The Game Plan

Joy was at the mall with Irene and Seulgi one weekend when she got a call from Sungjae.

**SUNGJAE CALLING...

"SOOYOUNG! Emergency! I need your help!" Sungjae yelled from the other line as soon as she picked up.

"Why? What's wrong?" Joy felt her heartbeat speed up with worry upon hearing the panic in his voice.  Irene and Seulgi walked back to her when they realized that she stopped walking.

"Who?" Irene mouthed to her.

"Sungjae," she mouthed back.

"Where are you?" Sungjae asked her.

"I'm at the mall with Irene unnie and Seulgi unnie," Joy said.

"Good. Wait for me there," Sungjae said, sighing with relief.

"SUNGJAE! Can you please tell me what's wrong," Joy yelled at the phone.

"It's eomma's birthday today and I forgot to buy a gift for her. I got busy with soccer practice. I need your help to choose the perfect gift," Sungjae told her.

"YAH! You scared me. I thought it was something serious," Joy scolded him.

"It is serious. She'll be disappointed if she learns I forgot her birthday," Sungjae explained.  "Just wait for me there. I'm on my way now," he said again.

"Fine!" Joy said, hanging up.

"Well? What happened to Sungjae?" Irene asked her worriedly.

"Aish! That stupid frog," Joy said frustratedly.  "I thought it was something serious but it turns out he just forgot it's his mom's birthday today and he didn't buy her a gift," she said.

"That's it?" Seulgi laughingly asked.

Joy nodded.  "Anyway, you go ahead, unnies. He asked me to help him choose a gift," Joy told them.

"Okay. See you tomorrow at school," Irene said, as she and Seulgi head for the exit.

Joy was sitting on a bench near the mall entrance waiting for Sungjae when a slightly older woman almost stumbled in front of her.  Joy quickly stood up and went to her.  "Ma'am, are you okay?" Joy asked.  Holding the woman's arm, she led her to sit on the bench she was sitting on earlier.

"Oh, yes. I just felt dizzy for a minute. Maybe it's the heat," the woman said.

"Do you want me to bring you to the clinic?" Joy offered.

"Oh, no. I'm fine. My husband is just parking the car and my daughter said she'll be here in a few minutes. I'll just wait for them. You can leave me here if you need to go somewhere," the woman told her.

"It's okay. I'm still waiting for my friend anyway. I'll wait with you until your family comes," Joy volunteered, smiling at the woman.

"Thank you, dear," the woman said, patting Joy's hand.  "Oh, there's my husband," the woman said a few minutes later.  "YEOBO!" she called her husband, waving at him.

"Yeobo. I thought you'll wait for me at the restaurant?" her husband said, walking over to them.

"I was, but I got a little dizzy. Thankfully, this nice young lady helped me," she said, pointing to Joy.

The man turned to her, and offered his hand.

"Thank you, Miss....?" he trailed off.

"Joy. My name's Joy," she said, smiling at him and shaking his hand.  Just then, Joy got a text from Sungjae telling her to meet him at one of the boutiques in the mall.  "Oh, my friend's here now. I'm sorry but I have to go," Joy said, bowing to the couple.