“Okay, spill.”

Dahyun grips the steering wheel tighter and remains silent, her eyes trained on the road in front of her. Jeongyeon sat beside her on the passenger seat and the two had been driving around Seoul for a while after dropping off Chaeyoung and Tzuyu at the academy while SinB opted to stay at the apartment to do further research and follow up on what leads they all had.

Eventually, Jeongyeon starts to fill the silence between them.

“I know you won’t call all of us here if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. I know you, Dahyun.” The older girl looks at Dahyun seriously. It was true. Dahyun had always been the type to avoid opening up, not wanting to feel like she’s burdening other people and prefers fixing things by herself.

A trait that Nayeon often scolds her for.

And Jeongyeon knew Dahyun still blamed herself for Mr. Minatozaki’s passing and that she’s keeping it all to herself. Again.

She sighs because she knows that pushing Dahyun too much won’t make her open up and decides to thread on things as lightly as she could.

“You’re keeping something. As to how much, I have no idea but you have to start talking. Maybe the others aren’t outright asking questions but I am.” A small smile ghosts over Dahyun’s lips.

She’s expected this from Jeongyeon. The girl may act like a buffoon most of the time but she’s probably the most perceptive person Dahyun has ever met; one of the reasons why she’d requested for her to be in her team in the first place.

The older girl was starting to get frustrated at Dahyun’s calm demeanor. She almost didn’t notice the younger girl pulling up in front of a two-story building.

“I’ll explain everything later. For now, let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving.” Dahyun says somewhat excitedly before exiting the vehicle, Jeongyeon trails after her immediately.

She follows Dahyun into the structure that Jeongyeon assumes to be a small diner. The captain pushes the front door open, a chime sounding as its old oak surface hits the tiny bell attached atop of its frame.

Jeongyeon’s guess was proven both correct and false; the inside of the place is huge and spacious with black and white checkered tile flooring and as she walked in further, she sees a row of booths situated beside the glass windows on the left side that’s reminiscent of diners from the 70s and 80s.

Red leather seats and posters of old movies like Grease and Terminator are framed and attached neatly on the brick walls. A classic jukebox sat beside the counter that stretches in a semi-circle with waist-high stools set in front of it.

At the other side of the counter was an ice cream bar and what seems to be a coffee machine and a wide variety of coffee beans in labeled mason jars, neatly arranged on the shelf attached on the brick wall behind it.

Meanwhile, Dahyun was immediately hit by a wave of nostalgia as her nose is hit by the smell of fresh-off-the-pan bacon and pancakes, newly brewed coffee and the sight of a woman coming in for a hug as soon as they locked eyes.

The young captain meets her halfway and embraces her like her life depended on it.

“My goodness, you didn’t tell me you were visiting! Look at you all grown up!” the woman looks like she’s around her mid-fifties, with graying dark brown hair that’s tied up in a messy bun and eyes that radiate such warmth.

She eventually releases Dahyun and smiles in a way that’s eerily too familiar to Jeongyeon.

“When did you get here?”

“About four days ago…” Dahyun smiles cheekily and earns a playful slap on her arm.

“And you didn’t even bother calling?!”

“I’m sorry! I was just a bit busy, but I’m here now aren’t I? And I’ve missed you.” Dahyun smiles widely this time in a child-like manner that Jeongyeon has rarely seen from her team leader.

“I thought I heard a familiar voice.” This time, a man who seems to be around the woman’s age emerges from the door behind the counter and immediately rounds to where they stood, engulfing Dahyun in what can only be described as a bear hug.

He looked as intimidating as his towering height and if he wasn’t smiling right now, Jeongyeon would feel totally threatened. So she just stood awkwardly behind them, observing the interaction.

“You’re just in time! I just got these new coffee beans shipped from Cuba and I’d just finished brewing it. You’re gonna love it!” the man exclaims making Dahyun chuckle at his excitement.

“You know Nayeon unnie is never going to let you hear the end of it again for teaching me how to drink coffee and getting me addicted to it, right?”

