“Jae, can I ask you to go for an errand today at the market?” Mrs. Nam asked her daughter while she was chopping vegetables on the table.

Jae Hee plugged on the rice cooker and smiled at her mother. “Ne omma, you can.” She purposely woke up early to help her mother do the household chores.

“Arasso. Can you go after eating breakfast?”

“Ne, omma.”

“Hello Min. Didn’t you tell me that you’ll be going to the grocery store today?”

 “I changed my mind.” Minhee drawled sleepily.

Jae Hee stared hard at her hand phone. Was her friend serious? They had already planned this yesterday.

“Before you explode at me, let me tell you first that omma already went to the market yesterday.” Minhee yawned loudly. “There’s nothing left for me to do.”

“Will you stop yawning? It irritates me.”

“Arasso. I’ll go back to sleep now.” Minhee yawned again for the sake of irritating Jae Hee and hung up.

Jae Hee sighed. What did she do in her past life to deserve such friends?

“Jae? Are you not ready yet?” Mrs. Nam called from the kitchen.

“I’m ready omma.”

She put on her coat and ran to the kitchen.

“The list of the things you should buy is on the refrigerator.”

-----------------

“Should I go find a book before going to the market?” Jae Hee stopped in front of a bookstore considering her choices. “No. I shouldn’t.” She shook her head. “But I want to.” She chewed her lip, lost in thought.

“Hyung, isn’t that Jae Hee?” Zelo punched Jongup on the shoulder.

“Huh?” Jongup asked, disoriented. He seemed to be doing a lot of day dreaming lately.

“12 o’clock.” Zelo pointed with his lips. He was surprised when Jongup just stood there staring.

“Aren’t you going to talk to her?” Zelo looked confused. Didn’t Jongup like Jae Hee? Why was he not making a move?

Zelo rubbed his palms. If he won’t, I will, he thought.

He started to move towards Jae Hee but Jongup held him on his shoulders. Jongup shook his head.

What? Zelo mouthed. He looked back at Jae Hee and saw her starting to walk away from them.

“I thought you like her? What were you doing just standing there when you could’ve gone and talked to her? Are you an idiot or what?” Zelo put his hands on his hips. “Now what are you—-“ He stopped midsentence, realizing that Jongup was way too quiet.

 He looked at Jongup and was shocked when he saw that he was talking to no one. He turned to the direction Jae Hee went and saw Jongup tailing her.

Zelo started running. He had two big fishes to catch.

-----------------

Zelo whistled loudly, looking at Jongup who was watching Jae Hee intently.

They were following Jae Hee for almost an hour now, watching her buy food. Meat, fish, carrots, cabbages and others he couldn’t remember. 

Zelo rubbed his forehead. Was this Jongup’s idea of liking a girl? Because really, it wasn’t cool.

He glared at Jongup. “When would you go and help her?”

“I’m finding the right timing.”

“What?” Zelo pulled his hair. “Right timing?! An hour ago was the right timing!” He shouted. This hyung was making him go crazy.

“Are you really not going?” Zelo asked.

“Time—“

Zelo didn’t wait for Jongup to finish what he was saying. He strode towards Jae Hee who was picking some onions and stood beside her.

“Hello!” Zelo said in front of her face, waving.

Jae Hee stepped backwards, eyes bulging. She put her hand on her chest. “You surprised me!”

“Junhong-ah!” Jongup immediately appeared beside Jae Hee. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Zelo smiled innocently at Jae Hee. “I was just saying hello.”

Jongup sighed. How could he let the maknae make the first step in order for him to talk to Jae Hee again? Didn’t he have the courage? He had been with Jae Hee a couple of times now, why was he acting like a coward today? Ah. He was afraid Jae Hee might have recognized him as a k-pop star and not talk to him again.

“Up?” Jae Hee waved her hand in front of Jongup’s face.

“Huh?”

“Are you okay?” Jae Hee asked. “You’re spacing out.”

Jongup smiled at her and took the bags that she was carrying. “This is heavy. I’ll carry this.”

Jae Hee nodded and returned to picking onions.

“I’ll go first hyung.” Zelo tapped Jongup’s back.

“Thank you.” Jongup whispered.