“Yuri, what happen to the eggs?”

“Oh shut up, like you know how to fry one.”

“Give me that.”

Hana took the frying pan from Yuri and started to fry some eggs.

Yuri was right, she couldn’t even flip the egg.

 

“Why is it so hard?”

I laughed I walked over from the kitchen counter.

“Why don’t you both toast the bread and arrange the bacons while I do scramble eggs?” I said.

“Right. Scramble eggs. Why didn’t I think of that?” Hana mumbled.

 

The three of us woke up early to prepare breakfast. Actually I was the first to wake up, I couldn’t sleep. Not after what happen last night.

Jin Young keep apologizing after that. It wasn’t his fault. It was mine. I just didn’t trust myself.

“You need to make more, Mia. The boys eat like a freaking dinosaur.”

“Especially Sandeul oppa.” Hana said, pointing the fork at me.

I nodded and took a few more eggs out from the fridge.

 

-

“Thisisgood!”

“Swallow, Sandeul.”

He nodded and stuffed more food in his mouth.

He does eat a lot.

The boys woke up an hour after we’re done eating. Hana and I were browsing some magazines in the living room while Yuri went to take a shower.

“What are you guys reading?” a voice asked.

“Oh Jin Young oppa. Finish eating?” Hana said.

He nodded and took a seat next to her. I can feel that he was looking at me but I continue to hide myself behind the magazine.

“Do you guys need to go somewhere later?” Hana asked. He shook his head.

“Let’s go shopping!”

He laughed. “Okay, I’m fine with it. Mia?”

I froze when he said my name. I didn’t even know how to react.

“Of course she’s coming with us, right?” Hana nudged me. I just nodded.

“Mia!” I heard Yuri calling me from upstairs.

“Mia.” She called again as I stood up. Her hair was dripping and she was holding my phone.

“Your phone rang.”

 

-

“Didn’t you say you were only staying over for one night?”

“Yes I did.”

“So why aren’t you at home?”

“I just woke up.”

“At 10am? That’s rude. Anyways, be home before noon. Your father is coming home today. We’re going out for lunch.”

“Okay.”

“Do not be late. I don’t want any drama between me and your father.”

Drama. Right.

“Do you hear me? Why aren’t you answering me?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I’m hanging up.”

 

I stared at my phone wallpaper, thinking why I need to go through this.

“Who’s that?” Jin Young asked.

“Eh? Erm, my ste-, my mom.”

Mom, yeah right.

He nodded. “Do you have to go?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, should I bring you home?”

I instantly shook my head. He looked at me with his eyes widen.

“Oh okay. Sorry.” he let out a small laugh.

He looked hurt. I felt so guilty. It’s not that I don’t like him. I like him so much that I don’t want him to know more about me.

Am I being too selfish?

“Erm…” I said, pulling the sleeve of his shirt. He looked up from the magazine he was reading.

“You can, er, walk me to the bus stop, if you want to.”

 

-

“So, did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Did you?”

He nodded at me and looked back at the road.

It was so awkward. Once in a while Jin Young will bring up some really random topics to talk about.

Lucky my phone rang at the right moment.

But it wasn’t someone I wanted to talk to.

“Hello?”

“Honey, your father’s manage to switch his flight so he’s already home! We’ll meet you at his favorite Chinese restaurant. Do you know how to go there?”

I scoffed. Honey? She has no right to call me that.

“Yeah.”

“Okay, we’ll see you there! Have a safe trip.”

I hung up without replying her.

“Oppa, I’m taking the subway instead of the bus.”

“Oh?” he looked at me as I stood up and took my bags.

“I’m not going home.”

“Okay.” He stood up and walked after me.

“Aren’t you taking the bus?” I asked. He shook his head.

“I’ll walk you to the subway station.

“But yo-”

“It’s cool.” He said, taking my bag from me.

The subway station was at least 10mins away. Maybe I should have taken a cab.

“So…where exactly are you going?” he asked.

“Family lunch.”

He nodded as he walked.

“Speaking of that, you never really talk about your family.”

Damn.

I continued walking faster without looking at him.

“Hmm..they are always not at home, right?”

I didn’t answer him.

“Mia, you -”

”Can we walk faster? I’m in a hurry.”

He looked over at me and opened his mouth, but then shut it and nodded.

Should I tell him about my family? What if he treats me differently after I told him? What if he tells the rest?

I didn’t realize I was basically jogging my way to the subway station. I reached in less than 7minutes.

“Hmm, I can take the subway home too actually.” Jin Young said, tapping his chin as he looked at the board.

Before I could say anything, my phone rang.

“Where are you? What’s taking you so long?”

What a complete transformation.

“I’m on my way.”

“It’s a Saturday morning, roads are still clear. Don’t tell me your still in her house?”

“I’m taking the subway.”

She scoffed. My stepmother scoffed.

“Can’t you use your brain for once, what are cabs for? Your father asked why I didn’t pick you up instead. What if you got kidnapped? Now you made me look like a horrible mother.”

You are.

“You better hurry up an--- oh honey, she said she’s on her way, don’t worry. Mia darling, be careful okay?”

I chuckled and hung up, running my fingers through my hair. I quickly put my phone back into my pocket before i threw it without knowing.

Jin Young patted my back. “Is everything okay?”

I shook my head.

