Having been friends for over 10 years, Yesoo never really saw Hui as a man. She acknowledged him as a man, but never in that way. They were inseparable during school age, simply just because they needed each other. Yesoo was good at English, whereas Hui was good at math. They helped each other to maintain their good marks. That was it. Nothing more.

To Yesoo, Hui was nothing more than her math tutor. To Hui, Yesoo was the only one girl friend he had. Eventually she became his best friend. He trusted her more than anyone. He thought he could talk to other girls like he did to Yesoo. Wrong. His awkward attitude to other girls even surprised himself that he had to seek help from Yesoo. Particularly when he first met Yunhee. Yunhee was in a different class from both Yesoo and Hui. But Yesoo knew her pretty well since they lived in the same neighborhood.

Ever since then, Yesoo would always be the first person to hear update about anything from Hui. Not about just his love life, but also his personal life, his pet's life, his hobby, and basically everything until they parted in high school. They still maintained their good relationship to each other. It was just less intense compared to elementary and junior high school days as they barely met. Not even once a year.

Now they were standing before each other. The girl looked confused and she thought she wasn't in reality. Meanwhile the guy who had a loving gaze and sweet yet shy smile just one second ago suddenly looked nervous because Yesoo was stunned for a couple minutes.

"Did.. did you.." Yesoo stuttered. "Did you just say.. marry?" She couldn't believe her ears. If her ears didn't lie, she heard him right. He wanted to marry the only daughter in the house. The last time Yesoo checked, she was the one and only daughter. He wanted to marry me? Yesoo squealed in her mind with so much confusion and disbelief.

Hui let out a groggy laugh. "Uh.. well, you heard me." He continued his unnatural laughing.

Yesoo wanted to join him laughing, but all she did was even more awkward as she only went like "ha-ha" three times.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Hui asked once he stopped laughing.

"Tomorrow? Why?" she softly asked back, still looking flustered.

"Uh.." His eyes became restless, looking around here and there. He seemed like trying to make excuses. "Regardless, I'll see you tomorrow." After that he said bye and walked away towards his car.

Yesoo, still looking confused, got back in to her house. Her parents didn't help either when she asked them about what Hui said to them earlier. Her mother proudly said only one sentence, which was, "He is a nice guy." Her father didn't say a word, but nodded somewhat majestically like a king.

Yesoo had been an independent girl as she liked to go anywhere alone. She preferred to take bus or subway. Whenever someone offered her for a ride, she usually politely rejected them. Even when she was still with Minhyun, he didn't really pick her up and drive her home.

Hui had been picking her up from work and driving her home every single day. It was his pleasure, he said when Yesoo talked to him about her worried being a burden. Things were different after Hui said he wanted to marry her. Speaking of which, the marry word had never been mentioned since then. Yesoo spent her time on the road mostly in silence. It was either she pretended to focus listening to the radio or pretended to sleep. When she gave up to the condition, she just listened to whatever Hui talked about.

One day when both of them went home earlier than usual, Yesoo's mother kindly offered Hui to have a dinner in the Jung house. Of course, he wouldn't refuse. Yesoo's father also welcomed him with such joyful feeling.

"So," Yesoo's mother started the conversation. A conversation that Yesoo thought it would never be mentioned ever again. "So, how's your marriage going?"

"Right. Have you picked the date?" Yesoo's father added.

Yesoo almost choked hearing that questions. She quickly sipped a glass of water in one shot.

"Oh, about that.." Hui shyly grinned. "I don't think a big party is necessary. I mean, after we finish with the documents needed, I think it's okay. We could just throw a little party for family members and close friends. I think that would be much more intimate."

Yesoo once again couldn't believe her ears and Hui's mouth. Did he really say that with his own mouth and a right state of mind?

"I see. I appreciate your thoughts. I'll let you do this your way," Yesoo's father said.

"Right. Just let us know if you need some help," Yesoo's mother told him.

The dinner went on merrily as if it was Christmas. Except for Yesoo, everyone was enjoying themselves. Even Yesoo's father laughing that night was the loudest she could remember.

