“Are you okay?” Yerin said, looking at me closely.

Yerin was preparing dinner in the kitchen. I was staring at blank space while sitting on the stool in front of the kitchen’s island. Yerin must have noticed me staring blankly again.

“I’m just tired,” I replied.

“You’re always tired.”

She continued on stirring the soup that she was cooking in a large orange pot. The aroma of the soup was wafting out of the pot and making its way to every corner of the house. I was supposed to help Yerin prepare the dinner, but unfortunately, I’m in wonderland again.

“You can rest in your room, if you want. I’ll finish this in a minute.” Yerin continued on stirring the contents in the pot without looking at me.

“No,” I insisted, “I’ll wait.”

Yerin looked at me, stopping her from stirring the soup. I immediately smiled.

“Heechul…” she started.

“I’m fine,” I cut in.  “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

I smiled and nodded.

But Yerin seemed to not believe me at all. With that frown in her face as a proof, she looked at me in suspicion. She look back at what she was cooking, stirred it some more and cover it with a glass lid.

“Two more minutes,” she said, heading towards me.

“Okay,” I replied.

Yerin continued to walk towards me, but didn’t stop in front of me. The next thing I knew, a pair of hands are massaging my shoulder, gently and comforting.

“Hey…” I exclaimed.

“Relax…” she said, continuing to massage. “I don’t do this very often so better treasure it.”

Now, I officially feel that Yerin is my wife, and I am the King of the World! The girl of my dreams is cooking dinner for me, taking care of me, is concerned about me, and massaging my shoulder. Wow, I just hit the jackpot. This is the life.

I closed my eyes and relaxed myself, savoring the moment. Please let this last…

“And…done.”

Yerin stopped the relaxing massage and went back in front of the stove. I opened my eyes in dismay.

“I was just getting started to relax…” I whined.

Yerin looked at me and smiled. “Stop whining, will you? Later, I’ll massage you again.”

Then, a smile formed in my face again. “Oh, so no lesson plans for tonight, huh?”

“No,” she answered. “Tonight, I’ll be your personal masseuse.”

I bit my lip, stopping myself from smiling widely. Yes! I really have hit the jackpot. What’s with her today anyway?

Suddenly, my thoughts were disturbed of a phone ringing. It was Yerin’s. Who could be calling her this time? Yerin reached out for her phone in the pocket of jeans and answered the call.

“Hello?” I answered the phone.

“Hello. Did you miss me?” a guy said in English.

I look at the caller ID. The number is not registed. Perhaps…

“Jun? Is that you?” I asked.

“Bingo.” He sounded happy. “Hey, are you free tomorrow? I was thinking about the postponed lunch this morning. What about tomorrow? Are you free then?”

Right, we had this agreement of meeting for lunch. Sunhwa is dragged into it, if I’m right.

“Oh yeah, the lunch,” I recalled. “Well, I don’t know if I’m free tomorrow.”

I really don’t know if I’ll be doing something tomorrow.

“Come on, it’s Saturday tomorrow,” he said, then paused. “Wait, could you be making up an excuse to ditch me again.”

“Hey, I didn’t ditch you, for your information. I really did have a class this morning,” I said, getting frustrated.

Jun laughed. “Relax, I was just messing with you.” And he laughed again. “Yerin, you didn’t change one bit. You’re still hot headed.”

“Hey, I was not!” I almost yelled.

All of my attention was focused on Jun that I forgot about the soup. Now, it’s overflowing.

“Yerin, what are you doing!” Heechul yelled. He ran towards me and pulled me away from the stove. He turned off the stove and looked at me in irritation. “Turn that off,” he commanded.

“Who’s that?” Jun asked.

I was left silent.

“I said turn that off,” Heechul said, anger was in his voice. Heechul looked at my phone like his going to rip it to pieces.

“Jun, I got to go,” I said.

“Who’s that…” he said, but I cut the call, not even saying a proper goodbye.

“Who was that?” Heechul asked, eyes not blinking.

“It was a friend,” I answered.

“Why do you have to speak in English?” he asked.

“He’s from the US, I mean England, ummm…US. I forgot…” I answered unclearly as pressured surges into my system.

Heechul looked at the spilled soup on the stove top. The orange colored soup is spilled everywhere, yelling out “YERIN, CLEAN ME!” I was totally occupied with Jun; I forgot that I was cooking something.

“I’m sorry,” I told Heechul, his angry eyes still looking at me straight.

“You could have burned yourself,” he said, “just like before.”

Before? What before? Heechul looked at my hand. “You’re not burned, are you?” he asked.

Burned? Oh, now I remember. I did burn my hand before…and he yelled at me after that. My heart pounded so bad, but not as bad as now. I was afraid he’ll get mad at me for making myself stupid again.

“I’m fine,” I answered.

“I’ll clean this up. You go…sit down,” he said, pushing me gently towards the other side of the island and in front of the stool where he was sitting a while ago.

Heechul took a roll of kitchen towels from a kitchen cabinet, just above the stove. He wiped the spill thoroughly, not missing a spot. Heechul checked the soup and said, “It’s still soup.” He turned towards me and smiled; showing a smile, like telling me everything’s alright. Yes, Heechul, everything’s alright. Thank you.

I returned the smile. “I’ll prepare dinner.”   

“It’s okay, I’ll do it,” he said, taking out plates from a kitchen cabinet.

