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Minho is home again at her hometown for the semester break after 2 years of studies in the big city of Seoul. The countryside is far more comfortable, from Minho's point of view, probably because she grew up in that small town, knowing everyone like they are one big family, and going to places just by walking instead of huge, modern transportation like the big city has.
Minho plans to go home once she graduates, because she doesn't want her parents to spend too much on her since they are not as fortunate as those who live in fancy apartments. But somehow, this semester's break, right before her internship, she wants to go home.
Especially when her mother told her that her elementary school will be demolished next week to establish an institution for the adolescents in the town.
She wants to see the school one last time. She has so many memories of that place. That was where she learnt how to read, write, and count. That is the place she knew her best friends; Chan and Changbin who are still so close to her, like brothers, up until today. And that is the place she dated her first love.
That was stupid, Minho thinks sometimes, because they were just so small and innocent, and the relationship only lasted for a year, but Minho still remembers it until now. It was in 2008, and her boyfriend was two years younger than her. Yes, younger. It was all because an 11 year-old Minho noticed the 9 year-old students made fun of this one small boy, like bullying. So she came to the rescue, and instead of introducing herself as a friend, she said they were dating. And the adorable puppy-like boy was so so happy with that introduction.
"So, noona, you are my girlfriend?!" The little boy shrieked. Childhood was so simple, so fun, so Minho nodded without overthinking anything.
"Sure. What's your name?"
"Kim Seungmin from class 3-02! And noona?"
"I'm Lee Minho. Class 5-01"
They dated before knowing each other's names. It was very simple. No fights, no drama, no jealousy, just clinging to one another and playing around, until Seungmin had to move away the next year.
"So, that means we will break up?" Seungmin asked curiously. Minho nodded.
"Yeah" no reason needed. Seungmin nodded in understanding, looked a bit upset but said nothing.
They had been next to each other for more than 12 months, the empty feeling surely hit. But they were kids after all. After Seungmin moved away, they no longer contacted each other and Minho did not think much about it. Just lived her growing up days to the fullest.
Back to the present, a day after Minho arrived at her house, in the morning, she decides to make breakfast for her parents that go out to the market to get some fresh seafood. She is plating the kimchi fried rice she cooked when her parents got home.
"If you want to go to your elementary school, I suggest you go in the evening" her mother starts a topic when she comes to help with the grocery bags.
"Really? Why?" Minho asks and she walks to the kitchen with all the groceries in her hands.
"Too crowded," the old lady rants. Minho chuckles simultaneously with her father.
"The 00 batch is having a final reunion before the school is demolished, that's why it is so crowded there" Minho's father explains, and Minho freezes at the explanation.
"...00 batch?" Minho repeats, suddenly the heart is racing fast. It's Kim Seungmin's batch. Minho wonders if Seungmin will be there.
~~~
Probably he is there. Probably he isn't there. Minho doesn't even know. She doesn't even know if Seungmin remembers that town. She doesn't even know if Seungmin remembers her. It has been 15 years. Heck, she doesn't even know if Seungmin is straight or-- Oh, she doesn't even know if Seungmin is still single or married. Minho knows nothing, but guess who is the one that comes to the school that afternoon, for one reason? Yes, Minho, for Seungmin.
Right on time, the moment Minho arrives is the moment their reunion ends. A lot of unfamiliar faces walk out of the gate, some even bring a plus one, and kids. Wow, time really passed.
Minho pretends to look at the flowers beside the gate, while peeking around, wondering if there is a familiar face. Will she be able to recognize Seungmin? Even if she does, what is next? Minho doesn't really think about that, somehow she just lets her heart control her.
After tired of pretending, she is fully facing towards the gate, observing attentively. Lesser people are coming out of the gate now. Most of them have already driven away, some are taking pictures together in front of the school, but yes, no familiar faces in sight. Of course, there is no way Seungmin is here. Probably he already walks past Minho and Minho doesn't even recognize him. He never comes back after moving away, so he probably has lost all contact with the people in this town, Minho thinks. Minho heaves a soft sigh, almost giving up before she gets goosebumps when someone behind her rests the chin on her shoulder, faces are too close, their cheeks can touch.
"Who are you searching for?"
"Ahh!" Minho shrieks, turns around right away in panic before her eyes fall on the guy with broad shoulders, sleeveless black t-shirt with a black cap, crossing arms. Minho heaves a sigh of relief, soul comes back to her body.
