CHAPTER 4 Lunch Date for Four

            “Hey! Let’s go to XOXO café today. They are selling your favourite treat today with 30% off!” exclaimed Hana who’s one of my friends. She was jumping up and down feeling very excited for asking my friends and I out for lunch but slowly one by one rejected leaving her and me who were available to have lunch outside the campus.

            “Too bad our friends can’t make it. You must feel forced to join me to lunch,” she said linking her arm to mine as we walk side by side to our favourite café just a 10 minute walk away.

            “No, it’s perfectly fine. Besides, I think you would cry if you aren’t able to go there today, am I right?”

            “What do you mean? I’m taking you there for a treat! You should be grateful I invited you,” said Hana teasingly and we both laughed at each others’ jokes along the way.

            As we entered the café, Hana and I quickly went to the counter to order our treats and a cup of our favourite coffee. The coffee was made in an instant but the treats we ordered were not enough so we decided Hana takes our drinks to a table and sit while I waited at the counter. It was taking quite a while so I went to see the other cakes and sweets they were selling.

            I felt a strange presence nearing me while I was preoccupied looking at the other yummy treats. I could sense the person stood near me and copied my action; bending down and looking at the treats too. “They look delicious, don’t they?” he said and I realized by the voice it was…

            “Sunghyun… oppa!” I exclaimed. When I acknowledged his presence beside me, he immediately smiled. “What are you doing here?”

            “Kevin! You sure you want caramel coffee?” shouted Eli from afar across the counter.

            “Yes! Is there anything else you want Eli?” asked Kevin to the blonde rapper.

            “Pick out anything! I’m starving,” said Eli gesturing very impatiently to the vocalist.

            So Kevin turned back to me and asked, “So, what are you having? It’s my treat.”

            Before I could even answer Kevin, Hana came down to check on me, “What’s taking you so long…?” Hana had that surprised look on her face, a small ‘o’ shape formed on like the words got stolen from her all of a sudden. “Omo! Omomomomo!!! Kevin!! It’s KEVIN OPPA!!!” she said squealing; couldn’t confide her excitement anymore.

            She shyly but instantly run to my side to whisper to me, “ It’s UKISS’s Kevin. He’s so handsome. When did he get here? Did you guys talk? What did he say to you?”

            I hit Hana playfully for the abundance of questions that all came at once. I just smiled, stifling in my laughter when I could hear Kevin was also laughing.

            “Your friend?” he asked me and I nodded.

            “I’m Kim Hana!” said Hana boldly. Kevin nodded with a wide grin.

            “Oh! That was easy. I don’t need to introduce the two of you,” I said cheekily. By that time, Eli joined us.

            “OMO! Eli’s here too!? I’m such a big fan of yours and UKISS,” gestured Hana to shake Eli’s hand. Eli smiled at Hana and shook her hand seemingly it was a friendly custom for him and Hana knew of this.

            “I see what’s taking you so long, Kevin. You attracted some girls, you cheeky fella’,” said Eli teasing the younger member but Kevin flinched.

            “No! That’s not it at all…” said Kevin brushing off Eli’s skinship.

            “Oh! Before I forget,” Hana quickly took out here cellphone and gave it to me as she quickly stood between the two guys. “Please take a photo of us, please~”

            “Alright Hana. Be cute and say cheese.”

            Just before I could press the button, I caught Hana linking her arm around one of Kevin’s arm when his other hands did his signature peace sign. “Ah~ So cheeky Hana.”

            The three of them laughed at my short comment. Hana taking her phone, examined the photo I took earlier and gestured me towards the two UKISS members making me confused. “It’s your turn.”

            “Wae? Wae? Wae?” I asked as I look at Kevin who only smiled at the confused and shy me. “No. I’m OK.”

            “Don’t be a spoiled sport,” she said.

            Saved by the bell, the chef called out for me to take Hana and my order from earlier. They were crème brulee. “Finally,” I said taking the tray.

            “Oh! Crème brulee! They look delicious!” exclaimed Kevin happily when he saw them. “Eli! Let’s get this too!”

            “Are there more of these sir?” asked Eli to the chef.

            “Plenty and freshly baked,” he answered.

            All of us were happy for the four of us had the same thing and decided to have lunch together. I was secretly so happy; dancing with joy in fact that I’m having my lunch with Kevin today. My little heart screamed in delight.

            “You’re enjoying it a lot, aren’t you?” asked Kevin.

            “I can’t help it if they are so delicious,” I said happily.

            “Yes, they are,” he said as he grabbed a tissue and wiped the extra crumbs off the end of my lips. I don’t know if Eli and Hana was watching us but they were busy talking and I hope they didn’t notice how flushed I was at the moment.

            The silence said otherwise. Hana was smiling mischievously at us and so was Eli.

            “What?” I asked breaking the silence.

            “You two look chummy,” commented Eli.

            “Just kiss each other, already,” said Hana boldly.

            “Yah!” I shouted at her while Kevin only laughed so hard.

            “I’m serious. You two look cute just now. I would totally vote for you two to date,” said Hana only to make it awkward between Kevin and I. I just hit realization that nobody even my friends and even UKISS knows of my marriage with Kevin, not it has become an issue for us to keep it a secret. “Kevin oppa, my friend is really smart and very nice person. Plus, doesn’t her innocence make her cute? She can be really shy but really she’s a very out-going person and loyal too. So, if you ever want to date her, the only thing she likes is someone to be honest to her and she'll be honest in return.”

            “You talk as if they agreed to date,” said Eli.

            “Don’t you agree if they did, oppa?” questioned Hana to Eli.

            I only lowered my head, letting it hide from the latter for feeling very embarrassed right now.

            “You friend thinks very highly of you and I couldn't agree less with what she says. You're an amazing person, jagi...” Kevin said slowly to me as he rubbed my back soothingly.

            I felt much better when Kevin said so but I still felt embarrassed and was still shy to show my face for it may look really red right now but I felt Kevin grabbed my hand under the table away from Eli and Hana’s knowledge for they did sit across from us. They wouldn’t notice a thing.

Our lunch ended after Kevin and I shared one last selca together and I loved it. The four of us parted but before we did, Kevin whispered into my ear, “I’ll text you,” making me smile. Hana thought he confessed to me and kept on teasing me for it.

            My phone beeped and I opened the message from him.

            Jagi, you have very ‘honest’ friend. I like her but not as much I like you.

                                                                                                - Kevin.

            I texted back.

            Hana is the best! I enjoyed having lunch with you today. We should do it more often.

                                                                                                -You.

            He replied.

            And have crème brulee everyday? I want a packed lunch made by you! Please make this happen, jagi…

                                                                                                -Kevin.

            Anything for you, oppa. I have to go now. Hana is getting suspicious of me.

                                                                                                -You.

            Wait. Eli just showed me something and I want to share it with you.

                                                                                                -Kevin.

            So, I waited anxiously for that, ‘thing’ whatever it was. And when another message entered my inbox, I pressed enter to check it was a MMS, an image or photo that was taken at the café earlier. It was the moment Kevin cleaned the crumbs off my mouth. It was a very improper photo – proof of my messiness! I felt so embarrassed that this was taken; on top of that, secretively. Another messaged arrived, also from Kevin and it read:

            “My lovely baby ate crème brulee whole-heartedly today leaving crumbs everywhere but I love her very much.”

            All I can do was be very grateful for how blessed I was to have the kind-hearted Kevin as my husband. Everything he does and says always makes it feels it was alright. My love for him just grows more and more for him, everyday.