I stopped screaming and grabbed my chest against the beating of my heart and tried to steady my breathing.

“Yah! what are you doing in here!” I said bewildered. Mark took a deep breath calming him as well.

“because! I couldn’t’t leave you thinking we did something wrong.” He said urgently.

“But we did.” I said shaking my head. “And you should go…” I said setting down the ice cream on the counter and moved to leave. mark stepped in front of me blocking my way.

“NO we didn’t!” he boomed angrily. he grabbed up my hands holding them tightly. “I’m not dating ae sook! I broke up with her when she talked to you that way.” I looked at him unbelieving.

“You broke up with her?” he nodded. “Before…we kissed?” he nodded again. I pulled my hands from his making him look at me shocked. “I’m glad you didn’t kiss me while you were with her…” I said looking down at my hands. “But…I’m not glad you kissed me.” Mark took a step back startled.

“What…” I sighed looking up to him.

“You and the guys are my best friends. I love you guys with all of my heart and I don’t want to lose that. “

“But, you wouldn’t…noting would change.” He said stepping closer again. I shook my head knowing that wasn’t true.

“Everything would change, and I think you are only feeling this way towards me because…well because I am your friend and you care a lot about me as a friend, and you just aren’t used to those feelings so you’re thinking too much into them. Give it time…I promise you they will go away.” he just stared at me not knowing what to say.

“What if they don’t go away?” he asked seriously. I didn’t know what answer to give him…because I wasn’t even sure of the answers I was giving myself. “Arrasso, I’ll give it time.” he said stepping away from me. “I’ll just be your friend, and act like this never happened.” He said smiling. He walked over to the chocolate on the floor and picked it up sitting himself on the stool by the counter.

“Wae?” I asked confused.

“What…you offered me ice cream remember?” he said opening the pint of ice cream and dumping some chocolate into it. “Friends shouldn’t take back their offer.” He picked up the spoon taking a bite from the ice cream. I watched him momentarily to see if he was going to show any sign of awkwardness but he seemed ot go back to his normal self. Relieved I moved over taking up the stool across from him.

“Give me that.” I said happily taking the chocolate. “You have to bury the ice cream to make it good.” I grinned at him as I dumped even more chocolate into the container.

“Yah! that’s totally cheating!” I cried out as I hit the X button over and over.

“NO, button smashing is cheating, I just know what I’m doing.” Mark said laughing as he speared a samarui sword through my player.

“Ahhh! I’m not button smashing it’s just the only button that seems to work!” I said hitting it more trying to get away from the sword. Mark sighed and lay his remote down picking mine up. “Wah! What are you doing.”

“Testing your remote, you said only X works.” He said and pressed a quick line of buttons sending his character across the screen in a annihilation move. “Hmmm…I guess your remote works…you just .” He said handing it back.

“Yea…but who just one.” I said smugly teasing him.

“Technically me, when a player switches remotes the players switch automatically so I became you and you became me…I killed you.” he said picking his remote back up.

“Bwohya! You should have told me I would have fought back!” I whined picking up the pillow. I smacked him in the head with it making him look at me shocked.

“Did…you just hit me…with a pillow?” he said confused. I laughed sticking my tongue out at him. “You are so dead.” He said lunging for me. I jumped up yelping as I ran around the couch to escape him. he jumped over the back of the couch chasing me as I made my way to the front door to go out into the back yard. I jumped into my shoes and flung the door open just as mark reached me. I froze in my spot as my dad and mom looked at me startled.

“Umma…appa.” I said breathlessly.

“Why are you out of breathe sweetie? Are you feeling ok?” my mom asked worried. “Omo…who’s this?” she said catching sight of mark.

“Ummm…annyeonghasayo. I’m Mark Tuan.” He said giving them a deep bow. 

“Omo, you are the boy we haven’t met yet!” my mom cooed. “So nice to meet you, come on yobo let’s go inside.” my mom said excitedly. My mom hurried in but my dad just stared at mark. When I looked at my dad worried he just gestured for mark to go first. Mark gave another bow and moved respectfully after my mother.

“Appa, you said you wanted to meet him” I said trying to make light of the situation.

“Nae, but I didn’t expect to come home to see him in the house alone with my daughter…before ever introducing himself to me.” my dad said strictly.

“Appa, we were just playing video games, I promise.” I said holding up my pinky. He looked at me evenly a moment before sighing and nodding.

“Arrasso, I’ll believe you.” he said softening like I knew he would. he was a big softy. “Oh bambam is checking the mail wait for him here.” dad said stepping inside and kicking his shoes off.

“What…bambam is here?” I asked looking out the door to see bambam coming in with a hand full of mail. “You two are aware, he isn’t really your son right?” I said unbelieving.

“Yea…but one could dream to only have one good child.” He said dreamily.

“Appa!” I cried out. He chuckled and walked off whistling innocently. “Yah…bambam stop stealing my family.” I complained when he got to the porch. Bambam chuckled handing me the mail.

“Mian…I’m just loveable. “ he said innocently making me laugh. I shrugged wrapping my arm over his shoulder.

“Arrasso, I guess you’re staying for supper right?” he nodded. “Good, mark’s here by the way, let’s just go up to my room he’ll be getting grilled by appa.” I said sneakily. Bambam grinned and nodded. we walked into the living room and to the stairs before my dad and mark noticed us.

“Where are you two going?” my dad asked.

“Hmmm, oh we are going to my room.” I said easily. “You and mark seem to be having a conversation…I’ll leave you to it. Be nice appa.” With that me and bambam ran up the stairs giggling.  

We reached my room and as soon as bambam was through the door I shut it behind him.

“Bambam, me and you are really good friends right?” I asked turning around to look at him jumping up onto my bed.

“Nae, you are my best friend aside from yeommie.” He said honestly.

“Then if I tell you something will you promise me to not say it to anyone else? I just really need to tell someone.” Bambam sat up straight looking at me confused.

“Hmmm, of course, I promise.” He said holding up his pinky. Smiling relieved I wrapped my pinky with his and sealed the promise with our thumbs.

“Mark and I kissed.” I said before I could rethink it. bambam’s eyes gradually widened with shock.

“what!”