The family were sitting around the small rounded dining table while eating their breakfast solemnly.

Jihyun was washing the dishes when Soonkyu came out from his room with his jacket on.

Jihyun nodded as she patted his cheeks. “Take care.”

The fresh morning breeze greeted gently as Sunyoung dragged her bike out of the gate along with Sooyeon. “Eonni, are you sure you won’t use the bike to go there?”

“Yah, look I’m in skirt now, girl.” The older pointed down at her plain black skirt.

“Ah, that’s right..” Sunyoung scratched her head. “So! let me ride you there then!” The girl grinned but received a light slap on her head. “Aa!”

“Aigoo, you’re kidding me! I prefer walking thousand miles than being on ride with you!” Sooyeon stuck her tongue out and ruffled Sunyoung’s hair.

“Aish! Eonni! I’m not that bad you know!” the younger pouted as she combed her messy hair with her fingers.

Sooyeon snorted. “Yeah, just look at those scratches on your legs. Just how many times you fell though.”  Sooyeon sneered teasingly then looked at her watch. “Omo, I’ll be late now. You should be quick too! Be careful, okay?” the older kissed her cheek then waved her goodbye. Sunyoung pouted as she watched her sister running down the street. She sighed, knowing what she should do next. She had to be quick or else her mother would scold her. She sighed and took out the shopping list from her jacket pocket. Her eyes bulged out as she saw the long list. She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

“It will take years to buy all of these things! Aissh!” She mussed her hair in frustation. “Ah, whatever!” She quickly hopped onto her bike and rode to the opposite direction.

Soonkyu parked his bike in front of a bakery. A middle-age man was standing by its doorstep when a truck just arrived. He called his workers inside then three men came out from the bakery to help opening the trunk.

“Ooh, Soonkyu! Come on, let’s start unloading these boxes!” he motioned him to the truck.

“Okay!” The boy obeyed and started doing the work. Soonkyu had been working as part-timer in Lee Changmin’s bakery named DoubleMin. Apparently, the bakery name was a combined name from Changmin and his wife, Min. People just simply found it sweet.

For Soonkyu, Changmin and Min were like his family. They’re not just offering him job but also taking care of him like part of their family. And he was very grateful with that.

“Yah..” she blinked and watched the kid running away with his bike. Sunyoung gasped as she immediately paddled foward with maximum speed.

“YAH! WAIT! YOU PUNK! GET BACK HERE! YOU’RE SO DEAD!”

“Stay A—Akh!!” she yelped and held her waist as a sudden pain jolted her once again.

Soonkyu felt more guilty and came nearer. “Where is your home? Let me ride you there.”

“No need to—aaaw!” But the pain was no joke.

“Aish, eomma would kill me!”

“Are you okay?” he then looked down at her leg, which was bleeding. “Let’s get out from here. We need to clean your wound.” He gripped her shoulders tightly, Sunyoung was trying to get away but no avail as he insisted and carefully led her out of the mudhole.

Sunyoung was sitting on a bench, in front of an unfamiliar small restaurant. She's new here so no wonder. She was rather clean now after washing her face. The boy was kneeling down in front of her, carefully sticking a bandage on her leg.

“Now you’re done! Come on, let me ride you home.”

“I will go home alone.” She mumbled.

“You...” Soonkyu squinted his eyes on her. “Are you sure?”

Sunyoung didn’t give an answer as she got up, walking past him then looking at the remained groceries that were survived from the mud. She sighed in frustation, mentally preparing what she should say to her mother. Her mom would go berserk. She took all her belongings and put them on her bike before dragging it along. She bit her lips, hardly enduring the pain that kept stinging on her waist. Her hand involuntarily touching it.

“Yah, wait up!”

Soonkyu forced himself to follow her behind. He would feel guilty if he let her walking home like that. Somehow, he was worried if she could make it to her home. He immediately ran to her when he saw her stopped and bent down.

“Yah, are you okay?”

“You think?!” The girl snapped and painfully furrowed her brows. Soonkyu sighed as he took all her groceries aside. “Come on, let me ride you home.”

“No!”

“Yah, I’m helping you here! You should be thankful!”

The girl glared at him. “What?! Thanks?! Yah! You are the cause why I fell! And look my bike is broken now!” she berated. “So, no need to thank.”

“What?” Soonkyu placed his hands on his waist, shaking his head. “Miss, do you know that you’re really annoying? You’re the one who rode your bike in high speed and turned around and ‘BAM!’ you ran to the mudhole!”

