Flashback:  Seoul, 2008

“Jongin!  Jongin come here!  Come take a picture of us!!” 

The man named Jongin came running out with a Leica camera in his hand. 

“What?  What??” Jongin asked, an excited smile on his face. 

“Jongguk... Jongguk’s smiling!!  It’s his first facial expression!!  Come on, take a picture of him!”  the woman with flowing red hair smiled, making a peace sign at the camera in Jongin’s hands. 

“A smile?”

“Mmhmm!  According to this website, 2-month babies are supposed to be able to smile, grasp objects, and he’ll start mimicking the sounds we make!  He might also roll over or push his chest up a little... he’s gonna do many cute things!”  The woman babbled endlessly, and Jongin smiled affectionately at her and the rosy baby in her arms.  “Jongin~~  Pictureeee!!”

“Arrasso, arrasso.”  Jongin smiled, and got on one knee.  “Hana, deul, set!”

Snap!

The shutter of the camera clicked and a photograph was taken. 

“Come on Jongin, let’s take a selfie.”  The woman pouted.  “You be in the picture too.  Look, Jongguk’s looking at you!”

“Okay baby.”  Jongin sits on the grass beside her and stretches out his arm.  “Hana, deul s—“

“WOAH!!  WOAH!!”

“What??” Jongin turns around, expecting to find something weird somewhere.

“Look!!  Jongguk’s holding my hand!!” 

“He can?”

“Of course!! He’s supposed to be able to do all this already.  Jongin, you didn’t read the book I gave you, did you?” The woman pursed her lips a little.  “How are you gonna be a dad then?”

“I’ll be an awesome dad.”  Jongin smiled confidently.  “Oh, he’s holding your pinky!  He’s holding your pinky!  It looks so cute—“ Jongin grinned and take a picture of their son’s hand clutching his mom’s little finger. 

“He’s so tiny..” she cooed.  “His fingers only fit around my pinky!”

The three-month-old Jongguk smiles a little and tugs on his mom’s little finger he had in his hands.  Staring with expectant, hopeful eyes, the woman lifted her hand slowly.. and Jongguk unexpectedly put it in his mouth... and started on it.

“AAH—“ she yelped a little, her toes curling at the soft, wet feeling on the edge of her little finger.  “Jongin, do something!  He... he should on his own fingers!!”

Jongin laughed and got ready to take another picture.  “Wait, let me take a picture first~”

“Jongin, this feels... this is uncomfortable.  He’s not— he’s not letting go!” The woman in the yellow sundress tried to free her hand again.  “I’ve never seen a baby do this before.  on someone else’s finger, I mean.”

“Maybe he’s showing that he really likes you?” Jongin suggests, smiling a little.  He held his pink up next to Jongguk... to which the latter ignored. 

“Ha.  He doesn’t want your pinky.” The woman snorted, Jongguk’s petal-soft cheek with her thumb.

“Good, I’m not getting my pinky then.”  Jongin smirked.  “Let’s try another finger...”

Jongin held up his pointer.  Ignored.

Middle finger.

Ignored.

Ring finger... ignored.

Thumb?  Completely ignored.

“He likes pinkies.”  She declared.  “My pinky.  Maybe he likes me better!”

“Maybe it feels like.. your.. umbilical cord.”

“WHAT?!” she laughed.  “Babies don’t on umbilical cords, stupid.”

“I know that.  But maybe there’s just a familiar sense of.. something...”  Jongin shrugged.  “Maybe you fed him some Cheetos while you were pregnant.  Cheetos look like pinkies.”

“And that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!” the woman burst out laughing.  “But seriously though, he’s not letting go of my pinkie.  Ow—he’s grinding his gums on it!!” 

“We should get him one of those jelly toys that you put in the fridge and let them bite on.”  Jongin suggested. 

“Hmmm.  We should.”  She agreed.  “Jongguk-ah, give mommy’s pinky back to mommy okeii~~  We’ll get you a proper toy, okay?” she forcefully tried to tug her pinky away. 

“He really likes pinkies huh?” Jongin whispered, looking at Jongguk who was still clutching his mom’s pink tightly, even after having taken it out of his mouth already.  Jongin tried offering his little finger again, but to no avail. 

The woman smiled  “He likes his mother’s pinky.”

Kai quickly shakes his head, quickly shutting close the tab that has just opened in his mind. 

No.

All that is over already.  Times like that... are gone. 

