3. drei

Oh Sehun was standing between high book shelves, flipping a new released fiction which the clerk strongly recommended to him, saying it was the best seller that month. The man needed to find some books for his vacation stocks. Although he knew he might be busy with company things, but still, he made sure he would make a lot of leisure time. Coming back from Birmingham to his hometown after his graduation was what he requested from his parents as a graduation gift. He kinda missed this town and he wanted to stay for a short period before officially involving himself in the company.

“Was that why you brought me here? To see Pearl and get her sign?” Sehun heard a couple bickering not so far from the place he was standing at. They were holding the same book as he was. “I missed the chance from her previous book, and I don’t want to miss it again.” The girl replied while pulling her boyfriend away. “Also, Pearl unnie is so pretty, you will see when you meet her,” Sehun’s ears still could catch their conversation even after they already turned from the corner. He glanced at his wrist and took note that he still could buy some time before he fetch his brother from the airport.

What was so special about people falling in love though? Sehun muttered, still flipping the pages, but his legs still brought him to the hall, where he could see a small crowd on the side. Some of them were queuing from the other side, hands holding the book Sehun read earlier—he was still holding it also.

“The queue starts from here, Young Man.” The security guard suddenly ushered Sehun to the queue, because apparently Sehun was blocking a way.

“B—but I’m not queueing.”

“Tsk. You’re being obvious, I saw that book on your hand, Young Man. It’s okay, everyone here admire her. Don’t be so shy.” He pushed Sehun to stand behind the last queue, followed by other people standing behind him, leaving the young man stuttered and confused.

Sehun could always leave anytime he wanted, but he didn’t.

“Hello,”

Sehun never knew a simple hello could turn his world upside down.

The man felt his heart rate suddenly increase when the girl simply smiled at him, “Do you want any name before the sign?”

“N—no, just sign… will do.” Sehun wanted the floor to just open up and swallow him when he realized he was stuttering.

“Are you sure?” She asked once again while putting her sign on the front page of the book. The author lifted up her head and met eyes with the young man in front of her before turning her eyes into crescent and pulled her lips into a small smile. “Thank you for coming,”

And that moment, Sehun started to believe that love at the first sight (probably) did exist.

Sehun found himself staring in disbelief as he felt his heart started to race. It was at his parent’s gold wedding anniversary when Sehun caught a glimpse of the girl he was longing to see. The girl who was haunting him every night with her bright smile. The girl who made his heart suddenly raced abnormally with just a simple thought of her crescent eyes when she was smiling. The girl who constantly made him wondered where to find her again. The girl he could only reach through her train of words which was poured into a chaptered book. The girl he met two months ago at the book signing.

His kind of love at the first sight.

The familiar fuzzy feeling inside his stomach suddenly became too much. The butterflies suddenly danced crazily, making him wanted to puke. The author looked simply gorgeous with a peach silk dress which hugged her tiny frame perfectly. The dress fell right upon her knees, showing her skinny long legs. Her hand was holding a glass of red wine—looked still full, probably just taking some sips—while her other hand was clutching her bag. She was smiling, looked like enjoying the conversation with a couple which—

Damn.

It was his parents.

Sehun tried to calm his raging heartbeat when he was caught observing them. His father suddenly waved at him—looked somewhat happy—which the younger caught as an invitation to come over. Sehun coughed. Fixing his suite, he walked to his father, with his heart still thumping like there was a freaking marching band inside.

He just realized that on the author's side were standing another couple. The author was standing back facing him, probably still didn’t have any idea that her secret admirer was walking to her with his not-so-calm heart trying to rip his chest out. His mother was happily occupied with the older female. His heart didn’t get any calmer as he closed the distance between them. The girl suddenly turned her head towards him and met his eyes.

“Let me introduce you, this is my son,” His father gestured, “And Son, this is my best friend's daughter,”

“Oh Sehun. Nice to meet you,” Sehun offered his hand politely which immediately welcomed by the other.

The girl seems about to answer when the uncle he already knew suddenly patted his shoulder. “Oh boy look at you, you’re a fine young man now,”

“Uncle Kang,” Sehun looked surprised when he recognized him before immediately bowing.

Sehun turned his head back to the girl and something crossed his mind. Then that means, this author was—

“Kang Haneul. Nice to meet you, Oh Sehun.”

—Kang family’s daughter. That uncle’s daughter.

“Father, I have a favour to ask.”

“Sure, spill it out, Son.”

“Set me up with Uncle Kang’s daughter.”

His father who was busy flipping the documents suddenly paused at the son’s request and sent a questioning glare to the young man standing before him. The older adjusted his glasses that was sitting on his nose bridge comfortably trying to convince himself that he heard it clearly. Yes, he heard every single syllable coming out from his son’s lips pretty clearly. He even could see a strong will shone on his son’s eyes, something he had never seen before regarding this kind of matter.

“Are you being serious, Oh Sehun?” Mr. Oh asked him with a stern tone. And the father caught his son’s eyes flickered a bit before turning back to the dark and determined shine he had. He already set him up with plenty qualified women before and all he got just a shrug, or a cynical smile before he left them with a clear no. “Because I don’t want to embarrass myself, and this time in front of my best friend because of your immature act.”

Sehun clenched his hands and took a deep breath. But what surprising his father more was instead of letting out the usual snort, the young man smiled sincerely. “I’ve never been so sure, Father.”

Kim Jongin woke up even before his alarm rings. The man was too excited to sleep he couldn’t even recall if what he had last night was a sleep because he kept waking up, checking his phone to see what time it was, only to feel disappointed because it was still 2 AM—after he woke up so many times. He fell sound asleep probably after getting tired of waking up, but in the end still woke up earlier than he used to do. Blame Haneul for this, Jongin muttered with a smile spreading on his lips. He was cleaning the remaining shaving cream on his chin when he heard his phone rang.

“Morning!” Jongin chirped as soon as he took the call.

“Morning,” He got a reply. Jongin could even see the smile spreading on the other’s lips only through her voice. His heart was swelling with happiness. He didn’t know why, but he was so sure that the girl was the reason of his sudden happiness.

“Are you that eager to see me?” Jongin asked.

“Huh?” She replied bluntly. The man chuckled at her surprised tone. He was never like that before though. He didn’t even know where he got that full confident from. “N—no… I—“

“You’re not cancelling this again, are you?” Jongin suddenly sounded sad.

Haneul weren’t sure why her heart was beating even faster at the mere voice of Kim Jongin. The girl called just to make sure of their—what was it?—oh how Haneul wished she could just call it a date. She didn’t have any idea where to go, truthfully, but she wanted to make up for the cancelled dinner last time. So last night when they were on the call, Haneul let Jongin decide where to go. Jongin didn’t tell her though, saying that he was going to think about it and let it be a surprise for her. The girl liked it.

“I won’t, Jongin.” She smiled at the relieved huff she heard from the other end. “Just making sure. You… haven’t told me where to see you, though?”

“Ah! I forgot…” Jongin heard her chuckling. “Tell me your address, I’ll pick you up.”

“NO!” Haneul suddenly shouted. Jongin frowned. “U—uh