"You scared me" Minho glares at Chan, who looks genuinely confused. Changbin comes to them right after.
"For real, who are you searching for? This is not your batch's reunion, right?" Chan asks again. Minho pouts slightly in frustration.
"Remember the little boy I used to date to save him from the bullies? It's his batch's reunion" Minho explains. She doesn't care anymore about who walks out the gate. She gives up.
"Ah~ you mean the rich 3rd grader back then? You still remember him?" Chan looks surprised.
"Of course, she does. That was practically her first love" Changbin chuckles, sounds a bit playful. Minho rolls her eyes, drags her feet to walk away.
"I don't even know why I am looking for him. He is probably not here and doesn't even remember me" Minho rants, as the two best friends chase to walk next to her.
"Do you even have a feeling for him, though? You literally called yourself his girlfriend to save him, and that was that" Changbin asks as they walk to nowhere.
"I don't know. I mean, after we agreed to date, we kinda loved each other a lot back then. And I never actually dated anyone else ever since, so...I do love him, I guess" Minho shrugs, eyes locking on her feet. Changbin and Chan look at each other as if they are exchanging thoughts.
Well, that is kind of true. Minho is super popular in high school and in the university because of her good looks. But she rejects every single confession. No one really knows why, but now her best friends have the answer.
~~~
Seungmin bows a thank you to Minho's parents after they unlocked one of the homestay they handled. He visits the rental house himself, and checks in for 5 days. He looks around, wondering if Minho is nearby.
Originally, Seungmin wanted to ignore the reunion of his batch. He didn't have many memories at the school anyway. He moved to California when he was 10, he barely remembers anything about Korea except for the language. But, there are just 3 reasons he decided to fly back to his hometown and attend the reunion.
First, his closest friend back then, Hyunjin, managed to find him via social media, and the efforts made Seungmin feel bad to turn the offer down. They used to be so close, sitting next to each other in the class. Seungmin doesn't even really remember Hyunjin's face, but he remembers him quite clearly.
Second, although he didn't have many memories at the elementary school, there is one core memory that will always appear in his mind once in awhile, for the past 15 years. He remembers how he used to be so petite, a nerd with thick glasses, and his classmates used to pick on him. Hyunjin always stopped them, but one day when Hyunjin was absent, a pretty fifth-grade senior came to the rescue.
And she introduced herself as Seungmin's girlfriend.
Never had Seungmin ever thought about having a partner at the age of 9. But when the senior student protected him like that, the idea wasn't so bad. And they actually dated after that, so easily, yet so happily.
And she is the third reason Seungmin wants to fly back to Korea. Lee Minho from class 5-01. He wonders if Minho is still there. He knows Minho's parents run a homestay business. So, he searches it on Google, and he gets his answer.
Yes. Seungmin booked a flight ticket right away.
Seungmin left the reunion earlier than the others, and decided to walk around the neighbourhood to reminisce about his blurred childhood. A few things still haven't changed, like the mural of a kid with a kite on the wall next to the sidewalk. It fades, of course, but it looks just the same as Seungmin remembers.
Then, he comes across Minho's house. There is an adorable wooden sign in front of the house, written 'Minomino homestay' and there are a few small, classic-designed houses inside the fence. Which brings us to the current moment.
"Excuse me" Seungmin calls politely when the old lady and her husband almost leave.
"Is...Minho noona still staying here?" Seungmin asks, sounding a bit hesitant. The parents seem shocked.
"I'm sorry, but are you her friend?" The mother asks, wondering if her introverted daughter has a friend other than the two masculine guys. Seungmin blinks, feels a bit offended with that question.
"I'm her boyfriend" he corrects. "Ex...boyfriend"
The gasps coming from the old couple are so loud, Seungmin wonders if the neighbors will report them to the authorities.
"You are the Kim Seungmin? Oh my goodness, Minho has been talking about you all the time since she was little!" Minho's mother gets so excited, she actually hits Seungmin's chest. Seungmin flinches, then chuckles at the reaction.
Now that he sees the response, he can confirm to the stars that Minho is indeed looking for him and remembers him. Which is kind of obvious, actually. They are each other's first love. Just thinking of it makes Seungmin smile, but now, he has another question. Tons of them, actually.
