At dinner, it’s Taekwoon’s turn to be whisked away but by his dad to the opposite end of the table but due to the reception you’ve been given this whole night, you’re more than comfortable to sit with the females of the family. It’s just like high school in this aspect. Taekwoon and his dad would discuss parts of the game both felt needed addressing and you would be given time to listen and talk time to time with the rest of the family.

You’re formally introduced to Jieun’s boyfriend and that’s the only real new addition to these kind of family dinners. Everything is standard but only now with a more vocal Hyunwoo following you and recommending you his favorite dishes. He is determined to fill your plate and he succeeds. When Soomi sees your towering plate, she laughs before apologizing for her son.

Jihee does help you with your servings and picks at your plate to help you free up a bit of your stomach space for dessert. Hyunwoo’s dad tries to distract him when the time comes for the sweet course of dinner and you have yet to make a dent in your plate’s contents even with Jihee helping you. You feel bad for wasting the food and Soomi has it packed for you to go.

Hyunwoo’s dad fails his attempts to detach Hyunwoo from your side as the young boy finds and shows you all of the desserts the buffet has to offer. This time, Soomi follows you both and strictly limits both your and Hyunwoo’s serving to just one. You let him pick out your dessert for you and that’s when Taekwoon appears. He’s scowling behind him in the general direction of his father.

You pick up on his mood and decide to stay out of it. When it came to his father, Taekwoon can be hot or cold on the matter. It’s one reason why you were a bit surprised he thanked him so warmly in the halftime video. At the reminder of that video, you pointedly look away from him and tune back into Hyunwoo’s rambling about the difference of a cake and pie’s taste.

That’s when you feel his hand on your lower back. You elbow him and he grunts. He’s also glaring when you look up at him to question him why he’s getting so touchy all of a sudden but he’s not glaring at you. You look to where he’s looking and see the back of some waiter.

You sigh but let him be.

“Hyunwoo,” Taekwoon calls for his nephew while still glaring at the waiter.

“…and the crust isn’t as good as this one but-Uncle? Are you done talking with Grandpa? Do you want to sit by me and Mikyung noona? What do you think about this cake, Uncle?”

“Your mom said the baby’s kicking.”

“What! Really?!” He’s immediately rushing away, and you elbow Taekwoon again. You also step away from him.

He only sighs but moves closer to you a minute later. “Not that one.” He intones to you softly just as you’re about to reach out for one cake. You withdraw your hand surprisingly, feeling compliant when he is in this mood. He nudges you further down the offerings.

He keeps you going until you’re both well away from the collection of desserts. You can’t help but to frown up at him. “Taekwoon?”

“Just a minute, Mikyung.” He leads you to the back hallway near the kitchens where you can hear the clatter of dishes and workers talking and shouting. He pulls his mask out of his pocket and slips it on. He already has his hat in one hand and just as he’s about to put it on, he stops and looks down at you. The more he does this, the more unsettled you become before he puts the hat on you instead. With the way he’s acting, you don’t fight it as you get a hat placed on you for the second time today by someone you don’t expect. He’s careful like his oldest sister and he smooths a few strands down a bit too carefully and his hand lingers longer than appropriate.

You lean away from him and fix the cap yourself. You’re still holding onto a dessert plate that Hyunwoo haphazardly handed you moments ago and you jam the plate into Taekwoon’s stomach as he tries to push you out the restaurant’s back exit.

He grunts and gives you an accusing look which you answer back with a stern glare. Did he want you to get on his family’s bad side by ditching them just because he and his dad had some disagreement. Sure, you don’t know what this disagreement entails but there is no way you’re going to throw away all of this progress you and the females of his family have made after your long absence.

Taekwoon pouts down at you and you roll your eyes.

He frowns and you frown back.

“No?” he asks.

You give him a disbelieving look. You raise your eyebrows at him with how obvious the answer should be.

He pouts again and looks over your head at the back exit forlornly.

You scoff and turn around. You’re more than surprised to see his mother at the end of the hallway. Your hands fumble with the dessert plate, surprised by her unexpected appearance. “Um, we were…”

“Not leaving?” she smiles but it is her turn to give Taekwoon a stern glare. He looks away sheepishly. She shrugs before turning around and walking back to the buffet but not before saying. “Thank you again, dear Mikyungie.”

Her behavior towards you still confuses you but you smile a bit and follow her with Taekwoon shadowing your steps.

When it is time to say goodbye to everyone, Taekwoon is always by your side. This is something that is rather expected but also something you have to become reaccustomed to. Your whatever with him, relationship or otherwise, is still in vague waters but in progress. It is a lot of things but right now, it is oddly enough.

Taekwoon’s mother continues to surprise you and gives you a longer hug than the one she gives her one and only son. Hyunwoo has her beat with his enthusiastic hug lasting more than ten minutes as Taekwoon’s sisters each say their goodbyes in their own ways. Well, Jieun’s wasn’t so much of a goodbye but more of a dismissive nod. Taekwoon’s dad…was the first to get back into the car. For the rest of dessert, Taekwoon stationed himself in Hyunwoo’s previous seat next to you well away from his father. Thankfully, he didn’t bother you much except trying to place his arm on the back of your chair that Jihee kept pushing off with her own arm while seated on the other side of you.

When his family’s vehicles leave, Taekwoon immediately starts to walk where his car is parked. You wait for the taillights of the last car to leave your sight before turning to look at Taekwoon without making a move to follow. You watch as his steps slow down when he notices yours isn’t following. He doesn’t hesitate as he turns his whole body to you.

