I hopped about excitedly in my room as I waited for my straightener to heat up. Today, Woohyun and I were going on our first ever official date as a couple, and I thought I was going to faint from both over excitement and nerves. I was a little worried about the things we would say and the things we would talk about, but then again, at the same time, I wasn’t really nervous. Woohyun and I were comfortable in silence, and we had been through so much and gotten over so many obstacles so we could be together.  

“Mom, I’m going out now,” I yelled as I dashed down the stairs, checking the time. Crap, I’m going to be late. “BYE!”
“Hana, wait,” my mom called out from the kitchen. “Can you please go and buy some groceries for me? I need it to make soup for your father before he leaves for his business trip tonight.”
“But – mom – I’m – “ I stuttered. “I’m going out! With my friend! Right now! I’m going to be late!”
She sighed. “Hana, don’t be like this. You know how much your father loves this soup, and he won’t have home cooking for a week. Text your friends and tell them you’ll be late. It will take two hours, tops, to get to the shop and back here.”
My eyes bulged in my head. Two hour, tops? That was ages! What kind of groceries did she need?!
“Here’s the list,” she handed me a long piece of paper. “Go to that organic supermarket across town. Your father has indigestion, lately.”

I groaned. I knew I couldn’t get out of this. I just had to text Woohyun and tell him I was sorry and I had to reschedule.

woohyun >< im really sorry my mom wants me to go grocery shopping >< lets go out another time? really sorry wahhhh ):

I walked miserably to the bus stop. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I checked it timidly. Hopefully, Woohyun wouldn’t be angry at me.

where are you? ill meet you ~ lets go shopping together!!~

are you sure? LOL she wants me to go to the organic supermarket across town omg =.=

meet you there? ;) it’ll be fun!!

LOL okayy (: be there in fifteen minutes ! (:

The frown on my face was immediately replaced by a smile. I was seeing him today! It didn’t really matter where we went – as long as we were hanging out together. 

I walked into the supermarket and grabbed a trolley while calling Woohyun to see if he was here yet.

“Hello? Woohyun? Are you here?” I asked, strolling down the vegetable section, picking out organic cabbages and carrots.
“Yes! I’ll be where I naturally belong,” he sniggered.
“Huh? Where’s that?”
“You know,” he said cheekily. “In the honey section. Because I’m so sweet.”
I coughed loudly into the phone, pretending to choke. “Are you sure? Don’t you mean the grease section? Or in the waste bin?”
“Hey,” he said, pretending to sound upset. “Fine then. I’ll come find you. Are you in the vegetable section?”
“Yep! How did you know?”
“Oh, you know,” he paused awkwardly. “I can sense these things. Look up, Hana.”

I looked up from the selection of cabbages, confused. There, in front of me, stood Woohyun holding a banana at his mouth, and smiling toothily under it.

“Hana! Hana and banana rhyme! Mehrong!” He said loudly, causing everyone around to give him weird looks. I felt my cheeks burn red and I quickly hurried up to him and snatched away the banana before hitting him in the head.
“Hey! Do you want to kill me?” I put my hand on my cheek. It felt super hot. “I – I’m going to buy garlic.”

I quickly hurried away from him before he could hear the loud thump of my heart, which sounded like thunder and lightning to me. Woohyun was really – aish, that boy would be the death of me. How could someone be so handsome, cute, caring, greasy and childish at the same time!?

He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. My face burnt red again when I realised…it was a back hug. In a supermarket. I wanted to die. I wanted to squeal like a pig because I was so happy.

“Sorry I embarrassed you,” Woohyun said. “I’ll make it up to you, promise!”
I nodded. “Fine! You have to push the trolley and hold my bag,” I said, ing him my backpack and running off before he could give it back to me.

“Yah! Kim Hana! I don’t want to carry this!” He chased after me, dodging between the stands of organic fruit and vegetables.

