“Good morning beautiful!” Jessica walked into the scented room of freshly made bread and her grandmothers loud but happy greeting.  Due to the time difference; Jessica was still jet lag resulting her to be the last to wake. Everyone was already at their seat enjoying their breakfast before they go and do their daily jobs. Since Jessica’s surprise arrival on the night before, the smile on her grandmother’s face has not ported since. Every chance there was, the old lady spent time with her granddaughter. The two have been inseparable ever since.

Jessica earned a hug and a sweet kiss from her grandmother who gave her a righteous seat the dining table next to her. The old woman sat at her normal seat which was at the end of the hollow table. It didn’t take long for Jessica to feel included in the conversation that subsidize the breakfast feast. Jessica missed this, it sadden her, the fact that she had to travel all the way to Korea to realize what she was missing. Even though her family is sitting right in front of her, she suddenly missed everyone. Even her parents, who she hardly encounters, back at home. In America Jessica became so distant to her family, since she dated Ren as her spare time was spent on him. Sitting down with the Lee’s also felt like family, even though they aren’t her blood relatives she grew to treat them like they are one.

“Donghae,” Mrs Lee called out to her youngest son who was sitting directly opposite Jessica. Donghae was somewhat quiet throughout the family discussion which was awfully weird. He’s usually the mood maker of all conversations that enter the dining table. But today, Donghae kept his peace as he made no effort to look at anyone other than his plate of food. “Stop looking down at your food and help me with the shopping. I’m busy today so can you please do it?” Mrs Lee asked Donghae as if it was nothing. The male finally raised his head to make eye contact to his mother, and only his mother. With a simple lifeless nod, Donghae agreed to his mother’s request.

 From sitting directly opposite him, Jessica has been keeping a close conduct at the boy. She experimented every move and reaction he made. Jessica came to a conclusion that he either was just a boring person, mad at something or is uncomfortable at her presence. Crossing out the first assumption, Donghae was never known to be boring; in fact he was the opposite. Crossing out the second assumption, Donghae is also known to not get mad at anything, and if he is, it must be something serious. So that came to the last assumption made by Jessica. Was he really that uncomfortable to have her around? If it did, why must he feel this sentiment?

“Jessica should come!” The cheeky as ever Donghyeon blurted out a suggestion. This suggestion made his little brother give him a terrifying glare. Donghae was surprised to even hear this come out of his hyun’s mouth. It’s not that he doesn’t like Jessica, it’s just awkward having her around. After leaving him for ten years, the friendship they once had cannot possibly be regained in an instant. Ten years have gone, and a lot has changed. “Yeah Jessica should come, Donghae can show her around,” Mrs Lee added to her son’s suggestion.

“I would love to come, but I think I should stay home with halmeoni and hang out with her,” Jessica said so softly not wanting to be a burden to the boy. “Oh Jessica my sweetheart,” Grandma Jung cried. “It’s okay, you can go! You have all summer to hang out with me, go hang out with Donghae, you guys have a lot of catching up to do.”

Jessica thought about it for a second, judging from Donghae’s posture and reaction to things has made Jessica believe that he really feel uncomfortable around her.  She didn’t want to be a burden but at the same time she wants to rekindle the friendship the once had. “Okay, I’ll go with oppa,” Jessica gave a smile hoping for the best.

“Great, look what you have done,” Donghae whispered in his hyun’s ear so no one can hear. “Do you know how awkward it’s going to be now?”

“Please, thank me later,” Oh how Donghyeon acted so cocky about the issue.

---

After breakfast, Jessica hopped into Donghae’s car as Donghae wanted to leave early so they could come back early. Moments later the driver’s door opened revealing Donghae who took his seat in the driver’s seat. Without even asking Jessica’s situation, or how she felt, Donghae just drove off. The drive to the grocery shops was awkward; no one said a word just pure utter silence that buried the two. Donghae even raised the volume of the radio and still the atmosphere in the car still stayed the same. Actually it made things worse as now Jessica knows Donghae is trying to avoid the awkwardness.

Meanwhile, Jessica was contemplating whether she should say something to the male sitting across her. They have been friends for years, so why does it have to awkward? Jessica continued steal glimpses of Donghae to measure his current mood. Donghae could see at the back of his eyes that she was desperate to speak to him. But he continued to ignore her and just kept his eyes on the road. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? Donghae could feel that she has changed, and he has changed. She’s been gone for so long that his head has assumed that she is never coming back, and later on was engraved into his mind and heart.

“Are you really going to ignore me?” Jessica looked at the boy in a dull way, finally having enough of the awkward silence. Her voice detected some anger making Donghae flinch. He suddenly remembered the past when Jessica would throw tantrum and act like a spoiled brat when she doesn’t get what she wants. Maybe nothing much has changed; Jessica was still Jessica, throwing tantrums with her scary tone of voice. When Jessica is in the middle of one of her tantrums she seems to turn on her mode. She gets all impatient and diva like which can be pretty scary to mess with. Even though Jessica has aged through the years, she has toned down the throwing of the tantrums. But Donghae was frustrating her, especially when he didn’t answer her question. She bit her tongue before she would say something rude and buried the back of head on the head rest to get rid of the stress Donghae just caused her.

“I’m sorry…. It’s just weird having you here,” Donghae finally spoke. It occurred to her why Donghae acted in such a matter. How can she be so stupid to think that the friendship they once had can rekindle so fast? Without saying a single word to him in years. For all it means, the two pretty much were strangers.
 

“Ten years have passed and now we are adults, shouldn’t we treat the situation as an adult? We should start re light the friendship we once had, it was once so strong, we shouldn’t let it go to waste.” Jessica applied surprising Donghae in her speech.

“You’re Korean is good, you sound so smart using big words,”

“Yah! We have to talk about this!”

“Talk about what?” Jessica finally understood what the boy was doing. He simply was trying to change the subject to forget the little misunderstanding they just had. It was typical for Donghae to do this, he was rather playful, making Jessica smile at his childish behavior. “Well I take some Korean lessons at college, so my Korean has improved immensely,” Jessica smiled, pretending like nothing has happened.

---

One by one Donghae pushed the trolley along the aisle as Jessica walked by. It wasn’t as awkward as it was before was as now there are some minimal conversations and light talks that take place.  “So why did you come back to Korea all of a sudden?” Donghae asked the girl as he pulled an item off the top shelf.

“I left because I wanted to surprise halmeoni.” Donghae was not convinced