The face of the woman in his mind quickly dissolves back into thin air, like a firework dying just quickly as it lit up in the sky.   But Kai still can’t completely get rid of the smokes it left.  The image of her burnt red hair turning into a soft, orange-red shade under the sun.  Her smile, her dress and the baby in her arms. 

Sighing lightly, he watches Iseul’s sleeping figure for a few seconds as he debates with himself on what to do with her. 

“I should just wake her up and tell her to leave.  Duh.”  Kai murmurs to himself. 

He reaches over but then suddenly catches sight of the bed-side digital clock—the numbers 1:28 flashing in loud, red letters.  Kai stops and sighs again.  Getting up, he opens Jongguk’s closet and reaches for the topmost shelf, pulling out a spare blanket. 

“So gross.”  He grumbles to himself.  “She went to sleep without taking a bath.” 

Kai crouches in front of Iseul—who’s sleeping crossed leg with her side resting on the edge of Jongguk’s bed.  Her body is bent in some weird position in which she’s arched sideways and her head is resting on top of her shoulder. 

“She can’t even sleep properly!”  Kai rants to himself again.  He gets up and opens a drawer and fishes out a neck pillow.  He blows some air and crouches down in front of Iseul again, this time reaching forward to lift her head and fix the neck pillow around her neck.

Kai slowly—but not exactly gently—lifts the side of her head and tries to squish the neck pillow in around her neck.  “Dammit!” he curses, clumsily pulling on the little dangling ropes (adjusters) on each side to tighten the neck pillow around her to perfection.  Kai tries to fit the pillow more comfortably around her neck when suddenly—

Her head rolls over and lands on the crook of his neck.  

Just like that, like a heavy weight lolling lazily...

Kai stops what he’s doing for a while, and for a split second, he’s frozen to his place with his arms hanging out like an awkward bridge.  Why is she—what was he doing again???  And whose fault is this?!  He feels his skin tingle a little as Iseul’s soft, innocent breathing fans the crook of his neck, and worse yet, he can feel her lips near his collar bones, lightly pressing on it.

Kai exhales and closes his eyes in irritation.  What in the world..?

Hastily shoving her away without a second thought, Kai brushes off the spot where Iseul’s face was on his shoulder and quickly, stalked out of the room, determined to get some sleep for himself. 

ISEUL’S POV

Ladies and gentlemen...

I have turned into a grandma overnight!!

MY BACK HURTS SO FREAKING MUCH!!  What the happened??  Why the can’t I move—HOLY AM I SITTING DOWN??

My eyes zap right open and I quickly take in my unfortunately unfamiliar surroundings.  Holy cow.  I sleepwalk as well.  Why am I here?  Where am I, exactly?  I turn my head to the left and—

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

I have been... neck-cuffed!!! 

Why!   What is this!!!  Get this thing off me!!!

Oh it’s a neck pillow.

Okay it’s just a neck pillow...

..WHERE DID THIS NECK PILLOW COME FROM?  WHERE DID THE BLANKET COME FROM AND WHAT AM I EVEN—

I quickly take off the doughnut around my neck and blink and shake my head, trying to get my brain to start.  It’s then that I realized... where I actually am.

Oh wow. 

Oh .

So guess what, everyone?! 

Apparently, I’ve uncordially invited myself to a spontaneous SLEEPOVER at Kai’s place!  Mmhm!!  Jongguk is right beside me, sleeping on his bed like the peaceful little er he is!  And to top it all off, I have somehow managed to take these blankets and even this neck doughnut from somewhere I can’t remember and use it for myself. 

I have sinned.  I have to go to church.

No no, I have to seek protection.  Kai is going to hunt my down.  Maybe I should go to church for protection. 

Wait, who am I kidding.  He ain’t gonna need no hunting.  I’m already caught in his net (I’m in his house, people) and I can already see him barging in in 3..2..1...

WAIT WHERE IS HE??

Anyway, I’ll figure out some crazy explanation as to why I have these stuff all over me later.  Right now, I have to think of how I’m going to bluff my out of Suzy’s deathly interrogation!!  She can’t know that  I was here, because if she does she’ll know who my employer is, and Kai has specifically (and repeatedly) told me that he doesn’t want me to tell people that I’m working for him.

Now I must admit, I should’ve backed out of this whole deal with him the moment he said that because that just sounds so effing creepy and scary—but reality is I didn’t so don’t ask me why.

Back to what I was saying.

Right! 

How do I escape from two scary people??!!  Suzy and Kai should really get to know each other!!  They’re both super scary!

