“Sorry, that girl is rather spontaneous.” Nabi apologized. Jungkook shook his head. “She seems very energetic; it’s a good quality.”

“You have no idea, I deal with that energy bundle 24/7.” Nabi joked and Jungkook gave a hearty laugh.

Nabi finds herself relaxing by the minute. She thought she would be nervous because she was attracted to Jungkook , but she relaxed rather quickly around him. They spent lunch talking complaining about Hyuna (just Nabi of course), fussing about the new groggy gym teacher, and just discussing about pointless stuff.

---

“So? How was lunch with Mr. Right?”

“First off, thanks best friend for your hard work.” Hyuna gave a thumb up. “However, there is no Mr. Right here. I don’t think I feel any special attraction towards him. I mean, I felt no nervousness or awkwardness around him. It was just a puppy crush.”

“What?! Uh uh, there is no way I misread. You two have a spark.” Hyuna shook Nabi by the shoulder and Nabi pulled those angry hands away.

“Down, girl. There was a spark; just like you and me when we first met, but nothing beyond that.”

“Now, let’s go home.” Nabi swung her bag over her shoulders and Hyuna walked grouchily behind.

*No way, Han Nabi. There was a spark, and Kim Hyuna is never wrong about sparks.*

Kim Hyuna flicked her hair and admired her glitter-nails.

---

"Mom, I'm home." Nabi found herself walking to the kitchen. "No wonder I smell food. What’s the occasion? You don’t usually cook this early."

“Remember the co-worker I told you about?”

Nabi paused. “You mean your boyfriend?” Mrs. Park flushed pink and waved her hand. “We’re not exactly seeing each other.”

Mr. Jeon was the person her mom had been unofficially going out with. According to her mother, they got along quite well.

“Aigoo, he always takes you home from work, always takes you out to dinner every other week or so, still saying you’re not dating?”

Nabi tied up her hair and helped prepare the dishes. She still couldn’t forget her dad, but that didn’t give Nabi the rights to stop her mother from pursuing happiness.

*It’s rather uncomfortable still.*

Nabi went to pick up the apron that was hanging from the oven. “You go upstairs and get ready, I’m sure you’d want to look as nice as possible right?”

Mrs. Park nodded shyly. For an older woman, Nabi thought her mom looked quite adorable, being so happy and flustered about a man.

*I wonder if I’ll be able to warm up to Mr. Jeon, it hasn’t been that long since the divorce.* Nabi hummed a little tune to herself as she prepared the rest of dinner.

Nabi was busy setting up the tables and waiting for the stew to boil when a buzz made her jump. Nabi pulled out her phone and looked at the caller ID. It was Jungkook. The fact that he called startled her a little. They exchanged numbers during lunch today because Jungkook suggested it, but him calling her felt a little strange.

Nabi realized she had zoned out for too long and quickly clicked Answer. “Hello?”

“Noona, this is Jungkook.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Yeah.” There was a few seconds of silence that made Nabi wondered if he had hung up until Jungkook spoke again.

“So, what are you doing?”

“I’m preparing dinner.”

“You’re eating with someone?”

“Yeah, my mom is having an important guest over.”

“You’re excited to see them?”

“Them? How’d you know there are more than one person?”

“Lucky guess?”

“Very.” Nabi heard a weird bubbling noise and her eyes widened. “Oh crap my stew.” She ran over to the stove and turned down the fire. Nabi then heard laughs on the other side.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Well, I haven’t heard you talk like that.” Even without him being there, Nabi felt like Jungkook  could tell that she blushed because his laugh turned into a small chuckle.

“Did you ruin the food?”

“I’ll have you know that my stew is amazing, if you could come and taste it for yourself that is.”

“Maybe I will.” Jungkook said and they exchanged a few more lines before Nabi hung up. She went upstairs and called her mom, telling her that dinner was ready.

“Mom, you look amazing.” Nabi gave her mother a small hug. Mrs. Park had her hair up in a humble bun, and the hairdo was paired with a formal one-piece dress that went down to her knees.

"Thank you dear. You should doll up a little too." Mrs. Park smoothed out Nabi's hair.

"Don't worry, I just wanted you to know everything is ready. Not if you’ll excused me, I need to look presentable enough so daddy in law wouldn't be scared away."

Mrs. Park rolled her eyes at her daughter’s poor attempt at humour. Mrs. Park then went to her room and took out a small photo from her desk’s drawer. The picture showed her and Mr. Park at the family’s Christmas celebration: everyone was smiling, including little Nabi.

Mrs. Park and her husband had a mutual divorce, but she hasn’t completely forgotten someone with whom she has spent the past two decades with.

"Mom! I heard the doorbell!" Nabi shouted from her room.

"Ok, hurry up dear." Mrs. Park placed the picture back and went downstairs. She opened the door and welcomed Mr. Jeon.

“How rude of me to be late." Nabi put the finishing touch on her plaid shirt and jeans and rushed downstairs. On the way, she could hear people conversing, among them was a soft voice.

*That should be my brother.* She took a deep breath and made her way to the living room.

"Hello, excuse me for being late." Nabi made a small bow and lifted her head. "I'm Han Nabi, nice to meet yo-" Nabi froze and let out a small gasp. "You?"

"Hi noona." Jungkook smiled with a glint in his eyes that went unnoticed by Nabi.

“Nabi, come and say hi to Mr. Jeon and his son, Jungkook.” Mrs. Park ushered Nabi over and grabbed her by the shoulders, presenting her proudly like how a mother would on parents’ visitation day.

“This is my daughter, Han Nabi.”

“Nice to meet you, Nabi.” Mr. Jeon reached out his hand and Nabi took it instinctively, her attention was elsewhere. Nabi couldn’t help comparing Mr. Jeon’s large, rough hands to her father’s soft ones. It was out of manner that Nabi shook his hand because she definitely was hesitant about acknowledging a stranger as her dad.  

“Son, say hi, would you?”

Jungkook didn’t look at his father but stepped up and gave Nabi a tight squeeze. Nabi jolted out of her daze. Jungkook whispered something and backed away.

“Nice to meet you, Han Nabi noona.”

Jungkook smiled and Nabi couldn’t help but chuckled, remembering what he had whispered to her.

“As promised, I came to taste your stew.”

Dinner began and ended on a rather quiet note.