“What! Yah! If you’re not there! I would never fall to that mudhole! You punk!” she defended.

Soonkyu heaved a deep sigh and looked at the girl who was turning away from him. There was no point to argue with this girl anymore. “Okay, I’m at fault, okay? Happy? Now, come on, let me take you home.” He was going to drag the broken bike aside but was stopped by her.

“I don’t want to! Get off! Give me my bike!” the girl harshly pushed him away as she snatched her bike from him. Soonkyu fell down and looked up at the girl in disbelief. She was so annoying. He apparently lost his patience as he quickly stood up and grabbed her hand.

“Once again talk, I’ll kiss you!” he blurted out with glare.

Sunyoung widened her eyes in shock. “What?! Are you cra—!” she stopped once he suddenly pushed his face closer to hers.

“I’m pretty serious, alright?” he hissed dangerously. Sunyoung was lost as her whole body tensed, feeling his breath brushing against her face. She couldn’t breath at the moment as they stared at each other in opposite way. He was pissed off and she was afraid.

Soonkyu mentally cursed himself when he spontaneously did that. It was just the girl getting on his nerves. They stared at each other in silence before he quickly backed away. He sighed and took her bike, placing it in the safe place of the building. He then hopped on his bike.

“Your bike is safe here. I’ll fix it later after I ride you home. Now come on.” He patted the empty seat behind him. But the girl was really stubborn. She totally ignored him as she just walked away while carrying her groceries. And Soonkyu wasn’t going to give up that easy. He calmly parked his bike and ran to catch her up and...

Swoop..!

“YAH! GET ME OFF! GET ME OFF! YOU PUNK! GET ME OFF! THE GROCERIES! YAH GET ME OFF!” the girl flailed as she was struggling to get off from his shoulder with all her might, causing the boy walking a bit wobbly. He then put her down beside his bike and glared again.

“Okay, I know I’m at fault! I’m really sorry for the accident! And now I’m here to help you to go home safely. You get it?” he said, raising his voice. The girl could only nod timidly at him.

“Finally...”

He sighed as he collected all the groceries then hopped on to his bike.

“Now, get on.”

She puffed her cheek in annoyance as she carefully climbed on to the seat behind him. Soonkyu stayed silent as he noticed the girl was fidgeting behind him. While she was confused how to keep her balance, Soonkyu instinctively took her hand and placed it on his waist. Sunyoung was startled at his sudden action and quickly drew back her hand causing herself wobbly on the seat. She glared at his back.

“What are you doing!” she bluntly yelled.

Soonkyu sighed in defeat. He was too tired to fire back. “Yah, do you want to fall again? Look, I don’t have any other intention for that. Just hold on to my waist until we reach your home. It’s for your safety, do you get it?” he patiently explained as he slowly placed her hand back to his waist. Sunyoung could only curl her lips and obey him. She shivered a bit at their skin contact. It felt weird for her having her arm on a stranger’s waist. As they were ready, Soonkyu started to ride his bike.

They both stayed quiet along the way. Sunyoung was only thinking what she would face when she got home, while Soonkyu was mentally preparing himself to apologize to her parents.

They finally reached her house. It’s far enough from the market which made him wondering why such a young girl should bought a lot of groceries alone. The two of them stood in silence before Soonkyu finally spoke up.

“So, this is your house.”

The girl nodded.

“Is your father inside?”

She weakly shook her head.

“Your mother?”

She shrugged.

Soonkyu raised a brow as he looked at the girl beside him. She was so loudly before but then went all quiet. He noticed a glimpse of fear on her face, wondering what had bothered her.

He shook off the thought and let out a sigh. “Okay then, I guess I—”

They both looked up when the door was opened.

“Your rice cakes are always the best, Jihyun-ah.”

“Aih, you flatter me too much, Soyeon-ah.”

Soonkyu stoned as he saw his mother coming out from the house. He forgot how to close his mouth as one certain thing hit him hard. So, this house is Park Soyeon’s. He threw his gaze back to the girl.

“So she is her daughter?!”

“Omona, Sunyoung-ah! What’s wrong with you!”

“Soonkyu-ah! Why are you here?”

Sunyoung looked at the woman who was approaching the boy. She sligtly frowned in confusion, looking at the two while her mother walked toward her.

