Later in the end of 2013

It was christmas’ eve and my phone kept buzzing with christmas wishes and congratulations of my success in getting in the same school as Minseok. I was happy because this year I got so much of the things I wanted, well... not everything anyway.

In the day the test result came out, Minseok was in the country visiting his grandmother because he just lost his grandfather and his family and him went there to comfort his grandmother.

I found out because when I just got the result my mother said “Oh, I wish Minseokie was here to see his student finally made it to the top school. He promised me that you’ll get in, and you actually are getting in! I’m so proud of you, Darling.” My mother patted my head, but I turned to her and asked “what do you mean Minseok isn’t here?” and she answered that she found out earlier in the morning when Minseok’s family was busy preparing to take off by their car, my mother went to them and asked if they were going on for a holiday but actually they got a bad news that Minseok’s grandfather had passed away. After my mother expressed her condolence and his mother said thank you, Minseok’s family took off.

I was worried about Minseok, because since we were little Minseok’s most favorite person was his grandfather. I have met Minseok’s grandfather once when we were still a little kid, I think it was when I was just in the 2nd grade of primary school and Minseok was in the 3rd. I always came to his house to play or most of the time I learned there.

Minseok’s family is an educated family, his father was in the army and his mother owned a little clinic for animals, she used the garage space to build the clinic so it wasn’t unfamiliar to see pets and their owners come and go to Minseok’s house. Even though his mother is a veterinarian, she always made time to teach Minseok and sometimes she teached me too.

It was one afternoon, my mother had always picked me and Minseok up at school and we would go home together. My mother is a housewife and she has been really close with Minseok’s mother ever since they started being neighbor, which basically before Minseok and I were born, that was why his mother trusted my mother for picking up her son. Not one second I hate that, because I have always liked Minseok. He has always been the one I look up to and I have always been wanting to be the person he likes, but he told me then that his most favorite person in the world was his grandfather and Minseok said he was staying at his house so he asked me to go to his house and meet his grandfather to know how awesome he was and he promised  me that he would be my favorite person too.

It was Minseok, I never said any ‘no’ to Kim Minseok.

It turned out that his grandfather seemed so much alike like mine, wrinkled skin, dark spots all over his face, a rather hunched back and a very warm smile. A smile which always makes you feel safe and accepted.

“Minseokie my favorite grandson!” his arms spread for an embrace right away after he saw Minseok,

“Grandfather!!!” he ran and hugged his grandfather, it was miraculous how his grandfather could still lifted him up and swayed him up in the air, but I guessed maybe because Minseok was still a little kid and was not that heavy back then.

“Who is this, Minseok? Is this your girlfriend? She’s so pretty, aigoo, our Minseokie is so smart when it comes to women.” He pinched Minseok’s cheek softly,

His mother who has been there since the start sighed, “daddy, don’t just matchmake kids. They don’t understand anything.” She shook her head but smiled anyway, a very familiar smile like the one Minseok has.

“Oh really? But our Minseokie is smart, right?” and Minseok nodded, I had been quiet all allong.

“It’s the neighbor’s daughter. She’s Minseok’s friend, Minseok introduce her.”

“Grandfather, this is my friend, she’s one year younger than me. We are best friends!”

“Oh really?” his grandfather smiled while looking at me, I was too shy and just nodded shyly.

“Okay then, let’s go buy ice cream! Today’s is so hot. Do you want ice cream Minseokie?” Grandfather still held Minseok in his arms, and Minseok cheered yes just like any kids, “you have to come too, Minseok’s  best friend is my best friend too!” his grandfather looked at me. Trust me the old man had this familiar eyes which gaze could never bring me into saying no, but I was hesitant because I was just a little kid so I turned to Minseok’s mother and she nodded and mouthed “It’s okay” so I went with them to buy ice cream.

We finally got the ice creams, and Minseok’s grandfather was about to pay for those and told Minseok and I to wait outside the shop but also not to go anywhere and just stayed there. So we did just that.

