“Relax, Ji Yongie,” Young Bae said softly, squeezing his friend’s shoulders as they approached the peaceful-looking house.

“Maybe I should’ve said no,” Ji Yong worried, shifting the heavy watermelon to his other hand.

“Ay, come on. You like this girl; you gotta go all the way. No matter how it turns out.”

“I know.”

Reaching the doorstep, they could hear laughter floating around from the backyard. The men looked at each other and then Young Bae pressed the buzzer.

A young woman opened the door and stared open-mouthed at them.

Again, the men met their gazes.

“Hello,” Young Bae greeted, quickly followed by Ji Yong.

But, the girl just continued to stare.

“Is Andy Doyle here?” Ji Yong asked hesitantly.

The girl nodded as if in slow motion, eyes wide as if she might burst at any second. They could see the scream coming, but were helpless to stop it.

A merciful hand clamped over the hysterical girl’s mouth a second after it started, and she was pulled out of the doorway.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Joon apologized, still holding the girl tightly. “She’s a big fan. Andy’s outside, please go on through.”

They moved awkwardly into the unfamiliar house, greeting several people on the way and passing over the melon to an older woman in the kitchen. Finally reaching the back door, a little girl rammed into Young Bae’s stomach and fell back on her bottom.

The two froze, looking down at the small girl as her lip slowly stuck out in a pout. At the same time as they knelt, another figure approached.

“You’re okay?” Young Bae asked gently, helping her up.

The girl shook her head, eyes tearing.

“Oh no!” The third person gushed. “What happened?”

Ji Yong looked over at Andy squatting beside him.

“He hurt my ,” the girl accused in English, pointing to Young Bae.

“He hurt your ?” Andy gasped overdramatically, as if she were shocked. “That’s awful. Don’t worry; I’ll scold him really good.”

“No! No no no! Aunt Andy, don’t,” the girl pleaded, eyes drying and pout disappearing immediately.

“Why not? He hurt your .”

The scratched the top of her head, further disheveling her dark hair. “It was a accibent.”

“Oh, I see. So he didn’t hurt you; you just fell down.”

She nodded, rubbing a hand over her bottom.

“Maybe that’s what you should say next time?”

“Yes,” she chirped in Korean.

Andy huffed. “Say hello politely, these are my friends. Do you remember how to do it?”

The girl nodded really fast and spun to stare at them really closely, until Andy poked her side. Squirming, she folded her hands on her belly and bowed well passed ninety degrees, making the adults smile.

“Anyazie-o,” she said clumsily, then popped up both her hands and waved. “I’m Ji Na.”

The men both introduced themselves but Ji Na frowned and scratched her head again.

“Mommy lied to me,” she announced, crossing her arms, and making a grouchy face.

After several minutes of explaining and persuading, they finally convinced the girl that she hadn’t been lied to about their names.

Smiling, Ji Na leaned towards GD and put a small hand on his shoulder. “My mommy looooooves you. She says you’re the most handsomest man in the whole wide worlds. She says if she was alone with you for five minutes, she would-“

Andy smothered the girl’s words with a hand over and laughed, turning a bit red.

“Okay! That’s enough; go play!”

“But-“ she mumbled through the fingers.

“Go on. Look! There’s Eun Soo!” She lightly shoved the child in that direction, relieved that she sprinted away.

“You came?” Andy greeted, standing up.

“Yeah, we came. But what was that about five minutes?” Ji Yong asked, also standing.

“Hmm? I think that was a bad translation. She just said she was ready to go play.”

“Really?” he asked with a knowing smirk.

“Yup. Stick to Korean, your English is terrible.” She patted his arm, glad he was going along with her.

He chuckled, opening his mouth to retort, but was interrupted.

“So, is there a designated location for third wheels?” Young Bae asked, looking around.

Andy’s grin turned a bit sheepish. “Good to see you again, Young Bae.”

“Oppa,” Ji Yong automatically corrected.

“Right, right. Young Bae Oppa.” She smiled, cheeks a little pink.

“Never mind, don’t call him oppa. He’s Adjussi.”

“What? How am I Adjussi?” Young Bae yelped.

“You’re almost 30 and practically married. Just call him Adjussi.”

“Ya! If I’m almost 30, then so are you! And you are married, there’s your wife. I saw you exchange vows.”

“No, no, no. That’s something different. And I’m still young; you act like an old man.”

“Please! You complain about your back more than my dad.”

“You-“

“Guys! Seriously, you’re both young and pretty, okay?” Andy cut Ji Yong off with an eye roll.

“…You think we’re pretty?” Ji Yong asked, fixing his hair.

She snorted and grabbed his arm, just above the elbow. “Beautiful. Let me introduce you around.”

Ji Yong grinned and allowed himself to be led about the yard. There weren’t a lot of people, yet there were too many of them to remember names. They were all friends or family, welcoming the newcomers to Korea. It didn’t take long for him to realize that, although she was guiding them, Andy didn’t know many of the guests either. But, she continued to them until they had met everyone.

“We asked them not to swarm when you first got here, but there’s no guarantee for later,” Joon explained as they reached him and his wife.

“Well, at least there’s that,” Young Bae said with a shrug.

Thanks for reading! Comments are the best motivation for new chapters.  ; )