*Mirae signed in

Mirae: Hey, Hao! You’re online!

Hao: Hello.

Mirae: I’m dying.

Hao: Why?

Mirae: The new school year has just started and this is my schedule:

Monday: Choir after school from 4 to 7pm.

Tuesday: Math tutorial after school from 4 to 6pm.

Wednesday: Peer tutoring (Second language: Japanese) from 4 to 6pm.

Thursday: Choir after school till 4pm to 7pm.

Friday: Sewing classes with Jaejoong till Gawd knows what time.

Saturday: Do all my homework and revision while watching the week’s collated Super Junior videos.

Sunday: Go to church, pray for Daddy’s happiness. Come back home to study for spelling test and surprise quizzes.

Hao: I don’t think you can cope. You hardly have any time to yourself. Can’t you cut back on the trip to church? You can always pray at home.

Mirae: I THINK IT’S MORE EFFECTIVE TO PRAY AT A RELIGIOUS PLACE but more so because I want to hide behind the confession booth and eavesdrop on juicy stuff. 

Hao: You are impossible. Don’t do that.

Mirae: Come on, Hao! This is our last chance to do crazy stuff and be able to get away with it because we’re still so called ‘in our playful years’. When we hit teenage hood, our parents will start breathing down our necks and hiring spies to watch and report our every move.

Hao: You sound like your Dad doesn’t have much trust you.

Mirae: Actually, my Daddy doesn’t have to hire spies. He just takes one look at me and he can already tell whether I’ve been up to no good or not.

Hao: Sounds terrifying.

Mirae: I know right! *shivers.

Hao: I need to get back to my work or else I’ll never be able to sleep tonight. I’ll talk to you soon, Mirae. Bye.

Mirae: Bye, Hao! Love you.

Hao: Wait…what?

Mirae: OH CRAP, I JUST TYPED THAT OUT. TTTTTTTT!

Hao: You what me?

Mirae: As a FRIEND! As a FRIEND!

Hao: Okay…bye.

Sumire face palmed.

“! How could I be so careless!?” Sumire closed the conversation window and leaned back in her chair.

She then chuckled to herself in the confines of her room, with the only source of light coming from her desktop.

It was strange to feel an attraction towards someone whom she had never met before. Shaking her head to get rid of her thoughts, she pulled out a stack of practice papers from her haversack and sighed as she flipped to the page where she had last stopped.

There was a knock on the door and Sumire made an irritated grunt because after all, she was doing Math (yuck), so any kind of distraction would easily send the said homework into the bottom of the assignment pile so she could work on something easier, which was everything else except for Math.

“What!?” She glared hard (she successfully picked it up from her Daddy and practiced it in front of the mirror every night before she slept so as to keep the bullies at school in place) in the direction of her bedroom door and watched it open, revealing Yunho, with his face as per usual void of all emotions.

“Dinner is ready.” Yunho stated while switching the lights on.

“I’m not hungry.” She sulked and it was no surprise when she subconsciously capped the pen she was using and pushed the Math homework to the far end of the table, with her other hand reaching out to slide the spelling list before her.

“I’m not buying that.” Yunho was now beside Sumire so when she turned her head once more to answer him, she jumped in her seat in shock, “Is it that tough?” Yunho flipped though the abandoned Math practice papers.

“No, it’s not hard,” she half lied, “I was in the zone earlier and you just had to ruin everything by knocking on the door.”

Yunho raised a brow, “I guess an apology will not suffice. How about I write down the answers for every question so it’ll be somewhat easier for you to complete this?”

Sumire finally broke into a smile, “You’re awesome, Daddy. Thanks.”

Yunho picked up a pencil and started scribbling at the speed of light, “Would you eat if I brought your food in here?”

“Erm…maybe?” Sumire replied hesitantly, “I haven’t been eaten much lately.”

“I know, your lousily hidden snacks in the fridge haven’t moved at all.”

“HEY!” Sumire playfully nudged Yunho and grinned when he didn’t even bother to dodge it.

“Done.” Yunho placed the homework on the top pile of assignments, “I think you’re too stressed out with school, so why don’t you-” he pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pants pocket and handed it to her, “relax a little.”

Sumire wanted to ask what it was but Yunho had already disappeared like a ninja to bring dinner in for her, so she opened the paper and scanned though it.

It was a confirmation slip for VIP tickets to the upcoming Super Junior concert in a week’s time and she had been crying for countless of nights because it was sold out in the blink of an eye. 

“HOW DID YOU GET THESE!?” Sumire squished Yunho to death the second he stepped into her room with awesome smelling food on a tray.

“Connections.” Yunho replied nonchalantly and placed the dinner on Sumire’s study desk, “Please wipe the table after you’re done with your meal. Good night.”