You stare at him and he stares back.

There’s really no reason for you to act this way but if you’re to describe it, things are surreal. You clearly remember your previous resolution to leave things behind you with the dim wish to let everything go. The stubbornness became inborn within you to evade everything regarding him due to the lack of any sort of closure that you now realize you didn’t want. This could mean you didn’t want to lose your feelings for him. Or it could be interpreted that you were holding on for a chance of some kind. A chance that itself upon you both when you unexpectedly ran into him at a random park.

Your heart contracts and you find yourself pushing these feelings away for later examination. You weakly smile at him before looking back to see an approaching car. You move out of the way and Taekwoon basically teleports his way back to you. He’s assessing you and you shrug. His discerning eyes are strong at the moment and you both know you’re feeling off right now. Gone is the acceptance you felt with him that felt like a natural way of things recently as you continued to spend more and more time with him.

Now, you’re the one that leads the way to his car. You did consider leaving right now and taking a bus back to your apartment, but this recent revelation now makes you seek a sense of comfort. And Taekwoon’s presence is more than enough of that regardless of your unsettled feelings for him. He unlocks the car as you both round the front to the driver and passenger door respectively.

The familiar silence overtakes you both within his posh car. He pulls out of the parking space and smoothly exits the garage. You take to staring out the window when your phone buzzes. It’s Nunji. An internal debate consumes your mind as you go over the pros and cons about picking up.

The buzzing stops and a happy chirp indicates a new message. You warily open the notification and the all caps text is more than alarming.

‘WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY! HEAD HOME NOW~~!’

You make a face of disinterest. The last time you got a text like this, it was about some kind of sale that was going on. But looking out the dark windows means it is well into the night and the majority of stores are closed and so that must dismiss the chance of this being about something as inane as a sale.

You can’t come up with any other reason, and so you give in and call her back.

“About time Mimi! Hwangin! Stop the timer!” Even though her voice isn’t on speaker, her voice is more than enough to fill the quiet car. “It took you exactly two minutes and forty-eight seconds for you to actually call me back!”

“What is it?” you ask tiredly.

“Mom and dad are fighting.”

That’s enough for you to sit up from your slouched position. Taekwoon looks at you for a split second before returning his eyes to the road. Even he knows what this means.

“And Grandma?” you ask warily.

“She’s here.”

Taekwoon slams on the breaks. Thankfully, there’s no one around the car to take notice of this. As you check, you see that he’s been driving aimlessly around a small neighborhood. Seeing a sign, you see that you’re well away from your apartment’s district. In fact, you’re more than two districts away. Your eyes narrow on his as he pulls the car to the side and puts it in park.

“What?” you ask both him and Nunji. Taekwoon gives you a look like it should be obvious. You shrug and he rolls his eyes.

Nunji answers you with a similar exasperation. “Duh, Mimi. What do you think it’s about?”

“Her choice of vacation spot?” you take a guess. Your parents are a strong enough couple that your dad’s job doesn’t cause any stress or impair their relationship in any way. Although your father does spend the majority of the year on his military base, there are rare times that their fighting(?) or quarrels reach you and Nunji. And most recently, your dad took a whole month off work to take his wife who knows where just the two of them. The fact that he did this without any of you guys knowing was a major surprise.

“Close.”

From what your mother gushes about, she and her husband met on campus the first day of freshman orientation. Only that they both started college late. Your dad because he immediately went into the military after high school graduation and your mom because she had to work and save for her tuition. They both started college when they were twenty-two. They got married at twenty-three. Had Nunji at twenty-four and had you at thirty-two. They made it work to this point and there are few things that disrupt their life. And the major one that has had the biggest impact is…family. Your mind connects dots that shouldn’t be connected. Your parents are fighting. Your parents are set to leave this weekend. Your grandma is there. This is an emergency meeting.

“Does Grandma want to go with them?” you try to contain your horror, but it mirrors back to you in Taekwoon’s eyes.

“Bingo!”

You and Taekwoon share a look of shock. “No!” you gasp.

“Yes! She’s here with her suitcase packed up! That’s why we need backup! And since you’re her favorite,” you gape down at your phone, “you can come up with a way that will fix this.”

“I’m not her favorite!”

“That’s not what’s important, baby sister. Mieun is doing more than her part by distracting her while I make this secret phone call, but you need to do your part and get your big here now!”

She hangs up.

You slump in your seat. Taekwoon taps his finger on the steering wheel as you collect your mind. Before you can fully absorb all of Nunji’s news, Taekwoon pulls the car back onto the road. For a split second, you wonder about where he’s going to drop you off so you can go back to your apartment and pack but that was stupid of you to think so in the first place as he drives the car onto the freeway.

“Taekwoon?” you ask concerned. But this concern is not about you. It’s about your Grandma’s plans that will begin once again as soon as she sees Taekwoon. You were the one most devastated when you and him broke things off but a sure second was your Grandma. She moped around a long time but moved on to one of your cousin’s second boyfriend or whatever.

All Taekwoon says is, “This is an emergency, Mikyung.”

“It is,” you agree as you look down at your new message. This is from your dad and says one word. ‘Help.’

Your dad rarely requests this, and you know this is a colossal thing.

On your way back home, you devise many scenarios that takes up your mind. You think so much, you have a mild headache setting in as he pulls up to the driveway. You see the telltale sign of someone opening the curtain and peering out the window. Before Taekwoon is about to open his door, you place a hand on his arm.

