19.

“You need to help me with something.”

My brows furrow at my boss’s request but both of us stop talking for a moment as the waitress places each of our meals on the table. Baekhyun suddenly asking me out for a lunch is quite surprising, since we have only talk to each other as an employer and a subordinate before – but remembering our conversation in his car earlier, I think both of us knew that we should have been friends since a long time ago. For some reason I find him someone who is comfortable to be with, despite how attractive he looks like all the time.

Unlike some guy whom I think I could not look straight into his eyes or else my heart will –

“Miss Ga Eul?”

“Yes?” I blink a few times as I stare onto the guy’s face for a few seconds before it finally hits me. Sheepishly, I beam, “I was spacing out again, wasn’t I?”

My face gets a little flushed as I asked, especially when Baekhyun giggles, probably finding me ridiculous at some point. “I’ve always thought you as someone so…collected. You could actually be quite the opposite too, surprisingly,” the guy comments.

“Well, by appearing so composed, I could at least hide a bit that side of me. Am I right?”

“Agreed.”

“And by the way, about the favour you want to ask me…?”

I talk as one of my hand trails to reach for the chopsticks whilst the other do the same, only that he is doing it while looking at my face as I thought, and I find amusement in those eyes – most likely for how I easily revert my character back to the “business” state. While both of us start stuffing our mouth first, I notice Baekhyun fidgeting, seems like he is hesitating, “Well, you see…actually it’s not like something really big.”

“But the fact that it bothers you…”

“Quite. Okay, the thing is, Jongdae’s birthday is coming next week. And I want your help for the celebration.”

My mouth stops working on the munching and going straight away to swallow the food down my throat. A new fact about Jongdae that I just discovered, his birthday, and now the puzzles of why did Haneul insisted for me to go out shopping with him in the weekend is completed. He must be preparing for something as well. “I see,” I fly my hand to my mouth, covering it as the other reaches for the glass for a sip of drink. “But it’s not like this year is the first time you are celebrating his birthday, right? Why do you need my idea this time?”

“Well actually, he’s always been hiding every time the day comes. He would say he’s busy but it’s always end up with me finding him sitting alone and do nothing in his house, we’ll end up celebrating on the next day or something,” the guy tells – sounds more like complaining but surely that raises a question in my head. Why does he act like that?

And so I drop my chopsticks slowly to the bowl, my back straightens as my head tilts to the side, wondering, “Perhaps he just want to be alone? Like, a treat for himself?”

“Nuh-uh, I’m more than sure that’s not the reason. Because technically I know why he would do that.” I notice Baekhyun’s expression turning a little darker as he mentions the last sentence but as if he senses that he brought the mood down by his tone, the guy clears his throat and widen his eyes, reassuring – running back to the main topic, “That’s why I want you to help me this year. Will you?”

“Sure, I will.” My lips turn down in an approval frown as I agree, then I lift a brow, questioning, “But why me?”

“Because I believe you are the one who could pull him out of that world of his.” Baekhyun speaks in more confusing way but this time he looks like he does it purposely – to check if I grow any interest in his friend. I am not sure what’s playing in his mind, seriously. For a second he looks serious and on another, he fools around – it’s like he is always up to something.

“And why do you believe so?”

His lips curl as he leans in, unnecessarily winks, “Because you are one of a kind.”

“That’s why you are out shopping on the weekend without me? I wouldn’t have to go to the town alone if I had known this earlier.”

“Well, I’m sorry about that. But you are very bad at keeping secrets…!” I yell the whisper whilst the guy beside me purses his lips together, supressing his laugh. Haneul huffs and puffs his cheeks, still unhappy by the fact that Baekhyun and I plan everything secretly, and he looks more displeased as mom backs me up, “It’s not we’re doing something really grant, just a modest celebration.” For a second, the lady sighs, “I feel bad too somehow, since these past years we have never really celebrate it with him. I should’ve done more than feeding him the seaweed soup on the next day.”

“So you knew about this all along, Mom?”

“Then who else would give your sister the permission to go to her boss’s house?”

This time, Baekhyun lets out a silent gasp then leans closer to my ear, “You still ask Auntie’s permission when you go out?”

“Out of habit,” I give a short answer immediately as I know it well – it’s a bit ridiculous for me being a whole 30 years old yet still asking for my mother’s consent before doing anything. My age is not that old, but definitely I’m too old for that. “Well, Haneul. Keep your sulking attitude, help me fill this balloon with the gas.”

The boy rolls his eyes yet walks towards my side, fetching the helium tank that Baekhyun