5. funf

Haneul sat in silence, throwing her gaze outside the window, looking at the busy street they were passing. Sehun insisted to drive the car so the girl just let him take the key. They were in the third line of the traffic stop when Haneul caught a sweet couple started to run crossing the road. They were laughing, with the man’s hand circling around her shoulder, and hers was on his waist. Her eyes followed the couple. But when she tried to get a clearer sight of them, the other cars in front were blocking her view. Her heart suddenly beat faster because her brain actually recognized the couple as someone familiar.

No.

It looked like someone she knew very well. She squinted her eyes, trying to take a better look, and actually trying to make sure that it wasn’t someone who was currently on her mind.

“You’re so quiet.” Sehun suddenly said, reaching her left hand and entwined it with his. “You should’ve been more excited to see me.” He whined with a slight pout which earned a nervous chuckle from the girl. She tried to take another look, but the car was already moving. Sehun noticed that the girl seems distracted. He followed her eyes and frowned a bit. “Did you see someone?” Sehun asked again, noticing the stare she was throwing everywhere on the road.

“Yes.” She turned her head to him. “I think I saw my friend. She moved to China and never came back. We only talked through phone, or Skype if we weren’t busy.”

“Oh, really? I’m sure she will contact you if she come back. Why don’t you try calling her first?”

“Right. Later, I’ll call her when we get home.” Haneul said, smiling.

Both of them fell in silence again as Sehun pushed the gas pedal when the traffic light turned green. Haneul couldn’t help but think about the couple she saw earlier. The girl really looked like her best friend who has been talking to her only through Skype every time both of them had a leisure time. But she has been so busy lately they couldn’t do the video call as often. The friend didn’t tell her that she was actually visiting Seoul, which successfully made her frown thinking if she already forget her. But then Haneul remember how her friend never forget her birthday no matter how busy she was, so her worries could be ignored. She smirked to herself, then it’s probably her who needed to make a surprise.

But as much as she was excited to see that friend of hers, there’s one thing that bothered her even more. It was the man circling his hand around her. He looked awfully familiar to her, but she couldn’t get to see more because he was wearing a mask. His familiar figure kept appearing on her mind that her head went dizzy. But in the end, she finally gave up and just shook her thought out of her head, she’s probably mistaken the man for someone else.

She hoped.

Oh Sehun couldn’t say that he wasn’t happy. Right after his arrival, the two went straight and had their dinner together with his soon-to-be in law. Sehun really could feel the warm welcome from the family, although Haneul had been quiet for some of the times. Something was clearly bothering her, and Sehun might try to find out the reason behind it later. He brought her home after the dinner, and left with a smile plastered on his face along his way home. Start from that day ahead, he was so sure that every day is going to be the best day of his life.

Kang Haneul didn’t get inside her house that night when her meeting with Sehun suddenly cut short. They spent the whole day outside, going out to choose the design for their wedding invitation. It was after Sehun brought her home and dropped her outside—Sehun said he had something urgent about the company that he couldn’t come to meet her parents. When Sehun’s car disappeared at the intersection, she quickly called the taxi and asked the driver to go to this certain café.

Jongin grinned widely when he caught the sight of his favourite girl coming through the glass door. The girl waved at him happily before placing herself on her favourite spot, waiting for Jongin who was currently busy taking the order.

“Green Tea Frappe for Pearl. Less sugar, extra whipped cream.” Jongin said as he placed a tall cup of drink in front of her. She chuckled and said thanks before taking a sip of the special drink the man made for her. “You know, I think I have ever read that name somewhere before.”

“Really?”

“But I don’t remember where.”

“Bookstore?”

“Probably. Well, I don’t really care because I have my own Pearl here.”

“Tsk.” She scoffed. Jongin suddenly pinched her cheeks because he couldn’t stand the cuteness she’s showing, earning a soft squeak from the girl before she slapped his hands. “Let’s goooo, Jongin. I want tteokbokki.” She whined.

“Alright you baby. I’ll change my clothes, wait here.” The man rose up from the chair, dropping a soft peck on the top of her head before ruffling her hair.

The couple walked down the busy street to find a nice place to sit together after buying two big portions of tteokbokki that Haneul craved so much. They ended up sitting at the outside of a small convenience store after buying two bottle of drinks.

