*-gun = a term used when calling younger male

*-yang = a term used when calling younger female

Hand in hand, they strolled around the busy street of Hongdae. Teenagers until young adults could be seen on the streets. They blended in, walking around just like another normal couples around, even if they weren’t one, yet. Comfortably, they looked around, going in and out of the stores along the street.

Unknowingly, she had opened up to him. She could smile genuinely more to him. And every time she would do so, he would reply with an equally genuine yet handsome smile. He would hold her hand tighter and hold her closer when they passed through some heavy crowds. His little actions never failed to send a soft smile to her face and send her heart beating wildly.

After walking some more, they arrived in a less crowded area of Hongdae. There, he stopped in front of a small food stall. They entered and seeing there wasn’t any teenager around, he opened the sunglasses he had been wearing. She looked up to meet his eyes with a hint of amusement in her eyes. She didn’t know how he could bring new experiences to her effortlessly whenever they were together. At her gaze, he only smiled warmly as a response.

“Ahjumma! Remember me?” He asked as a middle-aged woman approached him. “Jiyong-gun*?” “It’s me, ahjumma,” he beamed. “It’s really you! It’s been a while, Jiyong-gun. Look! You’ve gotten more handsome!” The woman exclaimed, making him rub the back of his neck sheepishly. “I’m not, ahjumma,” he grinned. “Common, sit, sit,” the woman ushered them to a table in the corner. That was when she was noticed. “Oh, Jiyong-gun, who’s this fine young lady with you? Your girlfriend?” The middle-aged woman wiggled her eyebrows teasingly. “Oh, ahjumma. This is Dara. Dara, this is the ahjumma who owned the stall. And no ahjumma, Dara’s a friend. She’s not my girlfriend,” he said and added the last part in his mind, ‘Yet.’

It was weird how his words, claiming her only as his friend, disappointed her. But she chose to ignore it instead since she didn’t even know why she was disappointed by his simple words which were true in any way. Nonetheless, she greeted back politely, “Annyeonghaseyo,” she nodded slightly while flashing her small smile.

“No need to be so formal, Dara-yang*,” the older woman chuckled at her and turned to him, “Are you sure you two aren’t a couple? You two make a good couple, though,” the middle-aged woman said, making her blush instantly while he, on the other hand, was coughing awkwardly. “Stop saying nonsense, ahjumma,” he protested while his hand found his nape, rubbing it awkwardly again. “What nonsense,” the middle-aged woman chuckled, seeing how awkward they were right then. “Look at your intertwined hands,” the middle-aged woman mused. They cleared their throats awkwardly as they released their intertwined hands. They kept their hands to themselves while she was fidgeting with her fingers and him rubbing his hands together, feeling the sudden loss of warmth they were sharing earlier.

Feeling the awkwardness in the air, the middle-aged woman quickly spoke up, “Okay okay, take a seat. I won’t bother you two any longer,” she paused, chuckling at them who were taking their seats as how they were asked. “What do you want to order anyway?” “Ramyun for two and a plate of tteokbokki, please. Do you want anything else, Dara?” He turned to her. “No,” she said softly as she shook her head. “Oh ahjumma, and a bottle of soju, please,” he grinned. “Don’t, Ji. You have to drive later,” she reminded. “No worried, Dara-ya. It’s just a bottle and you’re to drink with me anyway,” he reassured. “Okay, coming,” the middle-aged said as she left their table to give them some privacy.

The two were still in awkward silence. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out, making him eventually close it again. He started to fidget with his fingers again, once in a while he would rub his sweaty palms over his pants. He raked his brain to come up with something for them to talk about yet nothing came out. He looked around and his gaze stopped at her. Looking at her, he couldn’t help but wonder. There was something more on her, he could feel it and he was determined to find it out. ‘If only she could be my girlfriend right now,’ the thought came suddenly into his mind. His thoughts wandered to how it would be if he was her boyfriend and she was his girlfriend, in love with each other. He could picture it in his mind.

“Staring is rude, you know,” she lightly chuckled. ‘Even her light chuckles are like music.’ “Ji?” Her soft voice broke his train of thoughts. Realizing that he had been looking at her for minutes, he looked down and lightly ruffled his hair sheepishly. “Ji,” she called him again. How he loved to hear his name rolled out of her tongue. He looked up and met her smiling face. “Yeah?” He answered. She was smiling softly. Once again, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. It was like some sort of magic and he was struck, in the heart, hard.

“Nothing, The food is here,” she chuckled again. He didn’t even realize when the middle-aged woman came back with their orders. “Let’s eat then,” he said as he scratched his head which wasn’t even itchy in the first place. “Thank you for the food,” she mumbled softly as it was her very first time saying that phrase. “Dig in,” he chuckled.

They bot