“You should stay,” you almost whisper. The very idea of your Grandma seeing him is more than enough reason he should stay out of sight. Unexpectedly, Taekwoon slumps in his seat. He gives you a strange look. It’s not confused but rather perplexed. And this makes you feel bewildered. “What?” you ask.

“Why?” he asks back.

Your hand resting on his arm tightens a bit. “What do you mean?” you ask as you pull your hand back to yourself. Your other hand reaches out for the car door handle.

“Why do I stay?”

At your frown, he frowns back. “You know.” You gesture to your house.

“I don’t.” He says this with so much certainty, it takes you aback. “Why do you get to-,” he stops himself.

His words, or what they lead to surprises you both. He looks away and stares out the front window.

“Taekwoon?” your hand reaches out to him.

“I’ll stay.”

With your hand frozen in between you two…you stay too.

“Do you want to be seen?” you ask after a few seconds of heavy silence. Even though your dad is waiting for you to save him, this thing with Taekwoon needs your immediate attention right now.

He doesn’t look at you. “By your family?” he asks after a longer pause.

“I mean by my Grandma,” you answer back cautiously. “You know how she is with you.” It doesn’t make much sense as to why you need to explain this to him. You sit up, “Wait,” you look at him as his answers and reaction slowly add up. “You thought I didn’t want my family to see you?” you ask with disbelief.

Before he can answer, your car door is yanked open. “She’s here!” Nunji’s head ducks and zeroes in on Taekwoon in the driver’s seat who blinks at her before nodding his head in greeting. Nunji looks towards the front door where you can see your mom holding onto Mieun. “She’s just taking her sweet time coming inside!” She grabs you and pulls you out of the car none too gently. “Do you not understand what a family emergency is?” She shakes her head at you, clearly frazzled.

You stare at her wide-eyed. On the other side of the car, Taekwoon climbs out of the car.

You look at your mom for her reaction and drops open. Her attention causes a lapse distractive enough for Mieun to slip out of her grasp and rush across the lawn to you. “Auntie!”

“Mieun! No! I just painted your toenails!” Nunji groans. She rushes to pick up her daughter just as Mieun reaches you.

You deftly close the car door and look over to see Taekwoon doing the same before walking around the car to stand by you. You both shrug at each other and you lead him up the walkway after Nunji rushed back inside with Mieun still in her arms. At the doorway, you smile at your mom, but she surprises you with a stern look. You know your surprise is visible and she only nods her head towards the front door.

“Inside, Mikyung, please. I would like to speak with your guest by himself before our planning begins.”

Your eyes widen and before you can look up at Taekwoon, Mieun pops up at the door and your attention naturally goes to your precious niece. “C’mon Auntie! Mom’s mom’s mom is here too! We’re painting our nails! All of us! Daddy too! Grandpa is supposed to come too!”

Without further ado, you’re yanked inside fast enough you don’t get to see Taekwoon’s reaction.

And he is obviously nervous, Mikyung’s mom notices with light amusement. But before such fond emotions can consume her, she straightens her back. While it is nice to see someone that was once close to her family, there is the matter of her daughter’s heartbreak to be considered.

The young man in front of her tentatively meets her eyes, most likely to gage her current disposition before his eyes dart back to the ground. The way he does just that reminds her of her husband who has a similar reaction when he does something, he knows she disproves of. But the fear and anxiety exhibited by Taekwoon is on another level. As it should be, in the protective mother’s eyes.

No one knows the level of pain Mikyung experienced more than her, with the exception of Nunji of course, as they did their best to comfort her as much as she would allow them. With her husband out of the house on a monthly basis, it leaves a lasting impression on her when her girls faced such separations, voluntary or otherwise. And her youngest, is…a private individual. Such a contrast! Especially with Nunji on the other end of the spectrum, her two daughters certainly have their own identities.

“You have a new car, Taekwoon,” she decides to start. Her comment forces the two of them to look over at the vehicle.

“Yes,” his eyes remained trained on car as she takes a casual pose by leaning against one of the banisters.

“Did your family help pick it out?” she asks next.

“No.” She knows that he would rather leave it at just that and she also knows he knows he needs to speak more. “My dad only gave me some advice on what to look for.”

She nods, accepting his longer answer. “What would you need a car for? I would think that you would be able to go without a car longer than most especially with how generous your team treats you.”

He finally sneaks a second peek at her. “I can pay it off now faster while I’m a rookie.”

“Yes, that true. But,” it’s small but he shifts a bit away from her, her eyes immediately train on that small movement, “you didn’t answer my question.”

He freezes before he looks back at the car, a safe destination to rest his shifty eyes on. “My dad told me it would be a wise investment.”

“Hm,” she drags this one sound out. “It seems you and your father have certainly become close.”

He stiffens up and looks down at her. “A bit.”

Mikyung’s mother nods. “That’s a good thing. A parent’s love for their child knows no bounds.” The door is thrown open, and there is her baby. Mikyung assesses the current situation with her eyes darting between the two. Her mother is the first to offer a mega watt smile as her youngest walks closer to them both. “Can I see?”

Mikyung’s grimace is very close to a scowl but still offers her hand to her mother. Taekwoon’s eyes zero in on the splash of color that decorates her dainty fingers, a very rare sight that he’s not seen in a long time. He’s more than caught off guard as Mikyung’s mother displays her strength by yanking on her daughter’s hand in order to bring her closer to them both. “Look, Taekwoon! I do believe this is your team’s colors, right?”

