“Please, please, please, please...don’t let her be there.” Handyman Oppa prays in her heart, the hardest and earnest she ever have. 

The woman in her early thirties steps into the airplane cautiously, looking right and left while chanting the prayer quietly. The business class area occupied with fewer seats than the economy class makes it easier for Handyman Oppa to scan the area. She lets out a sigh of relief when the person she’s hoping not to be there wasn’t there. Handyman Oppa get to her seat, two rows in front of the girls.

Just when she was getting comfortable in her seat, a beautiful, Japanese stewardess stands beside her.

”Finally, you come back to business class.” 

Handyman Oppa recognises the voice and lets out a sigh. She looks up to meet the stewardess’ eyes. The stewardess shoots a scorning look at her. 

”I don’t think we should...” said Handyman Oppa, looking straight into the stewardess’ eyes.

”No, we won’t. Don’t think I’m still crazy in love with you.” 

The woman scoffs and shoots a devilish smile before tightening Handyman Oppa’s seat belt to the maximum that she can feel both her small and large intestines had combined together. Handyman Oppa bites her bottom lips to contain her scream. All of the sudden, Ailee’s song, ’I will show you’ is being played on the speaker. Though it is common for songs to be played while passengers embarking the aeroplane, Handyman Oppa has a feeling that the song is specifically dedicated to her. Her claim is being confirmed when the stewardess walks towards her during the chorus.

I’ll show you a completely different me

I’ll show you a prettier me

I’m not going to cry because of love like a fool

I’ll not cry because of you

Meet the better guys

I’ll show you I’m happier than you

I will not be sad without you

I will not break down

Boy you got to be aware

And the stewardess leaves Handyman Oppa before smirking at her for the last time. For the nth times in the past twenty minutes, Handyman Oppa lets out a heavy sigh. This is solely the reason why she flies economy class for the past two years from Korea to Japan. She wanted to avoid meeting this woman who she had been closed for only a few months, three years ago. They were never in a serious relationship, Handyman Oppa just went out for dinner with the woman. And it was inevitable with Handyman Oppa’s flirting, they did make out a couple of times.

For Handyman Oppa, it’s just a casual fling and nothing more. But the woman didn’t think the same way and when Handyman Oppa told her about it, she took it rather negatively. So, Handyman Oppa stops hanging out with her and because the woman always in charge of the business class zone, she began flew economy class when travelling to Japan to avoid further encounter and misunderstanding. And here she is two years of avoiding the woman, getting her guts wring by the seatbelt and hearing the song she loves to sing while working out but with a totally different feeling attached to it. At least, this time the woman didn’t overreact and she is thankful for that.

”Oppa!” Yuju and Umji’s voices startling Handyman Oppa who is carefully taking a sip of her tea while praying the stewardess didn’t put rat poison in it.

She looks at the girls looking all gloomy at her before cramping into the vacant seat next to her. Luckily they are in the business class, the seat is spacious and the two girls are quite small.

”Are you girls okay? You don’t look so good. Scared of flying?” Handyman Oppa asks while studying the girls’ faces concernedly to which the girls just responded with a weak head shake.

”Let’s form a group, oppa,” said Umji after the three of them just sit in silence for a couple of minutes.

Handyman Oppa blinks her eyes. She is wondering whether the vengeful stewardess did spike her tea and now she is hallucinating. She knows she sings in front of the girls often without caring about her cracked voice and out of tone singing. They probably have seen how she dance like someone who has two left legs. So, the girls must have lost their minds if they are asking her to form a group. 

Wait, did they take a sip of my tea as well? I’m so dead if something weird happens to them.

”A loser’s group.” Umji looking serious when she said it while Yuju nods her head agreeing with the younger girl.

Handyman Oppa shakes her head in disbelief. She is a bit hurt when the girl suggested that to her. To be in a group of losers. Sure she is currently single, but she is trying to make SinB her girlfriend. She is going to introduce SinB to her grandparents and that is one of the crucial steps in her proposal. There is no definitive answer whether she will get SinB, but, being in a loser’s group is like accepting that SinB will never be hers. And she is still holding onto her hope that one day SinB will be next to her as her girlfriend and then her wife. Handyman Oppa smiles as she imagines waking up in the morning with SinB in her arms.

”Stop dreaming of her, oppa. Just give up already.” Umji’s discourage words bring Handyman Oppa to her current reality.

”Why? Why should I? Did you two give up already?” Handyman Oppa asks with her voice slightly raised as she is discontented with one of her rival in the battle of SinB’s love’s suggestion.

”Save yourself from further disappointment. It hurts even more when you had your hopes high. Geunyang...pogi hae. Just give up already.” 

Now it is Yuju’s turn to convince Handyman Oppa to give up pursuing SinB. SinB, the one and only girl she ever fell for this hard. The one and only girl she ever loves this much. The one and only girl that she ever thought of introducing her to her grandparents. The one and only girl she ever has plans to get married to. Of course, no is the only answer for the girls.

”No. I am not going to. I’m still in the running for SinB’s heart. And why are you two giving up already? I thought we’ve talked about this the other day. Do everything you can so you won’t regret if something happens. C’mon!” Handyman Oppa pats the girls’ shoulder a bit hard to get their motivation up. It didn’t.

The girls just stare at her in disbelief and honestly. slightly annoyed. Handyman Oppa still hasn’t given up, she takes the girls hand and put them on their heart. She looks deep in their eyes and says, ”this, your heart, is beating their name.” Neither of them responded to Handyman Oppa’s attempt to get them to stop giving up on their love pursuit. Instead, they just stare at her.

”I mean...why should I give up. I just went out with SinB yesterday. Everything looks fine. Nothing is suggesting otherwise.” Handyman Oppa says with her most convincing tone ever. The last time she did that when she was 17. 

”I don’t know what, but something must have happened the other night. Her eyes, her smiles, everything is different. The way they look at each other is different, oppa. It was more meaningful than before. Yes, they were always happy when they are together. But, this time it’s different. Happier? Or another level of happiness.” Umji explains wholeheartedly.

