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“Suhyeok, get the plates and set them down on the table!” Suhyeok’s grandma yelled from the kitchen.
“Yes, grandma!” Suhyeok replied as he walked up to the cabinet and grabbed three plates.
Another yell came from the kitchen “Also get some chopsticks and glasses once you’re done with that!”
“Yes, yes.” Suhyeok said loudly enough for her to hear.
All while this was going on, Namra was sitting down by the dinner table and watching this all go down. She couldn’t help but think a few thoughts as she watched her boyfriend rush to set the table and assist his grandma.
I feel like a statue.
I genuinely feel like I should be doing something but I don’t know what.
She was snapped out of her thoughts as a hand landed on hers.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Namra just nodded her head in response, not sure what to reply. Suhyeok squeezed her hand in reassurance. He smiled and said,
“Just sit down and relax, you’re our guest.”
He gave her a small little peck on the top of her head and placed the plates beside her before going back to the kitchen to get some chopsticks. Namra took a deep breath and looked down to her lap. She was really nervous since this is the first time she’s meeting Suhyeok’s grandma. All she wants to do is leave a good impression on the elderly woman and maybe if the chances are right, maybe even have a nice relationship with her.
The old woman peeked from the kitchen and asked “Namra, can you help me with something here?”
Namra, startled by the question, quickly stood up and said “Of course.” as she made her way to the kitchen. As she arrived in the kitchen, the woman smiled warmly at her and asked,
“Can you help me cut some of these?” as she gestured to some of the cabbages, onions and peppers right beside a chopping board.
Namra could only nod with a shy smile as she made her way to the board, rolling up her sleeves and washing her hands before holding any of the vegetables. Suhyeok went down to buy some more ingredients after setting utensils at the table, leaving the two ladies alone to bond.
“ This is nerve wracking and nothing bad has happened .”
The grandmother cleared her throat and started a conversation “So…”
“Yes?” Namra answered nervously as she stopped cutting the vegetables to face the woman properly.
She chuckled at this small action and asked “How did you and Suhyeok meet?”
“We’re classmates, miss.” Namra answered shortly and briefly with a sheepish smile.
The lady let out a breathy laugh and clarified her question even more “No, I mean beforehand.”
Namra made a puzzled expression and asked “Before?”
The old lady continued cutting some vegetables as she calmly said “Yes before you were classmates. He used to talk a lot about you before he became classmates with you.”
“Really now?” Namra thought, trying to hold back a smile.
Suhyeok’s grandma just laughed as she said “I just figured you two were friends despite him being a troublemaker back then.”
Namra was stunned to say the least since this is news to her and said in a surprised manner “I—I never knew that.”
Suhyeok’s grandmother stopped cutting to face the young girl with a grin and said “Hm. That’s interesting.”
“It is.” Namra smiled and turned back to cutting vegetables neatly.
Suhyeok’s grandmother asked “Where’s your mother? It’s a bad thing to be away from family on the holidays.” as she was washing some chicken.
Namra answered carefully “She has work, a small Christmas party at her office to celebrate so she might be home tomorrow morning.”
“Is this something that happens often?” The old lady asked as she set the chicken down on the cutting board carefully.
“Yes.” Namra said with her lips flattened into a line.
“If that’s the case, you’re welcome anytime here.” The grandma said loudly and affectionately. Almost like she was treating Namra like a granddaughter already
Namra had a stunned expression on her face “Really?”
The old woman smiled and her eyes formed crescents “Yes. Suhyeok says you’re always home alone since your mother is busy at work so stop by here until then. Your company is always welcome around here.” as she continued to cut some other vegetables needed for the dishes she’s preparing.
“Thank you.” Namra said with a shy smile as she cut the vegetables.
The old woman paused her activities and faced her “No, thank you for taking care of my idiot grandson for me. God knows.” as she rolled her eyes at the end.
“Can I thank you for something else as well?” Namra said a bit confident and a bit shy, almost like a loud shout.
“Which would be?” The woman said with an eyebrow raised with the corner of her lip raising in amusement.
Namra answered confidently “The hangover meal. The one Suhyeok gave the day after Gyeong-su’s birthday party. He told me you gave it to me.”
