Kasumi’s POV

“Am I just a senior to you, or do you consider me as a friend?”

I blinked and looked up to see Woohyun staring intently at me. He had his elbows propped on the table, his fingers entwined with his head resting on his head. He blinked a couple of times with a slight pout on his face.

I blushed and looked down, feeling my heart beat race faster.

“Uh . . .”

What am I going to say to him? Why does he have to look so intently at me like that? It’s making me feel so weird and nervous.

But in a good way, that is.

“So?”

I looked up to him to see that he was waiting for my answer. He blinked again, jutting his lips out into a small pout, and I lost my train of thoughts.

“Sunbae . . . I . . .” I faltered. What am I supposed to say to him? I mean, he’s my tutor and he’s my senior, but at the same time he’s a really good person and I enjoyed being with him because he’s nice and sometimes does aegyo unknowingly, making him look really cute and adorable.

Wait, did I just call him cute and adorable?

However, his face fell when I said ‘sunbae’. “I guess this means that I’m only a sunbae to you,” he murmured softly. He sat back in his chair and sullenly looked at his plate of ddukbokki. Then he sighed heavily.

I disappointed him.

I saw the same look in his eyes now like he had when I said that he was my senior to the library. And now I disappointed him again.

“Anniyo!” I blurted out and he lifted his head only an inch to look at me. He looked so pitiful that it made me sad. I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings. He’s a really nice guy and did nothing to deserve this. “Do not misunderstand this, sunbae,” I tried to reassure him. “I do think of you as a friend.”

He perked up real quickly. “Chincha?”

I nodded. “Neh.”

He beamed at me, as if he couldn’t believe that I actually did consider him as a friend. “Really?” he repeated.

“Neh,” I said again.

He clasped his hands together, giving me an adorable eye smile, before he threw his hands out into the air and squealed. Really, he squealed.

“Kyaaah! You’re so cute!” he gushed, flailing his arms in front of him for a bit. He smiled. “You do know that this mean you have to call me ‘oppa’ instead of ‘sunbae’ now that we’re closer?”

I smiled softly.

He’s cute.

“Okay.”

He frowned, thinking. “No, wait, why don’t you call me ‘sunbae’ in front of everyone but call me ‘oppa’ when we’re alone?”

I blinked, tilting my head to a side in confusion. “Waeyo?”

He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “Heh . . . just . . . just a thought,” he said. “You know, because we’re in school I’m your senior, so it’s more formal if you call me ‘sunbae’ in school.”

“But you said ‘in front of everyone’,” I pointed out. Why does he want to be so secretive? Are his friends saying anything?

He winced. “Ah . . . well . . . just . . .”

I could tell that he was struggling to find a reason why he wanted me to call him ‘sunbae’ in front of everyone and ‘oppa’ when we were alone together and decided to put him out of his misery.

I nodded once. Although I may not know what was the reason, as long as he was happy with me calling him Oppa, as long as I don’t have to see that disappointed look in his eyes again, sure, why not? Besides, whatever the reason could be, it wouldn’t be that shocking or secretive, right?

“Okay,” I said quietly.

Woohyun smiled at me again. He checked his watch and frowned. “Do you need to go soon?” he asked me.

I looked at the wall clock at the shop and gasped, my eyes going wide and he turned to see where I was looking at. “Is it already six in the evening? Wow, it’s really late! I have to go!” I exclaimed mournfully.

Woohyun turned back to the counter. “Uh, ahjummah, can we have the bill, please?” he asked sweetly.

Ahjumma waved her hand and smiled at the both of us. “Oh, there’s no need. It’s on me,” she reassured us.

I gaped at her.

She’s really nice and sweet, but to say that we didn’t need to pay for the food she made for us? That’s absurd!

“Ahjumma! Are you sure about that?” I asked her worriedly. I knew how much she needed the money.

She nodded and waved her hand casually and I knew that she was really okay with it. I had known her for a long time to know her body language well. “I have enough to last me for today, anyway,” she replied kindly. She came over to clean our plates up and smacked my hand away when I tried to help.

I pouted and Woohyun just laughed.

She waggled her eyebrows at me. “Just take it as a treat for coming back to the shop after so long.”

I blushed. “Ah, well . . .”

She smirked, as if she knew something I didn’t.

Woohyun smiled as he stood up. “Kamsahamnida, ahjummah, you have been very kind to us. Not just to the both of us, but to me and my friends as well, whenever we come here,” he said respectfully.

Ahjumma just laughed offhandedly. “It’s fine,” she reassured.

“Really?” I asked.

She gave me a withering look.

I shrugged.

She turned to Woohyun and smiled sweetly. I rolled my eyes. She sure changed a hundred and eighty degrees for him, didn’t she? Pfft, bias. “I love seeing your faces, anyway. All of you are always smiling.” She nodded toward me. “The next time you come, you better bring this girl with you.”

I cringed. “Ahjumma,” I whined.

Woohyun just laughed and nodded. “I will.”

She pinched my cheeks like how she used to do so when I was a little girl and I tried to swat her hands away. “Ahjumma, I’m not five anymore.”

“Yes, yes, I know,” she hushed me but I could tell that wouldn’t stop her. “Tell halmeoni I’ll try visit whenever I can, okay? Oh, and tell the boys that I’ll bring food for them over. And tell Krystal she left her doll with me the other day and I’ll come and drop it off when I see you. And if Cha —”

“Okay, okay, I get it, Ahjumma, I’ll be sure to tell halmeoni and the others — everything you just said for me to tell them,” I said hastily, cutting her off. I shot a warning glance at her and nodded my head toward Woohyun, who was dabbing the corners of his mouth with a tissue. “We’ll be going now.”

Ahjumma got the hint and nodded. “All right, if you say so, Kasumi. I’ll see you soon. Or else!” She waggled a finger at me.

I sighed and nodded. “All right, ahjummah. Thank you for the meal. It was really delicious, as always.” I quickly led Woohyun away from the stall. Anything to get away from here before I am humiliated.

“Oh, you’re so modest,” ahjummah called out. “Of course it was delicious, you were the one who gave me the recipe after all!”

Ahjummah! I wanted to scream.

Woohyun turned to me, unfortunately having heard the last bit. His eyes went wide in amazement.

“You were the one who gave the ahjummah the recipe for the ddukbokki?” he asked in awe.

I nodded reluctantly. There wasn’t any point in hiding it from him not that he knew ab