The young man doesn’t know what to make of this as he looks closer at the nails and makes his increased interest more noticeable. Mikyung’s mother smiles as she looks from him to her baby who’s too nice to her dear mother to pull her hand away from her grasp. Mikyung is eyeing her and Mikyung’s mom can only smile at her innocently.

Taekwoon makes the mistake of reaching out to touch her baby’s hand. “No, Taekwoon.”

He instantly pulls his hand back. If she were her other daughter, she may have said this in a threatening manner but she takes the color of Mikyung’s nails as a cue from the ladies of the rest of the family who chose the colors and forced the nail polish onto the reluctant Mikyung with intention. Nunji and Mieun are certainly obvious regarding their reinstated favor for a certain young man.

“We wouldn’t want to put to waste Nunji and Mieun’s hard work.” She lets go of Mikyung’s hands and claps her own. “I need to get mine done too! I wonder if your father will notice if I choose his favorite color?” she smiles at Mikyung who shakes her head in answer and at Taekwoon who is still staring at Mikyung’s hands.

Mikyung’s mother decides her actions and words serves enough parental authority over the two. She smiles at them both before she walks back into the house but not before she calls over her shoulder. “And I thought you two should know, my mother is asleep upstairs in your room, Mikyung. Thankfully, she’s a heavy sleeper.”

Taekwoon freezes once again as he is doused in realization. He looks at you with pleading eyes to keep him safe and you give him a nod. You are more than prepared. Your grandmother is certainly a grade one threat and that’s the biggest concern right now.

You nonchalantly reach out and he naturally grabs your hand before the act registers on you both. He’s the one to pull his hand away first and your fingers close over themselves in surprise. You both gaze at each other in surprise.

That’s when the question hits you: when was the last time he came here?

You blink up at him and he blinks down at you.

He stopped coming around your house after his team went on a short losing streak when tension was running high between you both. That was a month before your breakup.

Deciding not to open this can of worms right now, you walk into your house and he follows. He is the one to close the door behind you both. But really, there’s no point dragging that up right now.

As soon as you two enter the living room.

“Taekwoon! You haven’t greeted me yet!”

“Nunji,” you groan. You also give a pointed look at the stairs.

Your dear older sister rolls her eyes at you. “I already know she’s lost to the world right now. Her new sleeping pills have her knocked out like a light for the next six hours. Don’t you wish she had these pills during Mieun’s first birthday party? It would have been a blessing, right Taekwoon-who-has-not-greeted-me?” she gives him a pointed glance.

You’re about to just push him back outside and order him to go when he speaks. “You got a new couch?” he is looking at the furniture with a whole lot more interest than he is giving your conversation with your sister.

Nunji takes this in stride. “Yes. It’s Mikyung’s fault.”

You grab the couch pillow closest to you and throw it at her. “It’s not!”

“Shh!” she holds her finger to her lips obnoxiously while easily batting away your pathetic attempt. She copies you and gives a very noticeable look at the stairs. “You’re too loud.”

You groan and slump down on the back of the recliner.

Taekwoon doesn’t give your plight much attention. “Is that a new TV?”

“Hwangin’s fault.”

Her husband doesn’t take long in coming down the stairs at the sound of his name. “My fault? What is it this time?”

Taekwoon is now observing the carpet. You want to scoff but that would draw attention to you from the hugging couple who make it seem as if they’ve not seen each other for more than a lifetime. Taekwoon stops his assessment and sits down on the new couch. He touches the leather while you claim the recliner.

“Ah, ah, ah, baby sister,” she points at the recliner. “That’s Hwangin’s seat.”

“I don’t mind if she sits ther-,” he is silenced.

“Hwangin doesn’t like it when people who don’t live here sit in his chair.”

You give a moment of respite deciding if it is worth the aggravation of arguing with her, but you get up and move to sit by Taekwoon. Nunji leads her husband and pushes him into ‘his recliner.’

“Now, the whole court is here. Our witness,” she places a hand on Hwangi’s shoulder. “The accused,” she has the audacity to point at you. “The jury-who-has-not-greeted-me.” She smiles at Taekwoon who is looking at a painting on the wall. “And our judge,” she smiles more widely with an exaggerated bow while gesturing at herself.

“And the bailiff,” Your mother announces her presence as she leads a happy Mieun into the living room. “Did you check to make sure she’s really asleep? Or did you just accept my words like nothing?” she asks with raised eyebrows at both you and Nunji.

“I did,” Nunji nods. “I sent Hwangin in there to see if her cougar abilities detected him and she’s still out of it.”

Both mother and daughter share a look. “I think she’s become desensitized with Hwangin.” Your mother says this with a telling look.

Nunji nods and you sense the danger as you sit up straighter. “I agree. We need the presence of the one who got away from her to really check if she’s asleep.”

“No.” You ground the word out.

Your mother smiles innocently at you just like she did outside on the porch. “But Mikyungie,” she starts.

“We need to make sure.” Nunji finishes. “Or would you rather she does an ambush on us?”

You sigh. All of their points are valid ones. You’re about to stand up but you’re shoved back down by Nunji.

“Hwangin will go with him.”

You want to fight her on this but Hwangin jumps up from his seat with Mieun in his arms. “Okay. I do think she’s in deep sleep though.” He nods at Taekwoon who has finally tuned into the conversation, but it seems like he’s not fully processed what you’re all discussing. “But it wouldn’t hurt to have a stronger test.” Mieun clambers out of his arms and she rushes over to you.

You cross your arms. “Fine.” If Hwangin is okay with it and Mieun is here with you, then that’s fine.