Were we actually in love? Or was it just a play pretend? Did Minho noona actually like me or was it just to stop the bully? Did I actually like her too?
"Of course yes!" The parents say simultaneously, making Seungmin flinch to reality. Seungmin looks at them in confusion.
"Sorry?" Seungmin blinks. The old couple chuckled before continuing.
"If it was just a play pretend, or our Minho didn't actually like you..."
"Why does she keep mentioning you?" the father interrupts the mother, slightly judging. And they go back and forth. The mother is excited, the father is evaluating Seungmin’s presence although they say the same context.
"Yes, and she is looking for you"
"And she is actually heading to you guys' elementary school a bit earlier than she planned because she heard that your batch is having a reunion and she wants to find you"
"And if you didn't like her..."
"Why do you ask about her?"
"And call yourself her boyfriend, ehemm, I mean her ex-boyfriend?"
"And so curious about your feelings towards each other that you actually speak your thoughts out loud?"
The couple look at Seungmin, one with sparkling eyes and one with squinting eyes, while Seungmin freezes like a fool, blushing running to his face when he realizes he actually asks all of the questions out loud, in front of Minho's parents. He feels like he wants to run, book a flight ticket and never return. But it is too late, isn't it?
Minho's parents are right, after all. So, he doesn't really feel embarrassed about it. He just ends up chuckling.
"You have a point," he concludes.
~~~
The first thing Minho gets when she arrives home that night after hanging out with Chan and Changbin is a smack on the back of her head by her mother.
"Ow! Eomma, what was that for?!" Minho holds her nape, and looks at his mother in disbelief. The old lady seems mad.
"What takes you so long? We've been waiting for you since the evening!" Mrs Lee scolds. Minho blinks, she can't believe her mother is so mad over nothing.
"Eomma, we aren't living in the 90's! You can call me when you need me" Minho protests, but the old lady ignores the rant when she hands her a quilt and pillow. She instinctively receives it with both hands, still confused with the situation.
"Take this and send them to our guest at homestay number 8" Mrs Lee commands, her daughter frowns.
"We have a guest?"
"Just do it, you stubborn--" Minho runs first before her mother can kick her bums.
~~~
Seungmin might be acting like a spoiled city boy right now, but he genuinely hates the idea of sleeping alone in a small house in a small village. His mind flies with thousands of scary possibilities. What if there is a ginormous bug jumping on him when he is sleeping? What if there are hundreds of cockroaches that come out if he knocks the wooden wall? What if there is a frog at the corner of the bathroom at night? What if...
What if there is a ghost haunting this house?
"Ahh!" Seungmin shrieks when he hears a scratching sound coming from one of the bedrooms again. It has been going on for the past 15 minutes. He is hugging knees on the couch, staring intensely in fear towards the room where the sound comes from. He slightly trembles, his mind starts to overthink every scary scene he ever watched in movies.
Suddenly someone knocks on the front door, making him flinch comically and changing focus right away.
"Quilt delivery~!"
Seungmin freezes. That voice. It sounds younger than Minho's mother, and Minho is an only child. So, that must be...
"Noona" Seungmin whispers, almost cannot believe how Minho is always there to save him. And when the scratching sound comes out again, Seungmin wastes no time to sprint in fear.
~~~
Minho frowns, looking at the house number again. She is pretty sure her mother told her to send the stuff to this house. She is about to knock again, before the guest opens the door hurriedly, and in a blink before Minho can process anything, the guest already runs behind her, shrinking himself like a shrimp to hide behind her back and grabs her shirt tightly.
"Noona, save me!" Seungmin hollers, hiding his face as close to her back as possible. The girl flinches in real time, and instantly feels her heart drop in disbelief. Those words, that intonation, it sounds way too familiar as if she heard it in a small boy’s voice too frequently back when she was 11 years old. The same thing her boyfriend would shout while running to her class whenever his bigger classmates wanted to tease him. Too similar. Too similar, even to the heart-fluttering feelings.
“K- Kim Seungmin?!” Minho concludes in absolute surprise. She tries to turn around to look properly but the guy is literally holding onto her shirt for dear life so she can’t see him even if she looks over her shoulder.
“Huh?!” Meanwhile, Seungmin almost thinks that the ghost has the same name as him. It takes two seconds to understand why Minho calls out his name.