She just chuckled and pinched her cheek “Anytime, dear.”
“Hey! I’m back!!!” Suhyeok yelled to the inhabitants as he carefully took off his shoes by the door.
“There you are!” Suhyeok’s grandma yelled from the kitchen.
“Do they ever just talk normally?” Namra thought to herself with a smile.
Suhyeok’s grandma dried her hands on the apron she was wearing and crossed her arms “What took you so long?”
Suhyeok smiled as he raised the groceries with one finger “Not a lot of stores left open. It is quite late but I managed to get some beef strips like you asked.”
Suhyeok’s grandma took the groceries with one hand and patted her grandson’s forearm softly “I’ll cook the last thing we need for tonight’s meal.” She said a quiet command in a soft and endearing manner to the young girl,
“Namra, thank you for helping me cut the vegetables. You can sit down with Suhyeok now.”
Namra nodded with a small smile and walked to the couch where Suhyeok sat. He was watching an old action movie with some commandos fighting some alien. He saw her approach the couch and he smiled widely before patting on the spot next to him.
Namra asked as she sat beside him “What are you watching?”
Suhyeok turned to her and said “Alien. Some really old movie.”
Namra turned to him with her lips forming a small pout as she asked “Is it interesting?”
Suhyeok just chuckled as he put his chin on his hand, resting his arm on the armrest of the couch. “It’s very interesting.”
Namra scooted closer to him and leaned on his shoulder “What’s it about?”
Suhyeok smiled and said softly “So…lab experiment gone wrong? They send a team to investigate and of course…” He raises a hand as a gesture for her to finish his sentence.
“It goes wrong.” Namra replies with a smile on her face. Entertained a bit by his storytelling.
Suhyeok nods “Exactly, so now it’s a fight for survival. These people are dying very brutally.”
Namra chuckles as she angles her neck to look at him “Not exactly a Christmas movie.”
“It’s the only thing on. It’s either this or a Pororo Christmas special.” Suhyeok laughed as he suggested the latter.
Namra let out a breathy laugh “I think we can find something nice to watch, give me the remote.” as she reached out for the remote by his side. Suhyeok noticed this and grabbed it for her.
“Here.”
Namra tried to grab it but Suhyeok pulled it away with a teasing smile on his face. Namra squinted at him with a small smile as she tried to reach for it again, he gave her a small forehead kiss and gave it to her properly.
Namra rolled her eyes as she adjusted her position to sit more comfortably beside Suhyeok with her legs on the couch and her head rested on his shoulder “Smooth.” as she flipped through channels. She stopped when she saw a Charlie Brown cartoon special on.
“I find my ways.” Suhyeok chuckled as he wrapped his left arm around her waist and leaned his head down on top of hers.
“How do you find my grandma?” Suhyeok asked in a sincere tone.
Namra smiled “Sweet. Caring. Loud.” She said slowly in a soft but genuine manner with happiness evident in her tone.
She looked up at Suhyeok and said softly “Like you.” while looking directly at his eyes.
Suhyeok just let out a small snort and said “Of course,” He paused to look at her with loving eyes “I’m glad to see you both getting along.”
“Happy even. Really happy.” He whispered into her ear softly with a huge grin on his face.
Namra just smiled softly at the comment and placed her head into the crook of his neck, closing her eyes.
Suhyeok noticed this and slowly rubbed her side “Sleepy?”
Namra smiled “A bit. It is quite cozy here.” She said softly.
“You wanna sleep here?” Suhyeok asked in an excited tone.
Namra chuckled softly, “I’m pretty sure your grandma wouldn’t allow that.”
“You’d be surprised. She tends to do things differently if she feels like it.” Suhyeok said a bit fast.
Namra smiled widely, enough to make her eyes crinkle “Just bring me home later.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Suhyeok pouted as he wrapped his arm around her a bit tighter.
“Namra! Suhyeok! Let’s eat!” Suhyeok’s grandma called from the kitchen, banging a ladle on the top of a bowl to remove some soup. The pair on the couch heard this and their heads perked up.
