Busan, South Korea

 

Irene waked up and looked outside of the car’s window. She smiled mesmerized at the view of the ocean.

“Ankle girl!” Irene looked to Joohyuk  and looked at the rest of the guys who are sleeping. She then looked at Joohyuk again and pointed at herself

“Your that girl, that is why your face and voice sounds familiar.” Joohyuk smiled

“What?” Irene said cluelessly to what he was saying

“3 years ago you broke your ankle right” Then it hit Irene who these people are that is why they look familiar at some point

“Ah! Now I remember, your the one who helped me, and this jerk was...” Irene said smiling at Joohyuk then frown at Bogum, Joohyuk just chuckled 

“Right! I can’t believe we will meet again like this after such a long time”

“How did you remember?” Irene asked Joohyuk

“Your the second person” Joohyuk answered with rather a confusing answer

“What?” Irene said confused

“Nothing” Joohyuk just smiled

“Thinking about it where’s that beautiful girl?” Irene said and he notice Joohyuk smile become a sad one

“Yoojung?” Joohyuk said

“Do you possibly know her or ever heard of her” 

“I think I heard that kind of name somewhere but can’t remember where, and I’m not sure if we are talking the same person because there are a lot of people named Yoojung.”

“Stop mentioning that name” Irene looked at Bogum starting to open his eyes and looked at Irene

“Why” Irene said with curiosity and then looked at Joohyuk. Joohyuk just focused his eyes on the road and did not look at the back

“Don’t ask questions. You don’t need to know anyway and you don’t have the right to know.”

“Why are you so mea-“ Irene did not finished when she almost bump her head to the chair in front of her when Joohyuk suddenly step on the breaks good thing Bogum caught her arm. Taehyung and Jingoo waked up and they all looked at Joohyuk

“What happened?” Irene asked looking at Joohyuk

“Sorry, I feel tired” Joohyuk said

“What?! Then Taehyung you drive” Bogum said looking at Taehyung

Taehyung just shakes his head “No, we just came from a night shift, that is why were sleepy not to mention you called us so early the morning, what you expect”

“I guess were stuck for a while” Jingoo said looking around

“I mean I think I can still handle besides were only 20 minutes away from Busan”

“No, do you want us to get involve in a car accident and your eyes look so tired. Exchange with me” Irene said removing her seat belt but Bogum stopped her

“No, are you forgetting something” Bogum said

“Don’t worry I have my driver license...” Irene said going through her pocket and then she realized she’s not wearing her clothes. She looked at Bogum

“Yah! Did... did.. did you change my clothes! Without my permission!” Irene said with a furious tone putting her hands on her chest

“YOU WHAT!!” Jingoo, Joohyuk, and Tahyung said at the same time looking at Bogum with widen eyes now fully awake

“It’s not what you think-“ Bogum tried to explain but Irene cut him off

“Forget it. I will deal with you later.” Irene said doing a stop sign in front of Bogum’s face and then looked at Joohyuk

“You said Busan is only 20 minutes away right, I will drive then..”

“No! Do you want us to die? Your sick” Bogum said putting his hands on Irene’s forhead. Irene remove his hand and said

“I’m fine, you won’t die” She then got out of the car and went to the driver seat

“Get off” Joohyuk get off and went to Bogum’s side

Joohyuk, Jingoo, and Taehyung looked at Bogum smiling then to Irene

>>>>>

They arrived at Busan safely when Irene pulled at a mart and looked at the back

“I guess this is where I part with you guys.. Thank you” Irene said before getting out of the car running.

Bogum looked at her until she disappeared and then looked at the front

“Bogum, what was that?” Joohyuk said looking at him

“What?” Bogum said

“This is the first time you act like this in a long time. Why give her a ride when you barely know her?”

“Why did you help her? For we know you don’t care of other  business anymore?”

“Is our dear Bogum going back to his soft and loving spot?”

Joohyuk, Jingoo, and Taehyung said in a teasing tone

Bogum just shook his head 

“I’m not.. Go drive we will be late for the meeting”. Bogum said motioning towards Joohyuk.. Joohyuk just got out of the car while smirking

>>>>>>>>

Irene run and run until she reaches her parent’s house and saw her mom and dad with her friends

“Eomma” 

Her mother and father turned around with a cake in her hand and her friends were holding a ‘Happy Birthday’ Irene was confused to what was happening and they started singing a Happy Birthday song

“saeng il chuk ha ham ni da

saeng il chuk ha ham ni da

sarang ha neun Joohyun ah

saeng il chuk ha ham ni da” 

“What... what is this?” Irene said wiping her tears 

“It’s your birthday!” Her mother said

“I know but what’s with the emergency... I thought something really bad was happening” Irene said starting to sob motioning to her father 

“I’m okay Joohyun~ah, you don’t need to worry.” Her dad said going up to her and gave her a hugged.

“Please don’t do those kinds of things anymore” 

“We won’t promise” her mother said joining the hug giggling

Sungkyung, Rose, and Seulgi smiled while looking at them

“Should we eat!” Rose said clasping her hands making the trio broke from the hugged and smiled at her.

They all went to the table and eat the dishes Irene’s mom and the girls cooked.