Taekwoon looks at Mikyung in confusion. She nods at Hwangin who is walking to the stairs. “C’mon Taekwoon. We need to do this quick. Just know your path of escape and for that, I recommend a window or something to jump out of if Grandmother is not really asleep.”

The situation dawns on him and he quickly looks at Mikyung but Hwangin places a restraining hand on his shoulder. “You’re in this with us, right?”

Taekwoon looks down at the older man’s hand on his shoulder before looking at Hwangin’s eyes. With his hold on Taekwoon, Hwangin pushes him up the stairs. It’s halfway up the stairs that they hear Mikyung’s groan. Hwangin has to give him a nudge to keep going.

Once at the top of the stairs and well out of earshot of the females of the family, Hwangin becomes serious. “Did Mother speak to you?”

Taekwoon easily detects the change of air around them both. “Yes, she did.”

“Has she said enough?”

Taekwoon thinks back on his connection with the older man. They got along pretty well. It’s hard not to form a bond amongst the males which includes Mikyung’s dad with the women and Mieun the way they are. That sense of camaraderie is something Taekwoon knows he has to earn again and prove himself for and he is more than up for the challenge.

And so, in conclusion, Hwangin is a genuine guy and he only deserves the truth. “She’s still scary.”

Hwangin smiles. “She is. More than Nunji, yes.”

Taekwoon can’t hold back his own smile. “Way more than your wife.”

Hwangin shakes his head. “I don’t see how Father does it, but I guess we can only commend him for marrying such a strong woman.”

Taekwoon nods. “They all are.”

“Mieun will be too.”

With this out of the way, an ease overtakes the atmosphere between the two men. That is, until Hwangin jokingly (but also seriously) pushes Taekwoon into Mikyung’s room and attempts to lock him in there with Mikyung’s sleeping grandmother. Fortunately for Taekwoon, he more than outweighs Hwangin in muscle mass and easily overpowers Hwangin’s attempt at murder.

And since this is a life and death situation, their short brawl happens in the utmost silence. The only silence that Taekwoon does his utter best to keep in fear of his life.

Taekwoon can’t hide the terror and trauma from Hwangin who finds his inner devilish Nunji and laughs at him when Taekwoon escapes the room after carefully closing the door. Hwangin’s still smiling with mirth when they go back down the stairs.

“She’s asleep!” Hwangin announces loudly as a further point of the fact.

It is with this that Taekwoon knows Hwangin is okay with him being there. Again. After too long.

He only has Nunji to think about. Although he figures since he’s allowed back in their home, he’s made some type of progress. If not, he would be sitting in his car outside right now.

When he steps back into the room, Nunji’s eyes follow his movements like some kind of predator. However, he’s become more desensitized to Mikyung’s older sister’s antics as his relationship with Mikyung progressed in high school. Probably because he has so many older sisters with varying personalities, he knows what to notice and what to ignore. There is a sense of power from being an older sister he’s become familiar with through his own sisters but because he has three of them, they distribute that power amongst themselves. Mikyung has only one, and unfortunately for her, Nunji is the one who has all of that power. And like Jieun, Nunji likes to abuse that power at times.

He focuses on Mikyung and she’s pouting. Already, he’s seen her panicked eyes, her shocked ones, her suspicious gaze and her warm ones all in a matter of an hour. Such a contrast to earlier in the day when only her innocence and wariness could be seen through them when she was with his family. It is to be expected, he supposes. She watches her actions a lot more outside of her home than within.

Her gaze flicks up to him as he makes his way across the living room walking on the new carpet. He’s distracted for a split second by the contentment in her eyes. In that second, he allows Nunji to place her hand on his arm, but his instincts take over and he smoothly escapes from her push.

“Nunji!” Mikyung’s mother gasps. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I was only offering him Hwangin’s recliner to him.” Nunji pouts and Taekwoon gives her a blank stare. He extracts himself and gives the older woman a wide berth as Mikyung scoots down the cushion in order to make room for him.

“That’s not the way to treat our guest.” The girls’ mother admonishes her oldest daughter. She looks at Taekwoon as he takes his seat on this new couch. “I’m sorry, Taekwoon. You would think someone so much older would at least know how to behave.”

Mikyung doesn’t show much reaction but Taekwoon notices she’s gazing at her sister. Since he’s now next to her, he can’t get a clear view of her eyes and so he can’t tell what she’s feeling at that very moment.

Mieun’s head pops out of the kitchen. “Mommy, did you want only one bottle?”

Nunji is still pouting with a calculating gaze directed at both him and her sister. “Yes, baby. That should be enough.”

Mieun disappears.

“We need to go soon,” Mikyung says this so blasé, Taekwoon is more than caught off guard by it. “I have a reading to do before my next class.”

The rest of her family is in the same boat as him in a state of shock. Except Nunji who glares at her. “So? You should have thought about that before spending time with Taekwoon over your studies.”

Mikyung shrugs. “Probably.” Taekwoon tries to hold in his laugh at this unexpected ease emanating from the girl beside him while Hwangin smiles.

But it is when Mikyung’s mother sighs, that the attention goes to her. “Very well. And since you and Taekwoon took the time to come here, we should make this quick.” She gestures for Hwangin and Nunji to sit while Mieun comes back into the living room with two water bottles. She runs one over to her mom as her parents sit down and then she gives the other to her auntie.

Her auntie opens her arms for her to be picked up but Mieun shakes her head. Auntie shrugs her shoulders and sits back in the couch while looking at Mieun’s grandma. Mieun notices she takes a sip from the bottle before placing it in the space between her and Woonie. Mieun rushes out of the living room as the gathering between the adults of her life begins. Not that she would know what is going on. She is just happy to have her Auntie so close again.