“Oh- Oh, yes! Yes, It’s me! Now save me from the ghost!” He skips the greeting because the fear is more important to focus on. His words attract her attention right away, she stops attempting to look at him and instantly look inside the house with full interest.
“Ghost?” she repeats, sounds a bit too enthusiastic.
Both of them walk into the house with Minho still holding the quilt and pillows, while Seungmin sticks onto her back like kids playing choo-choo train. He can’t even find himself standing properly, he just stays shrinking himself so his sight is covered by her back.
Minho looks around the ceiling corners, hoping to find anything hanging there but the scratching sounds make the guy behind her flinch, so she looks at the door right away. She approaches slowly, not because she is scared, but because now she has to drag Seungmin along. Once she arrives by the door, she drops the bedding in her hand and twists the knob without a second thought. Seungmin shrieks in panic when a creature jumps out of the room.
The creature which is a cat.
Quiet. Both of them eyeing the cat walking away and leaving the house. Minho blinks a few times, trying to process the whole situation.
“That’s Soonie, though?” she states, as if Seungmin would know that.
“S-Soonie…?” he mumbles. Exactly three seconds later, Minho fails to hold her laugh any longer and she cackles out loud. She tries to look at him but he still holds onto her so she just tries to look over her shoulder to talk to him.
“Yah, are you calling my cat a ghost?!” she teases and laughs again as if that is the funniest thing she has heard after so long. Seungmin gets panicked, blushing his face from embarrassment right away.
“No, that’s not it!” he defends himself, but that is the only attempt he can do. At last he just heaves a sigh of relief, and slowly he lets her shirt go.
“That scares me…” he whispers, finally standing properly.
“It’s been 15 years, do I still need to protect-” she turns around, finally getting to look at him.
They freeze, eyes falling onto one another’s.
The small boy Minho used to protect 15 years ago is now almost 20cm taller than her. Bigger. Broader shoulders. Refined face.
The big noona that used to protect Seungmin 15 years ago is now smaller than him. Small hands, small head, short. It's like she never grew up but that is an exaggeration.
Minho notices how the blush on Seungmin’s face is getting darker and deeper in red, so she opens her mouth just to close it a millisecond later when she realizes that she is nothing better. Right. She can feel her cheeks hot, they must be blushing like crazy too. She looks away quickly, trying to find a way to stop the awkward silence. Her eyes fall on the quilt and pillows on the floor. Perfect.
“U-Uhm…Here,” she picks them up, and hands them to him. “your quilt and extra pillows”
Five seconds and there is no reaction like the guy has turned into a stone. She looks up to see his face, blinks naturally in the process. Seungmin’s eyes grow wider, instantly hiccups.
“Fuck” he mutters under his breath.
And suddenly he runs to the bathroom, enters it and slams the door shut.
Minho flinches, and stuns at her spot for a while, trying to process the whole situation.
…eh?
Did he just…?
“Seungmin-ah…?” she calls, suddenly forgetting about the blush, embarrassment and awkwardness. She walks to the bathroom door, and simultaneously, Seungmin opens the door so slightly that she can only see half of his blushing face. She blinks again, totally confused.
“What’s wrong?” She asks. Seungmin visibly swallows the lump in his throat, before answering the question with a trembling voice.
“T-Too… too pretty…” he mumbles.
Minho blinks. Pretty? Randomly? She looks away, observing the house, trying to figure out but she is too dumb to connect the dots. She only guesses when she looks down and sees the bedding in her hands.
“The quilt?” she reconfirms dumbfoundedly. She looks back at him when she notices him shaking his head. He swallows the lump in his throat again, and slowly, his left hand appears out the small gap, index finger pointing at her face as he answers
“Minho noona”
Minho’s eyes grow like the size of plates, blush spreads on her face, harder every single time the information repeats in her head. She gasps so deeply like she forgot to breathe. She thinks she hears the sound of kettle whistling coming out of her ears. What the fuck.
WHAT THE FUCK?
She loses it. She throws (yes, throws) the quilt and pillows to the wall and runs out of the house as fast as she can while Seungmin slams the door closed once again.
He loses it too.
~~~
Tossing and turning doesn’t work. The house is too hot or it’s just him. His mind is all over the place but only towards one same thing. One same person.
Lee Minho.
Seungmin groans, getting up from his attempted-sleeping position. He is literally panting, and blush has not yet faded ever since he got to see her again. Too hot. He unbuttons the two top buttons of his pajamas. Somehow the embarrassment turns into rage out of nowhere.
