The noises from heavy steps on the stairs made Aeri twitched her eyes. She stretched her hands and legs with both eyes still clamped shut. Slowly opening the lid, she looked around as her hands reached for her phone under her pillow.

7.30 am ? Um its still early.

She forced herself to get off the bed before she closed her eyes again and never to wake up on time for her 8.30 am class. The morning chill made Aeri shivered. She opened the door to find a soft voice humming from the kitchen downstairs. Carefully, she descended down the stairs and smiled as the scent of French toast with garlic spread greeted her. Finding her mum facing her back towards the kitchen’s door, Aeri walked closer and gave her mother a backhug.

“Good morning, mum”

“Good morning, sweetheart..”, a smile curved on Mrs. Kim’s face.

Aeri walked out of the kitchen and towards the dining table, still with her pink Rilakkuma printed pajamas and her messy hair in a bun. Mr. Kim was busy munching on the toast while reading the morning newspaper as usual. He realized Aeri who had seated beside him with a messy and just-woke-up expression as he flipped through the papers.

“Good morning, honey”, her father voiced out as he cleared his throat and continued reading the papers in his hands.

Aeri turned to stare at her father blankly. Every details on her father’s face, she stared at them passionately. She realized her father had gotten lots of grey hair nowadays or at least more than the past two months. He got a small scratch on his left cheeks and he looked older than he already was. Aeri silently let out a small sigh, receiving a soft stare from the old man beside her.

“Daddy..”, she called out low as she faced her toast on the plate in front of her.

Mr. Kim turned his sight to Aeri after a few seconds. Aeri hesitated for a moment, she doubt herself and she doubt her father for the first time. But she had to confirm those questions that had lingered in her mind since last night.

“Who-um-who is the guy?”, the question blurted out as she gazed over her father’s face.

“What guy?”, Mr. Kim searched through the newspaper, confused by the sudden question. Aeri chuckled at her father’s reaction.

“No. Not in the newspaper-“, doubt poked her again but she braved herself, “-the guy I will be married to, who is he ?”

The word ‘married’ slipped out felt like a raw cheese toppled with extra vinegar and shoved down , which totally brought disgust to her. Her father’s eyes widened and a light smile curved on his face as he put away the papers and neatly placed it on the chair on his left side. He was now facing Aeri completely and he reached out his hand until Aeri’s hands were in his grip.

“He’s a good guy. I know him since he was a baby. He’s your age of course, maybe a year older. I won’t let my daughter marry with someone I don’t know, would I ?”, another smile plastered on those wrinkly face, it made Aeri wanted to tear up. She loved her parents so much she couldn’t imagine being far from them. Marriage at the age of 19 totally didn’t make any sense to her.

*

*

The hallway was crowded once again when the bell rang and obviously the cafeteria was full with noises and people chattering non stop. Aeri looked around for her bestfriends when she spotted a guy sitting alone at the corner of the café, looking out the window.

He’s familiar but I never see him around.

She wan