New Updates Start from Chapter 19

Heechul glances at Minyoung every time she hears a sound from her, which hasn't been that often since Minyoung informed her mother she's moving in with Changwook 20 minutes ago through phone. So not much of a distraction while driving. She only wants some sign that it's going well but all Minyoung does is hum or sigh in response to whatever her parents are saying.

She’s already driving down the street where Minyoung's current residence is and Heechul is still in suspense.

"Eomma, I'll call you later. I'm home." Minyoung rolls her eyes when her mother says something. "It's not my home till I move in. I'm going. Bye!" Minyoung doesn't wait for another silly comment and ends the call. She puts the phone back in her bag just as Heechul parks the car across the street from her apartment building.

"So how did your folks take it?" Heechul decided to ask straight when the guessing was getting nowhere.

"Eomma got quiet for a minute there which really freaked me out." Minyoung waits till they're out of the car and walking to her building together to continue. "It wasn't until I heard someone asking for more kimchi that I realized they're at our restaurant. And she's actually yelling out the news to Appa and the whole restaurant."

"Really? I couldn't tell with your straight face!"

"Growing up with parents as tactless as they are perfected my unreadable face. I was mostly bored though. Appa suddenly started lecturing me on how to take care of his bikes. Why would I do that? Chang has two people only to maintain the bikes!"

Heechul takes a little too much pleasure in Minyoung's misery but she can't be mad at someone else for her dad droning on about his rediscovered passion. "And what about your mom?"

"Eomma doesn't just take the cake, she takes the whole bakery. She's been in love with Chang's house since the first time she saw it. She's already naming reasons for her to visit. Lame stuff like dropping my allergy meds and getting braised potatoes for Chang. And she's lecturing me too! Like 'don't leave your work stuff in the living room,' 'wash white clothes separately,' 'introduce yourself to the neighbours.'"

"To be fair, your mother doesn't know your introverted boyfriend bought the properties on either side of his home to avoid interacting with neighbours."

"Actually he bought the two houses because some woman hoping to make him husband no.3 wanted to move in next door."

"What a millionaire move!"

Minyoung agrees as they climb the stairs. She glances down the street a few times because she thought she saw a familiar car. But the trees are blocking her view and she couldn't really be bothered to check thoroughly. She opens the door and lets Heechul in first before following.

"So where do we start? Do you want to pack the bigger stuff first?" Heechul takes the liberty to stroll to the bedroom area of the studio apartment behind the folding screen while Minyoung is getting her tedious lace up boots off in the foyer.

"My work stuff is priority. I want to get them to his house tomorrow without messing up my organisation." She lets out a grunt when taking off one boot. As she catches her breath, she considers leaving these boots behind. They were an impulsive buy and she doesn't have many occasions to wear them. But they're too expensive to let go. With that thought, she starts loosening the laces of her other boot. "I've packed my desktop and printer to send it to my nephew. So if you could just help me put the papers into boxes-"

"they're already done..." Heechul startles Minyoung who accidentally yanks the boot off roughly making her lose her balance and fall backwards. She doesn't have the presence of mind to get back up and instead looks at Heechul upside down. "What?"

"Your work stuff is perfectly organized in boxes. And your closet is empty."

"What!" Minyoung stumbles to her little study/bedroom and sure enough, there are three boxes on her emptied desk. Heechul or someone else had left the closet open and there's nothing but a few empty hangars in there.

Minyoung was very close to calling the cops when there is that ominous knocking sound from somewhere followed by a voice. "Minyoung-ah! Kim Heechul! Let me in!" Heechul is confused where that familiar voice is coming from. But Minyoung knows exactly who it is and from where.

She hurries to the kitchen and yanks open the emergency door. Sure enough Changwook is standing there awkwardly. "Hehe... hi!"

"The hell! What are you doing there?" Heechul gestures at the fire escape.

"You were supposed to give me a text when you were nearby Kim Heechul!" Changwook points at Heechul over Minyoung's head.

"No! How could I text you while driving? You were supposed to text me that you're done. I stopped at every red light and took the long way here waiting for you to leave." Heechul points back at Changwook.

"Hold up!" Minyoung pushes their hands down, glaring at them in turns. "What kind of miscommunication are you two having behind my back?"

"I wanted to surprise you by taking some of your stuff home and Heechul was supposed to call me when you're nearby so I could leave before you saw me." Heechul scoffs as if Changwook was the one who messed up the plan.

