It’s Saturday evening. Hyerim and Hyeyoon were lost in an alleyway in Itaewon, searching for a place to eat. They were hungry from shopping all afternoon. Hyerim was delighted that she could buy her younger sister a lot of new clothes. It was the first time she ever got Hyeyoon anything.

Most of the restaurants were packed with diners and they couldn’t find any places that weren’t full. Hyerim spots an odd looking door that didn’t look like it belonged to a restaurant. She wanted to check it out.

“Let’s go inside there,” Hyerim points to the door.

Hand in hand they entered the place and were surprised to find themselves in a cozy bistro that specializes in broiled eels. There were only a few customers eating. It was the perfect place to have dinner to end their first real weekend out in Seoul.

They got seated in a corner booth and immediately ordered everything they wanted from the menu. The waiter told them that their food will be served in about 10 minutes. Both of the sisters were starving and couldn’t wait to eat.

“This place looks great unnie, I bet they have delicious food too,” Hyeyoon remarks.

“I’m glad I found it!”

The two of them giggle like schoolgirls. Both of them were in good moods, especially Hyerim. She was nearly bursting with joy from seeing her sister smiling and enjoying herself.

New customers enter the place, two guys who Hyeyoon could immediately recognize. It was Taeil and Haechan. The boys spotted their housekeeper with another girl and Haechan couldn’t contain his excitement from seeing Hyeyoon.

They walked to the booth. Hyerim didn’t know who these guys were but she thought they were very handsome. She thinks the guy with the tomato red hair was particularly attractive and totally her type.

“Noona! I didn’t think we would run into you here!” Haechan says as soon as they were close enough to the table.

“Hello Ms. Han,” Taeil greets her. He notices the beautiful lady seated next to Ms. Han, “oh, hello! I’m Taeil and you are?”

“I’m Han Hyerim, Hyeyoon’s older sister,” Hyerim introduces herself.

The two guys bow at her politely. Taeil was immediately smitten by Hyerim. She was just as pretty as Ms. Han. Actually, she was much prettier in his opinion. He smiled at Hyerim and did his best to not stare at her pretty almost cat-like face.

“Would it be okay if we shared this table with you?” Taeil asks.

Haechan was amazed at his hyung’s boldness. Taeil isn’t the most social in NCT 127. He hasn’t really spoken much to Hyeyoon during the times they met at the dorm but now he wants to share a seat with her? Hyerim was probably the reason, Haechan thought.

“Sure,” Hyerim answers. Hyeyoon smiles at Haechan and Taeil. Although she wanted to maintain a professional boundary with them, it seemed rude if she declined their offer.

This morning, Hyeyoon’s thoughts were actually occupied with Taeyong and the drive-thru meal they shared together the other day. She undeniably enjoyed being with him. It took a lot of effort for her to say no to his suggestion to go to Han river. If she had said yes, it would’ve been as if she allowed her feelings to pour out and admit to herself that she liked him. She didn’t want to develop any romantic feelings for him.

If she didn’t know any better, she would have started to think he was feeling a similar way towards her too but she stops herself. Why would Taeyong ever like a girl like me? I’m just their housekeeper. He was just probably really trying to make up for causing her injury. The guy was just being nice.

But her Taeyong-filled thoughts were soon erased when she went out with Hyerim. They’ve never ever done this before, shopping and having fun like normal young adult girls. Hyeyoon was having the time of her life. She didn’t know trying out clothes and buying stuff would be so fun.

So this is what it feels like, she thought to herself all afternoon. This is what it felt like to live for yourself and buy things that you wanted without worrying if this will affect whether you’re dad gets his medicine or if this means mom needs to borrow money to pay our bills.

“Have you ordered already, noona?” Haechan asks Hyeyoon.

“Yes, we’re just waiting for our food to be served.”

Haechan nods and starts skimming through the menu. The waiter arrives with the food that the girls ordered. Haechan’s mouth watered from the delicious-looking broiled eels and other dishes laid on the table.

