YOSEOB’S POV

I lay flat on my stomach on the kitchen table at Gikwang’s house. I looked at him as he was doing his homework. I out my arms along my sides and pressed my cheek against Gikwang’s history book.

“Hyung, I’m so bored. Can’t we do something fun?” I complained.

“Yoseob-ah, please. We have been doing things all day and I really have to do my homework now. Can’t you entertain yourself for a moment?” Gikwang asked. I knew he thought I was a pain, but he held it all in, like a man. He’s my best friend. I went out in the hall and placed myself in front of the mirror. I crossed my legs and studied my reflection closely. I smiled. Was it just me or did I look kind of cute? I made a sad face. Like a puppy being left behind. Now I understand why people can’t resist my puppy eyes. Angry face. No, not very intimidating. Hysteric face. Wow, I looked like a freak. I laughed at myself. Gosh, I was really bored. I walked back to Gikwang.

“Hyun, I’m bored,” I whined and plopped down beside him. He sighed. Just then I got an idea. “Hyung, hyung!”

“What is it?” Gikwang asked patiently. I placed my feet on the table and leaned the chair backwards.

“I know you might not like this but… can I go out for a while? Please, please, please, hyung? I promise to be super careful,” I pleaded and clapped my hands together to really show him how much I wanted it. “Please?”

“I don’t know, your parents are out of town and…”

“Please?” I leaned closer to him and made my puppy face. I felt at once that it was going to work.

“Fine.”

“Ah, chincha!? Yes!” I ran up from the chair and back out in the hall to put my shoes on. Gikwang followed me.

“Remember to take your phone, and make sure to call if anything happens, and you have to answer my calls. Bring some money, just in case. Remember your phone, and don’t come home too late.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be fine. I’m just going for a walk, maybe take the bus in to town,” I said and put my jacket on. Gikwang followed me to the door.

“Be careful, and remember to take your phone!”

“Bye hyung!” I called. I was already out on the street. “See you.” And I ran off.

As I stepped off of the bus I texted Gikwang to tell him I was in town. I strolled around for a while looking on some shops, bought some ice cream, played video games at a store, bought some more ice cream. Man, I love ice cream! As the shops began to close for the day I bought one last ice cream and went for a walk in the darker blocks. The streets were almost deserted and all I could hear was the echo of my own footsteps.

“Hello?” I said and listened closely. I heard the echo of my own voice. I chuckled to myself. “Chincha!?” I said a bit louder. The exclamation came back to me at once. I laughed and ended up having a conversation with myself. Believe it or not, but it was a rather interesting discourse. I say some weird stuff sometimes. I my ice cream.

“Yummy!”

“Like your ice cream?” Huh? That’s not what I said.

“Yeh, it’s tasty,” I said.

“Eat it up before it melts.” I smiled and lifted my ice cream as to propose a toast.

“I will.”

“Yah, aren’t you going to look at me when I speak to you?” Surprised I turned around.

“I didn’t realize someone else was here,” I said with a smile. The girl in front of me gave me a weird look.

“Right…” Both of us looked to the side as the gate to one of the houses opened and another girl came out on the street.

“I’m finished now,” she said. My smile grew wider.

“Taeyeon-ah!” I exclaimed and waved. She gave me a surprised look.

“Yoseob-ssi?”

“You know him?” the other girl asked.

“Of course she does!” I said with a laugh. “Drop the ‘ssi’ Taeyeon-ah. Just call me Yoseob, or maybe oppa.”

“Yeah, I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll see you tomorrow, Taeyeon.” The girl disappeared. I pouted.

“She didn’t even say good bye to me.” Taeyeon stayed quiet. I reached her my ice cream. “Want to taste it? It’s really good.” She gave me that surprised look again. Aigoo, she’s so cute.

“Oh, okay.” She tasted the ice cream and gave me an approving nod. “Very good.” I smiled and took a bite from the exact same spot she had.

“We just had an indirect kiss,” I said eagerly. She blushed and looked down.

“I need to go home…”

“I’ll follow you. Pretty girls shouldn’t be walking alone at night,” I said and started walking. She cleared .

“It’s the opposite direction,” she said in a low voice.

“I know, I just wanted to test you.” I did not know, I was just in a funny mood. Actually, this was my usual mood… “More ice cream?”

Just like last time, which was yesterday, it was me who did all the talking. Soon she knew everything about me, except for that small detail that controlled my life. Not that I minded talking, Taeyeon’s reactions were funny to watch, but I didn’t want to spill out details of my life without knowing anything about her. I’ll just be honest with myself, I just wanted to get to know her.

