A week later

SHIN MIN JUNG’S POV

Eomma and Yoon Hee is coming back from Philippines today by afternoon flight. She has been working hard lately, since my position in the company is vacated.

We skype-d last night and we agreed to gather together in eomma’s house after they arrived. Yoon Hee told me that Donghae’s coming too.

“You seem to be in a really good mood.” Cho said as he turns on the car’s engine.

“Oh~ Eomma and Yoon Hee’s coming home today.” I replied.

“Jinjja? No wonder.” He smiled. “What time will they arrive?”

“Around 7. I’ll go to eomma’s house after my practice.”

“Let me drive you. I want to meet your eomma too.” He simply said.

I glanced at him. “My eomma? Wae?”

“I just want to greet her. Her daughter is living with me, so of course I need to go to see her when she’s here.”

I rolled my eyes. “Aish, you’re acting as if you are my boyfriend.”

“Well…If you want to think it that way, then...” He shrugged and put on a meaningful smile on his face.

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“Sunbaenim!” Jung Hee approached me as soon as I get changed. “You remember our plan, right?”

“Of course. Don’t worry, I’ll do well.” I give her an okay sign with my fingers.

“Okay!” She giggled. “I wonder how angry will Park seonsaengnim be…”

Today is Park seonsaengnim’s birthday. All of the dancers didn’t greet her a happy birthday on purpose, we pretend to forget.

Some male dancers will also come late on purpose. During the practice later, the rest of the dancers will messed up some parts of the performance.

“Min Jung sunbaenim.” A female dancer called.

“Oh, ne?”

“The practice is going to start. Let’s go.”

“Arasseoyo. You can go first.” I replied.

I rummaged around my bag and took some pills. I feel fine today, but I always need to take my pills just in case.

Letting a small sigh escaped from my mouth, I zipped up my bag and walked towards the stage.

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“Are you feeling better?” Dong Wook oppa squeezes my shoulder. “Should we go home?”

I shook my head. “Aniyo, they are still celebrating seonsaengnim’s birthday. Let’s leave when everyone leaves.”

“Alright.”

I suddenly feel weak and suffocated while practicing just now. Luckily it was the last part of the performance when I fainted, so I didn’t ruin the surprise.

Amazing enough, I only fainted for two minutes, so everyone thought that it was an acting.

The faint covered up the whole surprise and the dancers brought the cake from the backstage right when Park seonsaengnim was panicking because she thought I was sick.

“Oh, sunbaenim-deul, why are you guys here?’A few dancers come to the backstage with cream on their hands.

“It’s too crowded and loud. I greet seonsaengnim a happy birthday already, so it’s okay.” I smiled.

“Ah, waeyo? Sunbaenim, you took the main role in our surprise. Your acting was daebak.” A female dancer said as she wipes her hands with tissue.

Some other dancers come into the backstage. “We were all shocked too.” A male dancer cut in the conversation, and some other dancers nodded. “I thought sunbaenim has fainted for real.” Another female dancer added, and we all laughed.

“What is everyone gossiping here without me?” I heard Park seonsaengnim’s voice, and she is already standing beside me the moment I turned my head.

“We’re talking about how great Min Jung’s sunbaenim acting was.” Jung Hee told her.

Park seonsaengnim chuckled, “Ah, Shin Min Jung. You almost got me a heart attack.” and everyone laughed again. “Anyway, I will treat everyone dinner tonight. Are you guys free?”

Most of the dancers nodded their head. Dong Wook oppa and I exchanged glances, and before I could tell him anything, he raised his hand and said, “Min Jung and I have another plan tonight. I’m afraid we couldn’t join.”

“Oooh~” All of the dancers give us a suspicious look in unison.

“Well, if you guys have your own plans then there’s nothing we can do.” Park seonsaengnim said, smirking. Then, she looks at everyone and said, “Concert is just around the corner, so make sure no one will absent starting from tomorrow, okay?”

“Ne~”

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“Is Kyuhyun-ssi here to drive you home today?” Dong Wook oppa asked as he presses the lift button.

“Hmm. But we are not going back early, eomma and Yoon Hee is coming back from the Philippines today so we are going to eomma’s house.” I told him. “Do you want to come?”

He shook his head. “It seems like a family gathering, I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Aniyo, gwaenchanhayo. Eomma will be happy to see you.”

“Will Kyuhyun-ssi be there too?”

“Ne. He said he wanted to greet my mom.” I replied.

“Ah, I see.”

We walked to the parking lot and Cho is already there. Dong Wook oppa escorted me as usual and said, “Tell your eomma I’ll be paying a visit some other time.”

“Arasseo.” I nodded.

I told him to go safely and we waved each other goodbye.

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“Have you taken your pills today?” was the first thing Cho asked after we left the building.

I rolled my eyes. “Ya! Cho Kyuhyun-ssi. You should have asked me, ‘is it tiring?’ ‘how’s today?’ questions like that. ‘have you taken your pills?’ what a way to welcome someone who’s back from work.” I nagged.

Unexpectedly, he leaned towards me and flicked my forehead. “Have you taken your pills today?” He repeated.

“Aish.” I stared at him, rubbing my forehead. “I did, waeyo?!”

“Your face doesn’t look good.”

“It’s dark, how can you see my face…”

“I saw it. I was looking at you when you walked towards the car with Dong Wook-ssi.” He replied. “Everything’s okay right?”

“Yeah.” I murmured. I fainted just now, but I’m fine now, so he doesn’t need to know what happened.

“Anyway, I don’t know what your eomma likes, so I bought some fruits.” He said, gesturing to the back seat.

I looked at the back and see fruits wrapped in a pretty parcel. “You actually don’t need to buy anything, but thank you.” I said, smiling. Right at that time, my eyes caught a big-sized grocery plastic bag beside the parcel.

“Geurigo*, I bought some hanwoo* too.”

“Jinjja? That’s hanwoo?” I turned my head to look at him.

He nodded. “Donghae hyung told me he bought foods from restaurant for dinner, but I thought your eomma might be bored with restaurant’s foods, so I bought hanwoo so we could grill it ourselves. I bought some raw ingredients to make the sauces too, but I’m not sure I bought the ingredients right.” He scratched his hair, looking unsure.

I smiled. He is unexpectedly thoughtful, and for that I am grateful. “Aigo, uri Kyuhyunnie is doing well~” I reached out my hand and ruffled his hair.

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*Geurigo = then / after that / and. *Hanwoo = Korean beef