this chapter is dedicated to AshleyNaruto. See--I kept my promise to not neglect certain characters, but there will be more in the future as well.

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“Wow, Oppa, this place looks really beautiful!” said Daerim with a bright smile as Haejin helped her step out of the taxi. “I’ve always wanted to come here.”

 

Haejin felt his chest swell with pride at knowing that he had made the right choice and he promised himself he would thank his Teukkie Appa for suggesting it to him.

 

The outside of the building looked like a Tuscan villa, with a red clay shingled awning and cream colored stucco walls. When they walked through the front door they were met with about ten or fifteen tables in the intimate dining area with soft candle light and crisp white tablecloths.

 

Daerim stared with wide eyes as Haejin slipped his hand into hers and walked her towards the hostess of the restaurant.

 

“Good evening, how may I help you?” she asked as they approached her.

 

“We have a reservation for two at eight o’clock, under the name Kim Haejin,” said Haejin with a small smile.

 

“Okay, just a moment,” said the girl searching their name.

 

When she found it she smiled, but it quickly changed to a puzzled frown.

 

“You said the last name is Kim?” she asked slowly.

 

“Yes, is there a problem?” asked Haejin as he noticed her expression.

 

“It seems that…someone already is seated for that reservation,” she said looking back up at them.

 

“What? No, that’s impossible, we’re right here,” said Haejin shaking his head with a nervous smile.

 

“Uh,” said the girl pausing uncomfortably. “Just—just a minute.”

 

They watched in anticipation as the girl hurried away from the front and towards the back of the restaurant to speak to a man wearing a suit who appeared to be the manager.

 

The man looked in their direction and then walked back up to the front with the girl following close behind him.

 

He nodded with a smile before glancing at the book.

 

When he found what the girl had mentioned he looked back up at Daerim and Haejin with an apologetic look.

 

“I’m not sure how to say this—but there seems to have been a mistake,” he started speaking to Haejin specifically.

 

“What do you mean?” asked Haejin shaking his head. “I called early this afternoon and made the reservation with no problem.”

 

“Well it seems that a couple with the name Kim Hyejin also made a reservation and the two names have been mixed up—I apologize, but you have to understand that it was an honest mistake. The other party must have shown up early and the hostess must have neglected to double check the information.”

 

“Okay, well what happens now, when can we be seated?” asked Haejin glancing back at Daerim.

 

“Uh well the problem is that their reservation is not until nine,” said the manager scanning the book.

 

“Well is there anyway we can just wait for a table to open up?” asked Haejin beginning to panic.

 

If they waited for this reservation, they would barely have time to complete dinner before Haejin would have to bring her back home again.

 

“Unfortunately because it is Saturday night, we’re completely booked. There’s a chance we could have a cancelation, but when it’s this late in the evening that’s not normally the case,” said the manager shaking his head apologetically.

 

Haejin exhaled deeply as he looked back at Daerim. She gave a small shrug before motioning with her head to follow her.

 

“Just a minute please,” said Haejin looking back at the manager who nodded, before following Daerim off to the side.

 

“Oppa, it’s okay, we’ll just go somewhere else,” said Daerim.

 

“No…it’s not okay. I wanted to bring you here because I know that you love Italian and this is the best place in the city. It was by luck that they had a cancelation this morning and if that other couple hadn’t come early—

 

“We can’t change that though. Don’t worry about it, maybe we can try again another time?”

 

“Are you sure?” Haejin asked after thinking for a moment.

 

Daerim nodded with a small smile, “As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t really matter where we go.”

 

Haejin smiled, pleased to hear her say that as he took her hand again. After explaining their choice to the manager and waitress, they decided to go strolling down the street to find a new place for dinner.

 

 “Oh hey, why don’t we go here?” asked Haejin stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

 

Daerim paused and looked at where Haejin was pointing.

 

“Brooklyn burgers?” she asked with a small frown.

 

“Yeah, I mean, what’s the problem? We always come here,” he said with a shrug.

 

“Uh, well, yeah, that’s the problem, maybe we should try something else?” she suggested gently.

 

“But most places might be too crowded by now and we don’t have a lot of time,” reasoned Haejin.