Suhyeok blurted as he stood up, “Time to eat.” offering a hand for Namra to take to help her up which she happily took. As they walked into the dining area, hand in hand. The grandma slowly laid out the food on the table.
“Come, sit.” Suhyeok’s grandma gestured to the two chairs opposite her.
“What’s the food?” Suhyeok asked innocently, slowly lifting the lid on a pot to take a peek at the meal inside.
The old lady smacked his hand away with a smile “Your favorites and mine.”
“So…” Suhyeok said and slowly trailing off.
Suhyeok continued as he slowly listed the foods “Fried chicken, samgyetang, and…”
“Don’t try to remember it, just eat.” The grandma just chuckled as she sat down into her chair slowly.
Suhyeok shrugged and said “Okay, you said so.”
Suhyeok pulled out a chair first for Namra before sitting down himself. He grabbed some spoons and forks from the side and laid them out for his grandma and his girlfriend. Namra just smiled sheepishly as she sat down looking at Suhyeok.
“Suhyeok.” His grandma said softly.
“Yes?” Suhyeok said absentmindedly as he was too busy getting a piece of fried chicken from its container.
His grandmother smiled and opened the lid to the korean cucumber “Tell Namra about the times you used to talk about her to me.”
“What?” Suhyeok said surprised.
The grandma shrugged “I figured she’d be interested in it. I told her some stuff while you were away.”
“Grandma, you weren’t supposed to tell her about that.” Suhyeok said, half nervous and half laughing.
The grandma smiled at the reaction and said warmly “What? I thought you were friends beforehand.”
Namra leaned in close to his ear and whispered “Tell me what you told her about me.”
Suhyeok turned to her with a bit of a shy expression “Are you sure?”
Namra nodded with a smile “Yes.”
Suhyeok sighed but he smiled and continued talking “Back when I was a…” He paused and continued ”bad student” He turned to look at her directly and said “You always caught my eye.”
Namra said, smiling widely “Go on.”
Suhyeok continued on slowly as he slowly intertwined their fingers under the table “So…I always told her about you. Even if we weren't friends, let alone acquaintances. I told her about you.”
“The model student. The pretty girl I passed by in school. You.” Suhyeok said with a fond and loving look.
“Before I asked you to become my friend during that one P.E period, I always planned on trying to start a conversation but I always backed out. She…” Suhyeok pointed to his grandma “Always told me to get it over with since I kept…uh…”
“Finish it, Suhyeok.” His grandma said in a teasing tone with a small smirk gracing her features.
Suhyeok said in a shy tone “Rambling about you back here. Does that answer your question?”
“It does.” Namra said softly, her eyes were filled with nothing short of adoration and fondness for the boy.
“I’m impressed he managed to talk to you on that one day. I really thought he would have never gotten up to it. Do you know how many times he’s told me before leaving school I’m gonna do it today!” Suhyeok’s grandma said imitating his deep voice and declaration towards the end.
Suhyeok rolled his eyes with a small smile, “Grandma, stop exposing me.”
The old lady let out a quiet laugh “It’s fun. I’m an old lady. Drama is the only thing that makes my days worthwhile, especially ones about young love.” She stopped laughing quickly and looked at the pair who looked at her with waiting eyes.
“Come on, eat already.” She said warmly at the two as she gestured to the food. The pair started getting food slowly. Suhyeok was putting food like rice and rice toppings like pork and beef on top of Namra’s plate before his. He also did the same with his grandmother who told him to eat already and not worry about her.
As they started eating, Namra was surprised by how good the food was to the point she was nodding while chewing.
“Namra, do you like the food?” The grandma asked fondly.
Namra swallowed some food, looked and smiled sheepishly “Yes, I do.”
“That’s good to hear. I didn’t know what you like so I cooked every dish I know.” The grandma said relieved.
“She isn’t a picky eater if that’s what you’re worried about.” Suhyeok commented while eating a piece of fried chicken. Namra slapped his arm softly to which he chuckled softly.
“That’s even better, picky eaters tend to eat less and eating less is bad.” Suhyeok’s grandma commented.