“No, but why is she so pretty?!” He scolds who-knows-who.
“That face is too pretty, it doesn’t make any sense!”
He tries to calm down but his head keeps playing the mental images of her that he captures when they met just now. And every time the same face appears, the same small pretty face with big sparkly eyes, he blushes again.
Seungmin kicks his blanket like a kid throwing a tantrum.
This can't do. I can’t function properly around her. I have to avoid her at all costs until my heart is ready. He concludes in his inner monologue. He swallows the lump in his throat. God, he’s thirsty.
~~~
Unfortunately for Seungmin, when he tries to run away, Minho is trying to approach him as much as she can. She appears at the door of the homestay the first thing in the morning with homemade breakfast. Seungmin can barely sleep, so he is awake when she knocks on the door. He is not ready. He doesn’t answer the door and even makes a loud snoring sound so Minho can hear it. Luckily, Minho is a bit of an idiot, or innocent, so she falls for it and actually thinks that he is still sleeping.
She leaves the breakfast at the door, but it gets eaten by Soonie less than a minute later.
At lunchtime, she wants to do the same but her parents said they saw Seungmin left and he said he wanted to walk around the little town. So, okay, screw the food. Minho doesn’t waste any time and walks around the town as well, with a hope she can bump into him. He takes every other route just to avoid her. He acts like he is in a survival show. Even a little girl eating ice cream in front of the convenience store finds him weird for peeking from the corner of a building.
They cross paths at night, when Seungmin just wants to get inside the house but Minho is sitting on the bench in the front yard, along with her parents as the old couple is literally dancing together in the middle of the garden. She gasps and stands up quickly, wanting to call for his name but Seungmin walks as fast as possible, entering his house and closes the door, locking it.
Minho is speechless but remembering how he literally runs to hide inside the bathroom because she is too pretty in his eyes, her smile blooms so wide her cheeks hurt. Seungmin must be shy, that’s why he is avoiding her. That conclusion officially becomes the reason Minho wants to get closer to him more than before.
The next day and the day after that, the parents literally notice how their daughter is literally disturbing the guest like a stray cat following a pedestrian on the sidewalk. The mother cannot help but giggle at how adorable young love is, while the father just shakes his head. They will get nowhere if Seungmin keeps avoiding Minho. So, the mother decides to help her daughter.
Starting off classic by disclaiming to Seungmin how Minomino Homestay applies family-like tradition with their guests, she needs Seungmin’s help in preparing food or any other small chores. Seungmin, of course, is unable to say no out of respect, so he just obeys with the condition. Minho can’t be any happier. She sticks to him. When he walks to the convenience stall to buy salt and chilli powder, she literally walks next to him, staring at him with wide sparkly eyes. So less conversation, Seungmin tries so hard to not look at her way and answer anything from her as short as possible.
When he peels off potato skin in her house’s kitchen, she is next to him, wearing goggles because she is cutting onions but still stares at him whenever she can. Every single time, he will feel his throat dry and his cheeks hot. He heaves a sigh, tries to control his overbeating heart.
Minho had no business standing next to Seungmin when he was asked to get some young persimmons from the tree in the backyard. Yet, there she is, pretending to hold the basket for him while he plucks those that he can reach. She is hugging the rattan basket, staring at Seungmin’s side profile with a smile on her face. Seungmin steals a glance and quickly looks away again, clearing his throat to make sure his voice doesn’t crack when he speaks.
“Stop looking at me like that” he says, as he tries to reach a persimmon on a higher branch. Minho blinks innocently.
“Like what?” she asks. He gets to pluck it, and he stares at it for a second. When he puts it in the basket in Minho’s embrace, he looks into her eyes.
“...like I’m your boyfriend”
Minho’s eyes grow wider. Three seconds of eye contact and they snap their heads away, both faces are covered in blush right away. Minho hugs the basket tighter while her wide eyes stare into nothing because her mind is repeating that statement. Good gracious, does he always have to be so honest?! She is so busy with her mind that she doesn’t notice how he clears his throat to calm himself down and continues reaching for the persimmons.
“U-Unless you still think that way, though” he adds. Minho looks at him as her head is too empty at the moment to understand what that means.
“Huh?”
Seungmin stops tip-toeing, in his hands there are two persimmons, one in each grasp. He bites his lower lips and looks at her again but through a glance. Blush harder and harder as he rephrases.