 

Daerim sighed.

 

“If you're not in the mood for burgers, we’ll keep looking—

 

“No, no, it’s okay, we can eat here,” she nodded with a smile.

 

“…really? You're sure?”

 

“Yeah,” said Daerim leading the way inside.

 

Haejin followed, quickly reaching for the door to open it for her.

 

When they stepped inside the burger restaurant, Daerim paused only a few steps in. It was beyond crowded and full of groups of loud talking and laughing high school and college students.

 

“There’s a table over there,” said Haejin pointing to the side, near the window when he stepped beside her.

 

Daerim followed his finger and then reanimated as they walked towards it quickly, weaving between tables and chairs.

 

When they finally got closer, they realized why it had been empty. It was close to the kitchen and therefore incredibly close to the swinging door and the noise of the chefs inside.

 

But these were details only Daerim seemed to notice.

 

“Here, let me get your chair for you,” said Haejin pulling out her seat for her.

 

Daerim smiled, trying to focus on the moment and Haejin now, as she sat down.

 

“Do you want our regular?” Asked Haejin bending down closer to her ear so that he could be heard.

 

“Uh, sure,” she said with a nod and then a frown as her body slightly lurched forward.

 

She and Haejin looked behind her and realized the swinging door had smacked the leg of her chair hard as a waiter made his way out with two large trays.

 

“Yah!” called out Haejin with a frown as he watched the waiter.

 

The waiter called out a half-hearted apology without looking back.

 

“I’ll just go place our order and then I’ll be right back,” he said touching her shoulder gently as he bent down beside her ear once again.

 

“Okay,” Daerim nodded, her voice barely heard over the noise.

 

As she watched Haejin walk towards the counter, she sat back in her chair and watched him. All at once, she suddenly felt very young and yet older at the same time. Breaking her gaze from Haejin, she being looking at all of the high school students crowded around the same tables laughing and hunched over each other’s phones, and it made her think of her friends and times spent here with Haejin and his friends from school. But tonight it seemed that they didn’t fit that description. As her focus turned to the few older couples that were scattered around with their blazers and oxfords, dyed hair and fancy handbags made her feel slightly out of place. She didn’t quiet now how to act or what to expect from this date at this point. Part of her wanted that close connection the older couples seemed to have, but the other half longed for the stress-free and innocent fun that she and Haejin used to have with their friends as well.

 

But as she watched him stand at the counter and order for them, laughing with the cashier and one of the waiters, whom she recognized as being some of Haejin’s friends, she remembered why she had accepted the date in the first place.

 

Over the last few months, her feelings for Haejin had suddenly begun to change. He wasn’t just her ‘oppa’ or ‘psudeo-cousin’ anymore. He was a boy that was growing up into a man and the changes she saw in him made her feel things she didn’t fully understand yet. All she knew is that she always found herself wanting to be around him and she was so happy to know that he wanted the same with her.

 

So despite the dismal beginnings of their date, she was willing to look past all of it and just enjoy their night together. With a content smile, she rested her hand on her cheek as she leaned on the table, gazing at him as he went through the motions of simply ordering and paying.

 

She hoped that once he returned to the table, she would finally find the courage to openly tell Haejin what he had confessed to her days before in the garden of her apartment.

 

But once Haejin finished ordering, he stepped aside only to continue talking to his waiter friend.

 

Daerim watched as he leaned against the counter and stood, deeply focused on their conversation, seeming to forget that he should come back to her.

 

One minute went by, then five, and then ten.

 

The entire time, Daerim sat and watched him, her mood souring as he didn’t even look back once.

 

When he finally started to make his way over to their table, Daerim quickly straightened her posture and stared out of the window, intensely.

 

“Sung Chul works here now, can you believe it?!” he laughed as he sat across from her. “He just started last week apparently. But he said he could give us some extra fries, since he knows you love the ones here.”

 

Daerim said nothing as she continued looking out the window.

 

“What’s wrong?” asked Haejin reaching out to touch her arm, only to have her put her hands in her lap, away from him.

 

“Daerim?” Haejin said, shaking his head in confusion. “What’s the matter? Why are you ignoring me?”