“We’ll order everything they ordered!” he tells the waiter.

The two sisters offered the guys to share their food but they said they can just wait until their own dishes arrive.

“You can eat first Ms. Hyerim and Hyeyoon noona!” Haechan says.

“I hope we’re not being rude, but we’re both starving,” Hyerim says, feeling a bit embarrassed and shy but she starts eating right away.

“So what do you for a living Ms. Hyerim?” Taeil tries striking up a conversation with her as she eats.

“I’m a junior sales officer at J Company,” she answers, trying to cover full of rice and eel.

Taeil found her completely cute when she did this. She was having difficulty slicing up the pieces of food so he cuts them up in small bite-sized pieces for her. She bows and thanks him.

Taeil smiles at her, “no need for words of thanks. This is nothing.”

“Do you happen to know our group, NCT 127? Have you heard any of our songs before?” Taeil asks.

“I’m sorry but I’ve never heard any of your songs. But, I’m not really into pop music in general.”

Taeil was about to ask her what kind of music she likes when Haechan spoke, “how about you noona?” he asks Hyeyoon.

Haechan also cut up her food into small pieces when he saw Taeil doing it for Hyerim. The two sisters found the guys so gentlemanly.

“I haven’t listened to any of your songs too,” Hyeyoon admits, feeling a bit ashamed that she never really checked out their music. She wasn’t really a music fan and prefers doing quiet activities like reading books.

“Really?” Haechan acted like he was stabbed in the chest. “I’m hurt noona!”

“Sorry,” Hyeyoon cuckles at Haechan’s acting.

The waiter comes back with the food that the boys ordered and the four of them stopped talking for a moment as they focused on eating. The food tasted great and they ended up ordering more.

The four of them enjoyed both the food and the company they shared. Their banter flowed out pleasantly and by the end of their meal, their stomachs and hearts were full of good food and good conversation. Taeil was happy he got to make the two girls laugh, especially Hyerim. Surprisingly, the two of them had a lot of things in common. Even if they just met, they immediately hit it off.

Hyeyoon and Haechan went outside while Hyerim and Taeil settled the bill. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward since it’s now just the two of them. Meanwhile, inside the restaurant, Hyerim and Taeil were both offering to pay for all of their food.

Taeil insisted to pay, saying since he was the oldest it should be him who should be paying. At first, Hyerim rejected this but she eventually let him do it. He pays for the food with his credit card. He musters up the courage to ask for her number while the cashier settled the payment.

“I hope I’m not being rude but can I ask for your number, Ms. Hyerim?” he tries to say as confidently as possible.

Hyerim was flattered and ecstatic that he asked. She says yes and he gives her his phone. She could feel her cheeks burning up as she dialed her number. Taeil was over the moon as he watched her type.

This girl could really be the one, Taeil thought.

She glances up at him a bit shyly as she gives his phone back. He smiles gently at her, “when are you free? I’d love to take you out for dinner, just the two of us.”

She loved how confident he was. Everything about him was so charming for her that she can’t resist him. She thinks for a moment before answering, “friday night would be nice.”

This makes Taeil smile widely. Although he seemed confident, he was shaking all over from the nerves and the butterflies in his stomach but was able to hide it from her. He just couldn’t believe that Hyerim seemed to like him too.

“Great, I’ll text you about our dinner once I make the reservations,” he guides her out of the restaurant and they spot Haechan and Hyeyoon awkwardly standing around in the corner. They were wondering what was taking them so long to pay.

Hyeyoon sees them walking towards were she and Haechan were standing. Hyerim waves at her. Her unnie and Taeil had the same bright smiles on their faces.

"Mr. Taeil payed for our meal," Hyerim says when they arrived.

"Really? Thank you so much Mr. Taeil," Hyeyoon says.

“You’re welcome Ms. Han.” He smiles at her.

