gain

A thing that is achieved or acquired.

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August 9 (Thursday)

Kyung Mi woke up to the sound of her cellphone alarm ringing. She switched it off and tried to remember why she set the alarm. 

“I’m judging you, Han Kyung Mi,” she mumbled aloud. If anyone was there, people would call her weird. Then again, why would people be in her bedroom? Anyhow, Kyung Mi remembered the plaintive reason. 

“I’m going out with Gongchan today!” thought Kyung Mi to herself. She tumbled out of bed and got ready for the day. She glanced at the clock that showed eight thirty in the morning. 

“It’d be nice if he could come over for breakfast,” murmured Kyung Mi. “He should be ready by now, actually. Maybe he’ll be walking around his area.”

Kyung Mi took her cellphone and called him. She began speaking rather animatedly into it the moment he picked it up. 

“Gongchan!” said Kyung Mi in a chirpy manner. “It’s good that you’re already awake.” The male mumbled his response and that caused Kyung Mi to frown. 

“Gongchan, where are you?” asked Kyung Mi. Gongchan only mumbled a response back again. Funny. That must mean that he was somewhere relatively comfortable. 

“Gongchan Shik,” tried Kyung Mi again. This time, her best friend replied something audible enough. 

“I’m at home,” remarked Gongchan. After hearing that statement, the bespectacled girl couldn’t help but shake her head in disbelief. 

“You better get ready quick Gongchan,” said Kyung Mi. “I’m ready, and then if you can, come over to my house for breakfast okay?”

Sighing, she couldn’t refrain from adding one more sentence. 

“It sounds like I’m the guy and you’re the girl instead,” stated Kyung Mi. Gongchan didn’t seem to have a big reaction to that. 

“Mmh,” was all that Gongchan uttered and then Kyung Mi ended the call. She walked down the stairs, caught up with thinking what to paint for the test. She was walking past the living room to reach the kitchen when she was grabbed against her will. Kyung Mi’s eyes widened and she found herself being seated next to Gongchan who was being all comfortable on the couch. He had a lazy smile on his face and he was wearing a plain round-collared shirt with dark coloured pants. Gongchan had his hand around a pillow.

“I thought you said that you were at home!” exclaimed Kyung Mi. The corners of Gongchan’s mouth tilted upwards. 

“I am at home,” said Gongchan as he stared unblinkingly at her. Kyung Mi’s face coloured when he said that. 

“Please — don’t you dare repeat the incident,” remarked Kyung Mi. Gongchan’s face fell slightly and he nodded. Kyung Mi stood up. 

“Anyway, let’s eat breakfast!” said Kyung Mi happily. She walked a few steps when she heard Gongchan’s mournful voice. 

“Han Kyung Mi,” spoke the nineteen year old. “Don’t leave me.” Kyung Mi threw a glance at Gongchan who was tapping on the space beside him, trying to convince her to come back and forgo breakfast. 

“Too bad!” said Kyung Mi cheekily and stuck out her tongue at him. She casually walked to the kitchen, with Gongchan who was following closely since his plan had been foiled.

Her mother smiled at the sight. 

“Hello there, young man,” said Kyung Mi’s mother cheerfully. “You’re eating breakfast here today?” Gongchan respectfully greeted her and nodded. 

“How lucky!” said Kyung Mi’s mother. “I actually prepared your favourite breakfast dish today.” He grinned cheekily at her. 

“You want me here more often, Mrs Han,” joked Gongchan. Kyung Mi’s mother slapped his shoulder good-naturedly and looked at her daughter. 

“He comes here too often, Kyung Mi!” laughed her mother. “Stop him, alright?” Kyung Mi only smiled and acknowledged her mother’s attempt at joking.

Gongchan sat beside Kyung Mi at the breakfast table and Kyung Mi’s mother sat across them after serving them food. They were all contently eating. After a while though, Kyung Mi’s mother stopped eating and placed her cutlery aside. She merely smiled while looking at the two teenagers in front of her. 

“Mom, anything?” asked Kyung Mi after swallowing her food. Kyung Mi’s mother shook her head. 

“Nothing much,” she laughed softly. “It’s just really nice to see you growing up with Gongchan, Kyung Mi. It’s been ten years.” 

“Twelve, Mrs Han,” corrected Gongchan nonchalantly. “The food’s great, by the way. Thank you.” Kyung Mi’s mother laughed again.

“It’s not like I can follow up on your lives all the time, handsome man,” remarked Kyung Mi’s mother. “Sometimes I even forget that you two aren’t in the same year. You’re welcome.” Kyung Mi was eating properly when a comment made by her mother halted her movements temporarily. 

“It would be a nice surprise if Min Jae came home with a guy once in a while,” commented Kyung Mi’s mother. “She hasn’t done so at all during all of these years, huh. Surely she would have a nice male friend that she could at least introduce to me?” Gongchan made a face. 