”Maybe they didn’t eat samgyeopsal like Yerin wanted. Maybe Yerin brought SinB to eat what she wanted. So, they are happy about that.” Handyman Oppa responded, justifying the changes in SinB, her loved ones and her rival, Yerin.

”No, they did. Yerin’s t-shirt smells like samgyeopsal.” Yuju responded almost instantly after Handyman Oppa finished her sentence making the other two gasped, staring at Yuju in shocked. Yuju just grins at them.

”Oppa, you can give one thousand one reasons. Haih..you are blinded by love, oppa. If you don’t believe me, take a look yourself,” said Umji still persistent in changing Handyman Oppa’s mind.

Handyman Oppa looks at Umji. She tries to decipher the meaning behind the girl’s action. Umji probably tries to get her to give up on SinB by casting a doubt in her. It is a bit scary thinking if that is true. But, Handyman Oppa feels more scared when she can see honesty in Umji’s eyes.

”What would you like for your lunch?”

A curse word almost escapes Handyman Oppa’s mouth when suddenly a stewardess stands beside her asking her about lunch. But she quickly gain her composure and turns around to talk to the stewardess. But, the stewardess’ pair of voluptious caught her eyes immediately, literally. Handyman Oppa’s eyes were glued to them for almost thirty seconds. 

”I see you still haven’t changed a bit. Chicken it is then. And miss, you might want to get back to your seat as we will start serving lunch in five minutes.” 

Handyman Oppa finally looks up only to meet the vengeful stewardess who is bending next to her and the rightful owners of those s her eyes were glued to just now. 

”! Did she get an implant? They are definitely bigger than I remembered,” Handyman Oppa mumbles to herself.

”Umm. Is it possible for us to get our food serves here?” Umji said to the stewardess who thinks about it and finally agrees when Yuju and Umji making cute faces at her.

Umji pulls Handyman Oppa’s sleeve and told her to take a peek at SinB and Yerin. She told her that it is obvious that they both are exchanging lover’s gaze with each other. Handyman Oppa lets out a sigh and just nods her head to the girl. The three of them slowly rise to half-standing while hiding their body behind the seats. They look at SinB and Yerin who are seating side by side two rows from them. True enough, the two are talking and laughing with each other happily. Their hands are clasped together. 

Probably sensing that she is being watched, SinB looks at the three of them. And not as Handyman Oppa expected, the girl just glare at her before rolling her eyes. Anyone who sees that could feel the feeling of dejected attached to the stares, including the three of them especially Handyman Oppa. When Handyman Oppa looks at SinB with a questioning look, the girl turns away angrily.

”Do you really think that is the look of someone who loves you will give you? Wake up, oppa. You and I, and Yuju unnie, we have lost.” Umji pats Handyman Oppa’s shoulder, consoling her. 

Handyman Oppa just blinks her eyes, trying hard not to believe what the girl just said. She can’t believe her eyes and her ears. There is no way what Umji said is true. 

”Oppa, SinB has been with Yerin unnie since this morning. She didn’t come to you, not even once, didn’t she? Not in the airport. Not here. Face it, oppa. Give up on her. C’mon, don’t sweat. You still have us. And Eunha. Oh, you can date Eunha, instead. Let’s start forgetting about Yerin and SinB. Shall we?” Yuju said as she squeezes Handyman Oppa’s shoulder.

”That’s because the reporters and your fans were filming and taking pictures of you girls. And, we just took off twenty minutes ago and yet you two are already here with me. Do we just forget the fact that Sowon and Eunha are madly in love with each other? I won’t. I can’t. Not just yet.” Handyman Oppa sighs, and followed by the two girls.

”You really...you have been blinded by love, oppa,” sighs Umji.

The three of them enjoying the lunch that looks delicious but somehow tasted very bitter for them. Most probably because they are eating with heavy hearts, dwelling in their sadness getting their heart broken. After they finished their lunch, Yuju and Umji go back to their original seat living Handyman Oppa alone getting lost in her thought. Soon, she falls asleep.

As soon as the plane landed, despite being warned not to turn on the phone, Handyman Oppa does the opposite. She had one unread text message from her grandma asking her to go to the fish market and pick up a few fishes and ingredients for tonight’s dinner. Handyman Oppa tells the girls about it as they walked out of the plane and promise them that she will call them later.

”Someone will pick you guys up at the hotel this evening. They’ll take you to my grandparents’ house.” Handyman Oppa calls Gfriend’s chief manager and SinB to tell them about it. She originally wanted to pick them up herself but her grandmother insisted that she should stay home with her since they haven’t met for a few months.

****

Handyman Oppa smiles triumphantly at a man who looks older than her but not by so many years. The man is panting while bending her waist and resting his chest against a wooden katana. 

”Why are you so out of shape, niichan?” Handyman Oppa asks the man who is still panting.

”I’m not out of shape, I’m just tired. Your brother had with his girlfriend until this morning.” The man sneers at Handyman Oppa.

”Please, spare me the details. I don’t need to know that.” Handyman Oppa kicks the wooden katana that her older brother was resting her body against, making the man falls to the ground. Handyman Oppa laughs her heart out and runs away from the man who is cursing her.

”You wouldn’t know even if I told you, you loveless person!” The man yells at Handyman Oppa who is already standing at the door of the dojo grinning at the man.

Handyman Oppa rested her arm on her older brother’s shoulder as they walk out of the dojo heading towards the main house. When they heard noises coming from the front door they look at each other and smile. Just as they expected, ten people enter the house escorted by three men wearing black suits.

The two go to the front door wearing their bright smiles to welcome the newly arrived guests. All ten guests smile warmly at the two, but shoots a questioning look at the man who still has his arm on Handyman Oppa’s shoulder.

”Hi. Have a seat. And meet my brother, Yuukichi. Yes. He is as old as he looks.” 

“Caish! I’m just four years older than you, Yuu! Well...I have to be honest, when you said yoejachingu is coming for dinner, I thought...huh finally this loveless person found someone. But then, aren’t you just crazy for dating six beautiful girls at the same time?” Yuukichi smacks the back of Handyman Oppa’s head while grinning at his younger sibling.

