It was Seojun’s bright eyes and opened arm, asking to be hugged, that first welcomed Oh Hayoung in vice president’s house, “Ommaaaaaaaaa!!! It’s Hayoungie Noonaaaaaa~~~,”

When Seojun screamed out her name to his mother inside, the first thing she wanted to do was turning her heels and slamming the door, running away from the reality that she would meet Oh Sehun’s mother in any time soon. What if she doesn’t like me? What if she chased me out from her house? 

“Hayoung? Is she the pretty noona you always told me, Seojun-ah?” woman who was still really pretty in her age, popped out behind the pillars. She was half running answering Seojun’s announcement, didn’t realise that she still had her apron on her waist and ladle in her hand. 

Why am I still in uniform? Why don’t I bring something for them? Hayoung bowed more than 90 degrees, mixed between being polite and hiding her embarrassment, “Good afternoon, Ahjumma, I’m Oh Hayoung, Sehun’s friend,” 

Sehun’s mother put her ladle somewhere over the drawer, tried to take Hayoung in her embrace, she patted the younger back warmly, “I’ve heard so much about you, of course from Seojun…” she winked subtly. Hayoung could only let out her awkward smile, it seems that she won’t chase me out… “You are so pretty. It’s the first time that his friend comes over— other than Ilhoon and his friends of course,”

Now she knew from who Sehun got his black smooth hair, fair skin, and sharp jaw (and she really wanted to thank Ahjumma for having Sehun, but she held herself). But unlike Sehun who was cool and calm, his mother seemed a little bit clumsy but warm. 

“Sehun is sleeping in his room,” while Mrs. Kim ushered her to the living room, she wrapped her arm around Hayoung’s waist. It somehow made her heart fluttered with something she couldn’t explain. She could just nodded awkwardly when Mrs. Kim stared her for a moment and said again, “You are so pretty,” 

“She’s pretty, right? I told you so!” Seojun chirped cheerfully, feeling proud for nothing. “Hunnie Hyung also said so…” 

Mrs. Kim gave her and Seojun yoghurt in their hand. While Seojun cheered in happiness, she just bowed slightly, thanked for the yoghurt, “You are so polite— very different with Namjoon, Soojung, and Ilhoon— they are so noisy,” despite her statement, it seemed that she liked all of them and welcomed them well every time they played to her house. “Sehun is difficult, right? I’m sorry if he caused you so much trouble,” 

“No, not at all, Ahjumma,” she denied directly, “He is very helpful and kind,” 

Mrs. Kim smiled, “He is just little different— he doesn’t know to express himself— but he is really heartwarming and kind.” she put her hand over Hayoung, “He lost his father since he was a little kid and he closed himself after that. But lately he changed little by little in a good way,” she ruffled Seojun’s hair with care, “Seojun-ah, do you like your brother?”

He nodded cutely, “Eung! This much,” he made a vary big circle with his hands. 

“Oops, I consumed your time too much. You can go to meet Sehun now. His room is upstair, you can go there and wake him up,” Mrs. Kim looked around and mumbled, “Where is my ladle…” 

“But— Ahjumma— he is sleeping—“ 

“It’s okay,” she swished her hand, “He would wake up happily when he sees you. Go upstair, it’s okay,” 

Going to Sehun’s room was, of course, something she never thought would happen, when she volunteered herself this morning. 

***

Sehun’s room was the second one on the right after the stairs. She bought a little time to look around the second living room, there was bunch of pictures on the tables. Crying little Sehun in the zoo who was kissed by dolphin, Sehun and his mom when he was in the elementary school— looked very same with his signature smile, there was also photo from their dad with baby Seojun in his hand. The one that attracted her so much was the family photo that was took three years ago when Sehun in the middle school, when he met Seojun for the first time. The awkward atmosphere was clearly seen in the photo, and that was the only photo when Sehun’s face seemed so cold. 

It looked like Sehun’s mother took care so much of her little gallery, since there were still bunch of photos of their little warm patchwork family. It made her a little bit jealous. Her house was bigger, cleaner, tidier, than Sehun’s, but it felt colder and empty. Instead of family member’s picture, they had painting from famous artist in their living room— something that Hayoung never paid attention of, even when her mom said that the painting costed them couple of million won. As far as she could remember, they maybe stopped taking photos when she was in the elementary school. 

“You are here,” Sehun’s voice woke her up from her thought. She turned her head and found Sehun in his casual clothing, it was totally different when he was in the uniform— although he was still good looking as always. 

“Your mom said you are still sleeping,” she said, walking toward the boy and put her palm over his forehead, “You are still warm. Why are you getting off from the bed?” 