“Mrs Han wants another guy to pour her affections to,” concluded Gongchan, scrunching up his face. Kyung Mi’s mother shook her head in amusement. 

“You know what I meant,” remarked Kyung Mi’s mother.

Kyung Mi was silently processing what her mother had just said. 

“Thing is…” thought Kyung Mi. “I know that she has several boyfriends before. Mom never knew the slightest thing about any of them…?” Kyung Mi mentally concluded that she wouldn’t be giving away her sister’s apparent secret anyway. Let secrets remain as secrets. By the time nine thirty in the morning came, breakfast was done and the place was cleaned up. 

“Going out?” questioned Kyung Mi’s mother. Gongchan and Kyung Mi nodded. 

“Have fun!” said Kyung Mi’s mother with a smile. “Be back for dinner, Kyung Mi. Your father actually gets to dine at home today.”

Once they were out of the house, they began heading towards the nearing shopping mall — because Kyung Mi said so. 

“We could get your art materials at the convenient store you know,” quipped Gongchan. “It’s much nearer.” The male then stressed out the word convenient. 

“Nope, we’re going to the shopping mall you lazy boy, like it or not,” chuckled Kyung Mi. Gongchan looked at her, a smirk growing on his face. 

“Then I guess I’ll just pull you away from the shopping mall and to the store instead?” suggested Gongchan shortly. Without waiting for her reply, Gongchan firmly took hold of her left hand and began running towards the convenient store with Kyung Mi being dragged along. Gongchan knew that it wasn’t the best behaviour a guy should be displaying, but oh well.

“Gongchan Shik!” uttered Kyung Mi, almost yelling. Gongchan stopped dead in his tracks, causing Kyung Mi to accidently bump into his back. Whenever she addressed him by his full name, he knew it would be no light matter. Nonetheless, it didn’t change the fact that he tried to make it seem so. 

“Looks like you’ve been reciting my full name a lot lately,” laughed Gongchan as he turned to look at her, his eyes crinkling into a smile. Kyung Mi looked at him seriously. 

“We’re going to the shopping mall, and that’s final,” said Kyung Mi, attempting to be the one who pulled the other along this time. “I’m sorry — but you can’t be lazy today, alright?”

Gongchan permitted himself to be pulled by the girl who is one year younger than him. 

“You got stronger, Kyung Mi,” joked Gongchan poorly. Kyung Mi shrugged and continued in the same manner. It wasn’t like there was a need to stop holding hands. Finally, they reached the shopping mall and they both headed into an art shop right away. It was only then they stopped holding hands. 

“Is this the one you wanted?” said Gongchan aloud, who was at the end of the aisle. Kyung Mi walked over where he was and smiled. 

“Yep, let’s get two,” remarked Kyung Mi. Remembering that her sister wanted black ink pens the other day, she also took a few with her. She and Gongchan walked over to the counter and Kyung Mi paid for her things. She carried the paper bag and they exited the art shop.

“And… now we go back?” concluded Gongchan oddly, not understanding why didn’t they go to the convenient store in the first place. Kyung Mi smiled mysteriously. 

“Not just yet,” replied Kyung Mi and she managed to lead Gongchan into a clothing store. 

“Go ahead — pick out a few clothes for yourself, Gongchan,” said Kyung Mi with a beaming face. Still confused, Gongchan picked out a few clothes and he got shoved into the changing room. Gongchan nearly let out a girlish scream when Kyung Mi had thrown a few more clothes into his place. The nineteen year old composed himself and began trying out the clothes.

“Come out when you’re done changing each time, alright?” said Kyung Mi in a cheerful voice. And so Gongchan did, in various types of shirts and sweaters. Some were short-sleeved, some were long-sleeved. Some had simple patterns whereas some had really intricate ones. Most of the time Gongchan’s attire didn’t really get Kyung Mi’s approval. 

“Why am I even doing a fashion show for you, Kyung Mi?” groaned Gongchan as he wore his seventh choice of clothing. He had almost a dozen of shirts in his place as they managed to exceed the clothes limit without being caught. 

“Well, mister,” stated Kyung Mi, trying to suppress a smile. “It’s your birthday present.” Gongchan’s eyes widened as he mentally counted the days left to his birthday. Just five more days, to be exact. It was so obvious but Gongchan had missed it.

Gongchan smiled sheepishly and went back into the changing room. Kyung Mi began feeling suspicious when she heard a lot of rummaging going on inside there. She knocked gently against the door. 

“Don’t worry about the price,” said Kyung Mi. Her suspicions were proven right when the sound of things being moved about disappeared. 

“Oh,” ended Gongchan lamely. After a period of time, her best friend decided that there were three shirts that he liked best. 

“Just get me one,” suggested Gongchan. “I wouldn’t want you to overspend on me just because it’s my birthday present.” Kyung Mi agreed to that. Gongchan tirelessly switched around these three choices when Kyung Mi finally wore a smile. 

