This was going to be the most obnoxious dinner ever. I could feel it in my bones.

 “Choa, what are you doing?! Don’t just sit there! Pour Sunggyu and Woohyun some tea!” Omma ordered.

“Neh…” I said, getting up from my seat.

The table was arranged so that Omma sat at the head, and Sulli and I sat on one side, facing the men. Woohyun, of course, sat directly across from Sulli, and the two were staring into each other’s eyes, blissfully unaware of anything around them. Unfortunately, that meant that I sat directly across that awful person, Sunggyu.

On Omma’s orders, I got up and rounded the table, making sure to serve Woohyun first.

“Kamsahamnida,” he said distractedly without looking away from Sulli.

“Neh…”

When it was time to serve Sunggyu, I intentionally focused on staring at nothing but the tea as I poured it into his cup. I could feel the heat of his gaze on my face, and reflexively, I felt the uneasy warmth of blood rushing to my cheeks. But I didn’t let my gaze falter. There was no way in hell I would meet Sunggyu’s eye. I was gonna stare at this cup of tea even if the house burned down around me.

When I had finished, Sunggyu’s hand shot out to take the cup. So quickly, that our hands just brushed against each other.

Don’t touch me, I almost said out loud. I felt the sudden urge to swat his hand away again. Or else shoot him a death stare. But that would involve breaking my rule of not looking at him.

Instead, I sat back down.

“So Woohyun, tell us about yourself,” Omma started.

“Well, I work in town, doing a job that I only kind of like. I didn’t go to college, but I guess that’s something Sulli and I have in common.” At that, he glanced back at Sulli and shot her a loving wink. I thought I felt her swoon beside me. “And when I’m not working, I like playing tennis, and I’m part of a band.”

“Oh? Sulli and Choa like to play tennis too.”

“Chincha?? Maybe we could play together sometime. Like a doubles match, so I could be on the same team as Sulli.” He looked at my sister with a dreamy stare. “Forgive me, Choa, but I always want to be the one on her side.”

Sulli swooned again.

“But who would play with Choa?” Umma asked.

“Sunggyu could,” Woohyun said.

My eyes almost flickered up from my plate, but that rude person was still looking at me, and I refused to meet his gaze. I swirled my food around to warrant my intense focus. “I don’t know…I’m pretty rusty so maybe I’ll pass,” I said quietly.

“Aiyy, Unni, don’t be like that! How could it be a doubles match with only three people?” Sulli said.

Sunggyu piped up. “It’s okay, Sulli. I could carry our team if Choa decides she’s too afraid to play.”

I didn’t look at him. But by his tone, I was sure that he had on his arrogant smirk.

“The only thing I’m afraid of is getting pushed off the court with that fat ego of yours,” I replied with fake lightness through my gritted teeth.

“You know what they say, Choa. Confidence is the key to success.”

Don’t you dare say my name, I thought sourly.

“Aniyo, hyung,” Woohyun piped up. “I thought it was curiosity is the key to success.”

“No, Woohyun, that’s curiosity killed a cat,” Sulli chided lovingly.

“Oh… right…Sulli, you’re so smart.” He smiled adoringly, and the two went back to losing themselves in each other’s eyes.

“So anyways… Woohyun, you also said you’re in a band?” Omma asked.

 “Yeah! With this guy!” Woohyun playfully patted Sunggyu’s shoulder, and for once, I could feel Sunggyu’s gaze leave my face as he turned to Omma.

“Oh Sunggyu, you too?”

“Neh… I guess Woohyun and I started it and convinced our friends to join.”

“But what instrument do you play?”

“Omma, I told you already! Woohyun sings!” Sulli squealed.

“Aiyy… I’m asking Sunggyu now!” Omma reprimanded.

“Actually, I sing too,” Sunggyu said softly.

Mwo?? At that… I had to look at Sunggyu. Part of me wanted to check if he was serious, and another part of me felt some newfound respect for him. Not that I’d ever admit it. I wondered vaguely if he was any good.

His eyes flitted briefly to me when I finally looked up at him, but then he turned back to Omma.

“Huh… A band with two singers? How can that be?” she asked.

“Well, Woohyun does more of the ballads--”

“Which is good,” Woohyun cut him off. “Sulli says she loves ballads.”

“I do!”

“Then… maybe I can sing for you sometime…”

Sulli almost audibly swooned. This Woohyun was far greasier than I thought. Omma was left to carry on the conversation.

“But then Sunggyu, what do you sing?”

“I really like rock.”

I raised my eyebrow at him. Was he serious? I liked rock.

“Oh, rr-o-ckuh,” Umma said, spelling out the word. “Choa, isn’t that the music you like?”

I immediately dropped my gaze to my plate so that I didn’t have to meet Sunggyu’s eye.

“Chincha?? You like that kind of music?” he asked.

“Ah… yeah, it’s okay, I guess,” I answered in the smallest voice I could. I felt everyone at the table looking at me, waiting for me to elaborate. But I simply didn’t want to talk to the man. I settled for silence, and pushed my food around my plate some more. I could tell it made the ambiance awkward. But it was worth it, if that awful person would just stop talking to me.

But he didn’t.

“Then, what bands do you like? And know that I might judge you based on your answer,” he said half-jokingly.

I wasn’t having it. “If you’re going to do that, then what would possibly compel me to tell you?” I said in a darker tone than I intended.

“Aiyy… I’m just trying to get you in the conversation! You’ve been so quiet. Chincha, no need to get defensive--”

“I don’t need your help, thanks,” I said curtly.

“C’mon, Unni, don’t be like this,” Sulli said softly. “He’s just being playful.”

“Well, too bad. I don’t like to be judged.” And I especially don’t like talking to him, I added in afterthought.

An awkward silence engulfed the table. Even Woohyun stopped staring at Sulli to look up and notice the tense ambiance. Truthfully, I didn't mean for it to go this far. But my patience was running thin.

Omma spoke first. “Okay… well I guess I’ll go get the dessert.”

“Yes, Omma! Dessert!” Sulli added in exaggerated joy.

“Sulli said that you make a delicious pie,” Woohyun added.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Sulli and Choa helped,” Umma said.

“Really? …I love a woman who knows how to bake.”

“Oh, Woohyun…” Sulli said, swooning again.

I just kept staring intently at my plate, trying to ignore the fact that Sunggyu was staring at me.

--

Dinner scene was too long, so here is part 1!

Also, forgive me, but right now once-a-week updates is all I can manage.

Also, trying to capture everyone's personalities in this segment was hard. But fun :)

Thanks for the read! Please stay tuned!!