five
apologies
 

It’s not easy but I manage to convince Eun Bi to come to my house. It takes a lot of begging and bargaining, but I make it and the day she is supposed to come I feel both excited and terrified. The biggest reason is my father. I know what he did to her and that’s probably she’s so reluctant to come. Even if she doesn’t know Han Yi An’s father as much as Eun Byul does, she still goes happily every time he invites her. I know because I’ve heard him inviting her and she accepting without preamble. But when I invited her she was so reluctant.

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea, Tae Kwang-ah,” she said even when I was pouting just to convince her.

“Come on. You’ve gone to all of your friends’ houses but mine. Wae?” She couldn’t even meet my eyes when I asked that, knowing I was right.

“It’s just… your father doesn’t like me because it was my presence what caused all the chaos and…” her voice couldn’t be heard after that. I wanted to take her hands of anything to give her some comfort, but I stopped myself.

“If someone’s to be sorry that’s my appa so you don’t worry about that. He did wrong and he had to do that. It was for the best, you know that,” I reminded her and she sighed.

“Ara,” she sighed. “But still. I think it’ll be uncomfortable.”

“Come on. I’ll do anything you want in return. Anything!” I exclaimed. I didn’t even know why I was pushing her to hard, I just wanted her to make no exceptions with me and I also wanted to create the opportunity for my appa to apologise to her. “This isn’t something I offer to anyone. Are you really going to let that go?”

She laughed, in that adorable and precious way of hers that no matter what, always makes my heart race. “Fine. I’ll go,” she gave in and I cheered out loud. I couldn’t help myself. That, of course, made her laugh even more. “But you have to come to my house when my eunni returns, got it?”

I hesitated and her gaze became more intense. “Fine!”

That is how I get her to agree and before coming to school I made sure to tell my appa over and over again to be nice and apologise properly to Eun Bi for what he did. “I’ll be nice to the girl my son likes,” was all he said, making me blush and practically run from home.

On our way I can tell she’s nervous because she can’t stop fidgeting and bouncing her legs. I’m nervous, too, but I can control it better. I think she’d be less nervous if we had taken the bus, but Appa sent the driver and I couldn’t do anything about it. I thought it’d be more comfortable but now I regret my choice.

Instinctively, I reach for her hand and squeeze it gently. Her bewildered eyes meet mine and I do my best not to blush how she is doing right now, but I’m not sure if I’m succeeding. My face feels hot.

“Don’t worry, my appa is not a monster and he’s changed a lot. Besides, it’s not like you don’t know him already,” I tell her, still holding her hand and I notice she needed that comfort when she wraps her other hand around and squeezes back.

“I know, but still. I’m just nervous,” she confesses and I try to smile.

“At least my appa likes you already. When I have to go to your house when Go Eun Byul comes back I’m sure she’ll just be glaring daggers at me and put poison in my food,” I joke, managing to make her laugh a little.

“Your appa likes me? I thought he hated me,” she comments, ignoring the part about her sister, which by the way, I really believe it will happen.

“Of course. I always talk about you when he asks me how my day was,” I reply offhandedly, realising what I did too late. Her eyes look at me surprised and a bit embarrassed. “I mean, of course I do. It’s not like I hang out with anyone else, right? Don’t think it’s anything special. It’s just that I really don’t like anyone else there.”

Eun Bi only smiles and then turns to look out of the window, but that’s not what catches my attention but the fact she doesn’t let go of my hand. I just stare at her lap where my hand is still prisoner of her grip, giving her strength, I hope. And she doesn’t let go until we get to my house and the car stops. She looks at me again, her eyes have a shadow of pa