When she finds her coloring book and crayons, she brings them both back into the living room and plops down by the low table at the center of the room and begins to color. She only looks up when her mom raises her voice and when her dad speaks. There are times when Mieun is tempted to ask her mom about a color but just as she’s about to, she catches her dad’s attention, and he shakes his head.

Mieun shrugs it off. She can ask later. Maybe tomorrow during breakfast.

Once she’s done coloring one page, she shows her dad who’s paying the most attention to her. He smiles and claps for her and this makes her happy. Time passes as she colors five more pages. She shows one to her Auntie who takes a while to look at her page but when she’s does Mieun is pulled into a hug by her. Woonie is the next one she shows, and he gives her a smile that changes his face into a bright sun. Mieun smiles back just as wide.

When she shows her grandma, she is pulled onto her lap and Mieun finds a comfortable position to lay her head. She’s rocked in her grandma’s arms as the two find comfort in each other. Mieun falls asleep with her coloring book slipping out of her hands and onto the floor.

A commotion wakes her up as her grandma get up and the jostling makes her open her eyes. That’s when she sees her grandpa is home. But before Mieun can fidget to be put down, she’s squished in between her grandparents.

Her auntie is the one to save her. She’s still dozing and when she wakes up later, she’s in her dad’s arms following her mom up the stairs. She looks around and sees her Auntie is not there anymore and most of the lights are turned off.

“Things went well, I think,” her dad says this conversationally.

“Yeah, we have it solved now. I still think Mimi got off too easy.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“Because…”

“You know.”

“What? Taekwoon?”

“He’s one reason.”

“And the other reasons?”

“What? Are you going to take her side again?”

“Sides?”

“Ugh! Oppa!”

“Are you mad because we have to take Grandmother to visit my family?”

“No! I want to see your mom too! I just don’t see why Mikyung can’t go with us!”

“But she has plans this weekend with her friends. Plans she told us about a month ago.”

“Plans with friends that ditched her, yes, I remember them.”

“Aaah, so that’s it.”

“Yes, that’s it. I don’t trust my baby sister with guys like that!”

“I think it’s more complicated than that.”

“I can see that. I just don’t understand how Mikyung can forgive them for hurting her the way they did. I can understand Taekwoon at most, but not them.”

“Yes, but in the end, it’s Mikyung’s decision.”

“And in the end, I’m her big sister.” There’s a pause as Hwangin places Mieun down on her bed. “I know.” Nunji pauses. “I just know that they would have gotten together faster had his ‘friends’ actually spent time with her despite the breakup. Do they think that it’s okay to hurt her by cutting her out like that? Or that a simple letter is deserving of her forgiveness? If anything, they should be the ones doing more than their means making it all up to her. My baby sister was hurt not only by him but also his friends and they need to claim responsibility. Or else.”

Mieun sits up as her parents close the door behind them. “Auntie is hurt?”

The door is open again and her parents walk back in. “What, baby? I thought you were asleep.”

Mieun shakes her head. “Why is Auntie hurt?”

“Because of her fri-,” Nunji gives a gasp as Hwangin tickles her. That is his wife’s ultimate weakness, and he’s pretty sure he’s the only one that knows it.

He takes the moment of her surprise to answer his daughter. “Your Auntie is doing her best at the moment. She just needs our understanding, and we’ll help only if she asks for it.” He’s looking at his wife at the end.

She crosses her arms but when she sees her daughter watching them, she smiles. “Don’t worry, little baby. Auntie will get better because she is the one with all of the luck in the family. She stole my luck and I’m just making sure she’s using it right.”

Mieun frowns but lets it go. As long as her Auntie is not hurting anymore. She just wishes her Auntie said goodnight to her before she left and as she’s tucked in by her parents, her dad whispers to her. “Auntie said she’ll buy you a new coloring book during her trip.”

Mikyung is adding a coloring book to her list of things to buy. Taekwoon is obviously in a good mood as he drives them both back into the city. After all, she saved them both a meeting with her grandma in the morning after Nunji heavily encouraged them to stay the night even though the couch was hardly a place for either of them to sleep on. The beds were all taken and there was no way Mikyung was going to sleep by her grandma.

Taekwoon had also been adamant that he was fine to drive them both back. Thankfully, he had Mikyung’s father’s support on that front. Her father was surprised to see him there but that was where the emotions stopped. Taekwoon could see the visual assessment being done by the older man all throughout the night and he tried not to be cowed by it. Mikyung’s father was the manliest man he had ever come by and proved to be intimidating as far as appearance and manner goes. It must be the military atmosphere that increased it over the years, Taekwoon surmises.

In a way, meeting her dad was easier than his short time spent with Hwangin. Her dad was fairly predictable with the relentless glaring as was expected by a protective father. With Mikyung’s brother-in-law, the same protective aspect was there but Hwangin has been proven to be unpredictable time and time again. It takes a certain kind of person to be married to Nunji and although he and Hwangin praised Mikyung’s dad for marrying his wife, there is a distinction between both Mikyung’s mother and sister.

Her mother is subtle where her sister isn’t. Her sister is a straight arrow towards a destination that transforms into a bullet at times while her mother is the rushing of a tranquil river, relentless and forging. Both are fairly manipulative but with good intentions. After witnessing Mikyung at their mercy, he can see their differences the most then. But Mikyung…she’s grown.