Jongguk is still asleep on his bed.  Aah, the good feeling of knowing that it’s Saturday. I probably only have to go to the library for a while to some research for my next thesis.  I get up and fold the blanket neatly, placing it on the edge of Jongguk’s bed.  I slowly make my way to the door and slowly push it open, poking my head out first. 

Cue in the Mission Impossible theme song cos I feel like some secret spy on a secret mission, es.

Dun dun daran dan dan daran dan dan...

I look to the left.  Then the right.  Left.  Right.

Aha!  Coast is clear.  LET’S MOVE IT!!

I ninja-walk my way to the couch and hastily take my bag that is nestled in between two pillows.  Opening it, I do a quick check on my belongings—earphones, tissue, wallet, keys, card, phone..?

Phone?!

Where is my phone??

I stop rummaging around for a while to think. 

Ah!  I brought it in with me to Jongguk’s room when I put him to bed last night!

Aish, now I have to ninja-walk back in there again???  What if Kai shows up??  He’s not going to be happy to know that I decided to sleep over at his house last night – and use his blanket and neck cushion too! 

Seizing the opportunity before Kai wakes up, I tiptoe back into Jongguk’s room and dash to the spot where I fell asleep last night.  Ooh, there it is!  It must’ve fallen out of my pocket.  I quickly pick it up and turn to leave again, when my eyes rest on the blanket and the neck pillow.  Should I leave an I’m sorry note?  Should I put it back?  But I don’t know where I got these from!!  I don’t even remember taking them out!!  I never knew I sleepwalked, much less sleepwalk-while-taking-random-stuff-for-my-comfort!! 

Wait...

Don’t tell me... Kai did it?

...

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

You’re so funny Iseul.  SOOOO FUNNY AND STUPID!

Kai wouldn’t do that.  He doesn’t even take proper care of his son, he snaps at you everytime he opens his mouth, and now you're thinking that he actually gave me a blanket and a pillow?

Wow.

ing get your together, brain!

Meh.  I’ll just send him an apology text later on... or maybe tomorrow.  When I've maked sure he's not hunting down my with a pitchfork.  Because if he is, let's be real here, who owes who an apology?  

Exactly. 

I quickly tiptoe outside again.  Making a beeline for the couch, I take my bag and quickly scurry away to leave when—

“Did you steal anything?”

“AAH!” I jump and look over to the pantry... where I see Kai making himself a cup of coffee.  “Gosh, you scared me.”

“Why were you walking out like you did something wrong?” he asks, looking at me for a while.

“I.. I..”

“What?”

“Because I thought you wouldn’t like it if you found out that I slept over at your place last night.  I’m sorry!!  I fell asleep!  I promised to Jongguk that I’ll wait for him till you came back, but then—I don’t know—what time did you come back?” I ask.  “Anyway, yeah, that’s why I wanted to leave before you—“

“I knew you were here, stupid.”

“Really?  Why didn’t you wake me up and tell me to go home?”

He glares at me.  “Would you rather I did that?”

I falter a little.  “Not really, but.. I thought that that’s what you would do.  I mean, you were so eager to get rid of me yesterday when we went out to the bowling alley.”

“I came back at 1.”  He says, drinking some of his coffee.  “I couldn’t tell you to leave at that time of the night.”

“Then.. thank you.” I smile a little sheepishly.  “but... that wasn’t actually why I didn’t want you to see me here..”

“Then why?”

“Because... I may have sleepwalked and used your blanket and neck pillow last night.  Don’t ask me how.  I’m really scared of myself too now.  Anyway, I’m sorry and I’m not gonna take them, so bye!!”  with that being said, I dash out of the apartment, unabling him to ask any questions.

I honestly don’t remember taking all that stuff out of nowhere, and I lose myself in the swimming thoughts and possible theories of how I might have obtained them last night as I take the subway back to my apartment.  Ah, it!  Maybe Kai gave them to me.  Or maybe he did not.  Maybe I didn’t take them, yet maybe I did--  so who the cares?!

Instead I resolve to call Suzy and explain to her about my whereabouts. I wait patiently for her to pick up but the moment she does, a guy’s voice meet my ears.

“Hello?” whoever-this-is says in a deep voice.  Yep.  Most definitely a man.

I would’ve panicked and proceed to attack the man with several billion questions like a police officer if I weren’t already used to Suzy’s habit of ‘going out’.

And by going out I mean going single-man hunting to several bars or restaurants, try to hook up with them, and when she succeeds, goes to spend a night with them making hot, sweet love.  In short, Suzy likes no-string-attached .