Namra just smiled happily at the two while chewing the food inside her mouth slowly. The atmosphere here…made her feel like she was at home. More so than her own household. The smile she had was wide enough that she could feel her cheeks hurt. She felt…happy.
Happy.
Suhyeok caught his girlfriend smiling widely to herself and he couldn’t help but smile as well. Her smile was contagious and he couldn’t help but smile since today was a fine day. A fine and happy day. The dinner was quiet but joyful in ways, Suhyeok’s grandma would occasionally share stories from Suhyeok’s childhood and his parents. Namra would listen with a smile and laugh, louder than she usually does. It was a sight to see and something Suhyeok would etch into his memory for the rest of his days.
The grandma commented with a hint of praise “You should smile more, Namra. It suits you.”
“Your grandson says the same thing.” Namra said happily as she pointed her thumb at Suhyeok who was just paying attention to the whole exchange.
The old woman rolled her eyes with a smile “Of course he does.”
“What time is it?” Namra asked Suhyeok
Suhyeok quickly pulled out his phone and double tapped the screen, lighting it up “It’s still pretty early. 9 PM.”
Namra nodded and smiled “Oh…okay.”
“You can sleep here if you want.” Suhyeok's grandma announced.
Namra just waved her hands in front of her as a way of saying no to the offer.
Suhyeok's grandma said “I really wouldn’t mind." She pointed her finger at her grandson and said "Suhyeok can sleep on the couch or on the floor and you can sleep on the bed.”
“Wow, making your grandson sleep on the floor. Thanks.” Suhyeok said sarcastically which made Namra snort.
“Not the first time you’ve done that.” His grandmother retorted and Suhyeok stuck his tongue out at her in a teasing way.
“Now, are you gonna sleep here?” Suhyeok asked her a bit excited and a bit anxious.
“Maybe…” Namra pondered.
“Next time. I’d really rather not stay over unannounced…besides you’ve already done so much for me so this is enough.”
Suhyeok’s grandma scoffed with a chuckle “I’ll take you up on that offer next time.”
“Of course.” Namra said with a smile to the elderly woman.
“Has your mom called you already?” Suhyeok asked.
Namra shook her head sideways before placing her hands on the table and intertwined her hands, fiddling her thumbs “No texts but I’d rather not keep her waiting for me.”
Suhyeok nodded “Okay, I’ll take you home later.” as he stood up to get all of their plates and utensils and put them in the kitchen.
“As you should.” His grandma remarked as she took a small swig of water.
Suhyeok let out a short laugh and walked towards the kitchen “Yes, grandma.”
“I’ll go wash the dishes, you girls bond.”
Suhyeok's grandma waved her hand in front of her grandson “No, I’m going to the couch. Namra, you go and help Suhyeok out. I wouldn’t want to hog all the time you’re here.”
“Yes, miss.” Namra nodded.
“Shoo, go” The elderly woman pushed them to go into the kitchen.
Namra laughed as she stood up and tugged on Suhyeok’s sleeve to drag him to the kitchen. Suhyeok and Namra walked into the kitchen, Suhyeok picked Namra up by the waist and placed her on the countertop beside him. He placed the dishes in the sink and reached for the sponge beside him.
“So…” Suhyeok said quietly
“So?” Namra turned her head to ask.
Suhyeok asked while washing the spoons and forks “How did you find tonight?”
Namra took a small pause and replied “Happy. I’m happy.”
“I can say the same.” Suhyeok chuckled with his boyish grin appearing on his face.
“Well, it’s a good thing that we are both happy and everything went well tonight. Hm?” Namra said as she poked his side.
Suhyeok said in an endearing tone “Yeah. I told you she’d like you.”
Namra rolled her eyes with a smile and said “Doesn’t mean you like me, doesn’t mean she would like me as well.”
“I like to think on the bright side of things besides” Suhyeok said and continued with a shy tone evident “with the amount of times I’ve talked her ear off about how great and perfect you are. You think she wouldn’t like you?”
“Did you really like me ever since then?” Namra asked in a curious and teasing tone.
Suhyeok just smiled fondly at her. His gaze filled with nothing but love and adoration for her to the point it made her feel a bit shy and warm. She looked away for a bit to hide her face but Suhyeok can see her ears turn red so he just let out a small laugh as he continued washing the plates with a scotch brite.
