the requested cheese section

A black duffle bag fell beside Chorong and Bomi as a guy dropped into the seat opposite them. He smiled awkwardly at the bunch of girls waving at him at the next table giggling. He twitched a little in his seat. Bomi turned around and they all looked away as if her eyes shot flames of some sort. He chuckled while adjusting his cap backwards.

Chorong clicked her tongue with an irritable look, "Look at you. Late and still acting like some Prince." He chuckled at her annoyance, "Did you order my usual?" and she wrinkled her nose at him, "Am I your slave?"

Bomi nudged Chorong and shot him a glare, "Stop it both of you. We ordered your favorite beef, Donghyun." He nodded with a smile, "You remembered." and Chorong scoffed instantly, "We've been friends for years. Won't it be dumb to forget each other's favorite food?"

He shifted to give the waitress space to place the food down, "Okay Miss Smarty pants." and took out his phone, ignoring her words. Bomi stifled a knowing grin when Chorong aimed a kick at him from under the table. The stinging jolt of pain pulled a yelp from the guy as he fumbled his phone.

"Twitchy legs. Sorry." She shrugged and he snorted, "More like dwarf legs." and leaned forward, smoothly snatching the dish in front of her with a smirk, "Mine?"

"Han Donghyun!" She stood up in a flash reaching out but he pulled back. Not bothering to get involved anymore, Bomi had already started tucking into her budae jigae. A wide grin lit her face and she turned around gleefully, spotting the chef, "Han, today's budae jigae is really good!" Her eyes went into crescent slits. The chef smiled at her before heading into the kitchen.

She turned back, wanting to resume eating but instead found herself in a situation that repeats itself almost every day. Chorong had grabbed Donghyun by the arm, pulling at him from across the table. Her other hand was occupied with twisting his left ear. His face was bright pink as he struggled to free himself of her deathly clutches. Both were yelling at each other.

It was amusing, really, but it was difficult to have dinner when the table wouldn't stop shaking. She sighed and leaned forward, reaching for Chorong, but paused an inch away from the girl's arm. The glint in his eyes... She leaned back into her seat. An involuntary smile crept up her face and she decided to just enjoy her meal with a shaking table.

***

Bomi

Sometimes I wondered what would it be like to have someone looking out for you. Not as a friend... Would I be thankful? Someone who was willing to be with you for a longer time. Someone who would cherish you more than a friend. Someone who would... I don't know... perhaps feel like death without your presence? Is that too much? Does someone like that even exist?

I looked at Chorong seated beside me. She had her eyes closed, head tucked in folded arms on the table. Mouth slightly parted with drool almost dripping out. Oh gross. I took my phone out, sneakily snapping a picture before averting my gaze. She is one of those who makes me wonder how sometimes we could live our lives... never noticing the people who would do all these for us.

The flipping sound of a page made me look at Donghyun seated behind us. This was the routine since a few months back. Donghyun would copy lecture notes in class then write them out again by memory when he got home. That means he has two sets of notes and one set goes to me.

Well... it isn't really for me but I sort of blackmailed him for it. Not my fault he made his weakness so obvious. We would always say that Chorong is either too dense or quite a decent actress. The lights of the lecture room came back on as the lecturer concluded the class. I turned to see Chorong slowly lifting her head off the table, "How did you know the lecture ended?"

She gave a sleepy smile, "I'm sensitive to lights." I nodded slowly, "You're a terrible student." but she just gave me a pout. Rare display of trying to be cute. Right on cue, a paper ball whizzed pass me, smacking her in the face. I blinked once. She froze for a moment, her sleepy mind processing what just happened.

Donghyun had already ran out the door. I chuckled at his childish display of affections and handed the notebook to Chorong. The notebook was the book Donghyun used to take down notes, the book which apparently Chorong believes is mine. Yeah...

She gave me a hug after taking the book with a gleeful expression, "Life saver!"

"What do you know?" I forced out a laughter, quickly taking out my phone to sent a text, "Oh Chorong ah, you're taking night shift at work today right?"

This... is also a routine.

***

Eunji

I glanced over my shoulders to see the honey blond haired girl mixing up a milk shake for a customer. It's been a few months since I introduced her to join me at work here. Chorong is diligent and very fast at picking things up. She is wise with words and patient with customers. Most of all... Sigh. That was a sigh I couldn't suppress.

Well, this place got popular after her entrance and that isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's nice to be noticed by that many boys. Chorong had gotten prettier during their sophomore year in college. Beautiful was one of adjectives commonly used to describe her since. Just that...

A slight gush of wind distracted me and I turned automatically towards the door with a bright smile, "Welcome!" My smile went wider when I realized who it was.