Usually she asks me to go out with her, and I usually comply, but I only stay until she finds a guy she wants to sleep with.  And then I go home, and if Suzy’s man has a friend with him that is supposed to be for me, I say I have somewhere to go (like I work night shift at a club) and then leave.

You see, that was one difference between Suzy and I.  Other than the fact that she is much more attractive, she is also much more outgoing and, well, fun.

“Is Suzy with you?” I ask the guy on the other end.  I don’t know, but is it part of the Post One Night Stands Etiquette Handbook to take someone else’s phone calls?

“Yeah, she’s still sleeping.  I was about to make us both some breakfast.” 

Okay... what do you say next??  Do I just say ‘kay then, thanks for taking care of her’, or ‘I’ll come and pick her up so where’s your address’ or what?  What if he’s lying?  What if he’s... aish. 

“Umm, can you please tell her to call me once she wakes up?  I—“

Suddenly I hear someone slurring in the background.  “Oh there, she’s up.  Hey, your friend, I guess.” He says, and probably offers the phone back to Suzy.

“Helloooo?” I hear a sleepy and half-drunken Suzy say.  “Yah, where the hell are you?  You didn’t come back nor pick up my calls last night.”

“Yah, I should be the one asking you!” I answer.  “Where the hell are you?  Who was that guy?”

“Just another one-night-stand dude.  I’m in an apartment in Itaewon Street, enjoying a king-sized King Koil bed and feather pillows courtesy of Seo Kang Joon.  Hey, pick me up will ya?  Where are you?”

“I’m on my way home but I can take a short detour, I guess.  Be there in about 15?”

“Okay.  Hey, you haven’t answered me yet.  Where did you go last night?” And by the slight unsteadiness in her voice I’m betting she’s currently trying to shimmy into last night’s clothes.

“So the family I’m babysitting for took me bowling and then I fell asleep putting the kid to sleep.  And because the rest of the family only came back at around 1, they let me stay over.”  Great, now I have to describe Kai in plural for the rest of my life.

“Oh.  Well, I’m gonna tell this guy that I’m gonna leave without having breakfast so he doesn’t think that we’re gonna turn into something more than a one night stand, so let’s go and eat somewhere funky in Itaewon!”

“Funky?”

“I know a place.  Hurry up and come here!”  Suzy says excitedly, and then hangs up.

Funky?  A funky restaurant?  That sounds more like a strip club!

Around 10 minutes later I arrive in front of the said apartment (some rich dude this Seo Kang Joon is)  and spot Suzy waiting on a nearby bust stop.

“YAH!” she screams and waves shamefully.

I hurry over to her and she immediately grabs my wrist and starts dragging me off to God knows where.  “Where are we going??” I try to wiggle my hand free.

“We’re going to a restaurant where everything is served in the dark and the waiters are blind.”

“WHAT THE ?”

“Mmmhmm.  Isn’t that fun??”

“No!”

“Why not?!”

“What if someone s you in the dark?!” I panic.

“They’re blind and it’s dark—how would they know where your is?”

“Well, they are men—“

“Are your s glow in the dark?”

I nearly choke on my own saliva.  “SUZY, WHAT THE !!”

“What I’m saying is,” she says with the right corner of curling up, “let’s try and eat there.”

“But I hate the dark!  You know that!!” I whine.

Suzy stops giving me that half-smirk look.  “Oh right.  I totally forgot.  How could I have been so stupid— I’m sorry.  Yeah, let’s never go there.” She looks at me with an apologetic smile and squeezes my hand.  “You pick.”

We wander around for a little and finally end up in front of a hospital-themed cafe.  Because I love themed cafes and Suzy is just ‘okay’ with them.  “Hospital theme?  Seriously?” she asks, poking the double door handles that were shaped into crutches. 

“Mmhmm!  We’ve never been here before!”

“You and your weird fettish for themed restaurants.”

“Yah, it’s not a fettish.” I object.

“I bet you’ll like roleplaying in bed too.”

“Shut up!” I squeak, my cheeks flaring.

“Anyway, I gotta hand it to them.  Look at those wheelchairs with the actual IV infusion bottles and pipes— holy , are those the drinks coming out of there?!” Suzy gasps a little too loudly, successfully grabbing the attention of a male waiter.  He comes scurrying over, ushers us to a table (which is shaped like those hospital beds—quirky!) and pulls out two menu books for us.

“Any specials?” Suzy asks.

The guy soon begins rambling on and on about something on the breakfast specials like hashbrown and parfait—or whatever—but I’m distracted by a familiar glinting-red-in-the-sun head outside the window.  Is that Mark?

