“Where do you live?”

“Just around the corner...”

“‘Around the corner’? Isn’t that where...”

“Yeah…”

I lived in a rich neighborhood. I never looked like I did because I liked wearing simple clothing compared to extravagant stuff I was forced to wear when going out. At least my parents gave me permission to wear whatever I wanted at school, as long as I would dress to impress whenever they needed me to. It wasn’t something I told everyone often.

We sat in silence.

“Jisoo told me what happened.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? Nothing to be sorry for.”

“He’s an idiot.”

It was the second time today I heard his friends calling Myungho an idiot or stupid. It bewildered you.

“How?”

“I shouldn’t,” he covered his mouth as if to shut himself up. I directed him to my house, and he pulled into the driveway smoothly, grabbing me before I could leave. “Listen…”

“What is it?”

He hesitated, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “Myungho… he’s… he…“

“Jina?” a knock on the window made us both jump. I scurried out of the car as Mingyu politely greeted my parents.

“I’m Kim Mingyu, I’m--”

“One of Kim’s sons! I know your mother very well, we go way back!” my mother gasped. “Would you care to join us for dinner?”

I saw Mingyu hesitating. It would be rude to decline the offer.

“I’d love to,” he said eventually, his white teeth gleaming in the light as he smiled widely. We entered the house together, my parents talking Mingyu’s ear off.

“You two make a very nice looking couple,” my father commented to us as we ate. My parents sat across from me and Mingyu. “Are you available Mingyu?”

“Daaaad,” I whined as Mingyu chuckled.

“I’m single, yes, but I--”

“We should catch up with your mother! You two are at the age where you can get married!” my mother said happily. I could see where this was heading and tried to stop it.

“Mom, we’re still in school, we can’t just--”

“What a great idea Jina!” my dad boomed, startling me and Mingyu, who dropped his spoon into his soup and tried to fish it out desperately as my parents began talking excitedly.

“I’ll get in contact with your mother Mingyu, she’d love this very much!”

“Oh, I’m,” Mingyu was flabbergasted, eyes wide as he barely managed to grab his spoon out of his soup, and tried to string together a sentence. “Uh, I--”

His phone went off at that moment, causing him to drop it back into the bowl and fish for his phone instead.

“Hello?” he answered, slightly breathless. “Oh hi mom. Yeah, I’ll be home soon, I stopped by the Son’s house for-- oh. Okay sure.”

He held out the phone to my mom, who took it eagerly and began talking. From what I was hearing, she was planning out my entire future with Mingyu. He’s not Myungho though. Mingyu and I exchanged worried glances constantly throughout the conversation.

“Alright, I’ll see you on Saturday then! This will be a lovely time to catch up again,” my mother hung up the call and handed the phone back to Mingyu.

“This will be the wedding of the century.”