“That one,” said Kyung Mi as she pointed to one of the clothes inside the changing room.

Gongchan looked at her weirdly. 

“I thought that she meant that the one I’m wearing was the one,” mused Gongchan. “Oh well.” Gongchan obediently changed into the one Kyung Mi was pointing at. She asked Gongchan turn around a few times. 

“I think we should get this one,” remarked Kyung Mi. Gongchan looked at himself in the mirror. If they were choosing based on pattern, this was definitely a winner. It was simply detailed and simple at the same time. It was mostly a checkered, short-sleeved shirt but it had a few oddity parts that made it unique and distinct. The strange colour combination must have been one of the factors. It was mostly azure and then highlighted at some parts with a neon yellow and bright tone of pink.

Watching Kyung Mi’s expression though, made his hesitation towards this insane shirt melt away. She really and genuinely thought that it looked good on him. If she believed in it, so will he. So Kyung Mi actually received his approval. 

“Let’s get it then,” agreed Gongchan. Kyung Mi grinned from ear to ear. Gongchan couldn’t help but to pat her head. Kyung Mi glanced at him. 

“Aren’t you going to change back?” asked Kyung Mi. Gongchan smiled mischievously. 

“Help me?” asked Gongchan with a little wink. Kyung Mi rolled her eyes and began undoing his first button, much to Gongchan’s shock. They weren’t even in the changing room — anyone who saw them would really misunderstand things. What was there to misunderstand in the first place though?

Gongchan’s scattered thoughts were interrupted when Kyung Mi gently pushed him to the changing room. 

“You joke around too much,” commented Kyung Mi and closed the changing room door for him. Gongchan blinked when he saw his reflection. Kyung Mi actually dared to undo his shirt button. Not only one, in fact. She actually managed to undo the second one as well. A decent amount of Gongchan’s skin was revealed. Gongchan chuckled softly to himself. 

“Now then, she’s rather trusting towards me,” noted the male quietly. Anyway, Gongchan quickly changed and came out with the clothing that Kyung Mi was going to buy for him. Gongchan left the rest of the clothing behind — the staff could clean that pile up.

Kyung Mi paid the shirt for Gongchan and once it was packed into a paper bag, she made Gongchan carry it. 

“It’s yours, that’s why,” explained Kyung Mi simply. Gongchan’s eyes spotted a clock and it showed twelve in the afternoon. 

“Let’s grab a sandwich?” chuckled Gongchan. Kyung Mi agreed. Throughout the day, it was just spent walking around aimlessly, doing some ice-cream tasting and then they returned to her place. The most important part was the fact that they had fun. Surprisingly, Kyung Mi and Gongchan met Min Jae on the way back. Min Jae was with a few girls, holding a considerable amount of educational books. It was likely that her sister was going to embark on a group study in some library.

“Oh!” said Kyung Mi hurriedly. “I remembered about the other day and then I… Yea. Here.” Kyung Mi awkwardly presented the black ink pens to Min Jae. 

“Oh,” said Min Jae quizzically. “I bought some already yesterday. And there’s a random blue ink pen here…” Kyung Mi’s face fell. However, Min Jae’s expression softened a little. 

“Thanks, anyway,” acknowledged Min Jae as she took the pens. “Remind mom that I won’t be eating dinner okay?” 

“Dad’s going to be home for dinner though,” said Kyung Mi. Min Jae nodded. 

“I know,” replied Min Jae. “I’ve already told mom but I just wanted you to remind her, that’s all. She gets excited when dad gets to come home for dinner.”

Realizing that she was delaying her sister and her friends from going to their destination, Kyung Mi then gave her farewell and continued the journey home with Gongchan. Gongchan had his hands placed behind his back; looking like someone who had free time all day long. 

“I’m glad we got to spend the day together today,” admitted Kyung Mi suddenly. “I don’t think we’ll be able to celebrate it on a Tuesday anyway — your birthday I mean. You have to study for your important exams…” Gongchan looked at Kyung Mi and smiled. 

“I’ll probably be able to arrange a tiny celebration if you wanted to,” said Gongchan. “Next Saturday evening, I guess?”

“That would be nice,” she replied quietly. She stared at the sky, which seemed to involve a lot of shades. 

“What are we to do tomorrow?” thought Kyung Mi aloud. Gongchan gently bonked her on the head. 

“Come over to my place?” suggested Gongchan. “It’s been quite some time since you did. Plus whatever we do, it’ll be fun. I promise.” Kyung Mi laughed. 

“There’s no need to promise that,” said Kyung Mi as she tiptoed so that she could mess up the older one’s hair. “Being with you will always be fun.” She heard him chuckle as he gently pushed away her meddling hand. 

“Stop it with the sappy words, Kyung Mi. Come on — I see your house just round the corner. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”