He can’t deny being surprised by her own manipulations. In high school, she would take the brunt of her sister’s attacks and accept her mother’s words easily. Now, she’s developed her own way to curb the older women. It was a sight to see and Taekwoon was beyond elated to see a change that not only he got to witness himself but also because he’s here with her driving away from her family home with a certain welcome(?) by her family.

Taekwoon sees and understands he has his work cut out for him. And he’s never backed down from a challenge as important as this. But he can’t deny what little progress he made with the guys.

When the conversation and planning was dominated by the females, almost instinctual, the men gave each other a look. And it was so naturally done that it surprised not only him but Mikyung’s dad and Hwangin! The way they looked at each other and then at him, it was like old times.

Taekwoon knows he shouldn’t expect things to run too smoothly because of Nunji and Hwangin. Although Hwangin’s accepted his re-entrance, he knows the two are a set that can’t be separated too easily. Nunji accepts him at the very least despite throwing up wall after barricade at him whenever she had the chance. Taekwoon guesses this was her form of a test and he supposes he failed it by not staying overnight but if Mikyung got them both out of it, it should be okay.

It’s when their almost within city limits does he realize he doesn’t know where to go. She’s been stubborn about not allowing him the privilege of knowing where she lives on her own. He’s deduced at most that her place is near her campus but that’s it. N and Ken have no idea either and they were his best bet at finding out.

As soon as he’s off the freeway, he pulls onto a side street he knows. She looks away from her window gazing and finally looks at him. He nods to the café that is still open despite the late hour. “You want one?”

He allows her to make up her mind as he pulls the car to a stop at a parking spot.

“What kind?” she asks after a minute.

“Teas, coffee and smoothies.” He answers after reaching to the back seat for a new mask.

“Mango smoothie.”

“Let’s go.”

“What?”

Taekwoon puts his mask on. “You want it. You buy it.”

A glare is all he receives as she unbuckles her seatbelt. Taekwoon smiles under his mask as they both exit the car. If anything, he doesn’t really need to go in there or make any stops at all. But he saw the street name coming up and he remembers stopping here with a whining N one time after the two of them went out one night. It was a stop after N declared he need something to wake him up. Now, Taekwoon can forgive his friend and his annoying whining for that night.

He follows her as she stalks her way up the street and he tries to speed up so he can open the door for her but she beats him to the punch and pull it open hard enough he has to catch it before he walks into it. She walks straight to the register and he has to grab her shoulder and redirect her to a self-order machine. She’s surprised at technological advancement and her surprise affords enough time for him to keep his arm around her as she looks over the menu. He relaxes as he keeps his arm loose so that his sleeve won’t disturb her hair unless he accidently pulls on the strands and makes her lean away from him. He enjoys this short minute before she steps away and allows him to add his drink. He’s about to add to her order but she cuts him off by submitting her order and nonchalantly walks away from him right after. He smirks under his mask as he watches her walk towards a table before putting in his own order.

When he turns around, he takes in the interior of the somewhat familiar café. There’s only one other person with a laptop in the corner of the open area where all of the tables are spread out and he can’t tell if it’s a guy or girl. He’s about to disregard the person but unfortunately for him, just as Taekwoon’s about to look over at Mikyung, his eyes meet the other person’s. Taekwoon sees the recognition light in the eyes and Taekwoon knows he has to play it cool and nods to him. The guy removes his hood to reveal his gender and Taekwoon banks on a chance and doesn’t follow Mikyung who is sitting at the table closest to the counter.

Taekwoon chooses to stay off to the side closer to the exit and looks at the overhead menu. He panics a bit inside his mind and wonders if the guy had been paying enough attention to the way he was holding Mikyung earlier and if he’s connected any dots to link the two together. He could care less about his public image, but he doesn’t want to push things too fast with Mikyung and expose her to anyone. It takes just that one gossip filled post for it all to be revealed and a picture does say more than a thousand words.

Taekwoon curses under his breath. He should have put a hat on at least before coming in here. He sneaks a peek at the cause of his distraction, and she is getting up to get her order as it is called. Taekwoon wonders if she’s noticed the way he’s nowhere near her. If she does, then that would mean a lot to him because at least she paid enough attention to notice his absence but if not…that’s good too. That would mean she’s still mad at him enough to ignore him and walk right out of the café and back to his car with this stranger none the wiser.

Thankfully, beyond the odds, Mikyung actually ignores him as she walks out of the café just as his order is called up. He sighs in relief before going up to pay for his order. The worker is tired and doesn’t spare him a look at least. Once he’s handed his receipt, Taekwoon says his thanks and turns around. The guy is right there.

Taekwoon knows he has to do something and nods to him again and is about to step around the guy, but the fan follows him away from the counter. “Excuse me?”

Taekwoon turns to him nearer to the door. “Yeah?”

“You’re Jung Taekwoon, right?” the guy has the wit to whisper so the workers don’t hear.

Taekwoon figures he can spare the guy a minute or two. He pulls his mask down. “Yeah, I’m Jung Taekwoon. You follow the game?”

The guy smiles wide and nods eagerly. “Yes!” he whisper yells but manages to contain his excitement. “I watched the game today and you are so good.”

“Thanks,” Taekwoon looks out the window for a second and spots Mikyung leaning against his car. In his pocket, he pushes the button to unlock the doors and hopes that the signal will reach the car from here. The headlights flash and she gets in. Now, he can turn his full attention to the guy who is just about to turn around to see what Taekwoon’s been staring at. “Just making sure my car is still there.” Taekwoon says as he locks the doors and counts his stars that Mikyung was in before this guy turned around.