“I’m seriously going to kiss you if you don’t eat all of your portion.” Jongin warned her as he teared the plastic wrap open for her. The girl couldn’t help but chuckle. Jongin actually had stopped her from buying so much because he knew she (always) only wanted a bite or two, and the man would end up eating everything by himself featuring her naughty giggle as she watched him eating the food with his nonstop complains.

“Is that a warning? You’re not allowed to be greedy, Jongin. You ate all my portion but you still want a kiss?” Haneul pouted playfully.

“Stop doing that cute pout, Sweetie.” Jongin pinched her nose but the girl just giggled.

As he had expected, Jongin ended up eating all her portion even after he tried to feed her more with his spoon. He was grunting and complaining, but he still eat them. Haneul felt a tug in her heart as she watch him eating, suddenly reminded about all the good things he did for her. How could she betray this kind hearted man sitting in front her? If she told him the truth, how would he react? There’s still a lot of things Haneul need to learn about Jongin. She still didn’t know a lot of things about him, clearly both of them just started this kind of relationship she didn’t even know what to call.

Haneul was actually scared.

Was it just a spur of the moment?

If she was in love with Jongin, what was that feeling she felt when Sehun was around?

“You’re weirdly quiet.” Jongin suddenly said after finishing the food, realizing the stare Haneul has been doing since some minutes ago. The girl only smiled. “Is there anything you want to tell me?” Again, she didn’t answer and just shook her head. Jongin reached her hand and fiddled with her fingers. “Then I’m going to be the one who ask,”

She nodded her head. “What is it?”

Jongin gently squeezed her hand. “Why do I keep having this feeling of insecurity whenever I think about you?” Haneul could hint the slight tremble behind his voice. Like he was trying to appear strong but still wobbling in the end. And the thing that Minseok once told her suddenly flashed inside her head.

Jongin may look strong, but he’s actually fragile. One day when Jongin tells you everything, please stay and help him.

She could feel Jongin’s hand squeezed hers again. “Will you…” Jongin stopped to take a breath. “Will you stay with me… until the end?”

 “Jongin…” She whispered. The girl took a deep breath and decided that she would do it. Jongin still waiting.

“I can’t promise you anything.” And Jongin could feel his heart cracked at that. “I did a lot of damage and I need time to fix it. But I can’t tell you yet. Not now. Would you trust me and wait for me?” Haneul asked him carefully.

There. In that moment Jongin suddenly realized. He still didn’t know anything about Haneul. At all.

Oh Sehun had been nothing but sweet towards his fiancée. He spent every morning of the week going to a small florist near his house, picking different kind of flowers himself to be arranged into a small beautiful bouquets before showing up to pick up his favourite girl. Sehun did his research. Every night he would look up the internet to cheat. The man tried to find what’s there behind every single kind of flowers so that he didn’t just gave them out without knowing the meaning behind them. Because Sehun still couldn’t say his feeling out loud, and he hoped Haneul knew it through the flowers.

It has been a busy week for them. The two went here and there together for the preparation of their wedding, starting from choosing the venue, the decoration, until picking which sweets that were going to be served on their special day. The couple had to choose the flower arrangement today, and this morning Sehun picked a bunch of daisies combined with daffodil as the present for his girl.

Sehun parked the car on the yard. He quietly took the bouquet, staring at it before a sad smile slipping on his lips. Sehun sighed and went out from the car, welcomed by the middle aged woman who was currently sipping her morning tea on the gazebo. She waved her hand elegantly, and there, Sehun could see where his fiancée’s elegancy all inherited from.

He had to put the happy mask back on his face.

“Good morning, Mother.” Sehun greeted her and gave her a wide smile before bowing to the older. The older patted the chair beside her, asking him to sit down which then Sehun quickly followed. “Ah, I should’ve brought another bouquet for you, Mother.” Sehun offered which the older just responded with a chuckle.

“Haneul deserves them more, you don’t need to bring anything for me.” She said before asking the maid to bring another cup for the soon-to-be in law. “You know her father might get jealous if you bring that pretty bouquet for me.” It was Sehun who was chuckling now. “How are you two doing? Haneul didn’t give any you problem, right?”

“Not at all, Mother. I think it was me who constantly became a problem for her.” Sehun just smiled politely.

“I’m sincerely sorry if she’s giving you any problem.” T