“Excuse me, you two!” An old man roared from behind us. We stopped running to see the man who was in charge of processing the deli meats yell.
“Us?” I said, pointing at Woohyun and I. He nodded. I gulped.
“Come here, you two,” he beckoned us threateningly. “You,” he pointed at Woohyun. “Do you not know the rules of being a gentleman?” He tched. “Men must always carry their wives’ handbags.”
“Sir, we’re not married – “ I began.
“I don’t care,” he protested. “Son, you really make me disppointed. Back in my day, if my wife told me to carry her bag, I would have grabbed it straight away. Heck, she probably wouldn’t even need to ask. But you – “ he patted his meat knife threateningly. “You, you’re a disgrace to men! Carry her back pack! Right now!”

Beside me, I could feel Woohyun shaking silently with laughter. “Yes – sir,” he choked out between his laugh. “I’m very sorry.”

Woohyun bowed solemnly.

“That’s my boy!” The ahjussi clapped Woohyun on the back. “Here, you two young ones have some bacon, on me.”
“Oh, no ajhussi, we really couldn’t – “ I tried to say, shaking my hands gratefully.
“Oh, no, I insist!” He roared, right into my face.

I tensed a bit and stepped back. I nudged Woohyun, telling him to help me after the old man started shoving kilos of bacon into my arms, but he wouldn’t stop laughing.
“Thankyou, ahjussi! I’ll eat this well!” I bowed again and turned to walk away quickly before he could yell anything else into my face. Poor man. He must have some hearing impairment.

When we were out of earshot of the man, I smacked Woohyun on the head. It was then that his silent laughter turned into loud snorts and choking.
“You – my – that man – oh my,” he gasped out, clutching his stomach, kneeling over. “I can’t even! Oh my God!”
“Shut up,” I snapped, getting the trolley and wheeling it toward the cabbages I still had not chosen. “He was being serious, you know! The ahjussi.”
“I know,” Woohyun gasped. “That’s why I’m holding it for you now.”

“Well, we have lots of bacon,” I commented, desperate to change the subject. “I – I can make…bacon fried rice.”

He choked. “Really? You should make it for me, sometime!”
“Maybe. Some day,” I said vaguely, checking things off my list as we strolled down the aisles. With Woohyun helping me today, I got this done a lot faster than I had anticipated.

“Do you have everything?” He asked me as I grabbed the package of rice noodles off the shelf.
I scanned my list once more and nodded. “Yep! Let’s go!”
He wheeled the trolley to the checkout and started loading things onto the belt to be scanned.
“Where should we eat? It’s almost 1pm,” I asked him.
“I want bacon fried rice,” he said cheekily, looking up at me and winking.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “No.” I said.
“Aw, please?” He said, making puppy eyes at me. I closed my eyes, or I knew I would give in. “I need to help you carry your groceries back home, anyway! Do you think you can hold this three kilo lump of bacon yourself!?”

I sighed. “Fine. But, if you complain or say anything about my cooking – “ I mimed slitting his throat. “Dead.”
He nodded enthusiastically. “Okay! I’ll say it tastes good even if I feel like vomiting!”
“Well, I didn’t mean it like that, I mean, like if you – “ I stuttered.
“I know,” he said, nudging me in the side playfully. “I know.”

“Mom, I’m home,” I yelled. “Woohyun, can you put the bags over there please?” I pointed to the bench top.
“That was quick,” my mom commented, not taking her eyes off the pot she was stirring on the stove. Then she looked up when she heard Woohyun rustling around.
"Where's the chocolate bar that I bought?"

“Eh? Who’s this?” My mom asked curiously.
She looked between Woohyun and I.
“Um, mom, this is – “ I tried.

“Ma’am, nice to meet you,” Woohyun bowed deeply. “I’m Hana’s friend, Nam Woohyun.”
My mom beamed. “Ah! Woohyunnie? Nice to meet you too,” she said, clapping him on the back. “Please! Make yourself at home. Did you help Hana with her shopping today?”
“I did it all! Hana was just being lazy and riding along in the trolley,” he teased.
“Aigoo,” my mom said, looking at me with knowing eyes. “You guys should’ve stayed out longer! Have you eaten?”
“Oh, Hana said she would cook me bacon fried rice, ma’am.” Woohyun spoke up before I could say anything. “Apparently, she cooks it really well!”
My mom scoffed. “Hana? Cook? Aigoo,” she said. “That will be the day the world freezes over.”

“Mom!” I said loudly, turning red, refusing to look at Woohyun. “That’s not true!”

Next to me, I heard him snicker.