“So, what were you doing just now? Who was that girl? A friend of yours?”

“Actually, I was working,” she said evasively.

“Chincha? So that girl was your colleague? Or was she your boss? What do you do? Aren’t you a bit too young to work? And isn’t it a bit late at night to work for you? Am I asking too many questions?” I was almost out of breath after saying all of that. I need to learn how to priority. Taeyeon let out a small laugh.

“I clean offices in that building along with that girl,” she said and kept on giggling. Cutie! “And yes, you ask way too many questions. How am I supposed to remember and answer all of them?” I felt my mouth form an o-shape before it turned to an exaggerated U-shape.

“That’s the longest sentence you have ever said to me!” I beamed at her. She rolled her eyes at me. “I’m so happy, give me a hug!” Without waiting for her answer I slung my arms around her and hugged her tightly.

“Yoseob…”

“Call me ‘oppa’ and I’ll let you go.” Even tough I’d rather not. Her hair smelled so good and her small arms around my waist felt so right.

“Oppa…”

“Much better,” I said reluctantly let her go. She smiled.

“I really need to get home,” she said. “Are you in a rush, or…” She gave me a questioning look. Was it an invitation to join her? It didn’t matter, I chose to interpret it as one.

“My lady, I will accompany you to your door,” I said in a formal voice and held my arm out. Taeyeon, who’s shyness seemed to be blown away, linked her arm with mine and put on a snobby face.

“How noble of you, dear sir.” We both giggled and started walking.

TAEYEON’S POV

Yoseob and I walked, or he more like skipped, arm in arm along the streets on our way to my house. It felt completely natural, which was weird since we didn’t actually know each other. Well, he had told me a lot of strange facts about himself, but is it really knowing someone if you just know pure facts?

“Are you very Poor?” Yoseob suddenly asked me.

“Excuse me?”

“Gikwang told me your family was having a rough time. Is that why you work?” he asked. I was taken a bit aback at his straight forwardness. I looked up at him and he looked back at me. There was nothing judging in his eyes so I decided to be honest with him.

“Yeah, we’re living on existence of minimum. I don’t want the family to be put in debt so I decided to do something about it.”

“Gikwang said your father has been sick for a long time, what’s wrong with him?” Yoseob gave me a curious look.

“It’s the heart.” I glanced at Yoseob. “How does Gikwang know all of this?” Yoseob smiled quirkily.

“It seems like he and your sister connected.”

“Really?” I knew it! I smiled, but then gave Yoseob a threatening look. “If he does anything stupid… you will suffer a very painful death.”

”Gikwang would never hurt her, so you can’t scare me,” Yoseob said with a smile.

“Good. I just needed to make sure you knew before we separated. Here’s my stop,” I said.

“Chincha?” Yoseob looked up and took a few steps backwards. “It’s so… high! How many floors are there?” this guy is so weird.

“It’s just eight floors,” I said with a laugh. Yoseob closed one of his eyes and used his finger to count the floors.

“You’re right, it looks higher though,” he said. I scoffed.

“Of course I’m right, I’ve lived here since I first saw the light of day.” He put his tongue out at me and then smiled sweetly.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” He was too cut eto exist.

“Yoseob, get over here,” I said, suddenly thinking of something. He and Gikwang seemed to be good friends, so good in fact that they tell each other everything… “My sister can never know about me working, okay?” I said as he came closer. His eyes grew round.

“Wae?”

“She just doesn’t. You can say whatever you like to Gikwang but she can never know, do you understand?”

“Yeah, fully,” he said. Then he leaned in even closer and whispered into my ear. “It’ll be our little secret.”

YOSEOB’S POV

“It’ll be our little secret,” I whispered. Ooh, that sounded dirty. I held in a chuckle and stood up straight. She looked dead serious. How could she still be so cute?

“So we are clear?”

“Crystal clear,” I insured her and couldn’t keep myself from smiling.

“Good.” She nodded approvingly and returned my smile. Her smile indeed is beautiful. She must be pretty whatever she does. Sweating like a pig and still pretty, that’s an achievement. “Good night, oppa,” she said. My heart skipped a beat. What a lovely sound.

“Good night, Taeyeon-ah,” I said gently. She yawned and waved before disappearing through the gate and into the house. I stood on the street. I was stunned. The picture of a yawning Taeyeon was stuck in brain. She really looks beautiful whatever she does.