 

Daerim pushed the home button on her phone, making the screen illuminate, showing the time.

 

“8:20. What? We have plenty of time to still eat,” he shrugged.

 

“But hardly any time to talk. You spent ten minutes ignoring me just to talk to one of your friends that you see everyday!” she said, trying to make her voice heard over the noise.

 

Haejin looked down in embarrassment. It hadn’t occurred to him that he had done anything out of the ordinary. He usually talked to his friends while he was here as did Daerim. It was as if he had forgotten for a moment that things were different now.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

 

Daerim avoided his eyes.

 

“Really, Daerim, I wasn’t trying to ignore you—Sung Chul was just on his break so he wanted to talk about the song he had been working on for class. It was silly and not important—I didn’t know I took so long. …we can still talk now,” tried Haejin holding his hand out on the table.

 

Daerim slowly brought her eyes back up to his, but before she could say anything, their food came.

 

The kitchen door swung open wide once again, thumping against Daerim’s chair and making her slightly grunt. One of the waiters was holding the door open with his palm to help the waiter carrying their tray of food come through. But just as he stepped over the threshold and neared the couple’s table, he tripped over the other waiter’s foot and lunged forward.

 

Daerim let out a yelp as one of the burgers on the plates landed directly on her.

 

The entire restaurant went silent as everyone’s attention fell on that corner.

 

As the first waiter tended to the one who had fallen, Haejin leaped up and checked on Daerim.

 

“Are you all right?!” he asked looking her over as she stared down at the grease, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise that left a modern art piece across the crisp whiteness of her top.

 

Daerim nodded before grimacing at the mess as she tried to peel off the ruined burger. Somehow, Haejin had miraculously been spared from the disaster.

 

“I’m so sorry, really, it was an accident!” apologized the waiter profusely once he was on his feet again.

 

“It’s okay,” Daerim said willing back the angry tears of frustration that she wanted to release now.

 

“Here are some towels,” a waitress said sympathetically  as she offered them to Daerim as the other waiters and busboys began to clean up the mess.

 

“Here Daerim-ah, let me help you,” said Haejin helping her walk around the mess of all the spilt food on the floor.

 

He took the towel from her hands and tried to wipe off what he could of the mess. Taking some of the ice from the table he wrapped some of it partially in the towel and began dabbing at the stains.

 

“Oppa—oppa, it’s okay, I can do it,” she said stopping his hands.

 

Haejin froze and brought his eyes up to hers. With a nod, he released his hold.

 

“I’ll just go to the bathroom for a minute,” she said motioning across the restaurant.

 

“Okay…I’ll be here,” he said and he watched her weave through the crowd as people stared on with looks of pity.

 

With no choice but to move out of the way so that the staff could continue to clean, he simply walked to the front of the restaurant to wait and the other tables slowly regained their normalcy again.

 

When Daerim emerged from the bathroom almost ten minutes later with her shirt still faintly stained, Haejin was standing at the door waiting for her to return. In his hands was his purple sweater.

 

“Here, wear this,” said Haejin holding it up to put over her head.

 

Feeling very self-conscious about the way she looked right now, Daerim readily agreed.

 

“Thank you Oppa,” she said ducking her head as he helped slip it over.

 

But she remained quiet as slipped her arms through the sleeves and still as they stepped out of the restaurant.

 

“I’m sorry,” he offered when he tried to meet her sad eyes.

 

Daerim shook her head as she pretended to be distracted by a couple passing by.

 

Haejin sighed as he looked away as well.

 

“Oppa, it’s getting kind of late,” Daerim finally said as she pulled out her phone to check the time. “Maybe we should just call it a night.”

 

“But we haven’t even had coffee yet,” said Haejin shaking his head.

 

“It’s okay, really, I just want to go home—

 

“No, dinner was a mess, and both times it was my fault. We have to do something to erase these memories. Please let me buy you some coffee to make it up to you? I found a really nice place that I think you’ll love. Please? Please?” he asked before taking both her hands in his.

 

He brought their locked fingers up to his heart and held them there as he stared into her eyes genuinely. And against her better judgment, Daerim agreed.

