F.R.I.E.N.D.S. [K.TH]

#8

"I'm on full study mode. Can't afford to get high when my grades are anything but high."

Shay laughed. "Good point." She blew out the smoke she inhaled. "So what do you want?"

"So you know about my stepdad, right?"

Her friend hummed. "The racist?"

"That's him. He wants me to go back to the States when the year is over. Still thinks he can convert me into a businesswoman, rather than his idiot of a stepdaughter who likes drawing buildings, jewellery and perfumes." She clenched her fists just thinking about her aggravating stepfather.

"And what about you?" If there was one thing Haeri admired about her friend, it's that she can extremely calm all the time. Shay pointed to her friend's head, and asked softly, "What does your brain want you to do?"

"Become an architect, start a jewellery brand, start a perfume brand, become a model, become a– "

"Okay," Her friend drawled, cutting off Haeri's long list of ambitions. "Slow down there, you almost became a rapper. But seriously," Shay stared at her solemnly, "do you really have to listen to your stepdad? You're in your twenties, for fuck's sake, and you live by yourself."

"If I don't listen to him, that's only gonna disappoint her." Haeri sighed. "And I've already done enough of that."

Shay rolled her eyes. "No offense, but your mum needs to get a grip and stop being the racist white man's puppet." She grimaced. "Like she doesn't even make bibimbap anymore! Hell, last time I was at your place, your mum literally cooked up the most unseasoned shit."

Haeri laughed. "Makes me glad I learnt how to cook."

"My point is, you don't have to listen to your stepdad. You're your own woman, you've got to look after yourself– "

"We all know that I can't look after myself." Shay glared at her for interrupting her speech. "Sorry, do go on."

"As I was saying, before I got rudely interrupted," She gave her a pointed look, daring her to interrupt again, and continued, "you can choose your own path. Anyone can tell you hate psychology with your whole life, and don't think I've seen you sketching buildings and all that shit on your exercise books. Just follow what you love, and fuck your stepdad for trying to put down pure talent."

Haeri stared at her speechless, before pulling the startled girl into a tight hug. "Thank you."

Shay hugged her back. "You don't have to thank me Hailey," She replied, using the girl's English name. 

The door creaked open. "Yo, I'm ordering food. Do you guys want– oh. Shit." Jake shuffled awkwardly, and cleared his throat. "I can leave, if you want me to– "

"You're so awkward." Shay let go of Haeri and went to kiss him on the cheek. "I'm craving seafood. You want anything babes?" She looked at Haeri inquiringly.

However, the girl shook her head. "No thanks. I just came to have a quick talk with you. I'm heading back to the dorm anyway."

"You're welcome to stay," Jake offered, flashing his golden retriever smile at her. 

"No thanks." She bid the two goodbye, and left the apartment building. Somehow, it was even colder than before, and she was shivering by the time she got back to the university dorms. "Come on Haeri, you got this. Nothing but some food and watching Brooklyn 99 can fix." Steeling her nerve, she trekked up the endless flights of stairs, until she reached her floor.

The dorms were a lot nicer than Shay's apartment building, probably because the stairs were actually solid and safe. On the downside, the lift was under maintenance after some idiots were jumping in the lift and it got stuck.

Why are the lifts always under maintenance?

"Fuck those idiots," She wheezed, holding onto her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "They just had to break the lift. Those stupid, fucking– "

"Haeri?" She straightened immediately at the voice, and turned beside her. Taehyun was looking down at her, his hair mussed by the hoodie he was wearing. He was only wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, yet he still effortlessly looked good.

The LOUI effect, she guessed. Their models always looked good, whether they were wearing fancy apparel, or streetwear. In Kang Taehyun's case, the man was gorgeous. He always did, and her classmates made their admiration for him well known. Every day, a new person would declare their love for him, and they would always get rejected.

Not harshly, though. Kang Taehyun may be a reserved, brooding model, but he wasn't rude and harsh with his devotees. If anything, it must've added to his already well inflated ego. "Earth to Haeri?" She snapped from her daze.

"Yeah? What's up Taehyun?" She attempted to play it off cool, and not like she was bent over wheezing a minute ago. It would've been embarrassing if he actually saw that. She didn't like him like that, it's just she has a weakness for pretty people. And she couldn't afford to appear exhausted and weak when she's already convinced herself that she's a bodybuilder like Thea Maxwill.

He shrugged. "Not much. I only went to the convenience store that's open all day to buy some stuff." He held up the bag he was holding. "What about you?" They walked together to their respective rooms. "How's revising and all that?"

"At this rate, I've become a little too keen on dropping out and becoming a jobless housewife." He laughed, and she glared at him. "Don't laugh, it's a very serious matter. Anyways, how's the others doing?"

He sighed. "Kai and Beomgyu are becoming a bit too annoying because you're inactive on the group chat. Ruth is busy sulking, but she's almost always sulking. And the rest of us are doing okay without you, no offense."

"You saying 'no offense' is very offensive, mind you." Haeri rolled her eyes. "I was expecting you to miss me the most."

He looked at her, raising a brow. "That's some high expectations you have there. But if you wanted me to miss you, then you should've just asked."

"Shut the fuck up." She stood in front of her door, and turned to him. "You may leave, unless you want to come in here as well." She wiggled her eyebrows at him teasingly, and he simply rolled his eyes, turning back with no farewell. "Not even a goodbye? How rude!" She called out to him, but he simply waved. 

"Bastard," Haeri whispered lowly, smiling widely as she walked into her room.