Suhyeok remarked in a relaxed tone “Who knew this would happen…I think 10th grade me would be pretty surprised.”
“I think he’d be more than surprised.” Namra said casually
Suhyeok hummed in agreement.
A small idea popped into Namra’s head and she smiled mischievously “Did Suhyeok a year ago ever imagine…”
“Imagine what?” Suhyeok placed the last of the plates on the plate holder and dried his hands with a small kitchen towel.
“Kissing me?” Namra said softly into his ear
Suhyeok froze for a second after hearing that but he turned the faucet off and faced her. Walking in between her legs where they were currently looking at one another at eye level.
Suhyeok said softly and his voice deepened “Maybe, once or twice…maybe even more.”
Namra’s voice faltered a bit but delivered what she wanted to say “Would he have liked to kiss me right now?”
Suhyeok leaned in slowly and let out a small chuckle more breath if anything as he said softly “Without hesitation.”
Their lips met and it was enough to send a fluttery feeling throughout Namra’s body and her heart sped up. His hand made her way to her nape and he deepened the kiss which elicited a small moan from Namra. A bit too loud for her comfort, she thinks.
A cough can be heard from the entrance of the kitchen. The couple immediately broke away with Namra looking the other way to hide her face and Suhyeok looking at his grandmother, a bit annoyed and a bit embarrassed.
“Am I interrupting something?” The grandma asked with a small smile forming on her face.
“Yes.” Suhyeok groaned as he watched her walk into the kitchen. Namra was biting her lip in order to stifle the smile on her face and to hide her reddening face.
Suhyeok’s grandma smacked him upright in the head.
“I just came here to get water.” The elderly woman said, “Carry on.”
As she left the room, Suhyeok just groaned and leaned his head into Namra’s shoulder. She just chuckled and scratched the back of his head.
“I think the mood is ruined.” Namra said in a low tone, a bit amused.
“I think we can salvage it.” Suhyeok said with a chuckle.
She raised his hand with her hands cupping his cheek and made him look at her directly “No. Come on, let’s keep your grandma company by the couch.”
Suhyeok whispered into her “We can always—”
Namra poked his cheek with a finger while smiling “No. I want to talk to your grandma.”
"But–" Suhyeok said with a pout and a bit of a smile.
Namra steeled her expression and made that cold face everyone knows her for "Suhyeok."
He rolled his eyes, still smiling "Fine."
The corners of Namra’s lips lifted and she ruffled his hair slightly "Good boy."
Namra got off the countertop and landed softly on her feet. As they were about to leave, Suhyeok quickly grabbed her waist and pulled her in for one last kiss leaving her a bit dazed.
"Okay…we can go now."
They walked hand in hand to the couch where Suhyeok's grandma sat. Suhyeok sat in the middle between both Namra and his grandmother. There wasn’t much to talk about besides small talk about trivial matters. Favorite food, a good scene that was shown on tv, and school drama which Suhyeok mostly talked about and so they enjoyed the show Suhyeok’s grandmother was watching afterwards in silence. Suhyeok slowly started to drift to sleep and so he did, falling asleep peacefully on Namra's shoulder. Namra saw this and carefully adjusted her position so that Suhyeok wouldn’t wake up with a sore neck. She stretched a hand out and slowly adjusted Suhyeok’s head.
Suhyeok’s grandma said quietly, almost like a whisper “Namra…”
“Yes?” Namra’s face perked up as she slowly turned her head to her.
The elderly woman reached a hand out and took hers, gently placing her other hand on top of Namra’s “Take care of him for me, please?”
Namra did not know what to say for a short time but she softly delivered the words she knew were the best she could think of “I’ll…do my best.”
The grandma smiled warmly and patted the top of her hand “Your best is enough, dear.”
Shortly after, Namra felt a bit drowsy as her head landed softly on top of Suhyeok’s and the joyful night slowly came to a close. The grandmother, noticing this, stood up and went inside Suhyeok’s room to grab something. She returned with a blanket in hand and softly draped it over the pair
The grandmother warmly said to the girl "Use this so you don't get cold."
