i like you the best.

“Do I what-what you?” Miyoon blinked.

Hoya then leaned in even closer and just as he was about to repeat his question, “Xiazi noona!” suddenly echoed through the vast outdoors. The two of them then turned to the source of the loud call to find a group of young boys, all around the ages of eight to thirteen, running towards them at full speed.

“What the heck?” Hoya knitted his brows together as the mob of boys attacked Miyoon and created an enormous group hug. Some had even dared to shove him out of the way to gain easier access and as Hoya stumbled back, he was completely lost at the sight.

“Aigoo! I missed you guys!” Miyoon cried out with a joyous smile as she allowed them to hug her freely. She was laughing her head off and Hoya grew irritated.

Next thing he knew, he was parting those boys like the Red Sea as he extracted her out of their grasp. She was slightly limping as they all pouted in disagreement with what Hoya had just done. “Hey!” the shortest one shouted. “You can’t take Xiazi noona like that!” he protested.

“Well I just did, didn’t I? If you’re unhappy with it then do something about it, shorty.” Hoya challenged immaturely.

“What are you doing?” Miyoon hissed as she tried to reunite with them.

Hoya swiftly blocked her path soon after. “Who said you could go around hugging boys like that? Don’t you know you’re a girl and you’re supposed to respect your body?”

She sent him an estranged look, “Says the guy who likes picking me up like a ragged doll. Besides, these kids are harmless.” She defended.

He glanced back at the boys, five in total, before he looked back at Miyoon. “But they’re boys.”

“So? Aren’t you a boy too?” Miyoon argued.

“Yeah but I don’t go around sticking onto you like a leech.” He snickered.

“Why are you so rude to children? Yeesh and what do you call what you’re doing right now then?”

One of the older boys raised his hand, “Sticking to noona like a leech!”  

“I am not rude to children, I love them; nor am I sticking to your erted noona like a leech.” Hoya disagreed as he glared at the boy who made the snide comment. He then shifted his attention to the shortest one which had voiced out his disdain against his actions earlier and dragged him over. After, he wrapped an arm around his shoulders and looked at Miyoon, “See.”

“Let me go!” the boy exclaimed as he bit down on Hoya’s hand before fleeing for refuge behind a hysterical Miyoon.

“Ouch!” Hoya yelped as he shook his hand. “What are you? A freaking cannibal?” he growled.

“You started it!” the boy snapped.

“Yah, yah, I was being nice!” Hoya differed in disbelief.

“You nearly choked me though!”

“You—” he pointed his finger at him, “Stop lying. I was not choking you. Take it back.” He demanded.

“Andwae!” the kid rebelled. He tugged on the hem of Miyoon’s shirt and motioned for her to bend down to his level. When she did, he cupped a hand over her hair and whispered something which made her stare at Hoya the whole time. Her face then scrunched up as she abruptly pulled away.

“Minsuk-ah, what are you saying? He is not my owner. I don’t know why he’s so possessive.” She harrumphed.

“Noona,” the boy whined. “I’m not Minsuk hyung, I’m Sojoon.”

“Eh? No you aren’t, you’re Minsuk!” Miyoon shook her head.

“No, I’m Minsuk.” The second shortest blinked as he raised his hand.

Miyoon cocked her head to the side, “No way!” She pointed at him, “You’re Donghae,” and then she moved her finger to the next boy in line, “You’re Seungho.” Then again, “You’re Chanwoo,” and finally “You’re Sojoon.”

The boys all looked at each other with bewildered expressions before they chorused in harmony, “Noona! You got us all mixed up again.”

“What?” Miyoon gawked.

“Tch and you said you missed them.” Hoya scoffed.

Miyoon scratched her head, embarrassed at her terrible, terrible very terrible memory and memorization skills. She looked at the boys with a meek smile, “Are you guys sure?” At that moment, their faces transformed into blank expressions as they stared at her. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry, don’t need to burn holes through my skull. I haven’t seen you guys in three years, can you blame me?”

“Yes,” they chimed together.

Hoya chuckled and shook his head, “You’re an awful person, Wu Xiazi. Did you know that? How could you mix up a child’s identity with another? It’s quite inconsiderate and not to mention totally insensitive.” He taunted.

“Hey, at least I remember all of your names. It’s not my fault you all grew up and became cuter than before.” She cheesed, hoping to sugar-coat over her mistake.