“Aigoo! Did you fell from your bike again? Look how terrible you are!” she scolded as she checked on her and spotted some dirty plastic bags behind her. “Are those my groceries?”

Sunyoung gulped as she lowered her head, feeling her mother’s death stare upon her. “Eomma, these are the groceries. I—I  fell down.“ She wasn’t going to tell that she was robbed. Her mother would definitely kill her.

“What?!” Soyeon instantly fumed.

“I’m sorry!” she whined.“but it hurts, eomma.”

“Whatever! Go inside an— Omo...” Soyeon then turned to Jihyun and Soonkyu who was still there, watching them bickering. The woman forced a smile as she turned her daughter to them.

“Jihyun-ah, this is my second daughter, Park Sunyoung. Sunyoung-ah, this is eomma's friend, Lee Jihyun.”

The daughter also forced a smile at the woman and bowed. “Good afternoon, I’m Park Sunyoung, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Sunyoung-ah.” Jihyun smiled. She then grabbed Soonkyu’s shoulders and turned him to them. “It’s such a great coincidence you two had met before. This is my son, Lee Soonkyu. Soonkyu-ah, this is eomma’s friend, Park Soyeon.”

Soonkyu smiled and bowed as well. “It’s nice to meet you, ahjumma.”

“Aigoo, nice to meet you too. But how could you two meet?”

“He made me fell to the mudhole!” Sunyoung accused and pointed at the boy.

“Yah! How could you be so impolite!” Soyeon quickly slapped her hand down.“Besides you must be the one who’s reckless as always!”

The girl lowered her head down, her face darkened as if she was holding back herself from crying. Soonkyu felt bad at her and decided to speak up.

“No, ahjumma, she’s right, I’m the cause of the accident so that’s why I’m here to apologize to you. I’m sorry!” He bowed to her.

Soyeon looked at him then smiled widely. “Aigoo, Jihyun-ah, how could you have such a polite son like him? It’s okay, Soonkyu-ah, you brought her home safely is just enough. She’s not badly injured though.” she said. Jihyun just smiled while Sunyoung stared at her mother in disbelief. How could she praise that boy and scold her own daughter?

“Eomma, but my waist and legs hurt!” she whined, attempting to get attention from her mother. But what she received was that usual glare.

“Go inside and clean yourself.” She sternly commanded. Sunyoung could only lower her head and walk inside. Soonkyu watched her walking with heavy steps when Soyeon spoke up. 

“Soonkyu-ah, since you’re here, why not have a cup of tea inside? Me and your mother will be out to buy something, we will be back soon. Okay?”

As a polite reply, Soonkyu could only smile and nod.

Jihyun smiled. “It’s okay, Soyeon-ah. She’s maybe just shy.”

Sooyeon laughed again, couldn’t get enough teasing her little sister.

“Why I can’t go with you, eonnie?”

“Yah, are you going to cling on me everytime? You need to make new friends, kid.”

“I’m okay with anyone but him!”

“Heeey, I think he’s not that bad. You’re just exaggerating.” She then pulled up the blanket to cover both of them. “Just forget it okay? let’s sleep.”

The younger nodded as she closed her eyes but opened them again to look at her sister.

“Eonnie...”

Sooyeon opened her eyes as well. “Hmm?”

“Sing a lullaby.”

The older smiled. “Ah, Alright.” she put a hand on Sunyoung’s back, gently as she started humming a lullaby. Sunyoung started to close her eyes as she drowned herself in the lullaby. It’s called Silent Night, their forever favorite song. Back then, when they were childern, when their family was still the happiest one. Their mother would usually sing them lullaby everynight before they went to their dreamland.

But things changed as they grew older. No more lullaby from their mother because she was always back home late, when her childern were already asleep. On those times, every night, little Sunyoung used to ask where their mother was, what she was doing out there, why she wouldn’t sing a lullaby for them anymore. Then she would end up crying while saying how much she missed their mother.

But Sooyeon was always there for her. She would gently embrace her, saying comforting words while patiently explained how much their mother struggling for them and how much she loved them. And when Sunyoung couldn’t sleep at all, Sooyeon would send her to sleep by singing a lullaby.

Sooyeon finally finished her lullaby when she noticed Sunyoung was already asleep with her tiny arm laying on her waist. She smiled then adjusted the blanket to cover the little girl safely.

“Don’t worry for tomorrow.” She her cheek before gently giving a kiss on her forehead. “Good night, Sunyoung-ah.”