“I’m home!” I greeted loudly when I barged into the house. Turns out, Jin Mi has already arrived and she and omma are preparing the dining table. When the moment she heard my voice, Jin Mi was ecstatic and shouted, “Hye Ri ah!”

           Soon, we were in a warm embrace, and I said,” It’s great to see you again, unnie.” “You too!” she replied. Jongin, then interrupted us saying, “Yah! Enough of reminiscing each other! It’s dinner time!”

           “Yah Jongin! It’s not like I get to see your sister everyday not like you!” Jin Mi glared. Jongin felt that he was being inferior right now, and he surrendered with his arms up saying, “Okay okay! My bad!”

           Mum came in and smiled when she said to us, “Dinner’s ready! Come along, dearies.”

         Once, we have settled ourselves and feasted on the food at the dining table, everyone was busily enjoying themselves to dinner until no conversation was initiated. That was when omma spoke up, “So, Hye Ri, how was your outing with Suho?”

         I choked on my food. All eyes were on me now especially when Jongin was giving me that I-know-what-you-did-back-then smile.

         “It was alright, omma,” I smiled. Seriously, why is she asking me this question at the wrong time especially when Jin Mi is here? Besides, she doesn’t know who Suho is.

          “Such a nice boy he is,” my omma smiled.

          “Oh, is he the boy that you used to share things with during kindergarten? “my dad asked. I nodded in reply. “He must have grown so much. Tell him I said hi, alright?” my dad grinned. “Err okay, dad,” I answered in an awkward manner.

          “So, what did you do with Suho just now?” my brother teased. Oh god, why does he have to make me feel embarrassed right now?

         “It was only a karaoke session, that’s all,” I replied to him coldly.

         “Karaoke only? I’m sure something ‘special’ has been happening during karaoke,” my brother poked fire.

         “Jongin, don’t ever bully your sister. She’s only younger than you,” my dad butted in. *Phew* thanks, dad.

           “Appa! I’m not bullying her! I’m just concerned about what she’s doing!” he retaliated. Oh god, I swear, Jongin, you’re going to get it from me in the near future.

            “You haven’t answered my question, Hye Ri,” he queried more.

            “It was nothing ‘special’! FULL STOP,” I glared at him while taking a sip from my mug.

            “You sure? Did you guys kissed?” The moment he mentioned that ‘word’, I literally spitted out my water.

             “I knew it! You guys did it, don’t cha?!” he laughed. Then, he chimed, “Suho and Hye Ri, sitting on the tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!”

             I couldn’t take my brother’s taunting any longer that I stood up from my chair and answered him in a harsh way, “Yah Jongin! Enough with it will you? I’m sick of it and besides, we didn’t kiss!” My brother was well-shocked to see a different side of his sister.

             Then, I turned to my parents and said, “I’m full right now and I’ve got some homework to do. I want to be excused.”

            “Alright, dear. Go along,” my mother smiled. “I’ll see you later, Jin Mi,” I smiled. She looks shocked at what she had seen.

           As I walked up the stairs to my room, I heard my mom rebuked my brother saying, “Look at what you did to your sister. Now, she wants to be all alone because of you!”

            “What? I didn’t know she’ll end up like this?” he defended.

           “But still? Sometimes, you do have to watch what you say?” my dad butted in.

            “You better owe your sister an apology. In the meantime, wait for her to settle down before apologising,” my mum demanded.

           “Alright, omma,” he answered.

          As I entered my room, I felt a sense of relief that my parents stood up for me. I don’t know why my brother has to do it to me at this way. In my point, I shouldn’t have overreacted to what my brother was taunting at me. Maybe, I should just remained calm when he was being like this. At least, it wouldn’t be obvious especially in front of a guest like Jin Mi.

           All of a sudden, my phone rang. I picked up the phone and turns out, it was Ha Eun.

            “Yobseoyo?” I answered.

           “Hye Ri ah! I need to ask. When do we have to hand in Ms Byun’s work? Is it tomorrow?” she asked.

            “Nope, it is on Friday,” I corrected.

            “Thank god! I almost thought I couldn’t finish it in time!” she sighed.

            “Relax alright?” I assured her.

           “I’m alright. It’s just that I called Joo Ee just now for a few times and she wasn’t picking up!”

           “Aish! She’s on a date with Baekhyun. That’s why it’s no point calling her.”