“I’ll have one of that.  And you, Iseul?”

“Uh, number 35 please.” I say quickly, looking at how good it looked.

“And one number 35.” The waiter quickly jots it down in his notes (he’s wearing a male nurse’s uniform) and then repeats our orders, before hurrying away to place the order.

“Is that Mark?” I ask Suzy, looking at the dude with a checkered shirt and dark blue jeans on. 

“I don’t know.  I recognize faces, not backs.” Suzy shrugs.  “God I’m glad I didn’t drink that much last night.  I have algorithm thing to dooo ARRGHHHH!!”

“Hey, I have some stuff to do as well.  We can go to this library themed restaurant in the afternoon later on and—“

“There’s such a thing?!”

“Mmmhmm!  Don’t you just looooove themed restaurants?”

Suddenly, the door swings open and in bursts the very dude with a checkered shirt that we were discussing earlier.  And yes, it was Mark.

“Hello ladies!” he smiles and sits down beside us.  “Mind if I join you?  I was supposed to hang out with my older sister who just came back from the US because mom called and told me it’s about time we bonded again—but then she ditched me.  That stupid little idiot.  Just because she has a Californian boyfriend... urgh.  I can’t even stand the way his chest hair is always peeking out!!  How the can she stand that forest down there?!” 

I laugh, seeing Mark pissed off and ranting his brains out. 

“DO YOU FIND CHEST HAIR Y?!” Mark asks, ruffling his hair. 

“Well maybe she finds the overall dude y.”  Suzy suggests.  “Because I sure as hell don’t!”

“Maybe that’s what the US does to people—they make them ditch us.  I have a sister in the States too and the last time I heard from her was like 8 months ago.   She never calls, and when she does its only to say happy birthday.”

“Jae?  You still haven’t heard of her again?” Suzy asks, looking at me.

“Urgh.  No.  That .  I just hope she’s not smoking her lungs off anymore.”

“You have a sister?” Mark asks. 

“Theoretically.”  I shrug.  “But it doesn’t feel like I have one.”

“I feel your pain.  Hey, can I see the menu please?” Mark says to a passing waitress.  “Maybe you should call first.” 

“I did.” I say, but make no effort to say anything else.  I really don’t want to talk about Jae.

And just like that the brief, knee-deep talk about our lives and our own problems has ended.  From 100 to 0.  I liked deep conversations yes, but I’d like them when we’re laying in bed at 3 am staring up at the white ceiling—not in some hip-themed restaurant at 9 am in the morning.  We’re supposed to be happy, not somber!

“The food is hereeee!” a waitress chimes merrily and places our orders (except Mark’s) down in front of us.  “Enjoy.”

“SO!  You guys got any plans today?”  Mark asks, rubbing his hands.

“Studying?  We’ve got to do.”

“Iseul, we have to to do?  Do I have any to do as well?”  Mark asks, looking at me with his eyes wide open.

“Well I don’t know if you’ve started on the paper Professor Takumi gave us—“

“OH !  THAT!!”  he says, slapping his forehead.  “Yep, I got to do as well.” He shakes his head and observes my face carefully, all of a sudden.  “You look terrible.” He states plainly.

And of course I know I did so I didn’t bother trying to wipe my face or whatever. 

“Yeah, I fell asleep at my boss’s place last night.”

“At the..”

I kick Mark’s leg gently under the table.

“..their house?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Your food!” Another waitress appears beside us and places Mark’s zuppa soup in front of him. 

“Interesting.  Tell me more about this family.”

SERIOUSLY.  WHY DOES EVERYONE WANT TO KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT WHOEVER I’M BABYSITTING FOR?!!

Well, in Mark’s case it might be because he knows this ‘family’ lives in the HOC Building which is supposed to be... an office.

“Someday.” I answer, desperately hoping to get out of this conversation.  I sneak a peek at Suzy and exhale in relief seeing that she’s busy fiddling with her phone with her eyebrows knitted together.

‘Seriously, where the did he get my number from?!” She yells, looking at her phone with murderous eyes. 

“Who?” Mark chips in, the talk about my employer hopefully long forgotten. 

“This one night stand dude!  Is it so hard to accept the fact that you’re just a midnight fling?  God.” Suzy sighs and ignores the text.  She presses the lock button and tosses it in her bag. 

“What did he say?” I ask, interested.  Suzy’s Post One Night Stand Misadventures are always interesting.  One time this guy showed