CHAPTER TEN

Patches of gray clouds still decorated the sky but the rain subsided so he decided to drive her back since they needed to go to school a little. They were soaking wet when they reached Seo Hyun's apartment so she invited him up to dry for awhile.

“Aigoo... these kids, look at you!” Hyun Mi scolded the pitiful looking kids when they appeared by the doorway. Her daughter had taken off her jacket and wrung it around to remove the water as her semi-wet white racer-back top hugged her budding torso. She hurriedly took two towels and gave each to both of them.

“I'm so sorry, Ma'am,” Yong Hwa whispered as they walked through the entryway. He could sense the disappointed tone on her mom's voice that it made him feel nervous.

“Aigoo,” she sighed again. “Yong Hwa, use the bathroom by the kitchen on your left. There's a drier there it'll only take six to ten minutes for your clothes to dry a bit. And Seo Hyun, take a shower right away. Both of you are going to catch cold.”

“De,” she looked at him signifying that she will go up and ran off the stairs when he nodded.

“Thank you, Ma'am...” he bowed and just went towards the kitchen.

“And call me Imo, it seems like I will be seeing a lot of you from now,” Hyun Mi finally gave him an encouraging smile when he sensed his discomfort. The boy looked like someone she can trust after all. 

She stayed in the kitchen until Yong Hwa appeared and motioned for him to take a seat by the dining. She was making kimchijeon mix on her office uniform since she did not prepare breakfast for Seo Hyun expecting not to see her before she leaves for work. She cursed under her breath when she looked at the time. 

“Yong Hwa...” she called without taking her eyes off the task.

“Yes, Imo?” He asked from behind.

“Do you know how to cook?”

“Yes, I can...” he answered with careful honorifics.

“Okay, good,” her mother turned and showed the bowl of mixture to him, “Fry this up. I need to go to the office now. Just wait for Ju Hyun, she takes forever in the bathroom. You should know that this early.”

He smiled and nodded when she winked at him. Seo Hyun's mother appeared to be a tender mom that reminded him more of his own. He moved to the cupboard and carefully placed the bowl on the counter as Ms. Choi unhooked another pink apron by the wall and gently threw it to him.

“Find your way around, the kitchen is just small,” she ordered fixing her office uniform. Knowing her daughter, she was confident leaving those two young adults in her house so she bid goodbye to Yong Hwa and called out by the stairs, “Seo Hyuna, don't keep your oppa waiting here... hurry up. I'll be going now too...”

She waved at him after hearing a faint 'de' coming from her daughter's room suggesting that she was still in the bathroom.

Yong Hwa smiled remembering her promise that she will think about his offer. He doesn't want to be so confident but he believed that he will get a 'yes' sooner or later. Hopefully, sooner. It was a plus that her mom allowed him inside their house and even left them on their own. He was even thinking that she would tell him to go on his way after dropping Seo Hyun but the latter also insisted for him to be there. He flipped the kimchi pancake when the sides were right enough.

“Hi...”

“Hey,” he turned when Seo Hyun stood beside him looking freshly showered. He loved that smell.

“My mom likes you...” she said nonchalantly taking an extra platter for him to put the finished ones.

“She does?” He poured another mixture on the pan.

“Yup, she made you touch her sacred kitchen,” Seo Hyun snickered to herself when she noticed that he was wearing her apron.

“Wow... that's good to hear then,” he grinned but careful enough to focus on the task at hand, “At least she likes me, unlike someone out there...”

“Huh?” There he goes again with the cryptic lines. Or she was just being slow again? “Someone?

“Ani... ani...” Yong Hwa chuckled and placed the cooked pancakes on the plate she was holding. That was part of her cuteness when she would appear to be clueless of the things he was making her realize. He smiled again when Seo Hyun started humming Joh-Ah Joh-Ah but he decided to remain quiet since she might be shy admitting that she was really listening to his radio program.

“I think that's enough, Oppa...” she broke the silence when she noticed that he has finished frying three mixtures already.

“Yeah, go set the table while I finish this up.”

“Okay...” Seo Hyun did as ordered then sat down after doing her task. She Hyun rested her chin at the back of her hand watching him by the stove. 

Yong Hwa turned with the platter in hand and found her looking at him, “Do you know it's rude to stare?”

“It is?” She asked innocently, “Oh well... I won't do it then...”

“Oh no! You staring at me is a good thing,” he answered as if making a serious point, “So yeah, go stare as long as you want.”