           “Oh! I forgot about that! Haha so I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!”

           “Bye!”

          As I placed the phone on my desk, a knock on the door was heard.

           “Come in!” I answered. Turns out, it was Jin Mi.

          “Am I disturbing you right now?” she asked.

         “Nope, it’s alright. You can come in,” I invited her to sit on the stool.

         “Are you okay? I’ve saw what Jongin did to you. He shouldn’t have done that,” she asked in a worried tone.

          “It’s alright, unnie. I shouldn’t have overreacted,” I replied.

          “I see,” she said while looking down on the floor. Then, she looked up and asked, “Don’t mind asking. Who is this boy, Suho whom Jongin was teasing you with?”

           I smiled at her and said, “Him? Well, he’s my best friend since kindergarten and Jongin loves teasing me with him just because Suho is the only guy that I’ve been very close to among my other guy friends.”

           She nodded and asked, “I see. How close you are with him?”

          “Close? Emm, well, he and I share a lot of things with each other. Secrets, problems and whatever you name it.”

           “But, is there a possibility that you both have mutual feelings for each other?”

           “I don’t think so, unnie. He told me that he likes someone and I have no idea who is ‘she’. But he did mention that he’ll do whatever it takes to let that person know about what he feels.”

           “Sounds like a sweet guy,” she smiled. I smiled back in reply.

           “Besides, I have a crush on someone.”

           “Who is it?” she asked in curiosity.

            “It’s this guy, Kris. He’s the top athlete for my high school and he’s handsome,” I blushed.

            “So, how long have you met him?” she asked.

            “Just today,” I smiled.

             “What?! You have a crush on him and you only met him today? Unbelievable,” she shook her head.

             “Bo yah! It’s just that I’ve been eyeing him since the 1^st year of high school,” I defended.

            “I see. How did you met?” she asked. I explained to her what had happened that morning when I was surprised that I’ve been appointed by Mr Kang to tutor Kris. Jin Mi nodded in silence.

           Then, she spoke up, “Well, you haven’t known him that well. But what I can say is, get to know him better through the tutoring. Sometimes, once we get to know a person that well, we might even change our perspectives about that person. I’m not judging Kris or brainwashing you, it’s just that first impressions are so much different.”

            I nodded in reply. “That’s what happened to me and Jongin-oppa. During high school, I thought he was a player flirting around with girls and being a ladies’ man. But when I got to know him better, my views about him changed… a lot. Turns out, he was a nice person and he likes a girl who stays true to herself not a faker.”

           I still sat in silence in front of her. “So, take your time, alright? Get to know him better,” she patted my shoulder. “Thanks, unnie for the advice,” I smiled at her.

         “Don’t mention it. I was just trying to help,” she smiled. A knock was heard on my door.

           “Hye Ri, can I come in?”

           “Sure.” I answered.

            The door opened and Jongin-oppa stepped in. He looks very sad and worried. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

              Jongin stood in front of me with a guilt expression and said, “Hye Ri ah, I know you’re mad at me but I’m sorry for what I did just now during dinner. I shouldn’t have push too much on you about Suho. Forgive me, sis?”

             I smiled and patted his shoulder, “It’s forgiven, oppa. And don’t worry, I wasn’t mad at you.” He smiled in an instant. Then he messes up my hair and laughed,” That’s my sis!”

             “Yah, stop messing with my hair!” I tidied up my hair.

           Then, Jongin turned to Jin Mi and said,” We should go now. I don’t want your parents to be worried about you coming back home late.” “Okay,” she replied.

            “I’ve got to send Jin Mi back home first,” he told me. Soon, Jongin walked out of my room. Jin Mi hugged me and said, “Take care and I hope you would listen to my advice, alright?”

             “Sure, unnie.” In time, I’m already alone in my room. Without haste, I decided to pack my backpack for tomorrow’s school.

              While placing the last workbook into the backpack, my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and it was Joo Ee. Hmm, why would she call me at a late hour?

              “Hello?” I answered.

              “Hye Ri!” she cried. I heard sobs in the background. What is going on? Did something bad happen to her during the date? Did Baekhyun break her heart?

              “Joo Ee? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” I asked in a worried expression.

              “I couldn’t believe what happened just now!” she sobbed louder.

              “Tell me! What is it?” I asked.

              “Baekhyun and I are officially a couple!”