He bends down a little and pushed my fringe off my face. “What happen? Was that your mom?”

I looked up at him. He gave me a smile and patted my head. I just felt like crying.

“Come on.” He said, taking my hand. “You said you’re in a hurry. Which line are you taking?”

 

-

Jin Young was playing with his phone while I just stare at my feet. I don’t feel like going to see my family now. I just want to go home and stay in my room.

Just then, I felt something in my ear. I quickly brush it off. It turns out Jin Young was trying to put one side of the earphones into my ear.

“Sorry.” I said, taking the earphone.

He gave me his phone and pressed play.

It was a video from the gag show.

Even though it was funny, I didn’t laugh. Well, Jin Young did.

He must have realized it when he stopped the video when it was still playing.

“Hey.” He said, turning to face me. “Want to talk?”

I looked at him. “Can i?”

He nodded with a smile. “You can always talk to me you know?”

“Thanks.”

He kept his phone and looked at me. “Are you, erm, not in good terms with your mom?”

“N-no.”

“Okay. So…did she said anyth-”

“She’s not my mother.”

“Eh?”

“She’s not my mother. She’s my stepmother.”

I could see Jin Young’s eyes widen as he blinked a few times. “Oh.”

He didn’t spoke for a minute. But I could see him opening and closing his mouth a few times.

Maybe I should just tell him.

“Oppa.”

He turned his head to me so fast that if I didn’t pull back, our head will probably collide.

“Sorry. Erm, yes?”

“Let me talk. Then you can ask me anything.”

He laughed and nodded. “I’m listening.”

I turned to him and exhaled.

“Okay. My mother passed away when I was 10 years old. So…yeah. So, after one year my dad met my step mother. And they married when I was 12 years old.”

“My step mother never really cared about me. She only pretends to be nice and caring when my dad’s around. Which is sick. She would mentally abuse me all the time and tells me that the reason why my dad would rather travel around overseas than staying at home because he doesn’t want to see my face.”

“W-why?” he asked.

I didn’t know what came over me. I scooted nearer to him and lean my head on his shoulder. He put an arm around my shoulder to make me more comfortable.

“I, well. T-that day, my mom, she..erm..”

Jin Young rub my arm up and down. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.”

I shook my head. “No, I w-want to.”

I took a deep breath and continued.

“Ice cream. All I wanted was ice cream.”

“Okay.” He said, my hair.

“My mom said no but I was making a big fuss about it. In the end she gave in.”

“It was on the opposite side of the road. We were waiting for the traffic light to turn green. But then, suddenly, t-this car…”

My vision was blurred. It feels like something was choking me when I tried to speak.

Jin Young my hair repeatedly. “It’s okay, I’m here. It’s okay.”

“The c-car.. came up the pavement and.. my mom... and he… I was….”

I started crying before I knew it. I buried my face in his sweater as he embraced me.

“I think I understand.”

“N-no… no you don’t.” I said, wiping my tears. “I killed my m-mom.”

“No you did not.”

“I did!” I said, pushing him away. “If I had listened to my mom and not go for that stupid ice cream she’ll be alive today!”

Jin Young tried to grab me but I backed away. “Shh…Mia.”

“No. Can’t you see? It’s my entire fault. But guess what? The worst part is that, I survived, but my mom didn’t.”

“Mia, don’t say that. Come here.”

He managed to grab my sweater and pulled me closer to him.

“Sorry, I just, I’m sorry. I, wait, where are we?”

I looked up at the board and saw the station I was supposed to get down was two stations ago.

“Oh great.” I muttered.

 

-

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” He said to me as we make our way out the station.

“I have to. And, erm, you don’t have to follow me you know.”

He laughed and slings my bag around his shoulders. “I’m fine.”

We make our way towards the restaurant without saying a word.

“So..” he broke the silence.

“Yes?”

“So, do you have step siblings?”

I froze. Should I tell him?

“No.”

“Oh, okay.”

Sorry Jin Young. I lied. I have a step brother. But I just don’t want to talk about him. Not now. Maybe I’ll tell you soon or maybe not. You don’t have to know about him.

All of a sudden he grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug.

“O-oppa?”

“Are you feeling better?” he asked.

How am I supposed to answer you that when you are hugging me in the middle of the road with people walking around us?

“Y-yeah.”

He hummed a reply and rubbed my back. “It’s not your fault. Don’t think about it okay?”

“I-I can’t.”

“Yes you can. She’s just playing with your mind. I’m sure your dad loves you.”

I hope so.

Jin Young pulled away and held both side of my shoulder.

“If she does this to you again, call me. I’m come over and talk to her.”

“No! Erm, no. you don’t have to.”

He chuckled. “If it gets serious, I will you know.”

Please tell me his lying.

“Anyways.” He said, taking my bag off his shoulder. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

He nodded his head towards the restaurant. “Go in.”

 

-

Jin Young watched Mia walked away as she slings her bag over her shoulder. When he was about to leave, she turned back and ran towards him.

“Mia, what ar-”

Before he could finish his sentences, Mia flung herself on him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

She didn’t say a word. All she did was held him tight.

Jin Young smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

They stayed like these for a while, not bothering that passerby are looking at them.

“Oppa.” Mia murmured from his shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“T-thank you.”

He smiled and kissed the side of her head.

“You’re welcome.”