Chapter 18
WHEN I CHECK MY PHONE LATER THAT NIGHT, I see a message from Minjee.
So, want to keep up a betting pool on who Hyun will end up with at the end of the drama?
I don’t know whether to be mad or amused. I text back: what’s the reward?
She replies almost immediately.
Hm, winner’s pick?
That could be anything. What if I ask you for a car?
LOL someone’s confident!
Minjee and I end up messaging each other for the next couple of days in between shoots and schoolwork. Soon enough, I find myself waking up every morning looking forward to getting another text from her.
On set, though, we don’t interact any more than we have to besides the occasional smile or funny look. It’s not something we formally agreed on, but something about the secret nature of our friendship makes things more fun, especially when our characters are supposed to hate each other on the show.
I’m buried in my math coursework on my off day later that week, trying to wrap my head around various formulas when I get a message from Minjee.
Hey, wanna hang out later today?
I think back to how much fun Minjee and I had on Christmas and reply, So totally down! I’m about to press send when my thoughts flash back to what happened with Bryan on Namsan Tower.
This is different , I tell myself. It’s not like Minjee is going to tip off anyone that you two are hanging out. You’ve hung out with her before with no problem.
After a few deep breaths, I manage to hit send. But I also add, What do you have in mind? I want to give myself the chance to say no if whatever Minjee suggests doesn’t sit well with me.
Hm, how about Namdaemun Market at 10 PM? It’s been a while since I’ve been there.
Namdaemun Market is the largest traditional market in Seoul. It has ten thousand vendors, and even more shoppers that come and go along the stalls. If there is anywhere in Seoul where Minjee and I can remain anonymous and discreet, this crowded and bustling market would be it.
Sure! Sounds good. See you then.
The thought of hanging out with Minjee again makes me happy. After my last disastrous social outing, I’m looking forward to hanging out with someone for fun and not as part of some elaborate scheme.
Or at least I tell myself that’s why I’m buzzing with anticipation. Never mind that my entire day becomes instantly better whenever I get a text from Minjee. And I find myself smiling whenever I think of something she said.
This isn’t the first time I’ve had a crush on another girl, but it’s the first time I’ve felt this way about someone I actually know.
This is just another friend-date , I remind myself. That’s all!
Even so, I still can’t stop smiling as I continue working on my coursework. Not even mathematical equations are enough to sour my mood before I meet up with Minjee.
A few hours later, I’m waiting for Minjee at the exit for Hoehyeon Station, the subway station closest to Namdaemun Market. I’m bundled up in a parka and a scarf since it’s freezing again. Only for a friend like Minjee would I even leave the apartment in this weather.
There’s a tap on my shoulder, and I turn around to see Minjee standing next to me. She’s similarly bundled up as well, except unlike my white coat and pink scarf, she’s all gothic with a studded leather jacket and chic red Prada glasses that make her look stunning and fierce at the same time.
“Since when are you so edgy?” I ask with a laugh.
Minjee shrugs. “Just something I’ve been trying out lately. It’s nice to be able to experiment with different clothes when we don’t have to attend classes. Don’t get me wrong, our school’s sky-blue uniforms are better than most high schools’. But uniforms in general are so soul-sucking sometimes.”
“Fair. I still remember how shocked I was when I first found out that all middle schoolers and high schoolers in Korea wear uniforms. Meanwhile, in the States, people wear all sorts of stuff to school.”
Minjee dramatically sighs. “Maybe I was born in the wrong country.”
I laugh. “Nah, there are still dress codes there. You’d probably get in trouble a lot.”
Just the thought of Minjee wearing her current outfit to school makes me smile.
“Probably!” she admits with a goofy grin of her own.
We start walking toward the market.
“Is there anything you want to do in particular here?” I ask.
I’ve been to Namdaemun a few times with my mom, but we usually just shopped for last-minute groceries on our way back home. I have no idea what there is to do for fun here.
“I’m dying for some street food,” Minjee replies. “Today is my cheat day. Remember how we used to stop by the vendors near school on our way home?”
I perk up. “Yeah! My mouth’s watering just thinking about that really spicy hot dog we ate that one time.”
“Yikes!” Minjee laughs. “Of course you’d still remember that. Personally, I blocked it out because of how bad it was.”
I gasp, giving her an overly indignant look. “That’s it. We can’t be friends anymore.”
“Kidding, kidding.” Minjee gives my arm a good-natured tap. “But yeah, let’s go look at the food stalls. I’m starving.”