 

When they walked into the coffee shop Daerim was slightly surprised. She had expected Haejin to take her to some cute and very girly inspired coffee shop, which she wasn’t particularly in the mood for. So when they stepped into this place with it’s industrial feel, high ceilings and exposed piping, she was very intrigued.

 

All of the tables were of different designs, heights, widths, and lengths. And the chairs followed that same pattern, with very few looking identical. It almost resembled a homemade school cafeteria, but instead of being dominated by tons of teenagers, it was relatively quiet, with just couples enjoying their coffees together.

 

“So, what do you think?” asked Haejin when they stepped in.

 

“I like it,” said Daerim honestly, as she continued to take in all of the details.

 

“Good, here, let’s get a table here in the center, away from any doors,” said Haejin bringing her over to one large table in particular.

 

“I’ll order,” smiled Daerim when she saw Haejin preparing to walk to the counter.

 

“Uh, okay,” said Haejin awkwardly sitting as he watched her stroll over to the counter.

 

Just as Daerim was approaching the counter, Haejin saw the front door of the café open out of the corner of his eye. He thought nothing of it as he continued to watch Daerim make her choice at the counter.  Until he heard his name called.

 

“Haejin-ah?”

 

Haejin turned around and saw Yesung and Ryeowook standing just a few feet away from him.

 

“Jongwoon samchon, Wookie samchon, h-hi,” Haejin said standing quickly to give each of them a bow.

 

“What are you doing here?” asked Ryeowook with a smile.

 

“Oh-me and Daerim are just—

 

“Oh, Daerim is here as well?” asked Yesung looking around for her.

 

“She’s just ordering,” said Haejin pointing towards Daerim who was now walking back over to him with a buzzer in her hands.

 

“Samchons, hi,” she said with a smile as she finally reached them.

 

She hugged both of them before standing back beside Haejin.

 

“It’s such a surprise seeing you both here. We come to this shop all of the time,” explained Ryeowook.

 

“Really?” asked Haejin, raising his eyes brows in surprise.

 

“Yeah, they make the best lattes here. The barista trained overseas, so he’s really been able to perfect his skills,” said Yesung.

 

“Why are we standing? How about we sit down and you two can tell us how you're doing in school,” said Ryeowook motioning towards the table.

 

He and Yesung moved to sit down and Haejin and Daerim both look horrified for a moment before slowly sitting down themselves.

 

“So, Daerim-ah, have you decided what high school you're going to attend yet?” asked Ryeowook with a smile as he sat across from her.

 

“Uh, well, I wanted to apply to the art schools to study painting, but Wonnie and Kyu appa think it’s best to apply to the international schools, so I think that’s probably where I’ll go,” she said softly, glancing at Haejin.

 

Haejin frowned slightly, before straightening his face again. This was the first he was hearing of the news. He had assumed that Daerim might attend his art high school with him.

 

“Well, you can always paint, you know that. But you're appas just want you to be prepared more for the future. And you’ve always been really strong with languages, so I’m sure you’ll love it,” reassured Ryeowook.

 

Daerim nodded with a small smile.

 

“How are things at your school Jin-ah?” asked Yesung, trying to change the subject.

 

“Uh…good. Pretty good. Just trying to get my final composition project finished,” Haejin said, trying to focus now on Yesung,

 

“Well, remember, if you ever need any help, me or Wook would love to give you any tips or listen to what you have so far,” said Yesung with a nod.

 

“Thanks samchon,” said Haejin genuinely.

 

“Oh, I wish I had known that we were going to see you two,” sighed Ryeowook. “We brought some presents for you back from Japan.”

 

“Oh, right, how was your trip?” asked Daerim.

 

“Amazing! Here, I’ll show you some photos,” smiled Ryeowook taking out his phone.

 

And so it went, for the next thirty minutes.

 

As Ryeowook continued on about their hotel, visiting Sungmin and his husband Kaito, the food, the temples, and the shows that they saw Yesung slowly realized how odd it was that Haejin and Daerim were here, in a coffee shop, all dressed up, and so far from both their homes.

