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"You didn't inform me about your arrival." Minhee sounded surprised, her face a perfect mix of happiness and shock.
"Surprise!" Jeongin laughed, still in her elder sister's embrace. "I wanted to surprise you; that's why I told Mom and Dad to keep it a secret." She winked, walking in with the weight of her backpack.
Minhee rolled her eyes and took a deep breath, looking at her sister lovingly as the girl slid her bag off, plopping down on the couch. She smiled and pulled Minhee with her, her eyes sparkling.
With a fifteen-year age gap, Minhee is basically Jeongin's second mother, who always took care of her until she got married and moved in with Seungmin five years ago. They're still the same after all these years, still the same 'born to be mother and daughter, forced to be siblings' duo.
"You little menace, traveled all the way here alone?" Minhee flicked her sister's temple and pressed her lips into a thin line, unimpressed. "You could've at least texted me. All those calls and messages, you still left no hint."
"That was part of the surprise." Jeongin smiled, bright as the older woman shook her head with a low groan. "Couldn't help it. I took traits from my sister, and your face right now is priceless."
"You're still the same." Minhee sighed as she flipped the younger one off, but there was a fond smile across her face as she spoke. After all, Jeongin is the younger one, pampered and loved to the core, so in their little happy family, she could do as she pleased.
"You're staying with me— with us, right?" Minhee asked.
"Nope." Jeongin replied, stressing the 'p.' "I'm planning on renting an apartment at my own expense. I'll be staying there and will be enrolling in a high school here."
"Wait, wait." Minhee held a finger up. "Give me time to process; you're moving in?"
"Yes, my luggage is coming in two days." The younger smiled, circling her arm around Minhee's hand as she laid her head on her shoulder. "I'm gonna be with you from now on."
"You kept me in the dark, you little—" Minhee whined, slightly mad. "I would've given you a grand welcome." Minhee's face showed disappointment.
"That's why I kept it a secret." Jeongin shook her head. Minhee rolled her eyes as the girl smiled at her sister. Minhee's face was filled with concern, her motherly instincts kicking in.
"A new apartment is a waste of money, Innie. Come live with us; if the distance is bothering you, Han's house is in the central city. There are many schools and universities near their place; I'm sure Hyunjin would love to have you there." Minhee suggested. She knew Jeongin was the type of person who'd adapt to new environments faster—an impressive quality no one else in Minhee's family possessed.
"I already booked and paid for the place, Minnie. It's alright. Let me live my pre-adult years like this." She flashed a wink while flipping a few strands of her long, straight hair back, much to Minhee's liking. "Let me explore what's waiting for me here."
Watching the look on the older woman's face, Jeongin took a calm breath and moved closer. "It's alright, Minnie, I'll be fine on my own." She assured. "You're worrying for nothing."
"Then stay here for a few nights. Bokkie will be excited to see you." Minhee says, and Jeongin nods.
"I'm planning on that. I brought a lot of gifts too, for everyone." She began with a small smile. "But first, I have to go unpack a few of my things and settle them in my place. I need your help."
Minhee nodded, and then with a realization of time, she looked up at the wall clock, her shoulders dropping. "But I have to—"
She couldn't finish as the sibling duo heard footsteps from behind, someone coming down the stairs. Minhee turned, Jeongin following suit.
"Got it, Auntie Min. It was in Yongbok's bookshelves." Changbin's voice echoed, the boy flipping through his younger brother's coloring book he left there after last night’s sleepover. He wasn't looking up, unaware of the presence other than his aunt.
"I'll go now. Channie will ask for it once—" He finally looked up, his eyes falling on the girl beside his aunt. "I—um... hi—"
Minhee smiled as she got up from the couch, pulling her sister up, who didn't try to stand on her own, the girl waving at Changbin.
"Binnie, do you remember her?" She asks, completely missing the way Changbin was staring at her younger sibling. "This is Jeongin, my baby sister. Innie, this is—"
"Changbin, Binnie, I know. I saw him at your wedding ceremony." Jeongin smiled, warm and sunny. Unlike Minhee, she quickly noticed the eyes that were directed at her, her smile changing into a subtle smirk.
Changbin's lips parted as he blinked repeatedly, feeling a type of electric wave pulsating through him that was euphoric and exhilarating at the same time.
He gulped, feeling something he had never felt in his thirteen years of life.
Changbin wasn't the kind of person who never believed in love, and in that sense, we could call him an average hopeless romantic. Your typical teenage boy whose fantasies go from fairytale type to post-apocalypse to meeting the love of his life in a field of flowers to fighting and rescuing her from enemies to—
What not.
He always heard people talk about love at first sight, mostly from his own father, and never in his life did he think he'd experience it firsthand.
Was this what dad felt when he first saw mom?
Changbin forgot to blink as he stood there like a statue until Minhee came in between him and the girl to rescue him.
"Binnie..." Minhee called, snapping Changbin back from his fairyland. "Innie needs a little help here." She said, glancing over at the girl as Jeongin hummed.
"Could you go with her to her new apartment and help her unpack? It won't take much time. I have to pick the kids up from school; otherwise—"
"Only if you are free." Jeongin added to her sister's words, her tone tender. It was comical how fast Changbin nodded his head, without a second thought.