“Not working on us, Xiazi noona. Boy, Kris hyung wasn’t joking when he said noona had the mind of a grandma.” Donghae held his nose bridge up and Miyoon’s face fell.

“I do not!” she frowned.

“She really doesn’t. My grandma has a way better memory than she does.” Hoya joined in, folding his arms against his chest.

“Seriously?” Chanwoo asked.

“Yep. If you meet her once,” he held up one finger, “She’ll remember you forever unlike your noona here.” He proclaimed, snapping his fingers. 

“I did remember them!” Miyoon whined. “Watch,” she turned to the boy next to her again, prepared to prove them wrong. “You’re Chanwoo,” and they all face-palmed themselves.

“He just told you his name was Sojoon.” Hoya said with a: you’re such an idiot look written all over his face.

fell open, “I knew that!” she corrected.

“Oh just admit, noona didn’t miss us as much as we missed her.” Seungho sighed and then they all gathered together and started walking away with slumped shoulders.

“Wow, you are one big jerk.” Hoya clucked his tongue as he watched their descending with Miyoon.

“Look what you did.” She spat, pushing his shoulder rather roughly.

“Me?” he pointed at himself. “You were the one who couldn’t get their names right. You better go and make it up to them.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” she grimaced.

“Why are you asking me?”

“You’re a boy like them, aren’t you? What would they like?”

Hoya stared at Miyoon and suddenly got lost in everything about her. Her eyes, her nose, her lips, her chin—everything was just so captivating to him and he couldn’t help but experience that tingly feeling that’s been bothering him for some time now.  

As he dazed out at her, Miyoon could only stand there on one foot awkwardly waiting for him to respond to her answer. Hoya slowly tilted his head to the side and the edges of his lips curled into a miniscule smile. She was really asking him how to make up with children. He didn’t know the first thing about kids but he did know how boys their age thought.

What’s he doing? Doesn’t he know it’s kind of rude to stare? Oh wait; it’s him I’m talking about here. Miyoon glanced away and Hoya finally returned to reality.

“Go and play with them.” He pronounced.

She quirked both brows at him. “Play what?”

“Tag, manhunt, hide and go seek, anything that involves them run—” Hoya quickly stopped when he remembered Miyoon’s current state. He covered his mouth but that did not prevent Miyoon from scowling at him.

“I guess I’m going to have five angry boys while I’m here then,” Miyoon resigned seeing there was nothing she could do. She hung her head low and in shame as she hitched her lips to the side.

Hoya cleared his throat feeling a twinge of guilt creep into his body, “What if I helped you?”

And at the sound of that, Miyoon’s demeanor turned 180 degrees. Her head snapped upwards and she was wearing a huge grin. “You said it!” she cheered.

“Wait—you knew I would help?” he hissed, feeling like he had just been played. Because well, he was.

She shrugged, “You’re a professional soccer player. What’d you expect? I’m sure they’ll love all the neat tricks you’ll show them.”

“So you think my tricks are neat?” Hoya teased.

Miyoon did a double take and realized she really did compliment him; “Neat?” she coughed. “I meant heat. Wow, the weather out here is scorching.” She fanned herself and Hoya chuckled.

He was beginning to smile more and more around her and in his life generally and he was really enjoying it.

Meanwhile, back at the house Yunhee was pacing back and forth in the living-room. “Yifan, I don’t feel comfortable setting up Xiaxia like this.” Yunhee sighed as she shifted on the couch.

Kris walked over to her and handed her a glass of orange juice, her favorite. “We’re not setting her up, Yunnie. We’re just testing things out. Besides, we’re setting up Hoya as well so she isn’t that lonely.”

“Hoya?” she repeated. “Since when did you two get so chummy?” Yunhee sipped her juice and placed it onto the coffee table. Kris nestled into her hair as she pressed her face against his chest.

“When I realized I liked him more than I do that Myungsoo guy. I mean when Xiazi’s with him she’s annoying and playful. She’s the real her, you know the kind you missed oh so much. But when she’s with Myungsoo she’s all obedient and doing stuff she never does and I feel like he has a more negative impact on her than Hoya does.” He explained.

“You count her scowling and bickering as a good thing?” Yunhee pushed away from him only to have him push her head back down into his chest.

“For Xiamei it is. Now why don’t you just sit and relax and let those kids have fun.” He instructed.

“Fine, but you did not have to hit my like t