Actually Heechul is the one who deviated from the plan because she was trying to figure out Minyoung's conversation with her parents. But Kim Heechul would admit that when hell freezes over. Nonetheless Changwook continues, "I put your clothes in my car and I was going to take your work stuff too. But you showed up and I didn't want to ruin the surprise. So I ran for the fire escape but I forgot it's a ing death trap!" Changwook and Minyoung wince collectively.

"I want to see this famous fire escape!" Heechul shoves Changwook against the door to see that narrow stairway. Changwook has half a mind to lock her out there. But Minyoung can somehow guess his plans and tugs him away from the door. "Thank you for helping really... but I'm going to need some of my clothes." She gestures him to lean a little so she can whisper in his ear, "I don't have clean underwear. So I'm going commando."

She has to purse her lips to cover up how pleased she is seeing him freeze in that uncomfortable posture but his face is turning a little red. Changwook shakes his head a little to get his senses back from whatever inappropriate daydreams he was having. He remembered emptying her underwear drawer moments ago. He was sort of embarrassed and hesitant but also kept telling himself he's taken off her underwear enough times to be so conscious of touching the ones in her drawer.

"We-" his voice cracks embarrassingly making her giggle. "We'll get one of the bags from the car... Do you...uh... want me to take any other stuff home?"

Minyoung looks around the place and shakes her head, "I'm giving my desktop to my nephew. The couch and refrigerator came with the house and I'm leaving the bed and study behind. You have better appliances so I'm just going to give the TV, dining table, and microwave to my parents. I'll ask them if they want anything else coz I don’t know what to do with them really…I'll bring the remaining stuff myself. But I'll need my car for that. Can you bring my car from your place tomorrow? No, you need to go to work... Or I could come with you... No, but Heechul went out of the way to help. Or we should just do this over the weekend…I think I'll just take a taxi back to your place after Heechul leav- why are you looking like that?"

Minyoung means Changwook's judgemental slackjawed expression she doesn't know the cause of. "Coz you're talking about leaving stuff with your parents but you haven't told them yet. Also you should stop calling it 'your place' already."

Minyoung doesn't comment on that last bit. Her slight blush is telling enough. "I... called my parents... on the way here..." Changwook blinks owlishly, waiting for more. When she doesn't continue, he deduced what she's saying.

Looking a bit confused, he checks his phone. "It's not on silent and I don't have any calls or texts. Haaaw!" He gasps dramatically, "are they going to just show up without warning and give me the third degree?!"

It takes Minyoung a few seconds to understand what's making him panic before she chuckles and waves off his worries. "Don't worry... They took it very well. Surprised me too. Until today I always thought my parents would never let me live with another man."

"Really?" Changwook looks so cute when he's happy and relieved. "Well I do have a lot of charms." Now that smugness she has to ruin. "Don't get cocky. Eomma likes your- the fancy house a little too much. And Appa is telling me how I should take care of your bikes."

"The house and bikes are part of my many charms." Minyoung gives him a look telling him to drop the smug act. The boyish smile he has now is more like him. Coyly he wraps his arm around her tiny waist, and instead of pulling her close, he steps towards her flush against her front. "You know, there's room for one more person in my car."

Minyoung cranes her neck to give him a flirtatious look, "are you asking me to get rid of Heechul?"

"I wish. But your surprises for today aren't over yet. So I'll have to go home alone."

"You're not going to stay?"

"And be the fourth wheel in your party? Nah, I'll just cuddle your pillow tonight."

Minyoung pulls away a little, frowning intensely. Her plan was to pack a little, have the dinner they brought from Heechul's place, send Heechul home and then head to Changwook's. And Heechul's brought way too much food, including the cake Yoochun had bought. It's enough even for Changwook's appetite that's only a little smaller than Changmin's.

"I'm coming home tonight?" Minyoung doesn't know why it came out as a question. She did intend to do that. But he pecks her lips and shakes his head. "No, you're not. You have one more surprise remember?"

Minyoung was about to demand an explanation to his cryptic behaviour but Heechul returns from her little adventure. "Whew! I didn't think climbing back up a fire escape would be such an exercise!" She shuts the door behind her and leans on it catching her breath, "honestly the incomplete ladder freaked me out more than I expected. It's good that you won't be living here anymore."

Minyoung slips out of Changwook's grip and gets Heechul some water. "Kim Heechul, if you need some fresh air you can help me carry the boxes to my car," Heechul takes Changwook's offer and carries one box of work stuff and a bag of Minyoung's framed photographs.

Changwook follows her with two boxes, "I'll give He