As silenced took hold of the atmosphere around, So Min could only stare at them one by one. She should have looked at Hyun Joong too, but she chose not to. She was too mortified to see his surprised reaction.

“Noona?” Gyo Min broke the silence.

He knew exactly that there’s still NOTHING existing between his sister and his ‘hyung’ other than friendship.

So Min smiled and began to laugh softly. “I didn’t mean it like what you are all thinking!” she defended.

Her mom searched her eyes gingerly and asked her, “Are you sure?”

So Min looked at her expectant mom. Everyone in the room was also expecting some clarifications. She tried to see Hyun Joong through her peripheral vision. He was just looking down at his plate. She thought he wouldn’t mind what she was about to tell them.

And so, the words were spoken, “Yes, I am sure, mom. What I meant was together as in friendly get-together, and dating as in friendly dates.”

She was looking directly at her mom, which caused her not to notice the apparent hurt in Hyun Joong’s eyes. He knew he shouldn’t feel that way for he was aware that friendship was the only thing she could offer to him. But he had no plans of breaking his words – of not leaving her as she requested him to. Who was he to decline for that little favor when his heart was aching so much to be with her.

“She’s right,” he agreed.

She turned her head to him as soon as she heard his voice. He sounded cheerful as he helped her escape the sudden ‘confession’ that turned out to be a false alarm. The elders nodded and resumed eating.

“We’re happy for the two of you, aren’t we, madam?” Mr. Kim asked the woman next to hers.

“But of course!” Mrs. Jung exclaimed. “Who knew our children would be this close?” she cried out loud again, feeling giddy of the situation. ‘Fate really has its own way!’ she added in her mind. ‘I just hope my daughter wouldn’t be so obstinate with her decisions later on.’

She was thinking, So Min didn’t have any serious relationships before, aside from Lee Soo Bae. With her painful experience from him, it would really be difficult for her to open up her heart to anyone again. Unless a man will be more than sincere to win her love. ‘And that sincerity,’ her mind said. ‘…is clearly evident to the man sitting beside my daughter right now.’

She continued observing them as she finished the food on her plate. ‘I just wish she would not restrict her awareness for his feelings.’

Of course, Mrs. Jung knew it wouldn’t happen in an instant because it has only been a month since the awful breakup.  But her hopes and faith were highly supposing.

**************************************************

“WHAT?! YOU SAID THAT?!” Hye Rim didn’t stop herself from yelling at her friend.

So Min just hang her head downward and nodded, feeling ashamed of what she did.

“Poor guy,” the best friend muttered. “What did he say after? His reaction must be priceless!”

“Dead right,” So Min replied.  She heaved a sigh and continued, “I don’t know what went in to me. Am I weird to say that I don’t like the idea of him around? But I always feel safe with him. I mean—I don’t know. This is incongruous.”

Hye Rim shot him a nerve-whacking look.

“What?!” So Min asked.

“Nothing,” said Hye Rim. “I’m just worried about the guy,” she continued in a lower pitch, making sure her friend did not hear it.

Hye Rim might not be the top student when she was still studying, nor the fastest thinker of her age. But she perfectly understood the whole situation – A girl who just had her heart broken. Then a guy who was desperately in love with this girl, trying to placate her from the pain. Then this girl acting so weird, not wanting the guy’s presence, but liking the feeling of safety with him, and without even realizing his love for her.

‘What a crazy situation!’ she hissed in her mind.

“Hye?”

“Uhm, sorry. What?”

So Min sighed and let her shoulders drop. “You weren’t even listening!” she complained.

“I’m sorry, I was just thinking about something!” she explained.

“And what exactly is that, Miss Go Hye Rim?”

Okay. Now, what could be her excuse for this one? She couldn’t let her know that she was actually thinking of THEIR situation. Of their slovenly condition.

“Uhm, about, you know--”

So Min leaned closer, as if inspecting every aspect of her friend’s facial expression. “About what? Are you hiding something?”

“Of course not!” Hye Rim retaliated immediately. “It’s about the new project I’m working at. A deb