled slyly. "Nothing's changed then," she and Min Joo laughed. The lonely male muttered something the others couldn't hear. Just then Juna felt her stomach growl. "Come on, let's get going. I'm hungry."

Min Joo agreed. "Kyung Soo, open the door."

"Why me? I'm holding more things."

"We already established you weren't a man. Are you also not a gentleman?" Min Joo challenged him with big, scary eyes.

The man scoffed in disbelief. "I need to stop hanging out with you two," he mumbled before pushing the door open using his back. Juna glanced at the TV once more. The last image being a close up of a handsome blue haired idol who bit his lip before giving a cute smile. She scoffed as she walked out the door.

The three friends sat at a small booth in a Ramen shop. The large window next to them gave a view of the passersby of the busy street outside. Much to her relief, it was nice and quiet inside, aside from the hushed tones of conversation throughout the shop. Juna was glad to have gone out today. Her current job was quite dull most of the time. As she doesn't do much besides sit at a desk. However, she did want something opposite of her life in her hometown. That's exactly what she got, so she couldn't complain. Especially when it practically fell in her lap. Thanks to her godmother.

The cousins bickered as they compared their hard work with the other. The two were very competitive. Juna was the only one still eating. Her eyes often entranced in the comings and goings outside as her mouth chewed. It was strange. She wanted a job that wasn't too social, yet she couldn't help but find it intriguing to watch people. People here were different than those back in Gwangju, even though she barely left the street she and her family lived on. It was a wonder how she was able to gather any courage at all to accept the opportunity to work in Seoul.

Suddenly she felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her hoodie. Juna set her chopsticks down and whipped out her phone. Ah? Speaking of god mother. It's Myung Hee. She tapped her screen to view the text message but seemed even more confused.

Say you'll accept! You'd be doing me a big favor! Don't forget okay?

Juna frowned, unsure of what to make of the strange text. Accept? Accept what, she wondered. Maybe she meant to send this to someone else. I should check. Juna began tapping her thumbs away, her lips tucked between her teeth.

"Are you ignoring me on purpose?" Juna barely heard before her phone was snatched from her hands. She looked up her friends who were both staring at her as if they'd been trying to get her attention.

Kyung Soo raised his brows higher, "wow! You really didn't hear any of that did you?"

Min Joo made a pained expression. "Ah, so there's a downside to being your friend after all. I worry about you sometimes; always disappearing into that head." She tapped at Juna's head like a woodpecker. Juna ducked away.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" She asked brushing her long, black hair away from her face.

"We were just saying dating could be a good thing for you."

Juna clicked her tongue. "Min Joo..." she whined.

"What? What's your excuse this time? You said you wanted to get settled into your job before thinking about dating. It's been two years! You're settled," her friend complained. Juna's heart began to quicken, sweat itching to leave her pores.

"Or maybe there's still something we still don't know about our Shin Juna." Kyung Soo said with a devilish smile. He leaned over the table, his voice softened to a whisper, "You can tell us, Juna. Do you swing the other way?"

Juna leaned forward, feigning a secretive look before whispering, "do you wanna die?" Her hand shot forward, delivering a deadly flick to his forehead.

"Aya!" He jumped and rubbed his forehead. "Apa!"

"Never mind why I don't wanna date. I just don't want to! Got it?" She said sternly. Min Joo frowned but said nothing. Kyung Soo used his phone to check if there had been a mark on his forehead. Muttering under his breath. Juna proceeded to stuff the rest of her noodles into her mouth in a huff. A heavy sigh escaped her nose as her brown eyes returned to the streets.