“Koo Junhoe,” Hayi called her cousin from the couch, “Go and buy me ice cream.” It was a rather hot and rather humid Sunday morning. Earlier that day, Junhoe was busy playing a video game when his cousin had barged in on him and decided to lie down on his couch. Since their little hugging episode, the little girl of a noona of his had been teasing him more and more and had been using Mirae as blackmail. Right now he was sitting on the floor watching TV, “Junhoe~,” Hayi cooed as she tickled his ear.

“Yah! Stop it, noona! Go buy it yourself!” Junhoe swatted Hayi’s hand away, clearly annoyed. Hayi pouted, “You shouldn’t treat girls like that, Junie. What would Mirae think?” By the mention of the girl’s name, Junhoe’s body tensed. Hayi smirked, Junhoe glared at her, she had won this round.

Junhoe stood up, grabbed his wallet, and wore his cap. Before leaving, he glared at Hayi’s lying figure on the couch. Hayi grinned back at him and he just rolled his eyes back at her. After hearing the slam of the front door, Hayi lazily grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels.

A few channels over, she felt a cellphone vibrating, Hayi had presumed it was just her boyfriend checking up on her. Without looking away from the TV screen, she grabbed the phone, “Hello?”

“Um, hello. Is Junhoe there?” For the past week, Hayi had been endlessly bothering Junhoe to at least let her talk to Mirae, and each time he had refused, coldly. He went to great lengths to make sure she didn’t hold a conversation with the mystery girl. But, it seemed that fate was on Hayi’s side.

“Yeah… Junhoe’s not here right now. But, I’d really love to talk to you, Mirae-ssi.”

Mirae’s POV

Junhoe had particularly told me not to call him on Sundays and that he’d call me instead. But, as I lay down on my bed that Sunday, with absolutely nothing to do and bored to death, I decided to call him.

Ring ring.

“Hello?” a feminine voice had answered. Must be his mom. “Um, hello. Is Junhoe there?”

“Yeah… Junhoe’s not here right now. But, I’d really love to talk to you, Mirae-ssi,” I was shocked she knew me, but she didn’t sound like Junhoe’s mother at all.

“Allow me to introduce myself. My name’s Lee Hayi – Junhoe’s cousin. It’s very nice to meet – talk to you, Mirae-ssi,” she said cheerily. I was obviously shocked, Junhoe never mentioned his cousin was the Lee Hayi – the school’s best singer, and her voice was so different from her usual low tone that it kind of scared me.

“Ah, yes. Hello, Hayi-ssi. I didn’t know Junhoe told you about me,” I nervously laughed.

“Ah, I actually kind of barged in on your conversation the other week. Junhoe was forced to tell me.” So that was her.

 “Anyway, you can drop the honorifics. Call me unnie instead.”

“Ne, Hayi-unnie,” it was really awkward, my face started to heat up.  

 “You know, Junhoe really didn’t want us to talk. I don’t know why, but maybe to save him from the embarrassment,” she nervously laughed from the other end, “I would love to tell you some really good and juicy stories back when we were still kids but he’s probably on his way back home and he’ll get mad at me if he found out I’d talked to you.”

“I don’t know who you are, Mirae, or what kind of person you are. So I have no right whatsoever to judge you. But, what do you expect to gain from maintaining this kind of relationship with my cousin?” my breath hitched. She was right. What exactly do I get from all this?

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. I really haven’t figured it out myself.

 “It’s okay. Junhoe’s usually a good judge of character. I trust you, a little bit, I guess,” she chuckled, “But, whatever it is, just try not to hurt him too much, okay?” she chuckled again, but it was rather bittersweet.

Before I could reply, I heard a door slam and Junhoe’s faint yelling voice, then I heard a beep. I sadly looked at the phone in my hands. Sigh .I was then left to ponder over our conversation.

Hayi’s POV

Junhoe’s sudden entrance had startled me and I accidentally ended the phone call. “Yah, noona! I’ve got your ice cream!” I stood up and followed him into the kitchen, his back turned to me. He was already scooping out the ice cream he bought – strawberry flavored, my favorite. I smiled, he remembered.

“Don’t smile at me like that, it’s creepy. Besides, isn’t this supposed to be your boyfriend’s job or something?” I shook my head at him. Same old Junhoe. “Being a boyfriend isn’t a job, Junie. You should at least know that,” I teased, “Anyway, thank you.”

“You’re doing that face again, it is freaking me out,” I just rolled my eyes at him and concentrated in eating my ice cream. But, I couldn’t help looking at Junhoe’s phone which I had left on the couch. I looked back at Junhoe, he was eating – more like, breathing the ice cream in. He looked stupid but equally amusing, I smiled at the sight. Aigoo, this kid, always so helpless.