“Daddy, I love you so much!” Sumire jumped on her chair to kiss Yunho on the lips but the sneaky ninja whipped his head sideways at the last minute so it barely landed on his cheek. She pouted childishly and crossed her arms in front of her chest in feign anger, “Okay, fine, I know you’re reserving your lips for Young Mi, but at least let me have your cheeks okay?”

Yunho rolled his eyes and left the room, leaving Sumire to coo at how cute and awesome her Daddy was.

Young Mi was standing alone at the corner of the ballroom sipping on champagne. She shouldn’t have agreed to attend Min Ji, aka Kyuhyun’s current girlfriend’s birthday party slash class reunion.

All everyone was asking her about was why she and Kyuhyun weren’t together anymore since they were the star couple back in college, with everyone admiring how well they complemented each other.

“I should just slip out now,” Young Mi downed the rest of the drink in the champagne flute and did her best to sneak out of the place, only to feel someone reach out to lightly squeeze her shoulder a few seconds later.

The journalist turned and wore a small smile on her face when she realised it was the birthday girl herself, “Hey, where are you off to? It couldn’t be that you’re leaving already right?!”   

Young Mi cursed in her head before laughing awkwardly, “Of course not, just…err…heading to the washroom.”

“Oh,” Min Ji laughed as well, “Let’s chat a little after you get back from the toilet then.”

“Nah, it’s okay, why don’t we talk while seated down?” Young Mi grabbed a chair at the nearest table, with the birthday girl following suit, “So, what do you want to talk about?”

Min Ji laughed, “You sound like as if you’re in a rush to go somewhere, are you sure you don’t need that trip to the toilet?”

Young Mi shook her head, “I’m fine.”

“I heard you’re still working at Blitz,” Min Ji spoke with shiny eyes, “So how’s it like working there?”

“It’s great, extremely challenging and everyone’s always running around, but it’s a great feeling when you get everything done in time and to your superior’s expectations.”

“Kyuhyun’s working there too…” Min Ji stated with a slightly less excited tone, “I don’t understand why but when I asked, he just said he wanted that kind of an environment to work in.”

“That’s the same answer he told me when I asked why he joined Blitz.”

“And he’s working in your department too,” Min Ji replied flatly.

Young Mi raised a brow, “Are you insinuating something here?”

Min Ji took in a deep breath before looking the latter in the eyes, “I can’t help but be suspicious. I mean, you both were-”

“We. Are. Over.” Young Mi enunciated each word with a terribly bitter tone, “And do I strike you as someone so underhanded?”

“I’m sorry…it's just…Kyuhyun’s been so off lately.” Min Ji slumped back in her seat.

The illness.

Young Mi sighed, ‘Looks like he hasn’t told her yet.’

“Let me assure you, I’m already taken, so don’t worry about me going around being a relationship wrecker.” Young Mi got up and was about to leave when she saw Kyuhyun approaching them. The journalist gave him a heated look, “You better explain your situation to her, because she’s thinking way too much.”

“I’m sorry,” Kyuhyun apologised but Young Mi held up a hand to shut him up.

“Just solve this whole mess, see you at work next Monday.” Young Mi walked off.

“She thinks I’m cheating with him behind her back.” Young Mi muttered with a deep frown as she pretended the dough she was kneading in her hands were Kyuhyun and Min Ji’s faces.

Yunho watched with mild mirth on the sidelines as he prepared the egg wash.

“Like I would ever go back to him, EWW! Wasted so much precious time being in love with a total weakling. Young Mi, you really are a big idiot.”

Yunho couldn’t help but laugh this time, and the ex-Fashion Assistant flushed red for being too loud and embarrassing herself.

“I take it that the party was not at all enjoyable.” Yunho spoke.

Young Mi gave a small nod in reply.

“Why did you even bother?” Yunho lightly pushed Young Mi aside so he could save the dough from being destroyed by the younger’s anger.

“I only went for the class reunion bit…” Young Mi replied, “but didn’t expect them to interrogate me instead of catching up on what’s going on with each others’ lives.”

Yunho could only sigh as he added chocolate chips into the dough and kneaded it once more.

“I want stars.” Young Mi slid the cookie cutter before Yunho.

“Okay.”

“I want hearts too,” she fished out another cutter from the drawer.

“Okay.”

“I want fishes as well.”

“Okay.”

“I want a hug.”

“O- what? There’s a cutter for that?” Yunho looked into the opened drawer but chuckled to himself when he finally realised what Young Mi actually meant, “It seems that my brain's getting slower with age.”

“It's not, so don't worry. I was just going one big round to sneakily ask for something.”

“Why don’t you just do it, I’m occupied at the moment.”

