CHAPTER 25: Season of love

Sunday morning rain is falling~

Hanna played Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 as she sweep the floor, her daily chore. But contrary to the lyric, this day the sun shined so bright. The spring will come soon.

As Hanna singing along to the song, there came a guest.

"Oh? Minki ya?” Hanna asked as she looked up. “Why’d you show up here in this early morning?"

Minki approached her and asked softly, "Hanna, can we talk for a moment?"

"Eh?" Hanna was surprised, she could sense the different aura of Minki. "Ah, okay.. Wait, I'll finish it soon."

Hanna finished her daily chore quickly and then walked together with Minki to the nearest park.

They sat on the bench, and Hanna directly asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Minki nodded. "Yes. You ever asked me to tell you what I've been doing lately right? I think now I'm ready to tell you." He bent his head down and breathed the air, before saying, "Actually.. lately, I’m sort of seeing someone."

Hanna has guessed it before. "A girl?"

Minki nodded. “It started after the Performing Night. She sent me a message telling me that I look amazing. Yes, amazing. When other people couldn't stop telling me that I look pretty, that I should just be a girl, and so on. She told me that I am amazing. That she knew it might be hard for me to break the rules and showed up in a shocking appearance like that. That she really appreciated me. I was really thankful for her nice words. And then we kept chatting.” A smile panted on Minki’s lips before he continued. “It's really comfortable to talk with her, so I slowly I expect more and more message from her. It seem that I addicted."

"May I know who she is?” Hanna carefully asked.

“Her name is Nam Jihyun. She was in the same grade with Sujin noona.”

Hanna was surprised. “Oh? So she’s already graduated now?”

"Yeah unfortunately. I didn't know her when she was at the same school with me."

“But, have you ever met her?’

“No.. We supposed to meet at Jamsil stadium where Dongho did Kendo Championship, but then she messaged me she had a sudden agenda she couldn’t leave."

“Aaah..” Hanna nodded as she remembered the time Minki was looking for someone at Stadium. Then she was thinking for a moment. "But why were you hiding it from us?"

"I don't mean to hide it.” Minki answered fast. “It's just.. I don't know my feeling yet and what kind of relationship we have, so I wasn't ready with other people’s speculation. I tend to keep it secret until everything is clear, just like Sujin noona and Aaron Hyung."

"And now it's clear?"

Hanna’s question shot Minki in silent. Slowly he answered, "She told me that she likes me."

"Woah? Really?"

"She even ask me to be her boyfriend."

"WHAT??” Hanna was screaming in surprise. “How can she be so bold?"

Looking at Hanna’s reaction, Minki couldn’t help but to chuckle. "Yes, she is.."

"Then,, how'd you reply? Did you say yes?"

Minki pursed his lips before answering, "I haven't reply it."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know, Hanna. I'm confused.” Minki ruffled his hair in frustration. “This is my first time experiencing this. I don't understand my feeling. I feel like I'm crazy. I never get bored being with her. We always find something to be talked like it's flowing naturally. And I start missing her when we didn't get in touch."

Hanna eyed Minki. "It sound that you really like her, Minki ya. What are you confusing?"

"Yes, I know it.  It's not that I don't like her. I like her too. But...” Minki paused, he was thinking. “Something seems not right. Shouldn't it me who confess?"

Hanna chuckled listening to Minki’s answer. "Yeah, that's right. But.. It's 2012! Woman emancipation! You know what, it's not easy to confess, Minki ya..” She shifted closer to Minki to explain more. “It needs bravery. She must have a hard time to finally decide to confess.. And maybe she already sent you many love sign, but you were too blind to realize that she wants you to confess to her.” Looking that Minki was still confused, Hanna resumed. “Okay, she loves you, you love her, that's really matter, not who confess to who."

Minki was silent for a moment, before asking, "Then, should I say yes?"

Hanna rolled her eyes. "It's up to you, man! It’s not me who has the feeling."

Minki heaved a sigh.

Looking her best friend were having a hard time deciding by himself, Hanna gave advice. "If you still feeling doubt, try to ask her to meet up. There you can talk face to face, and maybe you can confess to her properly."

Minki looked at Hanna in the eyes, and finally his lips started to make a curve. "Yeah, you’re right, Hanna. Thank you so much!”

Hanna couldn’t help but to smile. She slung her arm to Minki’s shoulder as she said, "Congrats, Choi Minki! Now you are out of solo since birth club. Aaah I want to feel it too.. feeling love.."

Minki was also smiling. “Maybe you just don’t realize it too, Hanna.. That you’re being loved.”

[the picture of Hanna and Minki smiling together at the park]

-00-

At school in the next day, Hanna and Minki were queuing to get their lunch.

"Where will you meet her?" Hanna asked Minki, who was queuing behind her.

"She's out of town now, so we can't meet up."

Hanna could hear a disappointed tone in Minki’s answer. "But have you give the answer?"

"Yeah."

Hanna turned her body to face Minki. "Omo! She must be really happy."

Minki smiled shyly. "She sent love and kiss emoticons."

"Omooo! I'm nearly throw up."

With that, the canteen lady commented, "You don't even get your meal, but already want to throw up?"

Hanna grinned. "No, auntie.. Your curry is Jjang!" She took her lunch and bowed, feeling embarrassed by her own action.

They went to their usual table and met the other kids. Daehwi and Namjoo were already there, they both rushed to the cafeteria right after the bell rang.

Daehwi welcomed Hanna and Minki with, "Where you have been? We’re here since years ago.”

“Sorry.. We got something interesting to see. You’re at loss you didn’t see it.” Hanna replied as she sat next to him.

“Why? What happened?” Both Daehwi and Namjoo were curious.

“