 

“Ah, Wook, it’s getting pretty late, I think we should go,” said Yesung suddenly, glancing at Haejin and Daerim.

 

“Wh-why? We’re having such a nice time,” he protested.

 

“I was thinking that maybe we should go pick up Ming and Milo tonight,” he said.

 

“But I thought you told Jongjin that we’d get them tomorrow?” asked Ryeowook.

 

“Yes, but it just occurred to me that since it’s Saturday night, that maybe he’ll have plans, and want to go out, like on a date,” he said shooting a quick glance over at Haejin and Daerim before looking into Ryeowook’s eyes.

 

Ryeowook narrowed his eyes for a second before suddenly gasping. He looked over at the young couple and then back at Yesung.

 

“Ooooh! My gosh yes! We have to go get them, now! Sorry Daerim-ah, Haejin-ah, I didn’t mean to go on for so long,” said Ryeowook apologetically.

 

“It’s okay samchon, really,” said Daerim with a nod.

 

Ryeowook sighed as he looked at Yesung, both of them feeling terrible for having obviously crashed their date.

 

“Tell your appas that we’ll talk to them soon, okay?” said Ryeowook as he and Yesung stood up.

 

They both nodded.

 

“Enjoy the rest of your night, you two,” said Yesung with an apologetic smile.

 

When he and Ryeowook finally left, Haejin checked his phone. 9:40.

 

Palming his face with both hands, he peeked between his fingers and looked over at Daerim who was staring blankly as the table ahead of them.

 

“Daerim, I’m sorry, I had no idea that this would happen,” said Haejin shaking his head as he pulled his hands away. “They just came in and started talking and I couldn’t turn them away—

 

“I know Oppa, it’s not your fault...,” Daerim sighed. 

 

Haejin sighed. He knew Daerim was disappointed, but that she would never admit it to him.

 

“I guess I have to take you home now,” he said with a sigh.

 

Daerim nodded sadly and then stood.

 

Haejin followed her lead and they walked outside together slowly, so that they could hail a taxi.

 

Once inside, Daerim alternated between looking down at her lap and out the window.

 

Haejin hoped that she would look over at him at least once, but she seemed lost in thought.

 

“I really wanted this to be special…and it was ruined, it’s all my fault,” he said softly, looking down at his hands.

 

Daerim turned at the sound of his voice and frowned.

 

“Don’t say that,” said Daerim shaking her head again as she reached out to touch his arm.

 

“Let me make it up to you?” he asked hopefully as he looked into her eyes with a bit of new found eagerness.

 

“You don’t have to—

 

“Yes, I do. All of this…it wasn’t me and you. It was our parents, our uncles, our friends, but not us. I want to take you on a date that is romantic, but still meant for just us. I want you to be happy, so we’ll decide what we’ll do together and it’ll be perfect. I promise.”

 

Daerim softly smiled. “Okay.”
 

Haejin rested his open hand on the seat between them and Daerim placed hers on top so that their fingers locked.

 

                                                            ~**~

 

“So he’s not jerk, he’s just bad at dates,” stated Siwon once Daerim had finished.

 

“Appa,” Daerim groaned softly.

 

“What he means is that we’re glad he didn’t hurt you,” chuckled Kyuhyun as he reached over and playfully shoved Siwon’s shoulder. “it’s just that you guys had a black cloud over your entire night.”

 

“Maybe we’re…” started Daerim.

 

“Maybe you're what, aegi-yah?”

 

“Maybe he and I are aren’t supposed to be more than what we are…” she drifted off, her head still resting against Kyuhyun’s shoulder.

 

Kyuhyun glanced at Siwon who’s face turned into a soft frown.

 

“Aegi-yah, I don’t think that’s what this means—started Kyuhyun, only to be interrupted by the sound of the front door to the apartment being opened.

 

“Kyu appa!” came Hyunjin’s voice as he limped into the apartment.

 

Everyone’s heads turned towards the door as they saw Hyunjin emerge with Kyuhyun’s mother helping him walk in. He had been staying with Kyuhyun’s parents for the weekend, so everyone was surprised to see him now.

 

“Jinnie-ah, what’s wrong, why are you walking like that?” asked Kyuhyun moving to stand up.