Young Mi giggled like a kid and hugged the elder from the back, “How does it feel?”

“Convenient.”

“ARGH, YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!” Young Mi pouted but couldn’t help but laugh in her heart.

“But do you really want the cookies in the shapes of stars and hearts and fishes?” Yunho asked.

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Thanks, Yunho, I feel better already.”

“Okay.”

“Can you say something else?”

“Hmm.”

“You’re being annoying again.”

“Hmm.”

When Yunho placed a glass of wine before Young Mi after dinner, the younger looked up at him suspiciously for a second before smiling and taking her time own sweet time to sip on the drink.

“I was thinking you might need it for what I’m about to tell you.” Yunho sat across her at the dining table.

Young Mi looked at him, “You want a break up?”

Yunho smirked, “You want that?”

“I was just kidding.” Young Mi started to panic.

“Well, I want to ask you if you’re willing to put your life on hold for 3 years to come away with me to Massachusetts.” Yunho stated.

Young Mi almost dropped the glass in her hands so she decided that putting it down would be safest, “To elope?”

Yunho rolled his eyes, “I already sought permission from my Father last month, and I passed all the qualifying tests-”

“What test… Oh Gawd, you mean…you’re going to enroll in…HARVARD!?” Young Mi got up from her chair and started jumping up and down in excitement, “CONGRATULATIONS! OH MY GAWD!”

Yunho chuckled, “How did you know?”

“Oh come on- Massachusetts; qualifying tests- where else but Harvard right?” Young Mi beamed at him.

Yunho nodded and she cheered even louder.

“I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!” Young Mi finally settled back down on the chair, “Okay…erm, I’ll go with you. But what will I do there?”

“You can work from home just like when you were recuperating from being knocked down by Sumire.” And Yunho winced slightly when he couldn’t help but recall that incident.

“So I’m like a stay home wife?” Young Mi’s eyes were all sparkly and stuff so Yunho fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat but grunted in response, “I’M GOING! I’M GOING! COUNT ME IN!”

And the couple spent the rest of the evening talking about Yunho’s plan to go back to being a student. It was no surprise to Young Mi when Yunho revealed that he was going to finally realise his dream of getting his PhD in Mathematics at Harvard, which was unfortunately put on hold when Daddy Jung dropped the bomb on wanting his son to take over Blitz in the future.

“Wait,” Young Mi spoke, “My cousin’s friend is taking 5 years to complete his PhD there, but why are you only taking 3?”

Yunho chuckled, “The minimum is 2 and the maximum is 5, but my target is 3.”

“Someone’s cocky,” Young Mi whistled.

“I don’t want to waste your time. And I was actually expecting you to say no to my selfish request, so I wanted to get it over and done with in the shortest time possible.” Yunho explained.

Young Mi cooed, “How sweet. But Yunho, take as long as you want, it’s beneficial for you because you’re finally doing what you want in life.”

“Then how about you?” Yunho asked with a concerned voice.

The younger leaned forward to pinch his cheek, “You’re so adorable, I want to keep you in my pocket! Okay, stop glaring at me. I already fulfilled all my lifetime goals. I wanted to work in Blitz and you helped me achieve that.”

“That’s all?” Yunho questioned.

“Hmm,” Young Mi smiled, “There’s one more, but I’m sure you’ll throw me off the balcony if I revealed it.”

“Just tell me and I can assure you, I won’t murder you because I have a PhD to attain. Maybe I’ll kill you after I get it.” Yunho drawled.

Young Mi chortled, “I want to get married to a guy who loves me for who I am, despite my...defect.”

“Ahh,” Yunho nodded, “Good luck with that.”

“And I was wishing it would be…you.” Young Mi blushed.

“We do have 3 years with just the 2 of us…anything can happen.” Yunho shrugged.

Young Mi smiled, “I feel so assured knowing you’re open the possibility of me being in your life for life.”

“That’s because I really don’t want you to be hurt again.” Yunho sighed, “You remind me of the past when Jaejoong was…really down…and I don’t want to have to see that happen again with you, so I’m willing to be as open minded as possible.”

Young Mi reached out to squeeze Yunho’s hand, “Thank you.”

“It’s late, finish that so you can go to bed.” Yunho gestured at the glass and got up, “I’m turning in now. Good night.”

“Good night. W-Wait!”

“Hmm?” Yunho looked back at her.

“Is Sumire coming along with us?”

“I’m going to be really charitable and dump her with Jaejoong.”

“Will Sumire be fine with that!?”

“I’m sure it’s more than fine. Perfect even.”

“So true. Good night, Yunho.”

“Good night, Mimi.” Cue fangirl squeals.

I feel that this story is finally going somewhere, *sigh. 

Comments please.