“Oh hush! We are coffee aficionados by nature. Speaking of Nayeon, where is that brat? She didn’t come here with you?” Jeongyeon’s blood ran cold as she’s slowly piecing together who these people in front of her were.

“Uhm, no. I’m actually here on duty and I’m with my friend…” Dahyun turns around to see Jeongyeon smiling uncomfortably at them, her face as pale as a ghost. “…Jeongyeon unnie.”

The redhead was seriously thinking about running away as she registers further the recognizable smile on the woman’s face, the unmistakable familiarity of the man’s dark brown eyes and the daunting sign placed behind the counter that displays the name of the place: Nabong’s Diner and Café.

Nabongs

That means these people are Dahyun’s aunt and uncle.

AND Nayeon’s parents.

“H-Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Im…” Jeongyeon greets the two, bowing at a rigid 90-degree angle at the people who bore into the world the most annoying and at the same time most amazing girl she’s met in her entire life.

“Jeongyeon? THE Yoo Jeongyeon?” Mr. Im inquires, suddenly putting on a serious face and crossing his arms over his chest.

“You’re Nayeon’s Jeongyeon?” Mrs. Im steps forward, eyeing the tall girl carefully.

“Y-Yes m-ma’am.” Jeongyeon stammers, standing back up as she looks at them warily.

Dahyun couldn’t hold her laughter anymore hearing her teammate’s unusual stuttering and nervousness, making the two adults break character and into a fit of laughter as well.

“Goodness, child! Breathe!” Mr. Im puts a reassuring arm around Jeongyeon’s shoulders, his laugh booming inside the entire diner. “You look like you’re about to have a heart attack.”

Jeongyeon immediately lets out a shaky breath she’s been holding and clutches her chest as if her heart was gonna bust out of her ribcage and run away.

“Oh, sir, I honestly thought I was about to.” Jeongyeon jokes as she finally breaks into a genuine smile.

“Sir?” the man reels back all of a sudden. “Uh-uh, we’re not having any of that military mumbo-jumbo in here. Uncle Changjoon would do.”

“And that would be Aunt Minsun for me. Trust me, sweetie, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Jeongyeon didn’t expect for the woman to hug her as well. “Nayeon has been talking nonstop about you since you two got together and its taking the both of us to persuade her to introduce us.” Aunt Minsun smiles again, releasing her from the heart-warming hug.

Jeongyeon gives the woman a shy smile and looks at Dahyun who was still laughing with Uncle Changjoon at her reaction. She’s going to get Dahyun for this.

Aunt Minsun leads them to sit in one of the booths situated beside the glass window over-looking the street. Jeongyeon doesn’t even get a chance to grab the menu as the couple excitedly started bringing all sorts of breakfast food on their table.

“Dahyun here used to have a big appetite in the morning but ever since she got into the military academy and then in the Special Forces, she barely eats.” Aunt Minsun reaches to Dahyun’s head lovingly, worry evident in her face, making the young captain blush. She’s missed her family so much and wishes Nayeon was there with them too.

Eventually, the two had to tend to their other customers, finally leaving the two to talk.

“What the , Dubu? You didn’t tell me we’re going to meet Nayeon’s parents!” Jeongyeon hisses as she stuffs a bite of the heavenly waffle into .

“I’m angry at you right now but this waffle is way too good to be eaten angrily!” She huffs again, taking another bite of the breakfast food.

Dahyun couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of her best friend enjoying the food she and Nayeon had grown up eating.

“You know that this is why Nayeon unnie went to culinary school right? She wanted to help out with the diner and eventually build an actual restaurant along with it.” Dahyun says, making Jeongyeon nod in agreement.

Nayeon had always spoken of wanting to take over their family business when the time came and Jeongyeon wasn’t opposed to the idea of settling down and helping Nayeon out in running the place.

Jeongyeon smiles at the thought of her and Nayeon actually living together and maybe even having a few kids running around.

“Anyway, I brought you here partly because Nayeon unnie called me and told me to bring you here.” Dahyun continues, making Jeongyeon stop mid-chew.

“She