 

“But wait, Appa, we didn’t finish talking about me and Haejin,” said Daerim softly reaching out to grab his arm.

 

“Just a minute aegi-yah,” said Kyuhyun and he and Siwon both walked over to look at Hyunjin.

 

Daerim watched as both of her parents stood and left her alone on the couch to go and tend to her younger brother.

 

“He was riding his bike outside and the next thing I know, he was on the ground crying and blood dripping down his leg,” sighed his mother.

 

“What?!” exclaimed Kyuhyun as he cupped Hyunjin’s face with his hands.

 

“Let’s take a look Jin-ah,” said Siwon bending down and gently lifting  Hyunjin’s bandaged leg.

 

“I crashed my bike with Jae Woo’s and his bike fell on top of mine and the chain cut my leg,” sniffed Hyunjin.

 

“Was it a deep cut? Does he need to go to the hospital?” asked Kyuhyun looking at his mother.

 

“No, no, I don’t think so. I think he was just shocked from the sight of the blood. It’s stopped bleeding for now and I cleaned it, but he just wanted to come back home for the night,” said his mother.

 

“Why do both of our children have to be having crises on the same night?” sighed Kyuhyun, to which Siwon chuckled as he slowly peeled away the bandage.

 

“Ow! Ow! Wonnie Appa!” said Hyunjin flinching at Siwon’s touch.

 

“I barely touched it, Jin-ah,” chuckled Siwon.

 

“But it hurt!” whined Hyunjin.

 

“Okay, okay,” said Siwon apologetically, as he put it back down gently.

 

“Kyu Appa, can you rub the special ointment on it? And sing the special song?” Hyunjin asked with red teary eyes.

 

“Sweetheart, aren’t you too old for that now?” asked Kyuhyun with a smirk.

 

Hyunjin shook his head with a pout.

 

“But halmeoni already cleaned it and put a bandage on it for you,” said Kyuhyun shaking his head.

 

“Appa, please? It still hurts,” said Hyunjin wrapping his arms around Kyuhyun.

 

“Aigoo, my seven year old, accident prone aegi,” said Kyuhyun lifting him up. “Thank you eomma, for bringing him home, I’m sorry you had to go through all of this trouble.”

 

“It’s okay, it’s just part of being a boy,” she said with a smile as she rubbed the back of Hyunjin’s head. “We’ll have to try this again a different weekend sweetheart.”

 

“Eomma, can you stay for a while?” asked Kyuhyun.

 

“No, I’m sorry Kyu-ah, I have to be going, your appa is waiting back at home,” she said before her eyes caught Daerim on the sofa.

 

“Daerim-ah, sweetheart, where’s my hug and kiss?” she asked with a smile as she walked over towards the couch.

 

“Daerim had a bit of a rough night Eommanim,” explained Siwon.

 

“Oh dear what happened?” she asked as Daerim stood from the couch and walked over to her.

 

“She had her first date with Haejin,” said Kyuhyun.

 

“Oh well, I want to say congratulations, but from your face I can tell it didn’t go very well, come here sweetheart,” she said holding her arms open for Daerim.

 

Daerim accepted her a hug, leaning her head on her shoulder.

 

“If you want sweetheart, we can make a cup of tea together and you can tell me all about it,” she said patting Daerim’s back.

 

“Eomma! When I asked you to stay you said no!” laughed Kyuhyun.

 

“Well, when my granddaughter is in distress, your Appa can wait,” said his mother.

 

“It’s okay halmeoni, I think I’m just going to go to bed, I’m really tired,” she said after breaking away.

 

“Are you sure? I don’t mind,” she said Daerim’s cheek.

 

Daerim nodded and then walked down the hall, disappearing into her room.

 

Once the door had closed, she tossed her bag to the floor and then ran her hands through her hair.

 

She was really disappointed that her talk with her appas had been ruined by Hyunjin, but she knew that once he was crying there was very little she could do to pry Kyuhyun away from him. And she knew that her Wonnie appa would only tell her that the date had been a bad idea in the first place. All of her friends were probably out or with their families now, so she didn’t want to bother them. And Haejin, the one person she could always turn to in the past, was the one person she couldn’t talk now.

