I really don’t know if I should believe the old woman. I can’t even say if she’s telling the truth. I mean, the pest wasn’t capable of showing any emotions? That’s just so impossible! I remember the first time we met some twelve or thirteen years back, the first thing he did, he LAUGHED at me! She can’t really blame me if I find her story hard to believe, right? I looked at the ring. And put it in my ring finger. Surprisingly, it fits. I smirked. I can’t believe I actually put the cheap ring in my finger. Back then, NO ONE and NOTHING could ever make me wear something like this. Tsk, how ironic.

 

The pest was preoccupied the whole day with the preparations. Kevin and the helpers were also helping him. After cooking, the pest then proceeded to take two long tables outside the house. They gathered chairs and arranged them neatly. I was following the pest wherever he went and I don’t even know why I’m doing that. Oh! I remembered, I was told to help him.

 

“Kitten, bring out the plates and put them on the table,” he said, the patted my head gently.

 

“Okay,” I answered at once. I went to the kitchen and took a set of plates, brought them out and put them in the table. It took me about five trips to bring all of the plates out and two travels to bring all the utensils out. After setting them down the table, it was then that I realized that I actually obeyed the pest without a word of complaint! Aish! I’m not a servant here! I shouldn’t be doing this kind of stuff. But then, I remembered I was being ordered to help.

 

It was already late afternoon when all the preparations were done. I greeted Grandpa as soon as he went out. I was surprised when I saw that everyone’s dining in together. I’m a bit uncomfortable to the setting actually. I mean, me, eating in the same table with the employees? That’s totally out of my league. But since I don’t have a choice, I kept quiet. Grandma made me sit beside the pest while the old woman was in front of me.

 

“Before we start, can I request Sandara to lead the singing of the birthday song?”

 

I looked up, flustered. “Me? I don’t sing.”

 

“Can you deny an old man’s request?” the pest said. Aish! He’s totally enjoying this! Grr! I forced a smile and stood up. I cleared my throat twice. Then, I started singing the song in a hushed voice. But when I saw Grandpa smiling, I gained confidence and started singing loudly, even clapping.

 

“Okay, I think that’s enough,” the old woman cut my concert off, making everyone laugh. I fumed. Gah! She is so like Kwon Jiyong, the pest! I went back to my seat, rumbling.

 

“Thank you, Sandara,” the old man said. “And to you all for preparing all of these for me. Ah, another digit has been added to my age. My wish of seeing my grandson having his own children is almost palpable. I just hope I’m still alive when that time arrives.”

 

“Grandpa,” the pest quietly said.

 

The old man chuckled first before answering. “I’m old already. No one can be certain of what tomorrow brings,” smiles gently, “and to my wife, thank you.”

 

The two oldies looked at each other for a moment. Weird, I was sure the scene could have made me puke, but I actually find it very. . . sweet.

 

“Ah, so much for that. Let’s start tasting these foods!” the old man announced.

 

The others started diving for the foods. I was about to do that myself but the pest beat me to it. He took the bowl of rice and put a large amount on my plate, followed by different dishes. “Ya! Are you trying to get me fat again?” I hissed under my breath. “I can manage! No need to do that!”

 

“Looking at how thin you are right now, I doubt I’ll be seeing the little piglet or the little fat kitten anytime soon,” he said, looking at me with one side of his lips curved into a knowing smile. Gah! What is he up to now?! And why am I mesmerized with his smile? Aish! No, erase! I don not find him mesmerizing. Not at all! To distract myself, I angrily turned my attention on my plate.

 

As time passed by, I noticed that some helpers are starting to get drunk, throwing jokes here and there, dancing, and singing.

 

“Ah, the foods really taste good, Jiyong. How I wish you’re a girl so I could marry you,” one helper said, earning him a good round of laughter.

 

“You always think about food. Why don’t you be like Kevin here? He barely touched his plate. I guess his already full by just staring at Sandara,” another one said. I was used to this kind of teasing but I saw that Kevin was not. He was blushing furiously.

 

“I actually find Kevin kind of cute,” I smiled. The pest suddenly spit out the water he was drinking and looked at me with disbelief while the others started teasing Kevin again, making him blush deeper.

 

I grinned at the pest. The next thing I knew, I joined the helpers in throwing jokes and drinking. I even dared some of them in drinking and since I have high tolerance in alcohol, I won all three opponents flat. But the pest stopped me by the time I was about to challenge my fourth contender.

 

“You’re such a spoilsport,” I said.

 

“Enough!” he sternly said, making me pout.

 

“Fine. Sorry guys, the Almighty Kwon Jiyong has forbidden me to continue,” I said. Soon after, I was once again caught with talking, joking and laughing with them. Weird, for the first time in my life, I don’t feel so alone anymore.

 

After a while, I started feeling uneasy. I looked around, trying to find what have caused it when I noticed that the pest wasn’t around anymore.

 

“Grandpa, have you seen Jiyong?” I asked.

 

“He’s probably up in the roof,” he said.

 

“Roof?”

 

“Yes. There’s a ladder over the side of the house.”