“You can keep looking at me like that if you still think that… I- I’m your boyfriend”
Minho’s eyes grow like the size of plates, blush spreads on her face, harder every single time the information repeats in her head. She gasps so deeply like she forgot to breathe. She thinks she hears the sound of kettle whistling coming out of her ears. No. Not again.
OH, FUCK THIS.
Minho and Seungmin lose it. He slams the persimmons in his hands to the ground, she drops the basket and kicks it away and they both run away towards different directions, away from each other as far as possible.
~~~
“He said that?!” Minho’s mother shrieks that night and shakes her daughter’s hands aggressively out of excitement when the latter nods. Two of them literally giggling like two best friend teenagers talking about their crush. Minho’s dad watches them from the couch while both of them are on the floor in front of the coffee table, on his left.
“Then what happened?” The mother eagerly asks as she leans closer. Minho giggles first before replying.
“Then, I left the persimmons basket there and ran away” she answers just as excited as her mother. Unfortunately, the answer makes the old lady lose her smile right away, rolls eyes and shoves her hands away from her grasp. Minho blinks in confusion, totally doesn’t understand why her reaction makes her mother annoyed. She tries to ask what’s wrong but her father clears his throat quite loudly, getting her attention straight away. The old man is watching the television, but he steals a glance slightly to see if his daughter is listening.
“That Seungmin guy… which division was he in?”
Minho furrows her brows.
“What?”
The father has to blink rapidly and sigh when he realises that his daughter doesn’t understand his point just from that one question. Of course, my daughter is not on the smart side, he persuades himself to calm down. Only then, he turns his body fully towards the girls of his family, directly looking at his daughter although his wife is also looking at him.
“No, I’m just saying… Has he served the military? Is he single? How many girlfriends did he have before? Aren’t you curious? Isn’t it possible that he is now a playboy that dates girls and leaves them? How about his family? Are they religious? Does he even have a sibling?” he nags, with a hint of worry in his intonation. Minho blinks twice, but her reaction is too obvious that she doesn’t understand why her father asks all those questions. She does feel a little uncomfortable for not being able to answer any of them, though.
“Appa…” she calls, not sure why but it sounds slightly upset. The old man sighs again.
“You don’t know that guy, aegi-ah. Sure, he was your first love, but time has changed. Last time you remember him, he is smaller than you, right? See? Even physical appearance has changed. How can you be so sure he is still the same guy as he was 15 years ago. And how can you be so sure you are the same girl dating him 15 years ago in his eyes? And most importantly…
…He is still going back to America tomorrow” Now it sounds softer. He has no intention to scold his only princess, but he needs to say the right thing before anything goes wrong.
Minho loses her smile, looking away as she processes the whole reality slap once again. Slowly, the sad expression becomes more obvious than before. It feels worse now she remembers again how she acts around him these few days. She basically acted like that around… a stranger. Her father is right. He might be the same person, but they haven’t seen each other for 15 years. Puberty happened. Life experience changes someone as they grow up too. And it feels like she is going on a loop when she remembers that he is leaving tomorrow. Just like back then, they will definitely separate once again and who knows when they will meet the next time? Another 15 years?
She is stuck in her own mind while her mother is smacking her husband for saying such things when suddenly the family hears knocks on their front door. They look at the entrance, and the father stands up to answer the knock. As expected, Seungmin is by the door, and he bows respectfully when he sees Minho’s father, once again when he sees the mother and Minho herself at the living room.
“Uhm… do you perhaps have a first aid kit? I accidentally cut my palm when I was packing my stuff” he asks, showing his fist where he is holding a handful of handkerchiefs that got blood stains on it. Most likely he covered the wound by pressing the cloth on it. The mother gasps, while Minho quickly stands up.
“I… I’ll help you” she offers and goes to the kitchen right away. The father watches as his daughter leaves to get the first aid kit, then he sighs softly.
~~~
Minho is wiping off the blood on the wound but her mind is not even there. Of course, Seungmin wouldn’t know that. He just obediently shows his palm to her, as both of them are sitting at the bench in the front yard, facing each other. He is too busy staring at her, that only her sigh brings him back to reality.
“I’m sorry” she says, out of nowhere. Seungmin looks at the slice wound on his palm, wondering if she is talking about that but that sounds too random.