Jeongin kept her eyes locked with Changbin's wide ones. Unlike the boy's, they were calm and without any intention behind them, but it was enough to draw Changbin close, closer.
"How old are you?" Changbin asked cautiously as Jeongin unzipped her bag, taking out a pile of hardcover books and placing them on top of the table nearby.
The apartment was empty, except for a small dining table near the kitchen and a wooden shelf nearby. The walls were painted white, like a canvas waiting for its new owner to paint it, which is exactly what Jeongin is planning to do in no time.
"Fifteen in a few months. Why?" She replied without turning, arranging her books in order, Changbin pursing his lips at her response.
"Nothing, just curious." The boy replied, taking a book into his hand, tilting it to read the side label, his eyes falling on the brochure sticking out from the pages. He pulled it out, a squeak leaving his throat.
"You're enrolling in Green Valley School?" he asked, excitement evident in his voice as the girl hummed, searching for a space for her book collection. "Oh my God, the best school life you'll experience. You know why?" He went on, and Jeongin looked over her shoulder questioningly.
"'Cause they have me," Changbin mused with a smirk, and the girl scoffed and turned to face him, a hand placed on her hips. "Are you single?" He inquired, making Jeongin narrow her eyes to fix the boy with a sharp look.
"What does my being single or not have to do with it?"
Changbin blinked. "It's not for school; I was just..."
"Curious?" Jeongin filled in, interrupting the male as Changbin drew his lower lip between his teeth.
"Yeah, so, are you single?"
"Yes."
"Any talking stage?"
"No."
"Are you straight?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes, it does." Changbin's mouth set in a hard line, his face slowly picking up a faint pink. "I want to know if I am eligible to make a move on you."
"I'm bisexual."
"Okay, cool. Means I'm eligible."
Jeongin studied the male, her eyes narrowing. "What's on your mind, kid?"
"Kid— KID?" Changbin gasped. "I'm thirteen. It's just two years... argh. I'm just two years younger than you; I'm not a kid, don't call me a kid!"
"Then what do you want me to call you?"
There was a sly smirk across Changbin's face as he cleared his throat. "Changbinnie, Bin, Binnie, Bunny, Baby, Babe, Boyfriend—"
Jeongin's pupils went wide as she choked on her breath; then, she huffed out a laugh. "What?"
"Yeah." Changbin shrugged while his nose crinkled, quite proud of what he did. "I think I like you."
"God, you're so cute and straightforward." Jeongin cooed, eyes closing as she contained her erupting laughter.
"Am I?" Changbin beamed as he crossed his arms over his chest in a proud manner. "Then date me."
"Determined, aren't you?" she asked, amused, and Changbin gave a shrug, raising one of his eyebrows. "It's impressive how you haven't stepped into my personal space even after being alone with me for more than an hour."
Changbin frowned at the statement. "What am I supposed to do if you're alone with me?" he questioned, his big eyes curious as Jeongin paused, her smirk slowly fading.
"Oh my—" she placed a hand on her forehead. "No way Lord makes men like this anymore." She scoffed. "You've never been with a girl, well, girl, boy— you've never been with anyone, have you?" the girl asked, leaning her back against the bookshelf.
"No." Changbin frowned as the corners of his lips dropped. "How do you know that?"
"It shows." Jeongin shrugged philosophically. "Just so you know, I don't date younger guys."
"You're just two years older than me," Changbin tried again.
"If you're worried about the age gap, two years is nothing." He whined as he thought about something. "Your sister, I mean auntie Min, married a man two years younger than her."
"I'm not my sister." Changbin's shoulders dropped, his hopes slowly vanishing. Jeongin's lips pulled up slightly at the corner as she looked at him. "Plus, you're too straight, too persistent, and we just met."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"The wrong is—" The girl began after a moment of silence. "We just met for the first—no, we just met for the second time and you're already saying things that are meant to be said in season two, episode twelve." Jeongin huffed out sarcastically, then sighed at the confused-looking male.
Changbin looked down, his lips jutting out to form a pout. "Well, I can't change my age." He said. "Tell me if there's anything for me to do so you'll give me a chance."
"The point is, you're missing the 'hey I'm Changbin, wanna grab a drink with me? How about we go for a coffee? I want to get to know you and all that stuff.'" Said the girl, making her stance clear.
Changbin's mouth formed a small 'oh,' as he finally lifted his face up with a bright smile. "Men are supposed to do all that to get a girl?"
"Mmm-hmm." Jeongin hummed, crossing her arms loosely around her middle.
"Okay." Changbin straightened his black T-shirt. Taking a deep breath, he began. "Hello, you already know my name—so... I'm Changbin. Go out with me, I'll buy you coffee. Coffee? What? I'll buy you a whole lunch. Be my girl, date me, I like you very much, I— I..." He trailed off, glancing at the very amused-looking Jeongin.
"Ha! I would love to get to know you more."
Jeongin laughed. This time she didn't try to contain herself as her giggles erupted, loud, her eyes crinkling as she smiled while Changbin took a breath, looking at the girl dreamily.
Changbin is determined to win the heart of the girl he fell for, no matter what.
He just... doesn't know how.