Chorong's head popped out from behind the coffee mixer, "Is it the jerk?" I laughed at her choice of words, "Yeah your jerk's here." and she threw me a smirk, "My slave."

My roommate leaned against the counter, "I think their relationship will never change." I laughed again while watching Donghyun take a seat, "Don't lose hope, Na eun ah."

He raised his hand at Chorong and she shot him a smirk. However before she could reach his seat, some guys we've never seen before had stood up abruptly. She paused at the sudden move. I felt a sigh coming up again. All's fair in love and war, so the saying says but...

"Excuse me. I believe I called for you first." a cool voice broke out.

I blinked at the sight of Donghyun making a move. This is definitely a first. Na eun's eyes were wide with surprise. What is he...

Chorong had a confused look but followed him to his table, "Uh..." She began as he sat back down in the rattan chair, "What were you-" "The usual please." He cleared his throat and said quietly, cutting her off. She paused there for a second before returning to the drink mixers.

"What's going on?" I asked. Na eun's eyes were brimming with curiosity as well.

She shrugged, "Guess that's the traits of a jerk." but I shook my head, the feeling of laughter returning again, "I think someone's being impatient." She gave me a weird look before making the coffee, "By the way, I end my shift in a minute. Na eun and I are bound for a movie after. Can't be late. Will you be okay heading back later?" Had to ask even though I already know the answer.

"I'll be fine as always." She chuckled before ushering me out with Na eun.

I whipped out my phone and sent a text. Na eun pulled at my arm, "Hurry. I don't wanna miss this one." I nodded and went into the changing room. A beep from my phone made me look at it again and I frowned at the reply I received.

                                    Are you okay?

Yeah. Why?

                      What happened earlier?

Nothing.

"Jung Eunji!"

I jumped at Na eun's yell, almost dropping my phone, "Just a minute!" Changing fast could be one of my specialties but giving love advice isn't...

                               You're so jealous.

Seriously Jung Eunji?

            Your listening buddy is here.

                                                  Spill.

It's been five years..

                          She's just occupied.

I know that...

She likes someone else.

                     All girls have crushes.

                      Don't worry about it.

After the movie, we continued texting till pretty late and I was already getting ready for bed. It took awhile before his reply came and when it finally came... I just didn't know what to say.

I don't want to lose her, Eunji.

Do you know the pain of losing someone important?

Love problems. It wasn't anything serious but I knew very well... that a broken heart was still enough to make one bleed.

***

The walk back to her place played back in his mind as he lay in bed. Eunji hadn't replied the last text. He figured she probably won't. It's difficult to answer questions like that. This tricky, complicated topic. Five years ago... has it been that long?

The days back in high school. The first girl who extended her hand out to him. The only girl who wasn't giggling at him like the rest of them. The girl who walked, not in front or behind, but beside him. She knew but never cared about his origins. Neither did she bother to be nice to him. It was certainly rather stunning to have a different attitude treatment. Almost refreshing. It just made him more interested.

How did it even start? Was it the time when she fell into the drain while trying to rescue a lost puppy? Coincidentally, they lived side by side, so he was 'following' her home. He remembered jumping in right after she had fallen in. She broke her leg from the steep drop. Yeah. That was the very first time he saw her actually cry... and laugh at the same time. The first time he carried a girl on his back.

The second time he had seen her tears was when they were doing charity work at an elderly home care place. She was asked to sing a song and half way through the song she cried. He had unconsciously followed her out then and got punched maybe twice... or perhaps thrice? He couldn't really remember that because he had remembered that particular scene as the first time she displayed the weakness she had kept bottled up.

Park Chorong, during then, didn't have the looks of a school belle but he thought she was the most beautiful girl. She was just like any other girl to everyone but he saw her as someone more precious than gems. Her voice was soft but yet the only voice he could hear clearly. The voice that feels like a thunder bolt charging straight to his soul, lighting up his life.

His heart couldn't beat any faster or crazier whenever their skin come into contact. The many times he had to look away. The many times he had to pretend that he didn't think much of anything. It was driving him insane, but seeing her laugh and smile, being able to stay by her side, was what kept him going.

He unlocked his phone and went browsing through the stored pictures. Even though he doesn't have a religion, he knows he believes in a certain baby-faced angel with the sweetest childish voice. A smile tugged at his lips as he scroll pass the picture of the both of them pulling at each others' cheeks. He rolled over to sit up.

So distracted he was that he didn't notice a bright light swooping through the sky... Coming straight at his window... The impact of the light ramming into his chest had lifted his body, crashing him against the bed stand. He coughed and specks of red appeared. The picture of Chorong flickered and he tried to reach for his phone but his eye lids got heavier every second. He soon faded off...