Jinyoung switched off the alarm as usual and lied on bed for couple of more minutes. It’s been a month since he started living with Natalie. Though the arrangement was to pretend to be her boyfriend, except at Mark’s wedding he didn’t have to show up in public. The whole fake dating thing has forgotten by both of them and they were more like friends sharing living quarters. 

He put the coffee pot on and started preparing breakfast. He diced carrots, leaks and cabbage and put all those into a big pot with chicken pieces to make chicken stew. He cooked the rice and took a portion of kimchi out of fridge. 

The days were getting warmer and longer as they were reaching mid spring. He was getting better with cooking and also writing with the time. He submitted his first novel to the amateur writing contest, though he didn’t expect he would win, he was still glad that he managed to write something. Usually after Natalie leaves home in the morning he have the whole day to himself till the evening. He made a habit to visit to the library once in every two days and to visit to the nearby café in some days. 

He was slowly getting used to the neighborhood, where the barista in the café would keep his order ready by the time he gets there or the cashier in the seven-eleven would ask how’s his story going so far when she rings up the groceries. He started to feel he was finally home and among the people who noticed the real him, not the youngest son of his family. 

“I’m not going to office today" Natalie said as she came down to kitchen. 

“I know, but you have Sunday family lunch” he pushed the stew bowl towards her with kimchi and egg rolls. He placed a rice bowl next to it. 

“I’m not going today.” 

“Can you do that?” he was surprised. 

He knew she had to go home on every Sunday for lunch, where she would sit with her parents and eat silently. 

“Why can’t I? I mean I don’t know why they even bothered to invite me to lunch in every week when we are gonna eat without talking to each other” she said while taking a sip from the stew. 

“I don’t even eat much" she said again.

 “That’s why I prepared all this. So you wouldn’t be hungry" 

He remembered seeing Natalie coming home one Sunday evening after the lunch and stuffing her face with everything in the fridge. She admitted that she never eats much when she goes home for lunch. 

“Wouldn’t your father get angry?” he served a bowl for himself. 

“Maybe, but I just don’t want to go. I’m honestly tired after working a long week" she kept eating.

He knew she had been working hard for the summer project. She was late to come home for the past couple of weeks and he ended up having dinner alone. It sort of made him sad too but he knew he can’t complain. 

“What are you plans?” she asked.

“What I do everyday, write some more, drink more coffee and procrastinate.”
 
“Can I read your novel you submitted to the contest?” she was curious. 

“You said you don’t read that much” he said in an accusing tone. 

“I’ll make an exception for you" she smiled widely as to convince him. 

“Ok ” he nodded. 

“Give me now” 

“You mean like now?” 

“Why not? I have the whole Sunday." 

“Ok then,” he got from the table and went into his room. 

He gave the extra manuscript to Natalie, “You know, you are the first one apart from agents from publishing companies who would read my novel.” He said that because he wanted to tell her that she should be gentle with her feedbacks. 

“Oh great! I’ll be your first fan" she grinned while clutching the file.

“I have to run to the mart you enjoy your Sabbath” he said while cleaning the dishes. 

Natalie was already on the sofa with his manuscript. 

“Mart? To buy groceries?”

“That’s what most people would do at a mart" he replied sarcastically. 

She frowned at his savageness. “I wanna go too" she shot up from the sofa.

“You? To the mart?” he stopped what he was doing and looked at her. 

“Yeah, why not?” she kept her hands on her hips. 

“Have you ever been to a mart?” 

She scoffed, “I have gone grocery shopping before" 

When they entered the mart the cashier flashed a warm big smile at Jinyoung and greeted the with a bow.

“Welcome!” 

“Hello, Minju-ssi how are you?” he asked in return. 

“I’m good Jinyoung-ssi, now that you have come it’s gonna be better.” 

Her eyes looked flirtatious and Natalie almost gagged at the scene. 

Jinyoung pushed the cart from an aisle to an aisle. Natalie followed him while holding his sleeve not to lose him as she was busy looking around. It was her first time at this mart and products have grown in numbers since the last time she was at a mart. 

“Omg! When did they introduce this many flavors of rameon?” she took an instant noodles packet. 

“Didn’t you tell me you have been done grocery shopping before?” 

“I did,” she paused, “when I was in College” she added after a while. 

Jinyoung's laugh made several other people turn their heads. “What? Ten, twelve years ago” 

“Shut up” she slapped his arm. 

He put his upper body weight on the cart and dragged his feet on the floor like he was riding the cart. She smiled at his childish behavior. 

“oh, Jinyoung-ssi, after a long time" the sales girl at the seafood section smiled brightly as she saw them. 

“Hey, Jiso-ssi, I was busy with my book, so didn’t time to come" he tried a sample from the tray. Natalie shook her head as seeing him  flirting back.

“What can I get for you today?” she kept looking at him like Natalie was invisible. 

“What about a fresh crab and some prawns?” Natalie said interrupting their personal bubble. She glared at the girl until she hands over the parcel.

For some reason Natalie was starting to get irritated with female workers in the mart. 

He carefully checked expire dates and product description before buying each item. Natalie watched how meticulous he really is, with admiration.

 “You look like you have been doing this for