After leaving the PC-bang, Jiyu separated from her friend. There were about four hours until the appointed time. She went home and opened her closet. She took out a two-piece dress that she had packaged in plastic wrap so that it wouldn’t get dusty. She would usually never wear something like this on an occasion with friends, but she had to today. She kept recalling Han Haneul’s smiling face, filled with vitality. Before she could talk about who was right and wrong, she did not want to lose out. Her pride did not allow that. The center of this group was always her after all.

She even redid her makeup and got ready. She only put in this kind of effort when she was being introduced to a man.

After getting a call from her friend, she left her house. She went to Hongdae and entered the bar she always went to. She could feel the men sitting near the entrance giving her glances. From the way they looked at her for quite a while, today’s makeup and styling were her best choice ever.

“What the heck? You went full out, huh?”

“You didn’t double-time us, did you?”

Her friends said a word each. Jiyu waved her hand in the air in denial.

They had some beer and talked for a while.

“Haneul and Yeonjoo are going to be a little late.”

“That’s rare. They always come first.”

Jiyu kept giving glances...