“Okay...” she smiled satisfied and watched his every move intently.

Yong Hwa transferred the last kimchijeon and placed the plate in front of her. He walked by the sink and deposited the pan slightly opening the faucet to put some water on it. He then started to untie the apron on his back and could tell that she was still staring so he turned and verified his thoughts. It was getting uncomfortable, “Ya... you can stop staring now...”

“I thought it’s okay for me to stare at you?” She laughed then walked over behind him and untied the apron.

“Now I understand the bully thing you were talking about,” Yong Hwa retorted as he sat in front of her cutting some piece with his chopsticks and laying it on her plate.

“Thank you for the food!” She enthusiastically said ignoring his comment and dug in to her food.

“Thank you for the food,” he murmured to himself and poured barley water on two glasses and pushing one to her, “Eat a lot, Hyun.” 

With that, they silently enjoyed their meal. With the time they have been spending with each other: those afternoon bike rides, eating out, movies, exchanging messages, calls, walks, talks. With all those, it has been like they were a couple for the longest time but he wanted confirmation that he is not one of her casual guy friends any longer. 

Yong Hwa wanted to confirm that he can finally call her his. After all, she has always been his.

“I didn't say it's okay for me if you would stare at me too...” Seohyun said as she chewed softly obviously feeling the weight of his stare.

He laughed when she caught him red-handed, “Okay, I'm sorry. You're a pretty sight when you eat like that.”

“Like what?” She asked taking another bite.

“Like a rich woman in a chic five-star restaurant.”

“I eat like that?” Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“Yeah, charming and elegant.”

“Aish...” Seo Hyun grumbled knowing that he was making another pass on her.

He chuckled and cleared his throat, “Hyun, I have to do some school works later so I can't pick you up.”

“It's okay, I will hang out with Yoona later.”

“Good...” he nodded somewhat satisfied with her answer. “But, can you listen tonight? Just for tonight, I want to play something for you...”

She looked up and noticed how he shifted into that pensive expression. It felt like he really wanted that. She bit her chopstick and gave him a slight nod, “I will try, Oppa...”

“Why can't I like that answer, Hyun?”

“Oppa.... please?” She smiled with a gentle whine that all he could do was to roll his eyes and regretted asking.

~~~

She took a sip of her iced tea and watched those smart looking employees started to fill the cafeteria. Seo Hyun called her mom and told her she wanted to eat lunch with her. She works as a consultant in an accounting firm in Seoul having been a bank manager back in Daejon where they lived before her Appa left. She got terribly sick so her mom decided that it would be better if they move to Seoul.

Seo Hyun practically hero-worshipped her mother. So much as a feminist, Seo Hyun believes that woman can achieve success with or without a man in her life. And she admires her umma for being able to juggle career and home in a perfect balance. She has been a very good provider but never failed to spend quality time with her. They would play tennis some nights when they aren't so busy or dine out and watch movies. It has always been like that and she was really doing a great job as a single mother.

She has always been independent even when her father was still around. Seo Hyun was even thinking that it might be one factor that her parents divorced. She will never know since there was no point in asking that anyway. Her face lit up when she saw her by the entrance and waved at her.

“I'm sorry, baby...” Hyun Mi pecked a kiss on her daughter's forehead, “Umma had an emergency meeting.”

“Kenchanayo,” she smiled and pointed at the food, “I bought jajamyung...”

“Waaa... thanks,” she heaved since she was really hungry. “What brought you here?”

“Nothing,” Seo Hyun shrugged her shoulders and giggled when her mom gave her that look, “Okay, I want to ask you something...”

“What is it?” Taking a small bite, she noticed Seo Hyun's cheeks starting to blush. She knew what it was all about.

“Is it okay for me to have a boyfriend?” The younger girl finally asked waiting impatiently as her mom seemed to take her precious time chewing while looking blankly at her.

Then she smiled brightly, “Of course! It's about time...” She almost laughed when Seo Hyun seemed to exhale heavily, “You know, I had my first boyfriend when I was fourteen...”

“Oh? Really?” That was something new.

“Yeah, with your Appa...” 

“Oh...” Seo Hyun said under her breath. So they had been together for a long time, then why the divorce? “I didn't know that...”

“Yeah, but we got married when I finished my master's degree and had you when we were both secured with our jobs,” she went on unaffectedly.

Seo Hyun