Wordlessly, Yiseul follows her mother’s instructions when it came to cleaning and setting up the home. She was careful to do everything efficiently, but at the same she couldn’t help getting lost in her own thoughts. Even her mother noticed as she sent curious looks in her direction. 

“Well, are the preparations finished?” Mrs. Kang came into the kitchen, smoothing out her outfit of choice. Her actions almost come off as anxious. 

Yiseul wonders who the guests are that are making the unshakeable Mrs. Kang fidget. 

“Yes, ma’am,” Miss Lee answers. 

All three are distracted by the sound of knocking upon the front door. Mrs. Kang rushes out first with Yiseul and her mother following from behind. Yiseul eyes the wide smile plastered on Mrs. Kang’s face as she greets the couple. But, it was the third person that truly catches her attention. 

In a twist of fate, Mino and Yiseul stare at each other. Shock reflecting in their eyes. 

“And, who is this?” Mrs. Kang asks brightly.

The older couple urges Mino forward as he bows to greet her. “This is our son, Mino.”

***

Yiseul is grateful that Mino doesn’t attempt to act overly familiar with her. Even he is aware of what kind of setting this is. It’s easy to catch on when he witnesses both Mrs. Kang and Mina ordering Yiseul and her mother around from the moment he first stepped into the lush home. 

He sits quietly on the sofa in the living room, while the adults chatter away in the kitchen. He didn’t mind since he took no interest in the conversations that involved both family’s companies. 

But with the parents together, that leaves Mina in the same vicinity as Mino. The adults assume the two of them would have enough to talk about as they are both from the same university.

“Is it Mino?” Mina asks softly. 

“We’ve met before,” he answers curtly and being very obvious that he didn’t want to partake in the interaction. 

Mina doesn’t respond. Yiseul is organizing the guests’ jackets when she observes the two of them. From where she’s standing, it’s easy for her to spot Mina’s discomfort. And, she suspects it isn’t just because she’s around someone unfamiliar. 

Attempting to redirect her attention elsewhere, she spots Yiseul. “Yiseul, can you get me a cup of my favorite tea?” She then turns to Mino, “Is there anything you would like–,”

“Don’t you think you’re being too much? Ordering your friend around?” he asks straight-forwardly.

“Excuse me?” Mina remarks.

“Mino, how about some water?” Yiseul interjects. 

He stands up. “I can get it myself.”

Mino takes off first into the kitchen with Yiseul coming along. The adults look up to see them. 

Mrs. Kang is the first to speak up, “Is there something, Mino?”

“I’m getting some water, Mrs. Kang.”

“Oh, Yiseul could have just fetched it–,”

“If you don’t mind, I would prefer to get it myself.”

Mrs. Kang falls silent before forcing a soft chuckle. “Sure. Yiseul, do you mind showing Mino around?”

Yiseul nods and nudges Mino over to the cupboards for a glass. 

Now, she’s the one feeling uncomfortable. She could feel Mrs. Kang’s eyes on her back and the fact that Mino’s parents are also so silent is making her self-conscious.

“Thanks, dorm head,” he answers out of habit as he takes the glass from her.

“Dorm head?” Mino’s mother reacts.

Mrs. Kang jumps in. “Oh! I wasn’t aware that the two of you knew each other. Mino, are you a resident of Touchstone?”

Mino sips on his water and nods his head. 

Now interested with the change of topic, the three adults all stare in Yiseul and Mino’s direction. 

Mino’s mother turns. “Mrs. Kang, h