Chapter 5 "A Meeting That is Not a First" (part two)

"Besh!" Emily shouted as she restlessly entered Ryan's room.

True friends are really like this; having someone who thinks that your house is also hers, and your things are also hers. If it is possible to share saliva with a friend, then the two might have done that a long time ago.

"Are you okay?!" Emily asked Ryan. "The cotton candy shop owner called me. She said you fell down from the fountain!"

With bored look in her face, Ryan turned to her while drying his wet hair.

"Hey," she said in cold tone. "The first job you recommended is working at the Paradise Shot, which is a night bar. Now, it is to work as mascot in a cotton candy shop. Are you really my friend?"

Ryan grabbed the pillow and threw it into Emily's face. Unfortunately, Emily has quick reflexes so she caught the upcoming pillow attack.

"I did not know that it is a night bar!" Emily explained. "And I was not also aware that the cotton candy shop will offer you the job as the store's mascot. Can't you just thank me for helping you find a job?" she continued, pouting her lips.

Emily is Ryan's best friend, who shares almost the same age with Ryan. They are also studying at the same university this year. However, Ryan still hasn't told her her problem regarding to the boarding house she'll live at.

Emily and Ryan have a complete opposite personalities. If Ryan's hobbies are to read books, watch movies and write stories, then Emily is into Korean idols whom she called 'Oppa.'

Not only Emily is active in following her idols' daily lives, she also learned how to speak in Korean language and study their lifestyle.

"Jinguya, naneun-yo, kenyang dowajeoseoyo, araji?" Emily spoke Korean, which sound like an alien language to Ryan.

Keeping her composure which she needs in order not to hurt her one and only best friend, Ryan gritted her teeth, saying, "You are really crazy."

Emily nodded her head, as if agreeing enthusiastically at Ryan. Then she sat on the bed and opened her lips again.

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to continue to work at that cotton candy shop?" she asked, brushing her hair that she recently dyed in golden blonde.

"I made a mistake during my first day in work. Do you think that shop owner will accept me again?" Ryan answered, sighing.

"Awww, that makes sense," Emili also agreed. She looked at the ground then set her shining eyes back to Ryan. "Aha! My mom's friend just opened a new coffee shop! Do you want me to recommend you?!"

Because of her best friend's silly suggestion,Ryan took another try. She went to the coffee shop and applied a job. However...

"I am really sorry. We already hired enough employees for the shop. You came so late, dear," the coffees shop owner apologized to Ryan.

Though sad at the news, Ryan gave her a faint smile. "That is fine, ma'am. I understand."

"But since you are here, let me get you some drinks and cake. It's on the house."

She blinked at Ryan before she stood up. Declining free foods isn't on Ryan's vocabulary and so, she accepted the free snacks.

"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed happily.

While waiting, Ryan roamed her eyes around the coffee shop. There are vintage decoration which amazed an interior designers wanna-be like Ryan. And she also thought that the location of the shop is really perfect. It's far from the chaotic road and the owner even hired an acoustic singer.

'Ahh~ It such a waste that I cannot work here,' Ryan sighed inwardly.

"This is the last song I'll perform," the male singer announced through the microphone.

Because Ryan was too occupied with her conversation with shop owner, she did not notice the gem on the stage. Now she could understand why all women inside the shop were giggling even from before.

"The singer is handsome," Ryan murmured to herself. "And he looks cool while holding the guitar."

"This is a song that I composed," the singer said. "I hope you all would enjoy listening to this." After saying those emotional words, the man started to sing using his gentle and sweet voice.

As soon as he started singing, tears fell down from Ryan's eyes. It wasn't because she felt so emotional to the song, but because of her new contact lenses.

"Are you okay?" the shop owner asked Ryan. She placed the tray of coffee and cake on the table before she peeked at Ryan's face. "You're crying."

Ryan quickly shook her head and explained.

"I am okay. It was because of the contact lenses I am wearing."

The misunderstanding between her and the owner was fixed. But what about the singer who also saw Ryan crying from afar?

A funny misunderstanding continued.

------------------

Inside the boarding house, two men were sitting on the sofa. Vincent was holding a guitar, while Kyle was reading a book.

"Do you know what's your problem? You are so easy to fall," Vincent told Kyle.

"It wasn't my choice to be like this," Kyle defended, pouting his lips.

Vincent just shook his head and laughed at his friend in mockingly tone.

Annoyed, Kyle added, "Hey! I don't want to hear advice from you. What do you know about love? You never dated before."

Vincent was about to give his reply but someone opened the door. They looked at the opening entrance then soon saw a girl who's making her way in.

"Hello?"

The lady met their stunned gaze.

"So this is the boarding house," the man, who came after the lady, murmured. "It's f*cking big," Chaylen cursed then also exchanged gazes at the lady. He, then, gasped and pointed her, saying, "Oh? You are that girl! The woman I flirted in the bar before!"

She could not reply because another person stole the spotlight. It was Slyvester, a blue-haired man who peeked through the second floor while shouting.

"Kyle! Kyle! I took your underwear from the laundry by mistake!"

Slyvester threw Kyle's undergarment. It flew towards the lady and Chaylen direction. Fortunately, the two dodged the attack. However, the newcomer, who just stepped in, had his face smacked by the brief.

"What... What the hell is this?" the newcomer asked as he removed the undergarments using his trembling hand.

There came a short silence between the six; Vincent, Kyle, Slyvester, Chaylen, the lady and the unfortunate man.

Suffocated at the stern air, the lady took the chance to introduce herself instead, so she can go out of their sighs as soon as possible.

"Good morning. My name is Ryan Mcguffin. I will be your new board-mate this year."

The five guys diverted all of their eyes to her.

Vincent remembered her as the girl he met at the cafe while he was singing, and so he gasped, "Woah."

'She is the one who gave me the umbrella!' Kyle gasped inwardly. He was so surprised to see her again that he dropped the book he's holding.

About the blue-haired guy from the second floor, he also recognized the lady. "Wait a minute! You are the dancing mascot!"

Chaylen, upon knowing that Ryan is the innocent lamb he saw in night bar, chuckled huskily, "Oh sh*t."

Lastly, the man who was smacked with brief on his face, cursed.

"F*ck."

He cursed not because she recognized Ryan as the woman he bumped with before. But because...

"WHY IS THERE A WOMAN IN THE BOARDING HOUSE?!" His loud voice echoed inside the place.