“I’ll do it,” I insisted, heading towards him.

He smiled. “Then, I’ll help you.”

I smiled as well. “Okay.”

Heechul and I were silently eating our dinner, focusing on the food in front of us. Then, he suddenly spoke.

“Who was that? The one that called?” he asked, looking at me.

“Oh, that was a friend,” I answered. Honestly, doesn’t he believe me?

“Why did she call,” he said.

“It’s… he,” I said.

What! It’s a guy? No wonder she’s preoccupied a while ago. She could have turned the phone off if it’s only a guy. And by the way, I am here! Why should you be answering a phone call with a guy on the other line with me in front of her? Hello, I’m your ‘husband’.  Yerin, how could you?

“A guy?” I asked, just making sure.

Yerin nodded.

Seriously, my blood is boiling. “Why did he call?” I asked, controlling my temper.

“He wants to invite me for lunch tomorrow,” she answered like there’s no meaning to it.

Yerin, come on, a guy wants to have lunch with you! Today, it’s called a date. Then, what if you two dated, what will happen? What? You’ll eventually like him? You’ll fall for him? NO! This can’t be…

“Cancel it,” I simply said, looking at my food again.

“What?” she asked, puzzled.

“Cancel the date,” I repeated.

“Date?” she repeated, then laughed. “What do you mean date? Heechul, Jun is my friend…”

“Oh, so Jun is his name, huh?”

“Yes, and he’s my friend…who came back to Korea for a vacation to see his mom and his friends. So happens that one of his friends is me,” she said, getting worked up by the minute. “Besides, it’s not a date,” she defended, “it’s more of a…like a…friendly date…”

“Then, it’s still a date,” I said, playing with the chicken on my plate with the fork on my left hand.  

“What? No! It’s just lunch, okay?” she said. “Just a friendly lunch. Besides, Sunhwa will be there with me.”

Heechul was pouting his lips, obviously irritated. Why is he so worked up with this lunch anyway? Perhaps…

“You’re jealous aren’t you?” I asked.

Heechul looked at me more intently. “Does it show?” he asked.

Tsk! “Heechul, you are such a baby. It’s not a date, I assure you. Besides, there’s no rule in our hundred days that I can’t have lunch with other guys, are there?”

“Come on, Yerin! It’s still a date!” he said, frustration coming out. “I know these types of moves.”

“What moves?” I asked.

“Oh, first, he’ll ask for a lunch. Next, he’ll give you flowers. Then, he’ll start liking you, then courting you, then visiting you at home, then proposing!” Every word is just hard to speak out!

Yerin laughed. “Are you serious? Didn’t I just point out that Jun is my FRIEND? Get it? F-R-I-E-N-D, friend. Or do I need to give you a dictionary?” she said, lips pouting and eyes getting wide, leveling my frustration. “Stop whining like a baby, will you?”

“Don’t meet that guy,” I said with stress.

“You have got to be kidding me? You are that jealous?” she said, getting up from his seat.

“YES! Do I have to repeat again? YES! I’m jealous! Happy?”

I knew he’ll get mad; but I thought it would be for a burned hand or for the spilled soup, not for a lunch date with a close friend. Okay, cross out the ‘date’ word. Lunch. Just simple, quiet lunch. With Sunhwa. Just with friends. And he’s worked up about that. Great!

I sat back down to my seat.

“Fine, I’m not going. If that’s what you want…” I said, and nothing comes after that.

Yerin looks like she’s going to break the plate to pieces. Her eyes are darted straight to her plate, eating rather fast. Heechul you idiot! You and your stupid jealously. You just made a ruckus and you…you’re just helpless.

I looked at her, rather guilty of what I just did. This reverse psychology thing really works. When Yerin decided to stop arguing with me, that’s when it hits hard to your face and tells you “I’M GOING TO STOP TO MAKE YOU GUILTY!” or “IDIOT! YOU’RE WRONG!” Kim Heechul, you argue like you have no injury.

Injury…

“I’m going to the hospital for a checkup,” I informed her.

Yerin looked up. “Do I need to come with you?” she said after a while.

“No,” I looked back at her. “No need. I’ll ask manager-hyung to take me.”

She nodded.

“Yerin…” I started. “You can go…”

She looked at me. “It’s okay… I’ll just tell him I can’t.”

“No, you can go,” I said, guilt rushing to my nerves. But then, like with some of genius, I said, “Go meet him. Tell him you’re engaged.”

Yerin looked at me, dumbfounded.

“Wow, you really have a problem,” she said sarcastically. “One time you’re angry, then jealous, now…you’re just unpredictable.” I shook her head.

“Just go,” I simply said.

“Yeah, and tell him I’m engaged.” Her eyebrows rose, her lips pouting in frustration. She sighed.

“Tell him you’re engaged so that he will not make a move,” I said.

She pouted her lips once more. “Fine…” she said, looking at her food again.

“Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, I’ll buy a couple ring, to prove that you are mine,” I said.

Yerin looked at me again, astounded. But this time, she’s blinking fast in disbelief, like saying “AM I HEARING THINGS?” or “HE’S KIDDING RIGHT?” But this is for real; I’m going to buy a ring, so no other man will make their move on my angel.

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I hope you guys don't get dizzy with all the font style changing. I hope you liked this update. And sorry for the late update and typos.

~Crina