”You uncivilised person!” 

Everyone startled upon hearing a low tone, husky voice suddenly yelling at them. Both Handyman Oppa and her brother turn around looking at the 75 years old man in a grey kimono walking towards them.

”How come you don’t know this popular, top Kpop girl group idol?! This is Yoejachingu! And girl, pardon my grandson’s lack of knowledge.” The man appears from behind Handyman Oppa and Yuukichi, spanking the latter’s head.

The man smiles brightly at the girls and bows his head. He warmly welcomes the guests and asks them to take a seat on the wooden couch in the spacious living room. As the guests get themselves comfortable on the couch two young women walk in carrying trays filled with drinks and some snacks. Again, everyone is startled by the deafening groans, immediately turn their attention to Handyman Oppa and her brother. They both are groaning in pain with one side of their head tilted upwards, the result of their sideburns being pulled by a beautiful looking woman in her 70’s in a light purple coloured kimono.

”Did I see you boys greeting my guests in this sweaty, dirty clothes? Go and wash up.” The woman said sternly.

”I’m just waiting for you, grandma. I wanted to introduce them to you and grandpa, then I’m going to go wash up and get changed.” Handyman Oppa stutters as she tries to wiggle her way out of the woman’s pinch.

Handyman Oppa’s grandmother finally lets go of her grandchildren’s sideburn and smiles politely to ten guests sitting in her living room. She glares at Yuukichi and the man speed walking towards the other side of the huge one storey traditional Japanese house. Handyman Oppa smiles at the woman and introduces Gfriend members and their managers. 

”This is Sowon, Eunha, Yerin, my... I mean SinB, Umji and Yuju.”

As soon as she finished, Handyman Oppa’s grandfather smiles proudly at her wife as he told her their real name. Not only that, the old man even sings a few bars of Gfriend’s song, Rough. 

”Nice to meet you girls. And excuse my husband’s excessive enthusiasm and his bad singing. Help yourself, drink up. The dinner is almost ready, so I hope you don’t mind if we talk and have some drinks before dinner.”

****

Yuukichi, Handyman Oppa’s older brother cheerfully greets the six girls who are enjoying the wagashi and taiyaki. The girls smile at him back but he can feel that they are a bit reserved. Probably the girls are still surprised to find out about him knowing that his only sibling doesn’t talk much about him or in fact, about the family.

”I guess Yuu never talked about me?” Yuukichi asks the girls and all six of them nod their head.

”And you look confused at the mention of Yuu?” he asks again seeing the girls’ bewildered face whenever he mentioned Yuu’s name. Once again, the girls nod their head in harmony.

”Oppa never mentioned about anything, not you, not even being a Japanese.” Sowon said while the other girls agreeing with her.

”Yuu is your oppa’s Japanese name. And yes Yuu doesn’t talk much about us.” Yuukichi smiles but he knows it is bitter. He always does it whenever he thinks about the reason why his only sibling doesn’t say much about family. It’s more to that Yuu can’t say anything about it rather doesn’t talk about it.

”Well, you are in luck. Yuukichi oniichan is here. I can tell you girls about your oppa. Wait here and let me get something.” Yuukichi grins and runs towards the cabinet behind the couch. He opens one of the drawers and gets a photo album.

”Alright, let see what we have here.” Yuukichi said cheerfully as he puts down the photo album on the table in front of the girls.

Once again, his heart fills with sadness as he flips open the photo album. There are a few photos of a baby, probably around the age two or three months. 

”So, this is Yuu’s baby pictures.” 

All the girls excitedly hover around the table to look at the pictures. For Yuukichi, those baby pictures are priceless but for Yuu or Handyman Oppa, it is nothing but pictures of a person looking exactly the same as other people. He still doesn’t understand why Yuu always said babies are all the same, they look the same, like a potato. Yuukichi looks at the girls all adoring the baby Yuu especially the petite girl, Eunha and tallest girl, Sowon. To be honest, he does think the pictures are cute but it’s not to the point where he would adore them. Yerin, the fairest girl among the six then flips the albums to the next page.

On the next page, there are only two photos. One is Yuu in a t-shirt and shorts, sitting on a rooftop, smiling happily.

”That’s the first house Yuu built. Yuu always helped our great-grandfather built houses for the needy or help fix their house. That was when Yuu was probably seven or eight. One of Yuu’s specialties is roofing, that’s why Yuu was sitting on the roof.” Yuukichi explains the picture to the girls and they all gasped in awe. 

Then he pointed to the picture of him and Yuu in hakama. They each holding a wooden katana, grinning at the camera. The picture was taken after one of their practice battles which Yuu always win ever since Yuu was six years old. Yuukichi dreads that even after 25 years, he still couldn’t beat his younger sibling. 

”We practice kendo and kenjutsu. Grandpa is a master swordsman. And I have never beaten Yuu in both. I guess Yuu got that from him.” Yuukichi bites her inner cheeks and blinks his eyes as they were getting teary. 

It is true that Yuu is great in both kendo and kenjutsu, but only him, his grandfathers and his pupils who trained at his dojo knew about it. Yuu never entered any competition although he is convinced that Yuu could be the champion. Yuu has never been a fan of competing against other people. Probably that was one of the reasons why Yuu never compete, but he knows deep down there is another reason why Yuu never competes. And he really hates the reason, but there is nothing he can do about it.

On the next page, there’s a photo of Yuu and him again. Only this time, they were older. Yuu wore a grey kimono while Yuukichi was in his high school uniform.

”This was when I graduated from high school. At that time, Yuu has already graduated from medical school. I’m sure you girls are aware of that fact. Yuu is a genius. Yuu graduated from medical school when Yuu was just 15 or 16.” Yuukichi said it proudly. He is very proud of Yuu. 

”Where is oppa’s graduation picture?” Umji, the youngest of the six asks.

Yuukichi just smiles bitterly at her and say, ”Yuu attended the graduation alone just to pick up the scroll. Yuu’s mother died the day before.” 

”I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Sorry for your loss,” Umji quickly apologises for her question. Yuukichi shakes his head and smiles at the girl, causing her and her friends confused.

