Haengbok walks ahead of Mom, Dad, and I, rushing toward our grandparents. Our grandmother plants a smooch on his cheek. His face scrunches up in displeasure. Our grandfather asks him how he’s been, and then Grandma teases him, asking if he found a pretty girl during our visit to China. He replies like he always does in a harsh tone: “No.” Grandma and Grandpa don’t seem to notice his coldness and continue to shower him with their adoration and attention, much to his annoyance.

It's weird how our grandparents probably love Haengbok more than anyone else, but he acts the same toward them as anyone else. I don’t see why they like him so much or why he doesn’t like them at all. Maybe it’s because they always about getting a girlfriend, marrying a pretty woman, and giving them a hundred and one grandchildren. They never tease me about anything except becoming a doctor, which I actually plan on doing.

It’s dark as soon as we all step out of the airport. There are street lights, but they’re as dim as fireflies. I have trouble seeing at first, because my eyes take a while to adjust to the lightlessness. I grab onto Haengbok’s sleeve so I don’t get lost, but his eyes are the same as mine. He clings onto Mom, who shrugs him off and tells him to stop being such a kid. We survive for five minutes, following the dark outlines of our family, and our eyes have adjusted enough for us to see. Then Haengbok shrugs me off like our mom did with him.

We get in Grandpa’s car. Grandma and Grandpa sit in the back; Haengbok and I are in the middle row; Dad’s in the driver’s seat and Mom’s sitting in shotgun. Dad starts driving, and Haengbok and Mom are asleep in less than fifteen minutes. I feel myself getting drowsy, too, but I have trouble sleeping in cars, unlike most people. Dad starts getting tired after an hour of driving, pulls over, and wakes Mom up so she can take over the wheel.

All the males in the van are asleep now. Everything is silent, though, because the guys in our family don’t snore, although Haengbok grinds his teeth and sleep-talks. I wonder if I do, too.

“You know,” Grandma suddenly says, making Mom and I jump a little in our seats. “A family moved in a few houses from ours. Just yesterday, actually!”

“Really? The house that the Kwons used to live in?” I ask. “Have you met the new family yet? ”

“Yes, I’ve met them. Aigoo, their son is really handsome—a flower boy!” Grandma says. “He’ll probably be going to the same school as you and Haengbok.”

“Oh—” I try to say something, but Grandma keeps on talking.

“He’s a bit quiet, but I think that’s just because he’s new around here,” she says. “His father is a doctor, so you might be able to learn something from him. His mother used to be a teacher, and she said she might start teaching again after they’ve settled in. She might teach at your school, which would be good, right?” I don’t think Grandma realizes she’s rambling again. “Anyway, back to the boy. That boy is quiet, yes, but so polite! And he studies hard, and his father says he’s planning to become a doctor, too! Aigoo, isn’t this family amazing?”

“They sound like great people, Mother,” Mom says. “Now, I think we should stop talking and let Sarang sleep. Haengbok might wake up, too.”

Grandma sighs. “Handsome, smart, rich—what more could you want in a boy? He’d be a perfect grandson-in-law.” Then she closes her eyes and slips into slumber. Everything’s quiet again.

Grandson-in-law? Did she just say she wants this guy as a grandson-in-law? Well, she did point out that he has a lot of good points. He seems interesting, whoever he is. I want to ask Grandma more about him, but she’s already in deep sleep. For a second, I wonder if he and I will become friends. I kind of hope he’ll become friends with Haengbok, not me—because I think I want to be more than friends with this new boy.

a/n: I guess this is the beginning of this story, posted on April 18, 2012. A short little prologue/teaser for all you lovelies~