Noticing the look in Yesoo's eyes, Hui knew he had to talk with her. He asked the parents' permission to take Yesoo out for a short walk to a park nearby. "You must be very surprised."

Surprised? She wasn't sure if surprise was the right word to explain how she felt.

"I didn't do this because Yunhee got married. I've been thinking about this for a long, long time," Hui started to spill. "Well, I have to admit Yunhee's got something to do with this. The day I knew she was engaged, I thought to myself, it must be good to have someone by your side."

Seeing Yesoo didn't say anything, he continued his story. "I kept trying to find myself a nice girl. I asked my friends to set me up with their friends. You won't believe this, but I even signed myself up for an online dating," he chuckled when he remembered that moment. "But, you know me. I failed. Until I met you again. Remember? Before the reunion."

Yesoo quietly answered yes.

"Right at that moment, I thought, 'Hey, why not Yesoo? She probably knows me the longest among other girls acquaintances. We get along pretty well. We could talk about anything and everything. The idea of spending the rest of your entire life with someone none other than your best friend didn't seem too bad.' But," he paused to take a glance at her. "But, then, Hwang Minhyun showed up. I almost gave up back then. I convinced myself that he was nothing and nothing could go in my way. I thought with such an ambition, 'If he's not going to tie the knot with you soon, then I will.'."

Yesoo stared back at her best friend, feeling strange. At least she knew it was not a bad, strange feeling. She just had no idea he was that serious, and she didn't know what to do or what to say.

Hui drew a big smile as he pulled out a little navy-blue tiffany box from his blazer pocket. Instead of doing it like in the movies, he threw the box to Yesoo, who was utterly surprised but thankfully she caught it. "We are ...alright, aren't we?" he asked nervously.

A silver ring with a little diamond on top of it beautifully laid inside when Yesoo opened the box. She locked her eyes to the ring. Her mind felt blank. It seemed like only yesterday she had to beg him to teach her math. Only yesterday he pleaded to help him on how to talk to girls without embarrassing himself. But that day, there he was, standing tall with confidence, behaving like a true, selfless gentleman with good thoughts, speaking clearly whatever in his mind without being ruthless.

"Hey, I got this not for you to stare at it," Hui suddenly snapped, which made her get her grip back. He reached Yesoo's hands to take the ring and put it on her ring finger. "Beautiful. I have a good taste, right?"

Yesoo finally smiled at his boast, and even let out a chuckle. This made Hui relieved a bit after he did all the talking. She, again, stared at her ring finger which now had a jewel around it. Maybe Hui was right; the idea of being attached to your best friend for your entire life didn't sound that bad. It was your best friend afterall. Yesoo gave a big smile at him. And he took it as approval.

"Can I hug you?" Hui asked shyly, which made Yesoo, who found it weird and somewhat embarrassing, blushed too. At first, she laughed awkwardly and eventually she gave subtle nods.

Hui came closer to her and gently wrapped his arms around Yesoo's shoulder and waist, while his chin was rested on her shoulder. Tight, but not possessive. She almost forgot how windy and cold that night was. She liked how warm she was in his embrace that she automatically put her hands on his back. She never noticed that Hui had such a masculine yet sweet scent. A scent that probably would become her liking from now on.

Hui loosened his embrace to take a look at his best friend who still looked shy and wasn't able to look back at him.

"What about..." He half whispered, "Can I kiss you?"

Yesoo got even more flustered when Hui tighten his embrace on her waist and started leaning in slowly, with one hand on her neck. Like a reflex, she quickly turned her head. She was surprised by her own act, that she immediately apologized. "Sorry, I.."

"No, no," he cut off. "I'm sorry," he said, seemingly very understanding. Then he hugged her again, gently leading her head to rest against his neck and the back of her head.

Yesoo buried her blushing face on Hui's upper chest. His scent easily penetrated her olfactory sense, and somewhat she found it raher calming.

"Sorry," Hui whispered to her ear, which made her slightly raised her head. "Let's do this nice and slowly, yeah?"

Still in the same position, Yesoo nodded, letting her nose brushed against Hui's neck. Yeah, this is not a bad idea..