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“So it’s a yes?” Changbin asks expectantly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He glances at the girl and then down, then back again as if he’s afraid to look into Jeongin’s eyes, too shy to keep looking at her eyes for a long time.
The dinner went less chaotically, just because Minhee was able to tame the ticking energy bomb Yongbok with just the snap of her (soft) glare. After that, while the adults engaged in playing card games and having adult conversations, mostly work; the kids went back to singing in Chan’s play area. Taking the chance, Changbin insisted that he’d take Jeongin for a stroll around Hyunjin’s garden the moment she said she would like to have some plants in her new apartment.
“Yes, it’s a yes,” Jeongin says confidently. “You can come help me renovate my place,” she adds, and Changbin couldn’t hide his excitement; his feet started tapping against the grass while Jeongin sat silently at the small fountain, staring at him with a soft smile.
The pond is small, with clear water and a few fish in it, just for aesthetic purposes according to the owner, and anyone can tell Hyunjin’s love for water lilies just by looking at the garden, especially the white, night-blooming ones. Jeongin’s eyes traveled across the perfectly crafted and well-maintained garden, tended by the hands of an artistic soul.
The garden stood out in a brighter shade of white, with moonlight glistening on each petal as a gift of the full moon night. Anywhere your eyes roam, you’ll see white: jasmine vines, tiny blooms of sweet alyssum with its sweeter scent, daisies with a hint of yellow, and lastly, Hyunjin’s lovely water lilies, the night’s major attraction; everything blooms in white.
“I’m back here after all these years,” Jeongin continued, her eyes on the flowers while Changbin’s gaze remained fixed on her. “This place, I don’t remember it anymore; it’s changed a lot. If you’re free, help me get familiar with the city, important places and—”
“Yes. Yes!” Changbin cuts in abruptly, feeling like an idiot for agreeing even before she finished talking. He scratched the back of his neck and laughed awkwardly. “I mean… I— I would love to help you.”
“Thank you,” Jeongin said with a smile. “You’re so kind.”
"I- ahm... well, yeah. Thank you." Mumbled Changbin, stumbling over his own breath. He could feel the heat spreading across his cheeks, along with a deeper redness in his ears.
Yeah, true. The biggest idiot in town.
Changbin doesn't blame himself for that, though. It's not his fault that it's his first time being this close to a pretty girl, a pretty human being, in fact. Otherwise, he's pretty cool with everyone, men and women. He's not scared of anyone and not anxious around anyone. But Jeongin here shook something inside Changbin, leaving him in a state that he can't really put a name to.
His mother is there, yes, the prettiest, the most beautiful, gorgeous, talented (the list is even longer) woman Changbin has ever seen in his life. But mother is mother, and there's no question of losing his cool there, but Jeongin— well....
Changbin wished he could've gone to his father and gathered some knowledge on how to talk to pretty girls since the man is already successfully married to one of the prettiest women known to Changbin.
"Your family..." Jeongin began, looking anywhere but at the boy. "It's perfect... I'm not exaggerating... your family is genuinely nice. Minnie is truly lucky to be part of this family."
"You're family too," Changbin blurted out, clicking his tongue. "I... I mean— you're Auntie Min's sister; that makes you part of the family." He smiled as if in a daze as Jeongin's lips pulled up slightly.
"I think I made the right decision to move in here," the girl said, and Changbin could only nod. "I thought I would spend time with my sister only—" she huffed out a laugh, "—look at me, being part of a big, lovely family."
Changbin wanted to say something in return, like how much more is there waiting for her, and how ready Changbin is to show her all the love in this world, and whatnot. He wants to give her all the happiness in this world and love her just the way his father loves his mother, full of 'you are my world' moments, and if it's possible, a little more than that.
She just have to be ready, say yes, and give him a chance.
"I have to buy sheets, curtains, and all sorts of clothes. Then a few pots for plants... are you sure you won't get bored with the shopping?" Jeongin asks hesitantly, and Changbin blinked back to the mundane world, shaking his head with a smile.
"I'm sure I won't," Changbin answered, and Jeongin took a deep breath, nodding her head. "So, ahm... tomorrow?" He hesitated, his tongue getting tied up trying to form any words, and Jeongin laughed, shaking her head.
"Not tomorrow," said the girl, chuckling. "You have classes; it's a weekday tomorrow. We'll go next Sunday. How does that sound?"
"I'm always ready," Changbin dreamily replied, and Jeongin couldn't help but choke out another laugh.
Changbin was more than happy knowing Jeongin was going to attend the same school he does. Now she's saying yes to hanging out with him. All these mixed signals mean there's a chance, right?
Changbin would love to take it as one.
"So, next Sunday it is." Jeongin confirmed. "I can't wait to hang out with you." She says, and Changbin tried to smile, to pull a smirk, trying all his effort to appear proud and smug, but everything came out clumsy and painfully awkward.
But... whatever it was, it made Jeongin smile, genuinely.
"Why is Channie making a lot of songs?" Yongbok asked curiously, tugging at the boy's arm after she finished listening to all the songs Chan wrote. What Chan said was true: he wrote a lot of songs, and Yongbok was more than excited to listen to them, especially the song about traffic rules and the one about trains.
"Channie wanna be singer?" She asked, rubbing her palms together as Chan placed the toy computer back on the carpet. Yongbok looked at it for some time and leaned, affectionately patting the toy like she does to her dolls to help them sleep.