“My grandfather is the best, right?!” Minseok said,

“yes, your grandfather is very nice.”

“I know it, he is your most favorite person in the world too, right?”

Saw him smiling so bright like that, I nodded in agreement.

It was never true, my most favorite person in the world has always been him, it has always been Kim Minseok.

Suddenly I snapped back to reality, it was the door bell that woke me up.

“Can’t you see who is it?” My mother yelled, she was in the corridor checking her appearance in the mirror getting ready for a date with my father, I was in the living room wearing a pair of sweatpants and a jumper. “You’re closer to the door  Mom, can’t you just get it?” I moaned and my mother grunted and reached for the door.

I laid down on the couch, still no news from Minseok. I wasn’t upset or disappointed because I know Minseok has been the kind of guy who knows his priorities. Well yeah, bull, I was disappointed but I couldn’t possibly get upset over something as petty as a date, could I? Not to mention he just lost the person he loved so much.

More over it was me that announced to Mom and Dad that I would have an appointment with Minseok in christmas’ eve. Since I was their only child, knowing that I have a plan, my Dad immediately booked seats in a romantic restaurant that my mother had always wanted to go. Gosh, my dad is such a romantic man.

D-1, Mom had asked me if I wanted them to cancel their date and have a family dinner instead and I said no, and said I’d make it work and call them for christmas’ eve get-together. They had to go, and I knew how much disappointing to have a date cancelled.

Going back to my mother who was opening the door and me with my sweatpants and cellphone in my hand, dying to know about Minseok, but I sent him one message and never got answer.

“Oh, you’re here?” My mom had this tone of surprise in her voice,

Could it be grandmother? She never called to check if we’re available for visit. Well at least she loved to cook, so I would not be starving tonight if she came.

“My daughter has been such a lazy-, I’m grateful that you’re here.” Mom continued,

I could hear their steps getting closer to the living room.

“Look at that hideous sweatpants Minseok, would you like a girl who wear those?”

What the hell? I finally looked up to see who was it with my mother and it was none other than Kim Minseok. WHAT THE FRICKEN HELL I WAS WEARING MY SWEATPANTS!

“y...you’re here? Ehm, how was the country? H...how was your grand mother?” I stood up and stuttered,

Minseok smiled and replied “it was fine and everything’s good.”

Hell with my life, I didn’t know what else to say and from the corner of my eyes I could see my mother trying to suppressed her laugh.

“So, I see you’re really comfortable with yourself. Should I just go home or should we go out to our date?” Minseok asked, I knew he also wanted to laugh.

“Whaaat? Nobody told me about a date, you said it was an appointment.” My mom raised an eyebrow with accusing look,

“Oh I guess it is just an apppointment, if that’s what she said.” Minseok turned to my mother and she let out a small laugh.

“Uhm... Errr... Could you, ehm, give me a moment please? I’m just... just... gonna go upstairs and change.” I motioned my index finger to tell him to wait and I glared at my mom before I sprinted upstairs.

Gosh, I really didn’t know what to wear. If I had known he’d come, I would have gone to shop for something nice to wear.

I didn’t want him to wait long so I just pulled out the safest dress. A black dress with long lacy sleeves, but wait? If I wore black dress, would it remind Minseok about his mourning of his grandfather? No, no I could not wear that.

So I picked my cream colored sweater and wore it with my high waisted red skirt, I got no time to do my make up so I just put on bb cream and lipstick and I let my hair loose. Last, I put on a pair of pretty stilettos that matched my outfit. I brought a matching pouch and wore a matching coat, then hurriedly I went downstairs.

It was really quiet, I could only hear the sound coming from the television, I went to the living room and Minseok was there watching tv. He could sense my presence, he stood up and looked at me  and he smiled.

“Shall we go now?” he asked, I knew I would stutter because I was nervous so I nodded instead.

Wait, he never said I looked pretty but he smiled. I thought I was dressing funny, damn right, the red skirt seemed a little ridiculous right then.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t prepare anything.” Minseok said, as we walked down the road of Seoul, which was even busier in christmas’ eve. “It’s okay, I understand you just have something came up. Couldn’t blame that, could we?”

