12. TOGETHER

//and now that I know we are real, i'm fine and never better//

Kim Myungsoo was beyond excited when he can dash out from his own party, which he did end earlier, and on his way to Saerin’s apartment building after changing into more comfortable clothes. When he arrived, Saerin was there, in front of the building, also with a casual white tee and ripped jeans. Myungsoo smiled, Saerin always dressed that way daily, which Myungsoo like the most. “You did really end the party sooner, huh? Sungjong can’t stop complaining how you are a one hell of party pooper and wondering what were you thinking by suddenly cut the event,” Saerin said when she got into the car. “Did you tell him?” Myungsoo grinned as he scratched his hair. “And have him and Woohyun spying on us tonight? Nah, I’ll pass,” Saerin grinned back. “Myungsoo, don’t be so nervous,” Saerin continued, her lips forming a playful smirk. “I am not,” Myungsoo snapped. “Okay, but you can stop scratching your hair because it kind of obvious that you are nervous,” Saerin said. “Right, I forgot that you are the Park Saerin,” Myungsoo chuckled. “I know right, you think you are the only one who know my weakness,” Saerin huffed. “So, where are we going?” Saerin asked when the car started to move. “Gwangjang,” Myungsoo replied. “I thought you would choose Myeong-dong,” Saerin said. “I’m in the mood of Gwangjang, are you in the mood of Myeng-dong?” Myungsoo shrugged. “I’m in the mood of food, so anywhere can do for me as long there are foods,” Saerin smiled cheekily. “I know,” Myungsoo chuckled.

They arrived at the place around fifteen minutes later, and literally ran to a street food corner. They ordered to the old lady who claimed that she remembered both of them because they used to come there a lot. “I just remember why did you pick Gwangjang, the old lady reminded me,” Saerin said. “What?” Myungsoo grinned. “You took me here for the second date and the result was that I got teased by my friends on how I should’ve rejected your offer to second date because you literally bought me to a market. They thought you are more like a classy type,” Saerin smiled. “I take that you didn’t regret it a bit since you agreed for the third date,” Myungsoo smiled back. “How many date was it before we actually date,” Saerin said. “Eight dates, Park Saerin, it took eight dates before we actually make us official,” Myungsoo chuckled. “How did it start anyway?” Saerin asked, again. “Gosh, Saerin, I thought I was the one with amnesia, not you,” Myungsoo raised his brow playfully. “My memories are kind of dusty, you know,” Saerin chuckled. “Liar, you are just testing me whether I remember things correctly or not,” Myungsoo chuckled along. “Let see, that day Sungyeol suddenly told me that there is a beautiful transferred girl from the states and how she become everyone’s sweetheart immediately, her name is Park Saerin. When I saw this girl for the first time, I thought she is not that nice, not like how the boys in my class would say, but she is decent,” Myungsoo smirked. “So I am only decent?” Saerin scoffed. “But I never get tired of looking at you, the boys eventually stop complementing you all the time and act back to normal, but it never stops for me,” Myungsoo continued. “That’s actually a pretty decent explanation,” Saerin smirked back.

“I really never stop, Saerin,” Myungsoo smiled before he got cut by the foods. “One plate of mayak kimbap, bbindaeteok and hotteok for the lovely customers,” The old lady smiled and put the foods in front of them. “How old were we back then? Seventeen?” Saerin smiled back eventually. “Eighteen, silly, and remember when you met my mother for the first time and she actually thought you were one that ‘only pretty but no brain’ girl?” Myungsoo said. “I did, it was kind of funny that she asked me to mail her the copy of my report card,” Saerin chuckled. “And remember how after she knows you, she literally loves you more than me? Like how could she always want to talk to you whenever she called from Japan? Because, I do,” Myungsoo laughed. “Guess I always have that unbeatable charm, don’t I?” Saerin laughed along. “Cocky, aren’t you?” Myungsoo said. “I learned from the best,” Saerin replied nonchalantly as she started to eat. “For someone who has grown to be very lady-like, you still eat quite messily, or is it because you feel like you don’t need to protect your image with me?” Myungsoo grinned. Myungsoo was smiling and grinning a lot that night, he didn’t even notice it. “First, we kind of used to live together, so my image isn’t necessary to you anymore and since you have remembered everything, I’m sure you don’t mind. Second, we are in the market with a tons of mouth-watering street foods in front of us and you expect me to use a table manner?” Saerin said and Myungsoo just laughed in response.

