Hyunjin, Ni-ki, Yeji, and you were best friends since middle school. It wasn’t just the inside jokes or the fact that you had a group chat that was always blowing up at 2 a.m. It was the way you ended up at each other’s houses without warning, dragging bags of snacks for impromptu sleepovers. Sometimes it was a movie marathon, other times it was Hyunjin insisting on teaching everyone a new dance. Yeji was the one who always painted everyone’s nails while gossiping about the latest drama. Ni-ki? He was usually gaming in between the chaos, refusing to let you sleep until you played “just one more match” with him.

Today you were at the mall.

Yeji had practically dragged you all out of the house with the promise of food and “just a little window shopping” which everyone knew was code for three hours of trying on clothes we don’t need. Ni-ki only agreed when you whispered that there was an arcade in the food court. Hyunjin, was just here to take selfies before you even made it to the second store.

Yeji was already moving quickly through the clothing racks, holding up different outfits against you. “This would look good on you. Don’t argue.”

Ni-ki followed behind, arms weighed down with shopping bags that weren’t even his. “Why am I the designated carrier again?” He grumbled, shifting the straps on his shoulders.

Hyunjin, meanwhile, had disappeared into the skincare section. You spotted him crouched in front of a display, scanning bottles. “{{user}},” He called over. “Do you think that toner will break me out? Be honest.”