 

Just then there was a knock on her door.

 

“Come in Appa,” Daerim called out.

 

Siwon opened the door, stepping halfway in.

 

“Is there something you needed Appa?” she asked softly.

 

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” he said taking the final steps inside.

 

“I need Kyu appa, but …well, Hyunjin needs him now so,” said Daerim softly.

 

“Well, the great thing about appas in this house is that you two. And I’m free,” said Siwon holding his arms open.

 

“But you're not exactly sympathetic to this are you Appa?” asked Daerim.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Siwon, slightly hurt.

 

“You didn’t want this date to happen from the start so why would you care if it was awful?” asked Daerim truthfully.

 

Siwon sighed and walked over towards Daerim’s bed. She moved to sit up when she realized that he planned to sit down.

 

“Baby in no way did I want your first date ever to go badly,” he said wrapping one of his arms around her body. “And I am truly sorry if I made you think that was the case. I would never wish any pain or hurt for you.”

 

“I just figured that after hearing how it all went, you’d think I wouldn’t want to date anymore and you’d be happy,” said Daerim looking down.

 

“Is that how you feel? After this one experience you’re ready to just give it all up?”

 

“Appa, it was terrible,” he voice wavering.

 

“Baby, it’s okay,” said Siwon with a gentle laugh as he rubbed the side of her arm with his hand. “Look, there was a lot of pressure put on the two of you by everyone. To be honest, I could’ve called that something was going to go wrong from the very beginning. But look at you, you survived it. You smell like ketchup and grease, but you made it out alive.”

 

“Appa!” Daerim laughed.

 

“See, that’s the attitude you have to have about this. If you can’t laugh, you'll cry, and there’s no reason to ever cry over something as silly as a teenage boy.”

 

“I’m just afraid that maybe this is a sign that we’re not supposed to be together. It shouldn’t be this hard just to have a date should it? It wasn’t this hard for you and Kyu appa, was it?”

 

“Are you kidding me? It was worse! Baby, your Kyu appa and I had a lot of forces trying to keep us apart in the beginning. Families, bosses, schedules, fans, everything. And although I hate to remember it, there were times when the pressure got to me and I made your Kyu appa cry. But you know the most important thing that happened with each terrible experience we had?”

 

Daerim shook her head.

 

“Your Kyu appa forgave me. And that allowed us to have a lot more of experiences that were beautiful and life changing,” he said.

 

Daerim smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

 

“Not to mention, you're young. So young, and you shouldn’t be worried about whether or not Haejin will be the last one standing, just worry about whether or not you want the relationship to continue. Regardless of what happens, he’ll still be your oppa whether or not he’s your boyfriend too.”

 

“Thank you Appa, that really does make me feel better,” she said hugging him.

 

“Anytime baby,” he said kissing the top of her head.

 

When they broke apart, he stood.

 

“I’m going to go and check on your brother’s leg and make sure he isn’t holding your Kyu appa hostage with that awful song like last time. Do you need anything?”

 

Daerim shook her head with a small laugh. “No, I think I’ll just take a shower and then go to sleep.”

 

“Okay, good night baby,” he said as closed the door behind him.

 

Once she was alone, Daerim moved to start undressing, only to stop and look down at herself. She had forgotten to return the purple sweater that hang loosely now on her frame. Although she was still mortified by what was underneath, she felt a small bit of happiness spark in her heart. So instead of pealing it off, she wrapped her arms around herself, hugging the fabric close to her body. If she breathed deeply, she could still smell Haejin on it.

 

Laying back against the sheets she thought back on what her Wonnie appa had just told her and decided that she would just put the entire night behind her and start fresh with Haejin. Hopefully in time, they would be able to laugh about it all together.

 

While lost in her thoughts, she was interrupted by a buzz on the floor. Sitting up, she leaned over to grab her bag. When she took out her phone, she saw that she had a message.

 

It was from Haejin.

 

With a big smile she opened the message.

 

Meet me in your apartment’s courtyard at 1am.

 

A gasp escaped her lips as her smile faded.