Are you free?

In-Na frowned upon receiving the sudden message and then replied quickly, ‘No, but I might need some help today.’

Seconds later, her phone started ringing. An amused chuckle left her lips as she answered the phone without needing to check the caller id.

“Were you waiting for my reply?” She asked through the phone.

“Yes.” He replied. She had expected him to say ‘no’ but upon hearing his reply, she couldn’t help but let a smile spread across her lips. She realised that she had kept silent for some time now and Kai was already beginning to ask whether she was okay.

Biting her bottom lip to hide her smile, she told him about her plan for the day, “It’s my friend’s birthday today and I wanted to surprise her. I booked a noraebang* room but it’s not fun to go to noraebang without a group of friends. Do you want to go?”

“Yes!” He replied a little too quickly, which made her laugh, “Are you that excited?”

“No,” He tried to explain calmly, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been there and now I can show off my dancing skills.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” In-Na rolled her eyes as she took out her daily planner under the pile of books on her study table. Flipping through it, she then realised that she had forgotten to wrap the birthday present.

“Kai, do you know where I could buy wrapping paper?” She asked, scanning her room in case she had any extra wrapping paper left. Unfortunately, it was all used up.

“I could bring you there.” He offered, “I’m near your house anyway and I have nothing to do.”

“Before the exam, you told me you had a list of things to do after it was over.”

When she was about to tell him that he didn’t need to bring her there and she could find her way to the gift shop on her own, she heard the doorbell ring.

Kai was still on the line. Her eyes widened as she whispered, “You have got to be kidding me.”

The doorbell rang again. In-Na ran to it and opened the door hurriedly, “Kim Jongin, you have got to be kidding me.”

He smirked and rested his arm on the door frame, “Ready to go?”

She looked down at herself in her baggy t-shirt and long sweat pants. Not to mention that her hair was still in a big mess. If only she could tell him to take a walk around the park and come back later. He tapped her shoulder and questioned, “Can’t you let your guest in?”

In-Na vowed to herself that she wouldn’t allow a male to enter her apartment, except for her parents and cousins. However, letting Kai wait outside in the cold weather (winter was coming) while she took her time to change and get ready was a very rude thing to do. Reluctantly stepping aside to make way for him, she ran her hand through her hair and grumbled, “You could at least ask if I was ready before coming.”

“But I like how you look right now. You look like you’re ten years older.” He smiled, eyes forming crescent moons.

In-Na shot him a glare, “Just stay away from my bedroom. Got it?”

~

Managing to get herself dressed appropriately and her