Minseok smiled, “actually, you could.”

My breath hitched, but then he continued “but then again, today’s just an appointment for you, right?” with a smile plastered on his face. I thought I was going to die hearing him said that, but then he pointed a ramen shop, it was crowded but not as crowd as the other shop with romantic christmas’-eve-y themes.

“You like ramen, don’t you? Let’s just go there.”

Eating in a ramen shop was not actually the kind of date with Kim Minseok that I had imagined, but it’s too late now, he thought that I think of it as just an appointment. But I was hungry anyway and I could never resist ramen so it was good enough.

After we finished our ramen, it was kind of awkward. Well, it had been really awkward since the start because Minseok didn’t talk and I didn’t too, I was too shy and was afraid that I would just let out stupid things that would make everything even more awkward. I wanted to ask how he was doing since his father died, but would it be to insensitive to ask such question in such a festive situation.

“So, did it go well?” Minseok asked,

“what?”

“the result. Did you get in?”

“Ah yeah I did. Thanks to you.”

Minseok smiled, “I know you can do it. Congratulation.” He patted my head,

I’m pretty sure my face had turned red.

“Wait,” I suddenly remembered something, “if you didn’t know I got in, why did you come tonight? It’s supposed to happen if I did well, isn’t it?”

Minseok shrugged, “I already knew you’d do well, I’m your tutor after all, failing is not possible.” He stucked out his tongue, teasing and I laughed, “plus, I want to spend tonight with you.” He smiled and I felt my cheeks getting hot.

It became awkward again, well I don’t know if he felt the same way because the smile never left his face, but I felt awfully awkward.

But I encouraged myself and asked, “are you okay? I mean, your grandfather... he was a good person.”

Minseok looked up to me and nodded, “I’m okay, he’s in a better place right now. I was sad, but I don’t want to make it harder for him.”

As usual, a very mature and contented answer from Kim Minseok.

We left the ramen shop and went to the Cheonggyecheon, there was a huge christmas tree installed along the stream, it was beautiful and so many people were there to see it too.

I walked behind Minseok while tugging on his coat, we stopped to stare at the christmas tree. Minseok turned, “should we take a picture together?”

“a-ah? Should we?” I took out my phone anyway, it was going to be the first time Minseok and I ever took picture together.

I positioned my phone in front of us, Minseok got closer to me. I made a V with my fingers and Minseok just smiled, and right before I pressed the button to take the photo I could feel Minseok arm around my shoulder and I blushed.

“yeah that came out pretty good.”

I smiled and nodded still looking to my phone screen.

“hey” xiumin called, so I turned to him “hm?”

“do you want to date?”

I could feel my eyes got widened as he said those words,

“huh?” it was the only syllable I could manage to pronounce,

Xiumin laughed shyly he rubbed the back of his neck, “I mean... well... yeah, a real date. Like me and you, we’re... we’re together? Do you want? I mean... Gosh, I’m sorry, this is stupid. I picked out a wrong time to say this, I’m sorry.”

Is this Kim Minseok asking me to be his girlfriend? I thought right then.

Minseok’s eyes never left mine, it made me nervous I guessed my brain got a short circuit at the moment, but instead of closing my mouth shut I spoke up a question that I had been thinking then.

“Is this you asking me to be your girlfriend?”

Minseok raised his eyebrows and nodded, “I know you must have not seen this coming, and this seems so stupid, but I...”

I cut his words with a hug, a very tight hug around his spine. I don’t think I could ever hug someone as tight as I did to Minseok, I snuggled my nose to his chest while sniffing his smell, a very masculin and soothing smell, his smell spoke for his personality, certainly.

“ehm... what are you doing?” Minseok was clearly shy, I didn’t need to see his face to know it, I could feel his heartbeat whirred like a working machine, he must had been as nervous as I was.

I answered him, “this is me telling you I want to be your girlfriend.”