“Yes!”
We share an excited grin before walking into the market.
Even though it’s past ten, the streets are bustling with people browsing through the stalls lit by bright lights. I still remember how shocked and overwhelmed I was when I first came here, since the hustle and bustle wasn’t something I ever saw back in my quiet, sleepy town in Florida.
All around us, vendors sell everything from household appliances to pseudo designer bags and shoes. Small shops sell makeup, phone accessories, and everything else I can imagine, with marquee signs and TV screens playing advertisements on loop.
We pass by a skin-care ad with Minjee’s face on it.
I point at it. Minjee grins.
“Yup, that’s me!” She leans in and whispers in my ear, “My skin was good even before I used the product, though. But don’t tell anyone that.”
I gasp in mock horror. “I would have never guessed!”
Various K-pop songs play on the speakers of shops and stalls. One of the most commonly played tracks is by NOVA, Bryan’s boy band.
“No matter where we go, I can’t escape him,” I grumble.
Minjee lets out a surprised laugh and pats me on the back. “Trouble in paradise?”
That’s when I remember that Minjee doesn’t know Bryan’s and my relationship isn’t real. I want to tell her so badly, but I can’t. I suppress an urge to groan.
“I guess you can say that,” I say. “He’s not exactly the K-pop prince dream-guy everyone thinks he is.”
Minjee raises her eyebrows but doesn’t pry further.
When we reach the food vendors, the aunties at the stalls hold out fresh, warm samples of steamed buns and fish cake in our general direction.
Minjee and I try out some of the food, but everything tastes so good that it’s hard to decide what to spend our money on.
“I can’t choose. I want to eat everything !” Minjee exclaims, looking truly overwhelmed.
“Okay, then, it’s decided. We’ll get one of everything,” I quip.
We look at each other, and then start giggling. At this rate, we’ll be stuck here forever.
“Let’s just follow the crowd and see where the popular spots are?” suggests Minjee.
“Sure!”
She points at a group of kids around our age. Instead of stopping by different stalls like we were, they’re making a beeline for one specific destination.
“They look like they know what’s good,” Minjee says. “Let’s see where they’re headed.”
We follow the group as they walk between the busy stalls. As we do, I hear bits and pieces of their conversation above the general din of the crowd.
“Ugh... it’s so cold. I hate winter.”
“Did you watch the latest episode of Fated Destiny ?”
“Let’s get some hot fish cake soup and tteokbokki.”
Minjee and I exchange looks. It’s probably not a good idea to follow this group if some of them have watched our show.
I’m about to suggest to Minjee that we should just pick a place ourselves when the group reaches a food vendor surrounded by a huge crowd of people.
There are several other street food stalls around it, but the sitting area for this one is full of men in business suits drinking soju while feasting on spicy red tteokbokki and students holding juicy sticks of fish cakes while talking about random stuff.
Its line is super long, too—a surefire sign that the place is really good.
As if that wasn’t convincing enough, I hear people calling this place a “matjip,” a place known to have yummy food.
“Okay, we have to eat here,” I say, heading to the end of the line.
“Definitely,” replies Minjee with a firm nod.
I smile. It’s nice to know she’s on the same page as me.
While we wait our turn to order, Minjee and I talk about anything and everything, from our favorite Korean dramas to our favorite street foods. We whisper so the people in front of us can’t hear us and recognize our voices.
“No way, your favorite drama of all time is Goblin , too?” Minjee asks. “Weren’t you living in the US back then?”
“Yeah, but plenty of people from the US watch Korean dramas. That’s the entire reason why I got into acting in the first place!”
“Wow, I guess the power of Hallyu is real after all.”
“Trust me, if it weren’t for the Korean Wave, I’d still be back in Florida.”
When we’re at the front of the line, I clear my throat and order in a voice that’s higher than my normal one. “One cup of tteokbokki and one stick of fish cake, please!”
Minjee gives me an amused grin. When it’s her turn to order, she orders in a lower voice than normal. “I’ll have the same. Thank you!”
I can barely suppress my urge to giggle.
“We should give each other fake names, too, while we’re at it,” Minjee says after we’ve gotten our food.
“Easy,” I reply. “You can be Hanjee and I can be Mina. Our names remixed together.”
Minjee laughs. “It’s amazing how fast you came up with that.”
I blush and pretend to be immensely preoccupied with my food to avoid meeting Minjee’s eyes.