Massaging her nose bridge, Mrs. Oh let out a satisfied sigh. She's finally done with all the office works due tomorrow. Ugh, she's so tired, she wants to just flop herself on soft cotton. She wants to cringe as she saw the time on the wall clock; it's already past twelve in the morning. Seulbi's probably asleep by now. Well, she should be.

She didn't forget to check Seulbi before going to her own bedroom. A smile unconsciously appeared on her face when she remembered something, specifically a past conversation with someone.

Byun Baekhyun has the guts.

Looking at her daughter's sleeping face, different emotions swelled inside her. Memories came rushing; some sweet, others bitter. Deciding it's not the best time to reminisce, she softly closed Seulbi's door. 

Mrs. Oh can't sleep immediately; just staring on the ceiling, thinking. Maybe she needs to talk to her daughter soon...specially now that someone gave her a call—a call from someone whom she thought is dead by now.

* * * * *

Of all the tasks at home, she hates this the most. Taking the trash out is the grossiest, for Seulbi, next is cleaning the toilet. Seriously, dealing with garbage before going to school ain't ideal in any way.

"Next time, wear a gas mask," Mrs. Oh sarcastically commented to Seulbi while frying some eggs. Seulbi didn't give a damn on what her mother said because she's busy holding the garbage bag out, as if it's some toxic chemical. 

Happiness surged on her system after finally setting the bags on the street for the truck to take it.

Ugh, she'll definitely rub her hands twice later. She's occupied with thinking if she'll use isoprophyl or ethyl, until man in black caught her attention. Standing idly on Baekhyun's front door is a sturdy looking-man. She's wondering what's the deal of the dude with being too formal. Maybe she stared for a little too long and the man definitely felt someone boring holes unto his back that's why he turned to Seulbi's direction. Being caught on the act, she immediately bowed and murmured a good morning before giving him an awkward smile, which he timidly reciprocated back, and that's her cue to go back inside their house. She was surprised, to be honest, because he looks like someone who's not into smiling, even a timid one.

Once she's inside the house, Seulbi's relieved she had dealt with awkwardness successfully with the formal guy. But...who is that?

* * * * *

Seulbi understands that he's her walking and eating buddy.

But what she can't understand is how he took it into another level. 

"Do you want more eggs?" 

Baekhyun just smiled back with his mouth full, not completely saying no nor saying yes either. Seulbi wants to sigh but they're eating breakfast, her mom might scold her for doing that in front of the food. 

"Aigoo, our Baekhyun has big appetite~"

"Mom," Seulbi put down her utensils that made Mrs. Oh halt on putting more eggs on Baekhyun's plate. Seulbi ran down her palm on her face, "Can you please not treat him like a baby?"

Mrs. Oh scoffed and also put an egg on her plate, "Just tell me if you're jealous, Seulbi-ah," and pinched her daughter's cheek before going back to the kitchen. Probably to get more eggs.

Baekhyun snorted at the other side of the table and Seulbi grew irritated so she kicked him under. 

He almost choke his eggs and immediately gulped the food to yell at her, "Y-Yah! What is your problem?!"

Seulbi just rolled her eyes on him and proceeded eating. She can't help but wonder why her mom is so fond of Baekhyun. It was literally like he's just been here for almost two months and he's now already treated like her baby? 

She wants to bang her head on the wall when her mom accidentally fried a dozen of eggs and had this brilliant idea of inviting Baekhyun over for breakfast. Of course, she strongly disagreed but mom's already at Baekhyun's door, saying Sweetheart, do you want to eat breakfast at home?, and all she can remember is how Baekhyun's eyes twinkled and nodded like a corgi.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound of plate being laid down on the table.

Dang, she underestimated her mother.

"Now, who wants some hotdogs?"

Seems like Mrs. Oh is planning on choking them up before going to school with all those greasy stuff. 

Baekhyun gulped as he look at the bundle of hotdogs before looking at Seulbi. Where did I just put myself into... 

Seulbi raised her brow.  it all up. And she just continued eating, ignoring Baekhyun while her mom's putting hotdogs on his plate, praising Baekhyun and his appetite.

* * * * *

"W-Wait..."

Seulbi looked back at Baekhyun who leans his arm on the wall. 

They're now on their tracks on the way to school when Baekhyun had difficulty on walking. It was like he's summoning strength from the concrete. She wants to laugh seeing him like that but of course, she has conscience so no. "Aish," Seulbi marched back to him and took his other available arm to help him, "Who told you to eat all of those?"

Baekhyun looks like a pregnant woman on her last trimester while walking. "But I can't say no to your mom..."

"Of course you can!" Seulbi snapped and he winced. "Why are you shouting?" 

"Because we'll be late with this kind of pace," Seulbi drags him gently when he suddenly took her arm off his arm. Seulbi was taken aback on what he did.

"Go on without me," he shooed her with a smile, "I'll catch up—"

Irritated, Seulbi took his arm back that almost make him stumble. 

"You think I'll just leave you behind?!" She even rolled her eyes before going ahead again, not seeing how shocked Baekhyun is, yet he still managed to walk.

Maybe it also made his ears go a little bit redder than the usual.

* * * * *

Seulbi just wants to stuff Luhan's mouth with all the table tissues right now. She's so tired answering all the same questions thrown to her. 

"So, what's up with you two?"

Seulbi sighed and stopped stabbing her lasagna and averted her gaze to Luhan, stopping herself from stabbing those curious, pretty eyes instead. "How many times do I have to tell you? He just needed help!"

"Does that walking need some help?" Luhan pointed at the door; and that time, Baekhyun and his friends just came inside the cafeteria. "His walking