”No, no. I don’t really know that woman. She took care and raised Yuu from Yuu was seven to eleven. Our mother, real mother is still alive. It’s okay.” Yuukichi reassures the flustered girl with a convincing smile.

Then, the girls’ eyes are all glued to a photo of a man in his twenties, looking exactly like Yuu. Except, his hair was a bit shorter than Yuu’s.

”That’s our late father. Looks exactly like your oppa, right?” Yuukichi stares at the photo and smiles. His only sibling looks exactly like his late father. Their hair, thick eyebrows, dimple on the left cheek, their calm smiles, hazelnut-coloured eyes and deep gaze. Everything is the same.

”When did he passed away?” Yerin asks.

”When Yuu was two. On Yuu’s birthday. Which I assume you girls don’t know when.” Yuukichi squints his eyes and looks at the girls.

”Oppa never told us about it, oh and we never asked as well,” Sowon answered.

”No, you girls are not at fault. Yuu never talks about the date. Yuu just treated the day as any other day, only it was the day that marked an increase in the age and the day father died. Yuu never gets to celebrate.” Yuukichi explains in a sombre tone.

”Oppa must have celebrated her first birthday but then she was so young that she might not remember,” said Eunha sadly, puffing her cheeks acting cute sad.

”Oh no. No. Yuu never gets to celebrate. On Yuu’s first birthday, father collapsed in the morning and that was the day we all knew that father had a brain cancer. He knew about it the day Yuu was born but kept it a secret. And then he died on the same date a year later. So, Yuu never gets to celebrate.”

The room is suddenly filled with a sad silent. No one moves or talk. Yuukichi bites her lips as he lets out a heavy sigh. Just as he was about to say something to liven up the damp moods, his grandmother appears from the kitchen.

”Girls, I’m sorry I had to go to the kitchen earlier. The dinner is going to take about five to ten minutes. Oh, I hope you girls don’t mind but I called your stylist this morning. I don’t know your sizes, so I called her to ask about it.” Handyman Oppa’s grandmother said as she waves at the two women who brought them the tea and snacks earlier. Then, the two women bring upon them six square boxes.

”I don’t know what to give you girls, so I just thought kimono would be nice for you.” Handyman Oppa’s grandmother gestures the girls to take the boxes containing kimonos that are being handed to them.

”It’s okay, ma'am. Oppa gave me one a few months ago.” SinB said, trying to reject the offer.

”It’s okay. I’ve already asked for your manager’s permission. And, young lady, that’s what your oppa gave, this is from me. Please, call me grandma. You are all Yuu’s friends. You can try it on, and if it doesn’t fit you, I’ll ask the tailor to alter them for you.” Handyman Oppa reassures the girl with a warm smile and gentle taps on their shoulder.

The girls then happily checking out their kimonos. Everyone got different colours and patterns kimonos. As they were busy checking out and trying their kimonos, one of the women tells them that dinner is served.

”Where is Yuu? Dinner is served already,” Handyman Oppa’s grandmother asks as she looks around finding her favourite grandchild. Yuukichi just shrugs his shoulder.

”It’s okay. Let me go and get oppa.” SinB suddenly offers but then immediately stops walking and turns around facing Yuukichi and the older woman.

”Ahh. Go to your right and walks straight. Yuu’s room is the last one on the left.” 

SinB follows the man’s instruction and finds it confusing with all the sliding doors on both right and left of the hallway. But then, she is sure that this is the door to Handyman Oppa’s room and knocks before sliding the door open. 

”Oppa, your grandma is looking for you. And the dinner is ready. Everyone is going to the dining room already.” SinB said as soon as she sees Handyman Oppa who is putting on his kimono jacket or haori.

”Oh okay. Sorry, I took a shower and I got a stomach ache. Let’s go, then.” Handyman Oppa hurriedly finishes dressing and takes SinB’s hand. 

SinB doesn’t move an inch making Handyman Oppa jerks back. The woman stops walking and turns to look at SinB who is wearing the same coloured dress as her kimono. Without saying anything, SinB hugs Handyman Oppa who is still confused with what is happening. The woman doesn’t feel a need to ask just hugs the girl back and softly SinB’s back. After a few seconds, they break away from the hug and leaves the room.

****

”Oh, mother...you are here. Hi Azusa-chan.” Handyman Oppa greets the two women sitting next to her grandmother. SinB bows politely at the two women that she never met.

”Oh, SinB, this is my mother, Hanako...that is her wife, Azusa-chan. Wait, Azusa-sama? Em..yeah, I called her Azusa-chan. So..yeah. And mother, Azusa-chan, this is SinB.” Handyman Oppa introduces SinB to her mother and the proceeds to introduce the other girls as well. She only knew that Yuukichi has already introduced them to their mother earlier when she and SinB were on their way to the dining room as her mother said so.

”Dddd!!!” The excited screaming from a boy Handyman Oppa knows by heart making her smile.

The boy came from the direction of the toilet located behind the kitchen with a beautiful, long, straight black-haired woman. The woman smiles at her and just let the boy charged towards Handyman Oppa and jumps on her.

”Hey, I didn’t know you are coming tonight.” Handyman Oppa hugs the boy who is sitting on her lap that is already wrapping his arms around her neck, resting his head against her chest.

”Say hi to my friends. This is Sachihiro. And these pretty ladies are my friend. This is SinB, Yerin, Umji, Yuju, Eunha and Sowon.” Handyman Oppa pats the boy’s head while he bows politely to all the girls.

”Hiro, let’s eat first. You can play with Dd after dinner,” the woman earlier already seated next to Azusa calls the boy while patting the vacant chair between her and Yuukichi.

The boy shakes his head, protesting her mother’s order. He hugs Handyman Oppa’s neck tighter. 

”Hiro, listen to your mother, let’s eat first. Okay? You are a good boy, aren’t you?” Handyman Oppa in her cajoling voice, persuading the boy who eventually reluctantly lets go of her neck, practically dragging his feet towards his mother.

