o 2 5 ;

It was a day before my 22^nd birthday. Woohyun had rang my house phone personally, told Na Eun his intention of wanting to speak to me and my cousin readily gave the phone to me when I walked past her in the living room.

I raised an eyebrow questioningly, to which she just shrugged her shoulders and hurried up the stairs before I could even ask her anything else.

I let out a loud sigh into the phone. “Hello?”

“You don’t sound thrilled at the thought of talking to me,” he commented straightforwardly, before quickly saying, “If I caught you at a bad timing, I can just call back later.”

“Woohyun?” I guessed, genuinely surprised.

“Were you expecting someone else?”

“No...” I said quickly, shifting the phone over to my other ear and made a beeline for the couch. “I’m just...surprised. To what do I honour the call?”

He chuckled lightly. “I was wondering...if you’re free today? I thought of asking you out.”

I stifled back my laughter. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

He paused for a moment, and I can picture him scratching his head, trying to come up with an excuse.

“Well...it’s your birthday tomorrow, right?”

“How did you – “

“I have my ways,” he interjected, and I could imagine him flashing his mischievous boyish grin at me. “So will you, Chorong? Go out with me today?”

I twirled the phone cord around my index finger. “I don’t really celebrate birthdays though...”

“We’re not going to really celebrate it – “

“And why today?” I cut him off abruptly.

He went silent again. I pressed the phone closer to my ear, curious as to whether he had actually hung up on me, but just then, he spoke up again.

“You might have someone else you want to spend the day with tomorrow,” he said in a voice quieter than before. “I just need a bit of your time today.”

I had a feeling I was going to regret it, knowing it was Woohyun and all, but still I said “Okay. Give me an hour.”

“Alright,” I heard him heaving a sigh of relief. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Later.”

~

“Is this really your car?” I asked him about an hour later when he came by to pick me up in a black Hyundai. He got out off the car to greet me, while opening the passenger’s side door for me.

“Nah,” he replied. “I share it with my Dad. I just use it for...special occasions. Shall we?”

I gave him a look and he just returned me with one of his many famous grins, gesturing for me to get in. I turned my head and looked up at my cousin’s room, where I know Na Eun was watching us closely behind the curtains.

I made a face at her too and I saw her shadow moved. I turned back my attention to Woohyun, who was still patiently holding on to the car door while he waited for me to climb in.

When both of my legs were safely tucked in, he gently closed the door after and went round to the driver’s side before getting into the car himself. All the while, I was watching him closely – even though I had no idea which part I had found fascinating.

Probably, the whole of it. This new, changed Woohyun who has grown up into a fine, young man – one who is very careful with his manners; even stretching out to fasten my seatbelt for me when I had seemingly forgotten about it.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” I said when he leaned over to pull the strap and locked it for me. “I didn’t – “

“I know,” he smiled at me knowingly as he put on his own seatbelt and started the car. “I am that distracting.”

~

The atmosphere in the car was pretty much quiet throughout the whole journey. Except for the songs that came from the car radio, everything else was simply filled with our occasional coughs or clearing of throats.

When we reached another traffic light, I turned away from the window and looked over at him.

Woohyun had clean up quite well for the day – wearing a black button down shirt, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, matched with faded dark denim. His usual floppy hair that I had seen him with during his work shifts, was styled up accordingly, without much extravagance. It actually brought out his sharp, chiselled jawline even more.

And as much as I hated to admit it, he actually looked ridiculously handsome – making me feel as though I was the one underdressed, with my simple white floral sundress and leathered sandals.

“You’re going to burn a hole through my face if you keep staring at me like that.”

My face flushed with embarrassment as I quickly averted my gaze away and looked up straight at the road up ahead.

Woohyun laughed as he started driving again when the lights turned green.

“Aren’t you curious about where I am taking you to? Or, you don’t mind at all about the fact that I’m kidnapping you for the day?” he stole a quick glance at me.

“I was just about to ask you,” I defended myself.

“Okay. Please do.”

I shot him a bewildered look.

“Nicely, please.”

I crossed my arms across my chest. “Fine. Mr Nam, if you would kindly tell me, where are we heading to actually?”

I could see him trying hard to hold back his laughter as he made a right turn at the next intersection.

“Oh well Ms Park, how do you feel about karaoke?”

“WHAT?!”

~

“I don’t sing in public, Woohyun.” I tried to protest as he dragged me along the corridor, towards the room where he had apparently booked for us. “And I certainly will not sing in front of you.”

“Oh come on, Chorong. Lighten up.” We stopped right outside a door marked 7 and he slowly pushed it open. “After you.”

“I am not going in,” I stubbornly said as I stood my ground and challenged him with defying eyes. He held my gaze steadily.

“Okay, fine. You can either walk in yourself, or I can lift you up and carry you in. Your choice.”

I glared at him and stormed inside.

“Works for me,” I heard him muttering under his breath from behind.

“Why here, anyway?” I threw up my hands. “Why karaoke?”

“Because...” he began, already making his way towards the television set and took out a pair of microphones. “You’d be surprised at how relieved you’ll feel after the session. Singing...or screaming, whatever suits you, can actually help you release stress.”

He handed me a microphone, which I took with much hesitance.

“Would you like me to go first?” he asked as he picked up the remote control and made himself comfortable on the couch, while flipping through the long list of songs available.

“What makes you think I am stressed?” I asked instead, taking a seat beside him.

“I found you drunk, Chorong – in case you’ve forgotten. And, you were blabbering gibberish stuffs.”

“What did I say?”

I could see the muscle in his jaw clenching up and his fingers which were pressing the buttons, tensed for a moment, but he quickly covered it all up by saying, “I couldn’t really tell. But you sounded pretty strained. Oh well...even if you aren’t, you can always use this break. Hey, this is my favourite.”

I looked at the screen.

“Tell Me? Wonder Girls’ Tell Me is your favourite?”

“Hey!” he protested. “It’s a cute song! Don’t judge.”

“I’m not.” I hid my smile. “Not unless you dance along to it too.”

“Hoho...is that a dare?”

I stared into his eyes. “Chicken?”

“No! Fine, be prepared to be awed by my performance.”

Woohyun got up from his seat just as the song started, and before he even made the first sway, I had already burst out laughing.

By the time he finished singing the song with his epic dance movements, I was already in tears.