“Wow this is tasty, No wonder the restaurant is doing quite well.” Irene sais stuffing his mouth with food because it has been a year since she tried her mom home dishes 

“Be careful when you eat. You might get an upset stomach” her mother said wiping and Irene just smiled.

“By the way where were you last night?” Sungkyung asked looking at Irene.

Irene finished the food first in before she talks

“Aye don’t even mention it! My blood boils!” Irene said shivering at the thought of Bogum

“If your blood boils then it must be interesting.” Rose said at her

“It’s not interesting, it’s a nightmare that I want to buried to the ground.” Irene said truthfully.

They all shrugged it off  when her dad speak

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Irene’s dad said looking at her

Irene looked at her father 

“Not in a million years if every guy the same as the guy I met.” Irene said making a fist thinking about the encounter she had with Bogum and his friends

“You met a guy? Since when? We never saw you met a guy before?” Rose said putting her chopsticks down and looked at her

“That annoying bastard! He always gets on my nerves! His the reason why I can’t contact you guys in the first place! And then He change my clo-“ Irene stopped when she realize all eyes were on her

“He change your what? It’s not clothes is it?” Her mother said looking at her

“Uhmm.. No..no, it’s not. But anyway I don’t want to remember anything so can we not talk about it, it’s my birthday.” Irene said

 

Irene was sipping her juice when she accidentally spill it out when his father said something out of nowhere 

“When are are you getting married? I want to hold my granddaughter or grandson soon. Don’t waste your time on teaching.” 

“*cough*cough*cough A....A....Appa, ma...married? What? Granddaughter? Grandson?” Irene said looking at his farher. Sungkyung, Rose, and Seulgi also cough in shock because they did not expect that to happened

“Your father is right, were not getting younger Joohyun but older. Besides your already in your late 20’s if your in your 30’s it would be hard to gave birth. Find a boyfriend as soon as possible”

Her mother said looking at her with a serious tone

“Eomma!” Irene said still shocked

“Don’t tell me your planning to grow old without somebody taking care of you....Joohyun~ah I’m not here forever there will come a time that we need to leave you, so I wish before we leave we can see somebody taking care of you, that way we can feel at peace...I’m not implying this to you only but to you too Sungkyun~ah, Rose~ah, and Seulgi~ah. All parents want to see their child or children to get married and hold their grandchildren when they are still alive” Irene’s father said with a serious tone 

“Appa don’t say that. You and Eomma would live longer. I’m....I’m...Well I’m seeing somebody” Irene said shocking everyone including herself 

“What!?” Sungkyung said

“Since when!?” Rose said

“You!?” Seulgi said

“Really? Then why didn’t you brought him here?” Her mother asked with excitement

“Uhmm.. He.... Uhmm.. Well... His...You see”

“Do you really have a boyfriend?” Her father asked and Irene just turned red as a tomato 

“Of course... His a well... Uhmm Doctor that is why his busy and can’t come” Irene said

“What? Doctor? Yah Bae Joohyun, you gave them a non existing boyfriend and with a career!” Irene said in her mind.... She just gave them an awkward smile

“Call  him, you should have invited him here. Tell him to come” her father said and Irene widen her eyes and gulp

“Wh..What?”

“Are you okay? You keep on stuttering?” Her mother asked

“Right, I left my phone somewhere. I don’t memorize his  phone number” Irene said sweating not looking at them in the eyes

“Are you really his girlfriend?” Seulgi asked in a suspicious tone

“Let’s not talk about this first... things are kinda complicated, please.. can we enjoy my birthday without any questions, this my first time hanging with you guys” Irene said pleading

“Did you guys fought..... you guys should understand each other more... Next time make sure he visit us to personally meet him.”  Her mother said and Irene just nod and sighed in relief thinking it’s over

>>>>>>>>>

Night has come and Irene, Sungkyung, Rose, and Seulgi sits in a circle in a room.

“Yah are you really dating someone?” Sungkyung asked looking at Irene

“Last night where did you sleep? Last time I check your clothes wasn’t the one your wearing last time we saw you? And did you also mean earlier he change your clothes. Is he the one your talking about an annoying bastard? You also said earlier that your not meeting any guys in a million years yet you admit that you had a boyfriend?” Seulgi said frustrated

“Are you not planning to tell us” Rose said

“Girls calm down.. It’s not true that I’m seeing anyone.” Irene admitted with her head hung low

“What!” Sungkyung, Seulgi, and Rose said

“Yah! Do you know what you did? Eomoni and Abeoji seems to be happy when they heard your seeing anyone” Seulgi said after recovering from the shock

“Don’t you think I know that. I also feel so guilty when  I said it.. I don’t know what I’m thinking. I want them to be happy and not to be worried about me. When I heard their nagging about having grandchildren and a son-in-law my heart suddenly aches like I’m also longing for it somehow... but more like I’m longing for someone.” Irene stared the empty wall when she said the later part and unconsciously a tear fell down

“So what are you going to do?” Sungkyung asked

“I don’t know yet, Don’t you guys worry I will handle this somehow and please don’t tell this to my parents, please.”

Sungkyung, Rose, and, Seulgi just looked at each other and looked at Irene and just nod in understanding.

“Thank you”

>>>>>>>