”And that is Sachiko Ogasawara, Hiro’s mother. And these are...” once again Handyman Oppa introduces the girls.

They start eating the traditional Japanese cuisine that half of them was cooked by Handyman Oppa’s grandmother. Handyman Oppa glances over and happy that everyone seems to enjoy the scrumptious and delicious foods. Both her grandmother and grandfather ask and share a lot of things with the girls. Her grandmother praises them a lot especially how they are well-mannered, beautiful and have great voices. Meanwhile her grandfather was busy fanboying over the girls. 

Just as Handyman Oppa thought nothing could go wrong tonight, her mother coldly asks her why did she quit being a neurosurgeon. Before Handyman Oppa could answer her, Umji’s question making the situation worsen.

”You are a neurosurgeon, oppa? I thought you are a psychiatrist.”

Handyman Oppa takes a deep breath, bracing herself for the upcoming disaster.

”I never quit being a neurosurgeon. I just cut down my surgery hours and consultation. And yes, I am also a psychiatrist. I work four days in the neuro department and three days in the psychiatric department every week,” said Handyman Oppa in a careful and calm manner.

”What nonsense is that? Even the girls don’t know you’re a neurosurgeon. Just why can’t you be like any other people’s child? Doing things that pleases their mother.” Hanako said angrily.

Sensing that something unpleasant might take place, Sachiko excuses herself and Hiro to call her wife. She claims that she had already promised to do so with her wife who is currently abroad on a work trip. As soon as Sachiko leaves, Handyman Oppa slowly puts her chopsticks down and lets out a deep sigh. She never thought her mother would come home for dinner when the woman rarely home when she visited her grandparents these past eight years.

”You left that child thirty years ago. That child tried everything that is possible to make the mother happy but still fail. For ten years, that child tried then finally that child learns to live the life as it is. That child even went through major surgery in the early years of life with these two lovely grandparents. Luckily that child is a genius and the child has grown up to be one of the best neurosurgeon in Japan. Like always, that neurosurgeon is dispensable and making a decision to leave Japan is quite easy for that neurosurgeon. It’s because a certain renown oncologist told the board of a hospital she cannot work with a doctor who looks exactly like her beloved dead husband. You probably didn’t know, but that one of the best but dispensable neurosurgeon was a member of the board and had to miss the renown oncologist interviews because of an emergency surgery. So, the neurosurgeon who looks and behaves exactly like your beloved dead husband resigned and move to Korea.” 

With Handyman Oppa’s unexpected lengthy response to her mother makes everyone except Azusa, Yuukichi and his grandparents taken aback, shocked with what they just heard. The moods dampen, but, Yuukichi tries to liven it up by gleefully shouting, ”and that, girls, are the story of your oppa, the loveless person.” Yuukichi just earns himself six sets of deathly glares from the girls sitting on the left side of the table.

Handyman Oppa could sense that SinB is staring at her. She knows the girl must have something to say, but she doesn’t want to drag the issue. So, Handyman Oppa takes the girl’s hand under the table and squeezes it gently while smiling at her.

”Jah! Let’s move on to dessert, shall we?” said Handyman Oppa in a feigned cheerful voice. Then, as the kitchen helpers are serving some traditional Japanese desert, castella, she acted cute to her grandmother and aks, ”grandma, can we have ice cream too, pweaseee?”

For the nth time tonight, the girls gasped in shock. This is the first time they ever see the woman acting like that. It is not cute but cringy. Surprisingly, Handyman Oppa grandmother’s is pleased with her action and allows everyone to have ice cream. Handyman Oppa’s brother is known to be a person who doesn’t know how to read the room suddenly exclaims, ”oh girls, now that you know about mother and Yuu, you girls need to sign the non-disclosure agreements. No one knows and no one should know about them. Well, legally, they are not related to one another. But, mother likes to be careful, so...”. Once again, earning himself stares that can penetrate your body like a bullet, well six bullets since all Gfriend’s members were doing it.

”You should rest tonight, thank you for coming to dinner tonight. And sorry about earlier, didn’t know that mother is joining us for dinner. I’ll see you girls tomorrow. Call me once you reach your room, okay?” Handyman Oppa said with her usual calm and sweet smile when she walks the girls to the van that fetch them earlier and will drive them back to the hotel.

Handyman Oppa could sense that all six girls wanted to talk about what happened during dinner just now. But, she thinks it’s best that everyone just let it go and pretends that she is blind and stupid enough not to understand their intention. They bid their goodbye and Handyman Oppa sees the van out. 

’We have arrived safely, oppa. See you tomorrow.’ Handyman Oppa reads the text message that SinB sent to her and smiles. She then replied to the girl’s text with her usual goodnight message.

****

At the back of a bar, Handyman Oppa takes another sip of her fifth cans of her favourite drinks. On the table in front of her are two empty packs of cigarette, one opened and two unopened packs of cigarette. She has been there for two hours already, drinking and smoking her life away, alone. Five cans do nothing to her sobriety. 

”Yo master, you should’ve called me!” a beautiful Japanese-English woman around her age with hazelnut-coloured, wavy long hair approaches Handyman Oppa’s table.

Handyman Oppa smiles at the girl and raises the half-empty can at her. The woman grins back at Handyman Oppa before taking the vacant seat in front of her. She waves at the waiter that just pass their table and orders the same drinks as Handyman Oppa is having. They stare into each other’s eyes intensely and without a word they exchange a bitter smile before shoved down half of the can’s contents down their throat. The two continues emptying and ordering more cans of drinks without saying anything to each other for about an hour.

”When are you going to do it?” The hazelnut-coloured hair woman asks after an hour of silence.

”Next week. I’m going back in two days. One day after that.” Handyman Oppa responded after gulping another big chugs and a deep, long inhale of the first cigarette of the fourth pack.

”Are you here because of that? I think there’s another reason...” The woman asks again.

Handyman Oppa sighs. Her head started to get fuzzy but she can hold her drinks a lot more than what she had tonight. She can still think straight but didn’t answer her friend’s question. Handyman Oppa swings the can in her hand as she stares vacantly at the dimly lit bar’s ceiling. Her minds wander, taking her back to this morning.

