I went home – home which referred to the town where I grew up, the town which housed my youth with Jongin, the town where my family still resides.

Actually, I needed to go home for that weekend in order to help for the annual family reunion.

As much as I hated high school get-togethers, I also despise family reunions.

I am well aware that blood is thicker than water, but I still find things different and awkward when people of the extended family who I only see once a year, try to act like they’ve been there for me their whole lives.

They never run out of suggestions of how I should live my life. When Jongin and I were together, they kept pestering how I should raise a family of my own, and when we broke up, they kept insisting on the type of man I should date next.

While I was afraid of being compared with my former classmates, such fear of being compared is a reality during family get-togethers. The elders seemed to be in a war of who raised their children better and thus, my cousins and I would be compared by our parents often, much to our own dismay.

Jongin was right. I am always scared of not meeting people’s expectations and that is why I am always frightened of the idea of reunions. But while I just pretend to be better during high-school reunions, I give up altogether for family reunions because they impose such high standards that I think it is just impossible to reach them.

Thanks to that, I learned to care less and be less frightened of family get-togethers. I just want the weekend reserved for that to pass by.

Unfortunately, it is our family’s turn to host the event so I needed to take a leave for work in order to help for the preparations.

Fortunately, on the other hand, we saved enough money in order to cover for the expenses of the materials we need for decoration and also the costs of the food of around fifty people.

I would not have saved this much money if not for the deductions Sehun made on my debt by pretending to be his girlfriend. Now that I ended things between us, I am back to giving him portion of my monthly salary.

I have wired some money the last time I got my salary and since I blocked Sehun’s number and my pride is still in tact, I chose not to contact him and just wished that he’d review his bank account and see that I deposited some amount. But I do keep the deposit slips for future use.

It had been almost a week since that night and little by little, I am learning how to adjust to live a life without Sehun.

But sometimes, I would find myself waiting for his calls or texts only to be reminded that I blocked his number.

I’d see his things in my apartment and be reminded that he no longer visits the place, and yet I could not find the courage to keep his things in a box. I knew a part of me wished that he’d still come back.

I guess that’s the irony of being broken hearted – you don’t want to experience the pain that comes with love, yet you miss the happiness that it has given you.

Such push and pull attitude of people’s hearts makes moving on difficult.

But I knew that each day of getting by alone is a step forward. It might be slow, but nevertheless, it is still progress.

“Noona, are you still not yet done?”

My life’s contemplation has been disturbed by none other than my younger brother, Sangmoon.

“I’ve been peeling vegetables the whole day, Sangmoon,” I grunted, “So would you stop – “

My sentence was cut mid-way when I spared a glance at my brother and saw his apron bloodied. I widened my eyes, “Wow. Who did you murder today?”

“I and father have been chopping the cow for hours, and now, we have to butcher a pig,” he equally complained. He released a sigh as he mumbled, “You should have just dated Jongin again so that he could help.”

“Leave him alone. He has his own life to live,” I muttered, “Go back to your work so that you could finish.”

“As if all this work would finish,” he replied, “We still have to prepare the shirts and the souvenirs.”

“We’d do that in the evening, now go back and hurry. We need to finish this today or we’re going to be doomed for tomorrow’s reunion,” I told him.

“Fine,” he sighed yet again, but not before getting some of the snacks I’ve been munching on while working. I gave him a glare for doing so but he just snickered his way out.

After half an hour, I finally found freedom from peeling the vegetables but just before I could celebrate, Sangmoon came back.

“Yah. If you take breaks too often, how could we finish?” I scolded him.

“Someone’s looking for you,” Sangmoon replied.

As he stepped on the sides, Sehun came out in his glory – wearing that light blue polo and black pants that looked too good in him.

“W-What are you doing here?” I stuttered.

“I wanted to see– “ Sehun was about to answer.

“He’s here to help.”

I gulped seeing that my father was behind him. I saw how my father looked at him from head to toe before uttering, “Hurry and change your clothes before I lose my patience and kill you before I kill that pig.”

“Father, that’s too much,” I exclaimed, for I knew what was about to happen next would probably be the worse hours of Sehun’s life.

“I understand,” Sehun answered, surprising me.

My gaze travelled to and fro my father and Sehun.

Sangmoon then whispered, “He’s doomed.”

I found myself worrying for Sehun every now and then, and thus my work was continuously disrupted as I would check on him from time to time.

I would never forget the horror on his face as he was butchering a pig or the disgust in his look when blood has spurt in his apron. Surely, he was not well-versed with manual labor for Sangmoon has told me that from time to time, my father would scold Sehun for doing something wrong.

I thought my father would spare him after that pig incident, but then, he was also brought by my father outside, to accompany him in getting some squids. It was night when they came back and Sehun was obviously inexperienced in the job evidenced by the amount of mud covering him compared to that seemingly clean appearance of my father.

“Who’s that?” my mother asked, after realizing that Sehun was now dining with my father. It was only the two of them who had not eaten dinner for the rest of us had already eaten our meal.

I took time to think. How should I answer? I didn’t know myself how I should label Sehun. He was technically not my ex-boyfriend.

“A friend,” I answered for it was the safest reply that I could give.

“He’s a very good-looking friend,” my mother commented as he stared at Sehun.

“Mom,” I complained, “Stop ogling.”

“Are you getting jealous with your mom right now? I thought he’s just a friend?” my mother bombarded me.

“I know where that look is going,” I uttered, for I knew that she would be pairing me up with Sehun sooner or later, “And it’s a no.”

“Come on. Is he single?” mother kept asking.

I grunted and rolled my eyes in return.

“Ayeeee. Come on and tell me,” my mother urged, “So I can choose who I should pair you up with tomorrow.”

“Why would you pair me with anybody tomorrow?” I questioned, “All the males there would be my relatives.”

“Except this guy – “

“Sehun,” I told her his name.

“Yes. Except Sehun and Jongin so I should know who I would choose between them,” my mother answered nonchalantly.

I widened my eyes, “You invited Jongin?!”

“Why not? He’s single and you’re single!”

“Mom!” I screeched.

“And besides, your aunts would ask if you’re single because they’re very concerned if you’d grow old alone,” my mother continued.

Giving up with the conversation, I gave an exasperated sigh and left my mother. I then went to the living room in order to start with sticking this year’s family reunion logo to the souvenirs and soon, Sangmoon joined me in doing so.

I thought that Sehun would be free after dinner but then, my father kept him occupied as they built the mini stage. Some part of me wished that Sehun would just faint so that my father could leave him alone.

When we were done with the souvenirs, I proceeded on sorting the shirts, and that was the only time that I realized that Sangmoon has already fallen asleep on the floor. Considerate enough, I chose for my brother to have some rest as I told him to go to his room.

I thought that I would be burning the night’s oil alone but I was soon accompanied by Sehun.

I squinted at him, and he said, “What? Your father told me to sleep here.”

“Sorry but you can’t turn off the lights until I’m done,” I answered before focusing on the shirts before me, “Don’t try to help and just get some rest.”<