 

“Oh, okay,” I answered and quickly went for the ladder. I climbed. As I reached the roof, I started hearing a guitar playing. I looked up ahead and saw the pest, totally shirtless AGAIN. But at least, he got the decency to keep his pants on. I climbed over the roof and crawled to his direction.

 

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

 

“I was wondering where you went,” I said. “I didn’t know you can play a guitar.”

 

“I always play the guitar back at your house.”

 

“Really? How come I haven’t heard you play before?”

 

He snorted. “Maybe you just weren’t listening properly.”

 

“Maybe,” I shrugged. Is there something he can’t do? Seriously, he can really do everything. Aish! Then, I noticed something. “Your face is so red!” I blurted out.

 

“I have low tolerance with alcohol,” he said. “That’s why I climbed up here. The air soothes me.”

 

“Oh, really?” I grinned.

 

“What’s so amusing?” he asked.

 

“I finally beat you on something!” I said.

 

He snorted. “Yeah, you should be proud that you have such high tolerance with alcohol.”

 

“Why are you being sarcastic? Can’t accept defeat?” I snapped but he didn’t answer. Instead, he started playing a different tune. He was staring at me intently that I find it hard to break our eye contact. Then, he started singing.

 

It's been on my mind for a while

 

Gotta get this off my chest

 

Before it's.. too late

 

I can't letcha go

 

Ya gotta let it go

 

I can't letcha go

 

Ya gotta.. listen

 

Just looking at you and smiling a few times a day,

 

I've told you hundreds of times, you're the love of my life

 

And I've told you, in this corrupt world,

 

You're the only one my restless mind can trust.

 

Though you thought I'd change my mind about you,

 

If you felt uneasy I smiled and told you that'd never happen.

 

In my endlessly wandering, hollow heart

 

The only place I can rest is in you but

 

I hate myself for having strayed from you.

 

Even today I'm wrapped up in what I'm doing and erasing you from my life, "baby, baby."

 

Even though I stray from you, don't you ever stray from me, "baby",

 

Even though I forget about you, don't you forget me, "lady".

 

Even though I drink and don't call,

 

Even if I briefly meet eyes with another girl,

 

Only look at me

 

Tonight you've waited for me 'til the break of day again.

 

You're talking to me through tears, saying I've changed.

 

But facing you, my feelings for you are the same as before.

 

Though I soothe you countless times,

 

I'm gonna have a hard time without you.

 

Sometimes I lose my breath just thinking about you. In endless fights and an endless sigh

 

The only place you can rest is in me.

 

But I hate myself for growing tired of you.

 

Even today I'm smiling but secretly losing faith, baby, baby.

 

I know I'm being selfish,

 

But in the time I've been wasting every day, I've become corrupt like this, "baby".

 

I only want you to stay pure forever.

 

I want this with my whole heart, this is my faith in you,

 

Don't leave me 'til the day you die.

 

Even though I stray from you don't you ever stray from me.

 

Even though I forget about you, don't you forget me.

 

Even though I drink and don't call,

 

Even though I briefly meet eyes with another girl,

 

Only look at me.

 

Only look at me.

 

Even though I drink and don't call...

 

Only look at me.

 

I only want you to stay pure forever.

 

I want this with my whole heart, this is my faith in you,

 

Don't leave me 'til the day you die.

 

Aigoo! Why can I feel the heat creeping up to my cheeks? Gah! I don’t like this.

 

Only look at me

 

“So, you’re singing too, huh?”

 

He just smiled a kind of smile that makes me wanna stare at him forever. It was so different from all of his other smiles. When I caught myself staring at him, I cleared my throat awkwardly and looked away. “Aren’t you cold? Why are you always shirtless?” I snapped a while later.

 

“Concern?” he asked.

 

“NO!” I strongly denied.

 

“Okay,” he answered and lied down.

 

“Ya! What are you doing?” I asked when he closed his eyes.

 

“I told you, I have low tolerance with alcohol. I feel sleepy already,” he said then yawned.

 

“You’re going to sleep here?” I asked, aghast.

 

“Hmm,” he answered.

 

“You really are stupidm” I said. He didn’t answer anymore. I guessed he’s already sleeping. I sighed then looked up at the star-filled sky. “You know what? I envy you. You’re very lucky to have a complete and happy family.”

 

 

Much, much later. . .

 

I knew I was dreaming. I mean, I’m currently hugging a human-sized ice cream cone. And as far as I know, there hasn’t been a human-sized ice cream cone before. I nibbled a small portion of it and realized that the cone was actually chocolate-flavored. I love it. I started biting and chewing it down. It tastes really good. Haha. A human-sized, chocolate-flavored ice cream cone! Totally awesome. But then, I heard a groan. Eh? Where did that come from? When I heard it again, that’s when my full consciousness came back to me. I opened my eyes and found myself on top of the pest, my face buried in the upper part of his chest. Through the dim light, I saw the trail my teeth left from the right side of his neck down to his collarbone and down to the upper part of his chest.

 

OH-MAI-GAH! What have I done?!?

 

“Waaaahhh!!” I screamed as I looked up and saw the pest looking down at me, looking utterly shocked and confused.