SinB looks exceptionally beautiful this morning in the lace white dress. Handyman Oppa’s heart was beating so fast when her eyes laid on SinB this morning that she had trouble catching up to her breathing. SinB’s laugh keeps ringing in her ears. She keeps seeing SinB’s smiles and every time, her lips automatically curled into a smile. Everything about SinB makes Handyman Oppa smiles and her heart flutters except for one thing. She can’t seem to be able to shake it off her mind. SinB was wearing rings on her fingers. The other girls also wore rings on their fingers including Yerin.

Handyman Oppa tried to convince herself that the rings are just their accessories for their outfit today seeing that everyone wore them. She failed in convincing herself. The thought that Yerin has proposed to SinB and SinB, the girl she loves has accepted it haunts her. She didn’t know how the ring Yerin got for proposing SinB looks like, but she knew Yerin will definitely propose to SinB and presented the ring to her. And that scares her the most when she saw the rings on SinB’s fingers.

The changes that Umji said to her when they were on the plane also keeps replaying in her mind. She even saw with her own eyes what Umji was saying yesterday. SinB’s and Yerin’s gazes are different. Though they mostly avoid looking at each other, but once met, their eyes lit up and instantly their lips curled into a shy smile.

”She’s quite a catch. I’m ecstatic that you finally found someone!” The woman in front of Handyman Oppa squeals excitedly.

”WHAT THE HELL Sei?!!!” Handyman Oppa asks the woman, staring at her confusedly because of her sudden action.

”You just told me about the girl. Clearly, you are head over heels for her. Your face lit up and your smiles never faded when you talked about her. You know this is the first time in our fifteen years of friendship that I see your eyes are full of love when talking about a girl. Did you confess your feelings? Did you ask her to be your girlfriend? Nah, scrap that. Asks her to marry you. C’mon, I’ll help you with it. Let the disciple help the master this time.” Sei grinning happily as she claps her hands excitedly.

Handyman Oppa puts her head on the table weakly. She just let her face glued to the sticky table without moving nor making any sound. Her head is surrounded by almost a dozen empty cans of her favourite drinks. Sei, her best friend keeps calling her name but she didn’t respond to her making the woman worried. Sei then sits next to her and pulls Handyman Oppa by the hair trying to get her head off from the table.

”Why? Is she someone’s wife?” Sei asks, Handyman Oppa shakes her head weakly.

”One of your patient?” Sei asks again, Handyman Oppa responded the same way she did earlier.

”Your patient’s wife?” once again Sei asks and gets the same response.

”Is she someone’s girlfriend?” Sei asks and this time Handyman Oppa responded by shrugging her shoulder weakly before slamming her head on the table once again.

Sei pulls Handyman Oppa by the hair, lifting her head off the table. She slaps Handyman Oppa couple of times in an attempt to make the woman come to her senses. Handyman Oppa just lets her be and endures the pain. Her cheeks reddened, partly due to the slapping and partly because of almost a dozen cans of her drinks she had been drinking for the past four hours.

”I don’t know. I don’t know. Maybe?” Handyman Oppa said as she lights up another cigarette. 

”What do you mean?” Sei stares at Handyman Oppa with her brows furrow. 

”Someone else loves her too. And she is planning to propose to her...” said Handyman Oppa wailing her fate with SinB.

”Then beat her to it!” 

The cigarette Handyman Oppa has in between her lips were snatched away by someone shocking both Handyman Oppa and Sei. They both look up at the woman who just took the cigarette and yelled at Handyman Oppa. And both of them frown. The woman brakes the cigarette into two and tosses it into the empty can. She waves at the waiter, orders five bottles of mineral water and ask him to stop taking orders for drinks except for water from them.

”Sachiko?” Sei asks surprised with the unexpected appearance of the woman.

”Beat her to it just like I beat your wife to it? Does it even matter? And why are you here? Today is your anniversary, isn’t it?” Handyman Oppa said as she takes out another stick of cigarette.

Sachiko grabs the pack quickly before Handyman Oppa gets to it and puts it away. She just ignores Handyman Oppa’s questions and hands her the mineral water, forcing her to drink it with her stare. Handyman Oppa sighs but still drinks the water.

”You already made the ring for her months ago. So, just propose to her.” Sachiko says in all seriousness but her eyes shoot a compassionate gaze at Handyman Oppa.

”You’ve made the ring already? Well, this is your time. Propose to her.” Sei smacks Handyman Oppa shoulder hard, motivating her best friend.

”I think she already proposed to her...” Handyman Oppa said under her breath, looking listless and dejected.

Handyman Oppa absentmindedly ruffles her hair, taking out a velvet pouch from her jacket’s pocket and gives it to Sei. Sei takes out the contents. There is an open-ended eternity shaped ring with words engraved on it, and a necklace. Both Sei and Sachiko take a look at the ring and necklace in awe, admiring the work of the woman in front of them.

”Propose to her. Before you are going for it next week, propose to her. You can use this card for your advantage,” suggests Sei as she gives the pouch back to Handyman Oppa. Sachiko nods her head, agreeing with Sei.

”Sachiko, you know about this. And this is my third time going through it. When are you going to leave your wife for me?” Handyman Oppa looks at Sachiko with her droopy eyes.

”Do you guys really think it will make a difference if she knows? I don’t want to pressure her to choose me because of this. It’s not fair for the other girl. Plus, I don’t even know what lies ahead. Let’s just drinks the night away.” Handyman Oppa waves at the waiter and signals him for another round. Sei smiles bitterly and nods her head, understanding what Handyman Oppa was saying. She squeezes Handyman Oppa’s shoulder and lets out a heavy sigh.

”What is this,Sei? Are you going to tell her to just give up? Aren’t you supposed to motivate her to try or at least wait for the girl instead of giving up?” Sachiko turns, staring at Sei fiercely.

”Yuu waited for you for five years, Sachiko. And it has been fifteen years, he still comes down here every year and wasted a day drinking and smoking. You know how sad it is to see him like this all these years?” Sei pats Handyman Oppa’s back to which the woman just responded with a bitter smile before sipping the new can she just popped open.

