By the next week, Sungyeol and Hannah already hugged each other every day when they saw each other in class, and had exchanged their numbers. Sungyeol wasn’t on any social media. They messaged each other nonstop and were inseparable.

“So you’re telling me that in Korea, musicians almost always are parts of big labels?”

“Yep, I even tried out for one and made it.” He said.

“Really? Thats amazing!!” The two chatted as they walked down the hall to go to tutorials for their physics class after school. There was a sign posted on the wall that caught Hannah’s attention.

ANNUAL SADIE HAWKINS DANCE

BRING YOUR BEST DATE

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!

FRIDAY THE 26TH

“What’s a Sadie Hawkins dance?” She asked Sungyeol, who was right at her side. Hannah loved being able to look up at Sungyeol instead of down, she felt so much more protected, and since they were almost the same height, they looked really cute next to each other.

 

“It’s a dance where the girl has to ask the guy to the dance. The school has one every year.” He replied. Hanna was full of anxious hope, she wanted to ask Sungyeol to the dance, but what if he said no? The two got to their physics classroom and even though all the seats were open, they sat right next to each other. The teacher sat with the pair and helped them with the homework they didn’t understand.

 

In the window, the sun was setting. Sungyeol mentioned that they should probably get going. The two thanked the teacher and left the school. Sungyeol waited until Hannah could call her parents for a ride, but when her parents told her that they couldn't come get her due to being at work, Sungyeol invited Hannah to come to his home to wait instead of sitting outside for who knows how long. It was a beautiful clear day, the golden rays of sun shining on the fallen brown leaves.

“Have you ever had a date to Sadie Hawkins?” Hannah asked out of the blue as they walked to his nearby house.

“Never. “ He said. Hannah prepared the entire lifetimes worth of courage she had been building, anticipating this moment and finally spoke again

“Do you want to go… with me? To Sadie Hawkins?” She asked. Sungyeol stopped walking all of a sudden.

“What?” He asked her, shocked. Hannah was feeling even more anxious, what did he mean by what??

“I want you.. To be my date.. For the dance.” She awkwardly stuttered out. A gush of wind blew her long blonde hair that was shining in the afternoon sun. She jumped when he placed both hands on her shoulders.

“You want to go with me??” He asked, still in a state of shock.

“Yes!” She said, almost yelling. The tall boy wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her into  a tight, warm hug.

“Is this a yes?” She managed to squeeze out in his grasp.

“Absolutely!” He cheered. Sungyeol could feel her smile as his heart started racing. A girl, a beautiful one in fact, liked him. He let go of the hug and put an arm around her shoulders as they walked the rest of the way to his house. Sungyeol lived in a lovely two story brick house about a fifteen minute walk from the school. Sungyeol opened up the door to his home and let Hannah in after him.

“Wait wait!!!” He yelled. Hannah froze, what was it?

“Please take off your shoes, we don’t wear shoes inside. It gets the house a bit yucky.” He explained.

“Oh my gosh Sungyeol, I thought there was a bomb or something, hahaha. Sorry, I’ll take off my shoes. Are socks okay?”

“Don't worry about it Hannah, it’s not like you would have known. And yeah, socks are just fine.” He reassured her. Sungyeol’s stomach growled awkwardly loud.

“Are you hungry? I’m starving. Sungyeol announced.

“Yeah, I could use a bite too.” Hannah answered. Sungyeol loved how chill and lose Hannah was with him, she didn’t try. She just kinda...was. Hanna was herself. That’s the part Sungyeol loved most about the girl.

“Have you had Korean food before?” He asked.

“Uhh… Does rice count?” She asked. Sungyeol laughed.

“Wow, you must be an expert in Korean food then.” He joked.

“In my dreams!” Hannah laughed back. Sungyeol motioned her to follow him around to the kitchen table and told her to sit. He walked to the refrigerator and took out two plastic containers, then returned to the table.

“This is Kimchi, and the other container is rice. Can you use chopsticks?” He asked her, handing her the utensils.

“Well I try to when I go out to Asian restaurants.” She replied, accepting the chopsticks. She watched curiously as Sungyeol opened up the containers and took a bite of the kimchi with a bit of rice.

“This smells like pee!!” She shouted upon smelling the strange, red vegetable in front of her. Sungyeol explained that it was fermented cabbage with chili paste, which repulsed Hannah even more. She winced her eyes as she took a bite of the alien food called kimchi.

“It’s… strangely good…” She commented.
“It’s the pride and joy of my people.” Sungyeol said proudly. He and Hannah continued eating the snack until her parents finally came.

 

The next school day, the two met up and walked in together into school as usual, except for the first time,Sungyeol had his arm around Hannah for everyone to see. Brennan also saw of course.

 

Brennan was standing in a group of his minions when one of the barely-in-dress-code girls pointed at the pair.

“That crazy girl…” He said to himself, before walking away and approaching her.

“Hannah, what kind of drug are you on today? You’re always  walking with the chink.” He insulted.

“Why don’t you shut up? And the man you are looking at is my date to the Sadie Hawkins.” Hannah said matter-of factly. Brennan was visually offended and angry.

“You’re supposed to ask the guy to a Sadie Hawkins, not vice versa! Did you agree to go with him because you felt bad for him? How sweet, but not necessary.” He said, expecting her to get all fussy.

“News flash Brennan, I got the girl you wanted.” Sungyeol said, piercing Brennan’s ego. He pulled Hannah in even closer to him and walked away, looking back once more to smirk at the dumbfounded Brennan.