The next morning, after showering, I get dressed into an oversized sweatshirt with jeans. I also place a scarf tightly around my neck before finishing my look with a beanie on my head. The weather is cold and I could not stop shivering ever since I stepped out from the shower. Then, I take my backpack and put all the equipment and stationeries inside it before slinging it onto my shoulders. In less than 10 minutes, I am already at the dining table to have breakfast with the Kim.

“Hayi!” Mrs. Kim exclaims excitedly. I smile in return. “Good morning! Come, let’s have breakfast.”

“Good morning,” I reply in delight before I take the same seat from last night. Mr. Kim looks up to give me a fatherly smile before he returns his focus to his phone, probably reading news online. Hanbyul, on the other hand, is munching on her bread while stealing glances at me. I raise my eyebrow, chuckling at her.

“Is there something wrong?” I ask her as I put some toasts onto my plate.

She shakes her head. “I just can’t wait to get to university too,” she says.

“And why is that?”

“So I can wear whatever I want to school,”

Her innocent answer gains my laughter in response. “Well, when you look at it that way, I guess it can be a good thing,” I reply. “However, for someone who is simply lazy to put in efforts in my dressings, it can be tiring,” I honestly tell her the very truth, which makes her laugh. She then gets up from her seat, still munching on her bread, before comfortably slouching on the seat beside mine.

Before I can even ask why the sudden change in sitting plan, Hanbin’s voice stops me.

“Good morning, everyone,” he greets cheerfully before he takes a seat. His eyes immediately fall on Hanbyul, me and back to his sister again. He rolls his eyes. “Why are you sitting there?”

My jaw literally drop when I heard the question. Should I be offended?

“Because I want to,” Hanbyul answers teasingly. “I like Hayi unnie better now.”

At that, Hanbin turns to look at me before he shifts his attention back to his food. I shrug and get another toast for Hanbyul, who is now sitting on my lap. “Hayi unnie, can we play together tonight? My dad just bought new toys for me and Hanbin oppa might return late as usual, so I have no one to play with. So, can we?”

I am dumbfounded with what Hanbyul just spilled, and though I feel bad for the little girl, I couldn’t help noticing the stare Hanbin has on us, too. Smiling awkwardly, I say, “Of course we c-“

“Hanbyul, it’s not nice talking about your brother like that,” Mrs. Kim suddenly interrupts as she comes to the table with a jug of hot tea. “Come on, eat quickly. You three might be late. Hayi, eat some more.”

“Yes, aunt.”

After breakfast, Mrs. Kim usher us to the front door though I offer to help with the dishes. “It’s okay, I can do that,” she warmly assures me. “Go to school.”

I give her a hug and wait for Hanbin to come out. Hanbyul is already standing by my side, clutching to my hand as she keeps stealing glances at me. I have no clue on what’s so interesting about me that she keeps looking at me, though it makes me feel somehow good about myself. I mean, if kids like you, it means they really like you genuinely. I squeeze her hand, remembering what she told me earlier. I wonder if what she said is true.

“Alright, let’s go,” Hanbin says as he comes out from the house. He puts on his shoes, kisses his mother on the cheek before unlocking the car. I am confused whether to sit in the front or at the back seat, but Hanbyul already makes the decision for me as she quickly gets to the back seat. With a wave, we leave the house and begin our journey.

It takes us around 5 minutes to get to Hanbyul’s school. She keeps talking during the whole ride, asking Hanbin as many questions as she can and he patiently answers each one of them. I soften at the sight and think that perhaps he really is not that bad.

“Study well, Hanbyul-ah,” Hanbin softly says as he turns around to give a pat on his sister’s head. “See you later.”

With that, she gets off the car and with one last wave to us, she finally enters the school building.

“I feel like I haven’t properly introduced myself,” his voice causes me to turn my head from the spot Hanbyul stood just now to him. He is already staring at me while his fingers drum on the steering wheel. He smiles in a way I can say is a nervous smile, which makes me nervous as well. “I’m Hanbin,” he begins shyly. “I would like to deeply apologize because I am terrible at making conversations with someone that I just knew. Hence, why I didn’t talk a lot to you last night, and this morning. And, about what Hanbyul said earlier, I-“

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