“Hey, remember when my dad is so happy that I got a boyfriend who have the exact same passion as him? He was more devastated than me when we broke up, he was literally sulking at the states,” Saerin smiled. “Are we that fated, Park Saerin?” Myungsoo replied with a slight smile. “I-,” Saerin was cut midsentence by Myungsoo who was feeding her a kimbap all of sudden. “Don’t answer my blabber and nonsense question,” Myungsoo snapped and Saerin can see his cheek turned reddish. “What I was going to say is,” Saerin said with stuffed. “I said, don’t answer it please for the sake of me, so I can sleep tonight with a good memories instead of ruining things because how I just to blabber in front of you and you know it,” Myungsoo snapped again. “I was going to say let’s go for patbingsu after this,” Saerin said after she swallowed the kimbap. “You have to stop being nervous, Soo. I’m not leaving you, not after all the, well, s we have been going through,” Saerin smiled bitterly. “You can tell me everything you want to say,” Saerin continued. Myungsoo looked a little hesitant before he took Saerin’s pinky finger and entwined it with his. “That’s a promise and you can’t step back from this deal,” Myungsoo grinned.

“Let’s talk about something else, shall we?” Myungsoo continued. “Perhaps you could tell me about your business’s story recently. It’s kind of surprising, you know,” Saerin replied. “I’ve told you I’ve been planning that since forever, well, since I graduated from university, but I need to pay my bills first, I can’t live by my parent’s money forever, can I?” Myungsoo said. “You actually can. Your parents have a sushi empire,” Saerin said before she broke a laugh. “Don’t start with my sushi, let’s talk about your publishing company. You can do it too, but you don’t,” Myungsoo huffed. “I guess paying bills myself kind of giving me more satisfaction,” Saerin said. “I know right. But, to be honest, that building is a gift though, or you can call it a bribe too,” Myungsoo muttered the last part. “What for? I smell something interesting,” Saerin said. “Well my mom kind of trapped me into a deal where she gave me a building and I have to gave her some of my time,” Myungsoo said. “You do really should take some time off and visit your parents, you know,” Saerin chuckled. “I know right. I thought it was that kind of time too, but like I said, she trapped me,” Myungsoo sighed. “So the time that she was talking about is, I have to take some of my time from this whole photography world and use it for-,”. “Sushi,” Saerin finished his sentence. “My first restaurant in Korea will open at Gangnam at the end of this month, you should totally come,” Myungsoo grinned. “I see your intention, Kim. Well, let see if I can get your restaurant featured on the next month’s issue or not,” Saerin smirked. “This is cheating, by the way, but, well played,” Saerin grinned. “It’s not cheating, gosh, you made it sounds so bad, it was called friendly advertisement,” Myungsoo said. “By the way, I noticed a certain photo on your showcase earlier. I should get a royalty since I’m the one who took it years ago,” Saerin said. “I’ll send you the payment, don’t worry. I must be lucky to find that photo at one of the boxes you gave me,” Myungsoo grinned.

“Let’s got to the patbingsu shop, shall we?” Myungsoo said as he held out his hand and Saerin took it immediately. “I miss your mom’s sushi, honestly. Not the restaurant one, though. The homemade one,” Saerin said as they walked through the crowd. “I’ll tell her to come and make you some then. She must be really delighted to know that I got her all-time favorite girl back,” Myungsoo grinned. “She didn’t approve Hyeri then?” Saerin asked playfully. “She kind of sounded like Sungjong back then. Neon nail polish is a no, Myungsoo, it’s only for high school girls,” Myungsoo imitated his mother. “She is very picky and you know it,” Myungsoo laughed. “What can I say? You are the only son to make it even worse,” Saerin fake-pouted. “Only son deserves the best of the best, doesn’t he?” Myungsoo grinned. “You are so cocky that you should thank goodness that you are very good-looking,” Saerin replied. “Don’t worry, though. My mom will be more than happy to g