Chan smiled wide, closing his eyes, then opening them again. "I don't want to sing. I just want to write songs and give them to those who sing well." Said the boy, and Yongbok shook her head, pouting.
"But Channie sing good. Channie is cool." The girl proudly says, and Chan felt his cheeks heating up. He waved it off, but Yongbok continued, appreciating her cousin's efforts in making cool songs.
"One day Channie will be a cool singer. Bokkie will be so proud. Bokkie will go around singing Channie's songs. Loud and loud...." She says, each word louder than the previous one, and Chan laughed, covering his ears.
"And what will Bokkie do?" The boy asked, wanting to know what his sister will do once she's big like their parents. He's sure Yongbok is going to say painter, or dancer, or singer, or model, or simply artist since she's already showing the signs.
"Bokkie will dance to Channie's songs." The girl announced, clapping her hands happily, and Chan laughed at the determined look on Yongbok's face.
"Bokkie wear pretty dresses and bows and shoes and... and one day Bokkie will be so pretty, pretty like Auntie honey." Exclaimed Yongbok, excited as if she already envisioned her older self doing so.
"Pretty like Auntie Min too."
"No." Yongbok denied with a shake of her head. "Mommy is no pretty. Mommy is cool-" then she bit her lips and pouts, thinking.
"Bokkie will be pretty like Auntie honey and cool like mommy." She says and puffed her chest out proudly. "Bokkie will be the coolest prettiest girl and Channie will be the coolest hand- hand-" she pouts, trying to remember the exact word she wanted to say.
Chan's help was quick. "Handsome?"
"Yeah... Channie will be the coolest handsome boy." She says and giggled. Then she stopped, making pictures of grown Bokkie and Channie in her mind while the boy just grinned, a little shyly, while Yongbok shuffled closer to her cousin and took his hands into hers, saying-
"Coolest brother and sister."
Hyunjin bit on her fingernails, peeking out through the door, all while hiding her form from the eyes of Changbin and Jeongin. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to get a closer look and to eavesdrop, but the teens were far enough for her to hear them, and Hyunjin sighed, gripping the wood tight, blinking and trying again.
"What are you doing here?"
Hyunjin flinched at Seungmin's voice, so hushed that it felt merely like a puff of air against her ear. She lifted her finger up and held it over her lips, shushing the other.
Seungmin frowned. "What?" He asked again. "Why are you hiding here? What's happening?"
Hyunjin groaned and held the man by his collar, pointing her forefinger toward the garden, and Seungmin followed it, his gaze zeroing in on the two sitting alone near the fountain.
"That's Bin and Innie." Seungmin pursed his lips. "Why are you spying on them?" He huffed out a laugh, mocking the lady.
"Arh... are you blind?" Scoffed Hyunjin. "Pay attention to Bin. Have you ever seen my son this awkward around a girl? All mushy and giggly. He looks like-"
"Jisung when he's with you." Seungmin finished what exactly Hyunjin was about to say, and she hummed, feeling her heart quicken its pace.
"Exactly." Hyunjin agrees, now both spying on the teens together. "I think there's something going on." Whispered the woman, biting lightly on her lip. It's just two people chatting and enjoying their time together, but mothers know better.
"I think they're talking about their favorite cartoons." Seungmin said to Hyunjin as the woman slowly turned to face him with a disgusted face.
"Your stupidity never fails to amaze me Min." Retorted the woman and rolled her eyes, Seungmin giving her an offended look in return. "They're not of Bokkie's age. They're teens, and there's a lot more for them to- you know-"
Seungmin didn't say anything in return, still feeling attacked as Hyunjin went back to her work.
"Are they in love?" Seungmin asked after a long pause, and Hyunjin took in a sharp breath.
"Who knows..." Hyunjin mumbled back, slowly glancing at the man again. "But Bin sure is sus—" The moment Hyunjin said that, Seungmin's eyes went wide.
"Oh my God, my boy is in-"
"Shh..." Hyunjin elbowed the man, who was about to whisper-yell, and Seungmin let out a small groan, clutching his belly. "Shut up, will you?" Hyunjin looked over her shoulder and scowled, and Seungmin scratched the back of his head.
"Can't help," Seungmin excitedly said, giggling afterward. "My boy's in love," he said as Hyunjin rolled her eyes, looking over her shoulder. "Plus, it's my first time watching a mother stalking her own son."
"Argh... shut up!"
"Move... let me take a closer look," Seungmin said, ignoring the woman's whines and trying to step ahead, only to get pulled back by Hyunjin.
Hyunjin groaned. "Keep it low. Argh... you're no help." She whined and hid her face with her palm, then turned fully to face her brother-in-law, freezing upon seeing Jisung across the hall. She smiled awkwardly and tapped Seungmin on the shoulder, her eyes dancing to point at her husband.
Seungmin turned as well and blinked, not once but a few times. Jisung wasn't alone; Minhee was there too, with her arms crossed tightly over her dress, her eyes narrowed and lips pulled up slightly at the corners to form a small smirk.
"What's happening here?"
"What are you guys doing here?"
Minhee and Jisung asked at the same time. Then they both covered their mouths, letting out a muffled laugh together, their voices uncharacteristically hushed as if they already knew the other two were engaged in some 'secret mission' and didn't want to ruin whatever it was.
Hyunjin looked at Seungmin and lifted her eyebrows, and the male gave a single nod of approval in return.
Now they had some serious tea to share.