Sachiko then turns facing Handyman Oppa, grabs the woman by her shoulder, shaking her vigorously while yelling at her, ”you just want to give up? Why are you doing this?!”  Immediately after that, her face and voice soften, and says, almost pleadingly, ”you have lived your whole life like this, Yuu...”

”You are right. I’ve been spending my whole life as a loveless person, it wouldn’t make any difference. I love her and I know it in my heart, she is the one, the last person I will ever love. I’m going to wait for her for the rest of my life. There’s nothing else to do with my life anyway...” Handyman Oppa gulps down the drinks in her hand, plopping her head limply on the table.

****

Eunha looks at her phone and it is almost 3 in the morning. She sits up on her bed and her movement wakes Sowon up. Sowon wraps her arms around Eunha’s waist without getting up, pulling the girl back down to the bed. 

”Is oppa back to her room? It’s late. Why isn’t she back?” Eunha asks her girlfriend who is still sleeping forcing Sowon to open her eyes slowly.

Sowon grunts at Eunha and tries to pull her girlfriend back to bed. But, Eunha didn’t budge. Instead, she just kisses Sowon’s head tenderly.

”I’m going to her room to check,” said Eunha, ready to get off the bed but Sowon’s tightens her grips on the girl’s waist halting her.

Once again, Sowon grunts. Only this time she pushes herself up to sit. She stares into Eunha’s eyes with a hint of annoyance and jealousy in her gaze. 

”Eunha, you are my girlfriend, why are you so wrapped up with oppa? You have been talking and asking me things about oppa since yesterday. I’m out of the loop as much as you are. And tonight too, you are busy trying to find oppa, worrying about her not coming back. She’s an adult, waaayyy older than us. So stop worrying about her.” Sowon holds Eunha’s hand firmly and looks directly into the girl’s eyes seriously.

”Sowon, you are my one and only girlfriend. No one comes close to you in that part. I love you so much, Sowon. Oppa...for me oppa is not just a friend. She is more than that. But she is not someone I love like a girlfriend. No. But I admit I love her. Not as a friend, but not as a girlfriend as well. I’m comfortable with her. I tell her everything. Even things I couldn’t tell you. Don’t tell me you are not a little bit curious about what happened yesterday? And I know you are worried about oppa too. I know you can see her eyes and face changed last night. And she disappeared right after the show. She never did that before.” Eunha tightens her grips and takes they interlaced hands to her lips and kisses Sowon’s hand.

Sowon lets out a sigh. She cannot disagree with Eunha, but she could not help feeling insecure when the girl keeps talking about Handyman Oppa showing that the woman never leaves her girlfriend’s mind. She agrees with everything Eunha said and as much as she doesn’t want to admit, she is curious and worries about the older woman. Eunha once again asking her permission to go to Handyman Oppa’s room that is just a few doors away from their shared room. And this time, Eunha gives her the infamous puppy eyes making Sowon heart melted and unknowingly permits her to go.

Eunha knows that Sowon is not keen on letting her go to Handyman Oppa’s room but still says yes. And to repay Sowon’s understanding, she presses her lips onto Sowon’s. Although it was a sudden move and it caught Sowon’s off guard, the girl quickly comes to her senses and kisses Eunha back. They keep kissing for another minute before Sowon finally breaks away, gasping for air. Then the tall girl gives Eunha a quick kiss on her forehead and smiles.

”Let me know if you found oppa, okay?” Sowon reminding Eunha as she walks her to the door. Eunha nods her head and smiles back at her girlfriend before going out of the room.

Eunha walks towards Handyman Oppa’s room and when she is just two doors away from the room, she spots Handyman Oppa. The woman is staggering towards her room, so Eunha jogs towards her. Handyman Oppa got to her room and is struggling to open the door and stumbles. Eunha helps Handyman Oppa with the door and pulls her to stand and enters the room together. 

Handyman Oppa is totally wasted. Her body reeks with the smell of alcohol and cigarette’s smoke. This is the first time Eunha sees Handyman Oppa this way. To the best of her knowledge, Handyman Oppa doesn’t drink nor smoke. So, this is something unbelievable for her. She even rubs her eyes to see clearly and she even touches Handyman Oppa’s face, just to make sure she doesn’t get the wrong person. It is definitely Handyman Oppa as the woman calls her ’Eunha-yang’ like she usually does.

Handyman Oppa just smiles like an idiot as she staggering towards the bed before plopping down on it. Eunha couldn’t tell if the woman fells asleep or not because Handyman Oppa is lying on the bed facing down, with only her upper body is on the bed and her feet are on the floor. Eunha fishes her phone out of her sweater’s pocket and dials Sowon’s number.

”Unnie, I found oppa on my way to her room. She is drunk, totally wasted.” Eunha whispers, not wanting to disturb Handyman Oppa although she knows it doesn’t do anything for the woman might not be awake.

”What? She doesn’t drink.” Sowon said in as much confusion as Eunha.

”I don’t know what happened. But, she is totally wasted right now. I don’t even know if she is sleeping or awake. Do you mind if I stay here and help her to bed?” Eunha carefully asks as she wets the face towel in the bathroom.

”Okay. Do you want me to come and help you?” Sowon asks concernedly. 

”I think I can manage. I’ll let you know if I need help. But, I should be okay. I don’t have to carry her or anything. She’s already on the bed.” Eunha explains and ends the call after they say I love you to each other.

Eunha turns the tap on and fills a glass with water. She brings the glass of water and the wet towel. Eunha puts down the glass on the side table gingerly and turns Handyman Oppa body to face up. She shakes the woman’s body a bit, asking the woman to lie properly on the bed, which Handyman Oppa gladly follows. 

”What happened to you, oppa? Why did you drink so much? I thought you don’t drink?” Eunha asks, or to be exact, nagging while she wipes the woman’s face with the wet towel. Handyman Oppa just stares at Eunha as she wiped her face. Then, Eunha s Handyman Oppa’s smelly shirt and the woman just let her.

