“Umma,” Chaerin poked her head into the kitchen to see her mother busy chopping up extra vegetables to add on for dinner. She felt her tummy rumble when she inhaled the heavenly scent of her mother’s spicy curry chicken. “Oh wow, this smells so good, umma!” She then slid into the kitchen in her socks and hung onto her mother’s shoulders to watch her work, when she actually caused her mom to lose balance and almost spill her curry.

“Lee Chaerin!” Her mother cried. “The kitchen is not your playground!” She lectured while continuing to stir her curry and then holding up the spoon and it to check it the taste was alright.

Chaerin giggled as she rested her chin on her mother’s shoulder. “Ah, I miss your nagging,” she then said.

“What are you doing in here?” Her mother then asked. “Shouldn’t you be accompanying Yongguk-ssi?”

Chaerin then released her mother and walked to the refrigerator, remembering that she was supposed to get a drink for Yongguk and herself. “Ah, I’m getting him a drink,” she said as she looked into the fridge and wondered what Yongguk would prefer. Would juice be okay? Or would he prefer a yogurt drink? Or maybe coffee? Or tea? Goodness, these endless choices!

“Speaking of Yongguk-ssi,” her mother then said. “I never expected him to be such a fine young man!” Chaerin then smiled as she could feel her mother fangirling already. “Don’t you think he looks like that man in that ancient drama? Oh, what was the name of that drama already?” She said, trying hard to recall the show. “Something like sunshine … no, it was moon! Wait, that can’t be it,” she mumbled.

Chaerin laughed. “Mom, come help me pick a drink for Yongguk!” She said brushing off her mom’s remarks on Yongguk. Chaerin knew in her heart how good looking Yongguk was, she knew how popular he was among the girls in the university they both attended in. The only thing she could not understand was why he was constantly rejecting the many confessions he got weekly, even when she thought that he would actually look good with this blonde hot girl once and another time when a lovely red head girl who seemed really sincere and nice or the other Russian girl who had a thing for Korean dudes.

She never understood why and was constantly nagging how he should really get one, since she thought he was a really reliable not to mention handsome person. He used to brush it off excusing that he did not have the time or it was too troublesome for him, causing Chaerin to scoff at him, she thought his excuses were ridiculous. “One day, you’ll meet that special someone that’ll make you so speechless that you’ll want to swallow all that you’ve said right back in,” she remembered telling Yongguk when they were on an evening jog together up a hill. He seemed to have gotten frustrated by her constant never-ending nags and confessed to her. “It’s you! Alright? You’re the one that’ll make me swallow all that I’ve said,” she recalled as they watched the sunset together on top of the hill. She was speechless, taken aback she could only stare at him with disbelief. She remembered it oh-so-clearly when he took his eyes off the city below and turned to look into hers, “I like you,” it echoed in her ears.

“Chae!” She snapped out of her thoughts when her mother called her. “My god, how many times do I have to repeat myself? Are you alright?” she asked with full concern for her daughter.

“Right, I’m fine,” Chaerin said pushing her fringe back, “What were we talking about again?” She asked.

“Peach tea,” her mother replied, but Chaerin did not seem to understand. “Peach tea? Drinks for Yongguk-ssi!” Her mother exclaimed. “Honey, are you alright?” She said putting down the pot in her hands and wiping her wet hands on her apron to approach Chaerin to check if she were alright.

“Oh, right, right! I’ll get it!” Chaerin then said with an awkward smile, “I was just lost in thought.” She explained.

“Very lost!” Her mother added. Chaerin let out a nervous laughter as she looked into the fridge. “It’s in the blue jug, honey,” her mother then said, resuming her kitchen duties.

“Got it!” Chaerin said with a smile.

Back at the living room.

“Mr. Lee,” Yongguk addressed. Chaerin’s father looked up to him, feeling a little surprised how gentle his voice could be even though it was in such a husky deep tone. “Mr. Lee, even though I don’t know anything of Chaerin’s past, but I can assure you that she’s walking out of it bravely,” he said, trying his best to cheer the older man up. “She’s always so cheerful and cheeky around us, friends at the states love her very much, you don’t have to worry about her,” he said. “I’ll be keeping watch on her,” he assured.

“I’m back!” Chaerin then startled the two men as she exited the kitchen into the living room with a tray of peach teas in her hand. “I hope you like peach tea, Yongguk,” she said placing the tea on the rectangular wooden framed coffee table and then standing up to look at Yongguk and her father who were watching her in silence. Chaerin blinked, “Wae? You don’t like peach tea?” She then asked Yongguk.

“Ah, no, peach tea is great,” he said with a smile. “I haven’t had it in a while.”

Chaerin looked at the both of them suspiciously, “What were you talking about?” She then said softly to herself whilst the both men tense up. “I know!” She then jumped and landed on the seat beside Yongguk, crashing into his side. “You were bad-mouthing me, weren’t you!” She said, playfully looking to her father and then to Yongguk and then back to her father. Her father let out a chuckle as he stretched his arm out to reach for a cup of peach tea, relieved that she was only joking.

“How did you know?” Yongguk joked back at her. “Ah, well, I guess it’s because you’re too predictable,” he said, reaching for the tea.

“Oppa!” Chaerin yelled.

“My, my, aren’t you noisy!” Mrs. Lee then made her way out the kitchen with a few dishes in her hands. “Dinner is ready!” She called.

“Yes! I’m famished!” Chaerin said, getting up from her seat. Yongguk could still feel her warmth on his arm where she leaned on. “I’ll go get Harin!” She then said approaching the stairs.

“Oh honey, Harin isn’t home,” her mother then called from the dining table.

“Whaaaaaaat?” Chaerin looked so disappointed that it made Yongguk chuckle to himself as he pulled out a chair. Mr. Lee who walked past him saw that chuckle and he chuckled to himself as well. “Where is she?” Chaerin then joined them at the table where she sat in between her father and Yongguk.

“She’s on a school camping trip in Jeju Island,” her father said, scooping rice from the rice bowl.

“Ah,” Chaerin said with a pout.

“This is why you should call home to inform them that you’re coming home,” Yongguk whispered to her ear, but it was loud enough for Mr. and Mrs. Lee to hear and the both of them chuckled.

“You and your endless teasing!” Chaerin slapped his arm when Yongguk quickly dodged it while poking his tongue out at her.

Mrs. Lee laughed at their actions and felt so much joy seeing them enjoy each other’s presence. “Alright, alright, quiet down, dinner is starting,” she said.

“Deh,” the both of them responded together. 

I hope you like Yongguk's endless teasing :B
Chae is just too cute to not tease! 
I'll continue to update tomorrow ;) 
It's freaking 3am here right now!

Cheers!