"Yes, ma'am." Namra took it in one hand and carefully adjusted it to cover Suhyeok.
"Just wake him up if you ever need to go home. Okay?"
Namra nodded softly. In response to this, Suhyeok’s grandmother ruffled her hair softly before sitting down again beside Suhyeok.
When the time came to leave, Suhyeok, despite being a bit tired, still wanted to bring Namra home. As they were about to leave, Suhyeok’s grandmother stopped them.
She raised a small plastic bag filled with food, reminiscent of the one she received all those months ago, “Namra. Here for your mother. I figure she might be hung-over so take this.”
Namra took it quickly and said it a bit shyly “You shouldn’t have.”
She shook her head sideways with a smile and rubbed the side of her arm in comfort “It’s fine.”
“Thank you.” Namra said with a genuine tone.
She chuckled a bit before waving a small hand in front of her “Stop calling me, miss. My name is Soo-young. You make me feel old when you say that.”
“You are old.” Suhyeok remarked from the door with a small snort at the end.
“Hush you,” Soo-young playfully scolds her grandson before facing Namra with a look of fondness “Now go before it gets too cold.” The grandmother pulls Namra into a brief hug which stuns Namra at first but she reciprocates the hug quickly with her hand settling itself on her back.
“Take care, Namra.” Soo-young said with a warm tone.
Namra nodded and replied “I will.”
The grandmother and future granddaughter-in-law wave goodbye to one another as Namra makes her way outside the unit.
“Come back soon.” Soo-young said loudly and excitedly. As Suhyeok turned to join his girlfriend by the elevator, he was called by his grandmother.
“You.”
“Yes.”
“Come home as fast as you can.”
“Just give me the keys and I’ll close as I go inside. Sleep.” Suhyeok quickly said as his grandmother threw him a pair of keys right beside her which he easily caught.
“Take care. both of you.” Soo-young said in a worried tone but Suhyeok gave her a cheeky little smile and locked the door from behind him.
They took the elevator down and walked silently outside with snow covering the empty and silent streets of Hyosan with their hands intertwined. They played around a bit, gathering a bit of snow from the ground and throwing them at each other with laughter and smiles loud and wide enough to make anybody else smile at the sight. Once they were done, they patted down the snow off their clothes and Suhyeok walked up to Namra to help clean off some snow on her hair.
The sight to him was…well she’s always beautiful to him, no shame in admitting that now. However, he found the sight in front of him a sight to behold. Namra’s pale skin glowed against the light from the nearby lamppost and her cheeks a flushed pink with a wide smile gracing her features. It reminded him of those angels you’d see in paintings, the ones that would take men away once they passed away.
Suhyeok swallowed after having lost his voice apparently, saying “You look…really beautiful.”
Namra looked down shyly with her cheeks feeling a lot hotter than before, “Your ears are really red. It looks cute.”
Suhyeok just smiled at the comment and walked closer, looping his hands around her waist and quietly asking with a smile on his face,
“Is this how you figured you’d be spending Christmas this year?”
Namra shook her head “No. But I think it’s one of the best days I’ve had in my life.” She said happily and excitedly.
“That’s good to know, today was a really good day.” Suhyeok said warmly and fondly, looking at her with so much adoration. It’s enough to make her feel warm inside.
Suhyeok brushed a bit of hair off her face and cupped her cheek, warming them as a result. “Come visit again, okay?”
Namra closed her eyes and relaxed herself on Suhyeok’s palm while saying “Maybe later in the week. Mom won’t be here again since she has to attend a small party in Gwangju. A close friend of hers invited her over to her house to celebrate her son’s graduation.”
Suhyeok nods as his grip on her waist tightens and he starts swaying “Sounds good. I’ll prepare food.” A small brief period of silence engulfs both of them with them just enjoying the moment in one another’s embrace.
“Merry Christmas, Suhyeok.”
“Merry Christmas, Namra.”
Their foreheads link together and their eyes look at one another’s lips and they share a warm kiss. Every kiss afterward is filled with smiles and bits of laughter in between under the moonlight and snow leaving this memory forever ingrained in Namra’s mind.