”I don’t. I just do once a year. I can’t, or I will say things I shouldn’t say.” Handyman Oppa joyfully said to Eunha and giggles as she let Eunha takes her shirt off and toss it towards the bathroom.

The woman continues to giggle like a child when Eunha s her jeans. Seeing that, Eunha stops and asks the woman to take off her jeans own her own knowing that Handyman Oppa always had her boxer shorts on. Handyman Oppa refused it at first but then when Eunha glares at her, she salutes at her before takes the jeans off and handed it to Eunha.

The girl takes the jeans and unexpectedly found a pack of cigarettes in the pocket when she was about to toss it. Eunha takes a deep breath and sighs, she shakes her head in disbelief. At this time, Eunha wanted so bad to wake Handyman Oppa up and asks her tonnes of questions that she had since last night and another set of questions relating to why is she drunk tonight. But then, Handyman Oppa was already snoring. So, she just lets her sleep. Eunha texted Sowon telling her girlfriend that she is going to wait for another fifteen minutes to make sure Handyman Oppa is okay before returning to their room which Sowon agrees.

Eunha’s eyes wander up and down of Handyman Oppa’s body when suddenly it stops at the woman’s crotch. This is nothing got to do with any ual desire. She keeps staring at it as the word ’boys’ that Handyman Oppa’s uttered last night ringing in her ears. Throughout the dinner last night, Handyman Oppa’s grandparents kept referring the oppa and her brother as ’these boys’. It makes Eunha questions Handyman Oppa’s gender. She talked to Sowon about it last night and she was perplexed with her girlfriend’s response. 

”You always sleep with oppa. Didn’t you notice anything?”

Eunha shakes her head rapidly trying to get it out of her head. True that she always sleeps with Handyman Oppa but she never thought of checking what is inside the oppa’s pants. And she never felt anything weird, nothing bulging or anything when they slept together because she always sleeps in Handyman Oppa’s embrace. However, Handyman Oppa’s chest is weirdly flat for a woman. No bulge or anything. It’s not tender, it’s just solid and muscular.

Eunha is aware that Handyman Oppa works out at the gym and it is possible that her shoulder and chest are muscular because of it but it is impossible for a woman not to have some sorts of bulging of the . Carefully, Eunha lifts up Handyman Oppa’s singlet and takes a peek and was shocked when Handyman Oppa holds her hand.

”The doctor removed them when I was ten because of the cancer.” Handyman Oppa said as she giggles and covers her chest, pretending to be shy. Eunha’s eyes widened and her jaw almost dropped to the ground, shocked by what the oppa’s said before snoring and fell asleep.

To Eunha’s surprised, that’s not the most shocking things she heard tonight. Eunha’s curiosity doesn’t end there. Her eyes wander at Handyman Oppa’s crotch and glued to it for a long time. She tried stopping her hand from travelling down to Handyman Oppa’s crotch but as if her hand has a mind of its own, it moves and stops at the targeted area. 

”I’m not a man. Hihihi. They raised me as a boy. My dead father’s father... who? My other grandfather is the head of the yakuza. He registered me as a boy to name me his heir. And he destroyed everything that showed me as a girl. Hehehe. But I got him to disown me when I was twelve. He loves me don’t worry. Hehehe.” Handyman Oppa giggles like a little girl, once again pretended to be shy by covering her face with one hand and her crotch with one hand. Handyman Oppa jus blurted out something that is so outrageous that Eunha has to cover to stop her from screaming in shocked. 

”Oopps. That’s what I wasn't supposed to let people know. Shuuuhhhh. Don’t tell anyone my secret. Okay? Okay. I promise.” Handyman Oppa was giggling while covering her own mouth before making a pinky promise with herself. 

Handyman Oppa abruptly sits up while laughing at her own mistakes and screams. Eunha startles, worried that the woman might just realise what she had just done and do something to Eunha. But then, Handyman Oppa just plops back down on the bed and snores. Eunha couldn’t believe her eyes nor her ears. She just sits on the bed staring at Handyman Oppa who already falls into a deep sleep.

Slowly, but still confused, Eunha gets off the bed and picks up Handyman Oppa’s shirt and jeans that she tossed earlier in front of the bathroom door. She takes out the cigarette and pours its content on the bathroom vanity. She brakes all of them in two before dumps them in the rubbish can. When Eunha padded the shirts and jeans to empty the pockets before tossing them into the dirty laundry pile, she felt there are other things in the pocket. She doesn’t want to take them out, afraid that it might be something personal, so she just left them and leaves the clothes on the vanity top.

Eunha fills back the glass with water and puts it on the side table. She writes a note to Handyman Oppa asking her to drinks the water after she wakes up and told her that she was drunk, so she needs to eat something. Then, she gives the woman a quick kiss on her forehead before switches off all the light and leaves the room, returning to her room where Sowon is waiting for her.

”Is oppa okay?” Sowon asks as soon as Eunha enters the room to which she just nods her head weakly.

Noticing Eunha is a bit distracted, with a face showing that she is worried, Sowon pulls the girl into a hug and led her to the bed. They both climb on the bed and lie down. Eunha still looks as if she is disturbed with something making Sowon worries that unwanted things might have happened.

”Eunha, are you okay? Did something happen? Did oppa do something to you?” Sowon asks concernedly.

”No. Nothing happened. Oppa fell asleep as soon as she got into her room. I’m okay. Let’s go to sleep, shall we?” Eunha asks as she pulls the blanket over their body.

Eunha hugs Sowon tightly and tries to forget what she heard and saw just now. The word ’loveless’ keeps ringing in her ears and it makes her even sad when her mind replayed the time she teasingly said ’loveless life’ to Handyman Oppa the other night when the woman whines about always sleeping with Eunha instead of her girlfriend, which she doesn’t have. She was mad at Handyman Oppa who was whining frustratedly that they always sleep together, so she snapped at her, so she just wanted to . That’s why she said that. Little that she knows that Handyman Oppa was living that way her whole life. Eunha closes her eyes, trying to sleep. Unknowingly, tears roll down her cheeks. She clenched her teeth, determined to keep oppa’s secret that she just learned.