“Whoa, nice car!” the fan whisper yells again.

“Thanks,” Taekwoon says again. “Um, I need to get back to the team dorm now.” It’s abrupt but the guy eagerly nods and accept the dismissal.

“Oh! Right, of course Player Jung. Uh, can I get an autograph first?” he has puppy eyes as he makes his request.

Taekwoon has no choice but to nod. “Yeah, do you have a pen?” He places his mask back on properly.

The guy basically sprints back to his corner and returns with a pen and a notebook. “If you can sign my cover, I would love it.”

He signs and makes his escape with the fan wishing him luck in the playoffs.

Once in the car, he needs a minute to regain his thought process. That was just too close! And of course, Mikyung is just sipping away at her drink. When she notices his staring, she meets his eyes with a question in them. Taekwoon knows the question but continues to stare at her and take her in.

Her phone buzzes and he finally looks away as she breaks their gaze to look down at it. He turns the car on and pulls away.

She sighs and then she is calling someone.

“Hello? Kyungie?” And she put the call on speaker.

“Jimri?”

“Come on, Kyungie. Why haven’t you made a nickname for me too? I mean, how many times do I have to beg you?”

“Jimri.”

“Fine. What? Why are you calling so late? Don’t tell me you got locked out of your apartment like that one time.”

“I didn’t.”

“Then what? Did you go out without my permission?” Taekwoon smiles at this. He notices he still has his mask on and takes it off at a red light.

“No. Maybe.” Mikyung’s answer makes him look at her just as the light turns green. He is forced to look away when a car honks at him from behind.

“What do you mean, maybe?”

“I’m with Taekwoon.” He can’t help but smirk at her verbal admission. She hits his arm.

“Still? So?” There is acceptance in her voice. And she doesn’t sound surprised at all, Taekwoon notes.

“We’re in your neighborhood.”

Taekwoon looks around and sees they’re on the residential side.

“He knows where I live?”

“No. It’s by chance.”

“And what? Do you want to visit? Now? Really? Do I have to make something for you two? A midnight snack?”

“No.”

Taekwoon can’t help but feel like his wish to spend even more time with Mikyung are now dashed. For a second, he fantasized about sneaking her into his dorm to spend the night, but she has to go and put a stop to it.

“Why? I actually want to cook for you guys and you say no?”

“Only me.”

“What?” Jimri asks

“What?” Taekwoon asks too.

Mikyung doesn’t spare a look at him. “Only me. I’m staying the night with you.”

“Really? How does Taekwoon look right now? Like you just squashed his every dream or what?”

Taekwoon scowls as he glares out the window. Mikyung finally looks at him he notices at the corner of his eye.

“No. He’s happy.” She smirks at him as he gives her a look of disbelief.

“Liar!”

Mikyung makes a face at them both. “We’re close now.” She points to the left and he’s tempted to turn right but as he thinks back on the whole day, he’s certainly spent the whole day with her except the morning and his game. Regardless, he still turns right and she hits his shoulder for going against her order. But she pulls the rug from under him, “We’re closer. I see you.”

Taekwoon is surprised when he does see Jimri standing at the foot of a building. He looks at Mikyung and she’s smiling smugly. He scowls again that he’s been read so easily by her. Now he just wants to speed away but Jimri must be on the same wavelength as the two and dashes in front of his car which forces him to stop.

He’s feeling petulant now as she starts to unbuckle her seatbelt again. She then starts to gather her things as he puts the car in park and sees the happy grin Jimri is sporting directly at him. He’s tempted to flip her off but Mikyung is opening her door. She closes the door without a glance or word to him. He knows he shouldn’t expect so much and shouldn’t be too greedy with her but he honestly can’t help it.

He watches her grab and pull Jimri after her who now looks confused at Mikyung’s abrupt exit. He waits for them both to enter the building before he goes but Jimri pulls the two girls to a stop just before the entrance. They are soon arguing and then Jimri pushes Mikyung towards him and his car. Mikyung resists and tries to go around Jimri to enter the building but with another push, Jimri pushes Mikyung far enough away that Mikyung has to catch her balance and Jimri makes it into the building while slamming the door closed after her. Mikyung hits the door and tries to force it open but is unsuccessful.

Taekwoon is confused by their antics. They’re now arguing through the door and Jimri disappears. Mikyung stomps her foot the way she does when things don’t go her way or when she’s particularly frustrated.

Taekwoon is surprised again for the umpteenth time today as she stalks her way to his car. When she’s right at his door, she knocks on the window. A part of him jumps with joy (his heart) when he finally realizes what their fight is about. But another part of him (his mind) wants to punish her for just leaving him without saying goodbye to him a while ago. The two sides are warring and before it reaches a conclusion, she’s already walking around his car and opening the door.

Taekwoon is beside himself as she peers at him while leaning down. “I’ll…”

A pause. A very long pause fills the space between them. It takes a moment for Taekwoon to recollect his mind. “I know.” He almost whispers. He looks away to gaze out the front windshield. “Good night.”

“Good night, Taekwoon.”

The door is closed, and she walks across the street again. Then she pauses. Then she is walking back around his car and opening the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” She says these words fast and closes the door and runs to the now open building door where Jimri is giving Mikyung and him a thumbs up.

Taekwoon's car only pulls away when the door is properly closed behind Mikyung.

 

I tried a different kind of writing style in order to incorporate the othe POV's. Things are moving forward for them both. Hopefully, in a natural way. 

Hope you liked it. And I hope you guys are staying warm and not forgetting to stay safe. Thanks for reading!