Hayoung didn’t know what made her heart fluttered; the fact that she was in Sehun’s house, or looking Sehun in the casual clothing, or her hand on his forehead, or maybe, the way that Sehun smiled at her right now. Or all of them together— it made more sense. “Seojun’s voice woke me up— and I don’t want you to see me in my pyjama,” 

Hayoung chuckled, “Wow. I clearly missed something,” 

“Not at all,” Sehun combed his wet hair with his hand. He might washed his hair quickly after woke up and didn’t have time to dry it. 

“Do you have hair dryer?” Hayoung asked. “You have to dry your hair before your cold got worse,” 

Sehun took the hair dryer from the drawer, “I’ll do it in —“

Hayoung didn’t know what kind of ghost she had in her body so she could say something like, “Let me help you,” You should remain silent, Oh Hayoung. This is their house. Even when Sehun looks weak and couldn’t lift the dryer in his hand, you should remain silent. 

He sat on the short chair after switched on the dryer, gave it to Hayoung. She ruffled his smooth hair carefully, she noticed that it was getting longer since the first time she saw him in the class— or even before, under the yellow umbrella, playing with Seojun. 

“Thank you,” he mumbled, when she finished. “You are coming directly from the school, right?” 

Hayoung glanced at her uniform and nodded, “I wanted to go to bubble tea vendor— since Ilhoon said you like it— but you are sick. So I think we could go there next time,” she blushed. “… together— if you want,” 

Sehun smiled, brought his pinkie finger, “Promise?”

Hayoung chuckled, intertwined their pinkie finger, “In this state we have so many promises to keep,” she took a piece of paper from her bag, “Thank you for keep your first promise,” she gave the report school to Sehun. It made her smile when he was puzzled with his own result, “Congratulation, Oh Sehun! 87% in math! I know you can do it!” 

Sehun blinked over his report, he rubbed his eyes, as if he couldn’t believe, “Hayoung-ah… this…” 

She smiled widely, somehow feeling proud and happy that she could prove to everyone else that Sehun could do everything he wanted, “This is real!” she laughed, “Let’s get even a better grade next semester, Sehun-ah!” 

When he finally shifted his eyes from the school report, he smiled at Hayoung, “Hey, thank you…” 

“Thank yourself,” she smiled back, “I didn’t do anything,” 

***

It was 8 pm already when they finished eating together and Hayoung really had a good time. Not just because she was welcomed in their house wholeheartedly, but also she felt something warm in her heart like she never been before— the warm meal, the loud conversation, the laugh, the whole Seojun’s “I don’t like spinach,” drama (and he gave it to his Hyung secretly), and Mrs. Kim who put side dishes on her spoon one after another— she envied Sehun’s little family. If only… 

Mrs. Kim insisted Sehun to take her home, forced her son to use the thickest jacket she found in her house, “He would be okay, don’t worry,” she said, when Hayoung made a worried look. 

They walked side by side, she whispered a little thank you when Sehun took her bag from her hand and swung it to his shoulder, “Your family is very nice,” 

She knew that Sehun was taken aback by her statement, before he nodded and agreeing, “Yes, they are,” 

She laughed, hid a little bit sadness in her voice, “I envy you actually. If only I have little brother like Seojun, if only we have warm conversation in the table,“ 

“Seojun is brat and they are sometimes a little bit too loud,” 

Hayoung smiled, “Thank you for comforting me, but I’m okay, really,” she didn’t blame Sehun for being confused at her statement. Maybe he had known that she always felt lonely in her house— did she ever tell him? She lost track how many times she told Sehun something that no one was supposed to know, “Your mom welcomed me warmly and your father is really nice. I really had a good time,” 

“You can come anytime you want. I bet my mom would love it— she even asked Soojung to come everyday—“ she felt the guilty atmosphere in the air, “Soojung is my friend— only friend— I meant— my mother—“  

Hayoung chuckled, “I know Soojung, I’ve heard about her,” she decided to tease Sehun a little bit more, “She seems nice, your mother must like her so much,” 

“She’s nice but— she is only friend— damn— yeah she’s nice,” 

She smiled, “I want to know her too, next time,” 

Sehun nodded and very obviously tried to change the topic, “The weather is a little bit warmer,” 

“Sehun-ah, do you remember last time I said that I have another wish?” Hayoung exhaled secretly, the warm weather and the slight touch of their shoulder were like an encouragement for her to ask him directly. 

He nodded, “I do— I have also something to ask you,” 

When he stopped her step with a slight touch on her arm, she turned her head. They looked at each other under the dim street light,

said in sync,

as if they had planned it beforehand,

“Would you like to go on a date?” 

a/n

*cringe*