IX

“Hana-yah,” Junhyung sang. “Can we talk?”

“Sure, oppa.” He sat down beside her, muting the TV.

“You know how I feel about you, right?” She nodded. “So you know that I love you.”

“Yes.”

“And we live together, obviously,” he continued. “And we’ve been on a couple of dates, right? We enjoy each other’s company, right?”

“Of course. We’re friends, right?”

“That’s the thing, Hana-yah,” he said carefully. “I want to be more. I want you to be my girlfriend.”

“Oh.”

“Please don’t spout nonsense about the whole no-falling-in-love thing, please,” Junhyung said, guessing what her next words would be. “You’ve told me, many times before.”

“Because you don’t believe me.”

“Anyway. Girlfriend – yes or no?”

“Junhyung-oppa, if we break up, please promise me we’ll still be friends.” She looked straight into his eyes, the fear evident in her eyes. “You have to promise okay?”

“I promise. We’re still friends, but now you’re my girlfriend. And I’m your boyfriend. See? There’s hardly any difference.”