Mina POV:

Ding Donnnggggg!

The doorbell resounds in the house and I hear my heartbeat speeding up in my ears and I notice that Nayeon still seems nervous as well.

It makes me think of the time when we first met and I just said the words “thank you” and she remained mute… or when she wanted to ask for my number, and, instead, ended up being a stuttering mess. I thought it was really cute and immediately took the opportunity to give her my number and discretely memorize hers, in case that she never dared to text me.

Thinking about it makes me forget my nervousness since all my attention is on making her feel better.

“Just be yourself, they’ll fall in love with you just as I did” I reassure her. 

She gives me a gummy smile that shows her cute bunny teeth. Just when I was thinking about kissing her one last time, the door opens revealing the two smiley faces of my parents. My father’s smile disappears as soon as he sees my girlfriend while my mum’s smile remains plastered unnaturally on her face, even though this “meeting” was “organized” so they could meet the girl I’m in love with.

I hug my parents and as soon as I touch them, they seem to relax a bit and I feel the warmness of their loving embrace around me.

When the contact is broken, there is an awkward silence in which I can almost hear them wondering if they have to hug Nayeon, or just be plainly polite. They seem to choose the awkward politeness as my dad shakes Nayeon’s hand for a while. My mom notices the uncomfortable situation and elbows my dad’s side while welcoming us inside. It’s hard for me to restrain my laugh when I hear my dad making a hurt noise while rubbing the abused area on his ribs. Nayeon doesn’t notice since we already got into the house. My mom helps me removing my coat then awkwardly stands in front of my girlfriend who already removed it and passes it to her before bowing a bit and muttering: "thank you, okāsan". My dad emerges from the outside and closes the front door of the house behind him while my mom is engulfed by the kitchen.

“Please make yourselves at home.” He says with a not-so-forced smile.

He guides us to the living room. When my girlfriend is distracted by the dog who is cutely observing her with big eyes, my dad leads me to the dining room, grabbing my wrist. I stop walking when I see that he wants us to go upstairs. He slowly releases my wrist. He seems a little bit nervous since he scratches his neck. It’s his nervous habit when he wants to tell something but doesn’t know how to.

“I’m glad to see you again, Mina-chan. I-I… missed you so much.” He hugs me again, but this time, it’s different, it’s a warm, honest hug. It’s as if he’s releasing all his sadness for not seeing me for such a long time as if he’s telling me that he loves me no matter what.

I break the hug after a while. He stares into my orbs without a smile but with a sort of fascination. It’s as if I can perceive his thoughts without being able to read them. His eyes suddenly become dully. That’s when he asks in a serious tone:

“Is it her? The girl you’ve been talking about? Im Nayeon?”

I just nod several times in a quite quick pace.

“Is it serious?” He adds, with a softer voice this time, almost whispering.

“Yes,” I answer smiling but with a serious and determined tone. I can almost perceive a small twinkle in his eye, but I can hear my mom talking to Nayeon.

“Do you have a job?”

“Huh?” I can hear her answer.

I decide to go save her. My dad follows me with an amused smile.

Some minutes later… 

“So, you’re a nurse in which hospital?” 

“Mom let her breathe a little,” I say, chuckling at my mother’s impatience and staring at the feast that my parents have prepared. We’re all around the wooden table. Nayeon and I, side to side, and, in front of us, my parents. My dad is in front of me, while, for the death of my poor girlfriend, my mum is in front of Nayeon.

“I’m a doctor at Seoul’s Hospital, and I’m studying brain surgery so I can be officially a surgeon,” Nayeon answers anyway. I notice her hand playing with the edge of her skirt under the table, and I take it, rubbing my thumb over it, trying to silently tell her to relax, which she does as I feel her body relax and her face brighten.

“Isn’t it nice? Our girl found a smart and pretty girl” Dad says with a childish demeanour to his wife. I think dad notices our silent talk. He smiles an honest gummy smile.

“She was the best student of her prom and also the prettiest…” I add.

“Oh! Even better” My dad chuckles.

Nayeon feels slightly embarrassed by my father’s praises and my comment