Chapter Four

The news spread instantly through the house. The PD had told Seho yesterday that the next guest would be none other than Bae Suzy. I was ecstatic, of course, not having been able to see her since filming Running Man a few months ago.

It was around 3 o’clock when the doorbell rang.

I only got a quick glance of Suzy when she entered the house before Jackson and Joonhyung swarmed around her. I heard her cute giggle as she joined in on their "JYP! JYP!" chant.

Then Sunny gently pushed them away so that she could give her dongsaeng a tight hug. The two had been on the variety show Invincible Youth 2 a few years prior. Their squeals of delight caused everyone to smile as we witnessed the heartwarming reunion between old friends.

Eventually, Suzy was able to make her way over to me. We shook hands, and the familiar electric current passed through us.

“It’s been a while, oppa.” Suzy said smiling, her eyes turning into half moon crescents.

Grinning back, I boldly responded, "Too long. I've missed your smile."

Suzy was taken back initially but then when no one was looking, mouthed back, “I’ve missed yours, too.”

We stared at each other for a beat longer before Suzy went to greet my other roommates.

The cameras would be turned off for the next two hours. This happened every day to give everyone some privacy. Otherwise, the show would be in likeness with a prison if we were under scrutiny 24/7.

Suzy, Sunny, and I were in the kitchen preparing dinner.

Not the best cook, Suzy simply followed her unnie's instructions, something she was apparently well accustomed to.

We were making small talk to pass the time, with Suzy and Sunny catching up while I mostly listened, talking here and there.

I watched as Suzy tilted her head back and laughed freely. She wasn't like most girls who tried to cover or stifle their laughter and I liked that. She seemed genuinely happy to be at the house.

Bae Jongok poked her head into the kitchen. “Sunny, have you seen my cell phone? I misplaced it somewhere and I can’t find it.”

“Oh, unnie, I think I saw it somewhere in the lounge this morning. Here, I’ll help you look for it.” Sunny and Jongok left to go upstairs, leaving Suzy and me in the kitchen alone.

Suzy made conversation first, breaking the silence. “Whenever I cook with other people, it brings me back to childhood memories of helping my eomma in the eatery she used to own.”

She looked down before continuing. “She wasn't home often so I would visit her at work. I couldn’t do much besides washing vegetables or finding various seasonings, but just being close to her in the kitchen was good enough for me,” Suzy said wistfully, her eyes tinged with sadness.

It must have been a long time since she had seen her eomma, or any family member for that matter, I thought empathetically. “Do you cook with other people often?”

She shook her head. “Fei unnie used to teach me how to cook when we would have spare time, but she moved out of our dorm a while ago. Now it’s just me.”

Just then, Suzy let out a slight shriek and moved her hands away from the hot pan.

I hurriedly rushed over to her. “Gwenchana? Let me see.” I gently grabbed her hand, seeing an angry red mark appearing on the side, and instructed her to move towards the sink.

With the faucet running water over Suzy’s injured hand, I went to grab the first aid kit in one of the kitchen cabinets. I dried her hand lightly and then proceeded to rub ointment onto the burn.

While I was doing so, Suzy chuckled, “You know, these types of things tend to happen often. I’m quite clumsy.”

A thought of Suzy adorably tripping over nothing but air flitted through my mind.

“Still, you should be more careful,” I chided. With the ointment applied, I began to wrap gauze around her hand. “Done!” I exclaimed triumphantly.

I lifted my head at that moment, not realizing how close I was until I found myself face to face with Suzy, her lips mere inches away from mine.

We stared at each other for a few seconds before Suzy’s gaze shifted to my lips.

My ears were throbbing with the sound of my rapidly beating heart. We slowly gravitated towards each other at the same time and I could feel her sweet breath fan across my face.

I looked at her one more time to make sure that this was what she wanted. The desire in her eyes said everything. I leaned in...

Right before our lips touched, a loud voice interrupted us. “I’m back, guys! Did you miss me?” Jackson strutted into the kitchen with his hands raised up high.

Suzy and I quickly distanced ourselves and blushed furiously.

Suzy composed herself first. “Yah! I didn’t even realize that you were gone!” sticking her tongue out for effect.

Jackson placed his hands over his heart, “I’m wounded, Suzy-ah. I thought you were obsessed with me. I mean, who isn’t? I’m Jackson Wang!”

While the two JYP siblings bickered back and forth, I couldn’t help but dislike my roommate in that moment for disrupting what could have been.

I offered to walk her out after dinner, hoping to get a chance to talk to her. Although talk about the almost kiss would be unlikely with the cameras watching.

We stood at the gate, both of us unsure of what to say.

Suzy couldn’t take the silence anymore and expressed a look of determination. She grabbed my hand and quickly pulled me to a dark corner.

Before I could ask what was going on, she stood on her tippy toes and swiftly kissed me on the cheek.

Leaning back, Suzy searched for my reaction. At first, I could only feel shock and disbelief over the last five seconds. Then a slow smile spread over my face until we were both grinning at each other like fools.

Realizing the time, Suzy giggled before exclaiming, “Annyeong, oppa!” She slipped something into my hand, waved coyly, and disappeared through the gate.

I stood rooted in my spot for what seemed like hours but was really only a few minutes at the most. I opened my clenched fist, thrilled to see Suzy’s phone number on the slip of paper. She had even included a happy face for good measure.

The girl never ceases to surprise me, I thought, chuckling softly.