I should be the one thanking you, he thinks to himself. If they didn’t run into Hyeyoon today, he wouldn’t have met her beautiful older sister.

“We should get going now,” Hyerim says as she links her arm around her younger sister.

“Bye and thank you for the meal,” she says while looking at Taeil who was staring right back at her with a very thrilled smile on his face.

They wave goodbye and separate ways. The girls head to the bus station while the guys waited for their manager, Ingyu, to come pick them up. Taeil couldn’t wipe the smile off his face which earns him a teasing comment from his younger member.

“You’ve fallen in love at first sight, didn’t you hyung?”

Taeil elbows Haechan. He just shakes his head and laughs the question off. Ingyu soon arrives with their company van. Somebody else from the inside opens the door, it was Jaehyun.

“Jaehyun hyung? Why are you here?” Haechan was a little surprised to see him. He heard his hyung went out to Itaewon last night but he went out again tonight? It was very unlike him.

“I was invited again by the 97 liner guys, get in,” Jaehyun opens the door wider and the two of them get in. They say hi to their Ingyu hyung as they settle inside the van.

“You’ve been going out with them often lately,” Taeil comments. He slides the van door shut and Ingyu starts driving to their apartment.

“I didn’t actually want to go out tonight but they really insisted. There’s this hyung we knew who just opened a new restaurant and the guys wanted to go eat there to support him. I thought it would be rude if I didn’t go.”

“Was the food good there? I’m looking for a nice place to eat with someone…” Taeil asks.

“No way! You already scored a date with Ms. Hyerim?!” Haechan yells.

Jaehyun and Ingyu, who was also listening to the guys while he drove, were suddenly very interested. Who was Ms. Hyerim? They wondered. Jaehyun gave Haechan a questioning look.

“Ms. Hyerim is Hyeyoon noona’s older sister. We ran into them at the eel restaurant and we all ended up eating together.” the youngest answers. He points at Taeil and continues, “hyung fell for Ms. Hyerim right away!”

“Oh ho, Taeil you just met her but you already managed to ask her out? I should learn a thing or two from you, hyungnim!” Ingyu jokes.

“Ingyu hyung…” Taeil was starting to feel shy. They all laugh at his reaction.

Ingyu continues teasing Taeil while Haechan half-defends-half-teases along with him. Jaehyun just laughed at the three of them without saying anything. He was feeling tired and his stomach hurted a bit.

Maybe I just ate too much, he tells himself.

Eventually, their conversation died down. Taeil got on his phone and started searching for restaurant recommendations. Meanwhile, Jaehyun’s stomach was beginning to hurt more.

Haechan looked out the window and watched the night streets of Seoul passing by, his thoughts only about Hyeyoon. She looked so much happier tonight than all the times he’s seen her. When they first met and had a welcome party for her she was also smiling and laughing along with them but he noticed she would have quick moments when she seemed sad and lonely. He couldn’t see any of that this time which made him so happy.

He really put an effort to show that he liked her during the entire meal they shared. Despite this, he noticed that she really wasn’t returning any of the interest that he was showing to her. Unlike her older sister, who was basically flirting all throughout the meal with his Taeil hyung. Not that he minded their flirting. He was actually happy and found it cute that the two of them were instantly attracted to each other and weren’t afraid to show it.

When he was alone with Hyeyoon outside the restaurant, it suddenly became awkward between the two of them. He was starting to think he and Hyeyoon were actually incompatible. He did really like her but he was having doubts about whether he had a chance at making her like him too.

He shakes the thoughts away. Haechan’s not going to give up on his feelings just because of that. Maybe if I get to spend more time with noona, then she’ll see more of my charms. I could find out what she likes and she could get to know me too. Even if we don’t like similar things, don’t they say opposites attract?

Haechan is determined to win her heart. But if noona finds someone else that she truly likes… then maybe I’ll give up on her.