“For what?” So, he asks. She heaves a sigh through her nose this time, as she grabs the ointment and a cotton pad from the kit. She tries to make it sound as casual as possible, hiding her upsetness.
“Cling onto you like that” she summarizes. Seungmin is genuinely surprised by the reason, but he doesn’t manage to respond when she stops treating his wound to look at him. Her eyes are not sparkling, but she still smiles softly.
“I was just so happy to meet you, I didn’t think it through”
Seungmin knows he will always lose his words when he looks at her, but now he curses at himself for not being able to speak up. Minho realises the situation feels too awkward and sad, so she continues her job.
“I shouldn’t make a move, you’re leaving after all” she says, mostly to herself, but he can hear it clearly. He keeps on staring a little longer, the ointment doesn’t hurt him since his mind is focusing on Minho right now. He takes quite a while to build the courage, and finally he responds to the conversation.
“But a long-distance relationship exists” he always speaks so softly, and it makes Minho freeze for a second. She swallows the lump in her throat, and holds herself together as she twists the ointment’s lid close.
“It won’t work, Seungmin-ah” she insists. “Plus, we’ve been apart for 15 years. We grew up. There are so many things we don’t know about each other”
Seungmin wonders what makes her change her point of view so suddenly like this. Is it because of his bluntness today when they were picking persimmons? Does that statement make her embarrassed or uncomfortable? He is too occupied with those questions in his head, he startles when Minho already covered his wound in bandage and about to leave with the first kit in her hands. He immediately stands up before she can walk away further.
“Then…” he says, an attempt to stop her. It works, because she actually stops and turns around to give him her full attention. Seungmin bites his lower lips, hesitating at first but he knows he has to say it.
There is no odd to their encounter. They were actually looking for each other. And he knows that means fate is on his side. So, he gains the courage right there and then.
“Can you… wait for at least another 3 years? Maybe we can start all over again, for real this time” he confesses.
Now, if Minho is not in her negative thoughts, she might have crashed out, blush and run away like she did a few times for the past 4 days. But now her father’s words are in her mind, repeating like a broken tape. It feels like she is looking at a stranger in front of her. She heaves a soft sigh.
“Good night, Kim Seungmin” she doesn’t answer and just walks away, back to her house.
~~~
Seungmin had already left when Minho woke up.
She might be sad, but that doesn’t mean she cannot sleep. She slept really well, which is why when her mother orders her to clean up house number 8, only then the emotion hits her again. He has actually left. It feels way too similar. Too familiar. Like a deja vu. 15 years ago, they didn’t bid farewell on Seungmin’s last day in Korea either.
She opens the front door of house no 8, and flinches when Soonie walks out of the house. She watches the feline leaves, and she heaves a deep sigh. Great. Now everything reminds her of Seungmin.
She tries to shrug it off, and just enters to clean up the house. Seungmin leaves the house squeaky clean, just like how he just arrived. So, Minho just takes off the bedsheet and pillowsheets to wash, and as she is about to send the fabrics to the laundry room at the backyard, her steps stop once her eyes land on the neatly folded quilt on the couch.
The quilt she threw because Seungmin called her pretty.
She can never see the quilt the same way ever again. She sighs again, and she picks it up along with the other beddings to leave.
And to answer Seungmin’s question last night? Well, of course, she can wait. She didn’t date anyone and always thought about him for the past 15 years anyway. Another 3 years won’t hurt. She doesn’t put an expectation, but she knows she will wait nonetheless.
~~~
Incheon International Airport.
“Have you sent the client to his flight?”
“Wave until he disappears from the departure gate, ma’am” Minho answers, as she rides the escalator and she hears a chuckle from the other side of the phone call.
“Was he a pain in the ass?” The lady asks. Minho barely hears it because she is too busy trying to get the car keys from her handbag, but she still manages to answer it.
“Neh. Being a personal tourist guide is a tough road. I’ve prepared myself for these”
It’s been 3 years since what happened. Minho never forgets.
She even knows it’s the third year, the final year she is supposed to wait for Seungmin before they can start all over again. But life must go on. She already graduated and now is an official junior personal tourist guide, life has been busy since then. Of course, she remembers him once in a while, wondering if he will ever come back one day out of 365 days of this year. She even considered going back to her hometown, just in case Seungmin is looking for her there. But she just started her permanent job, there is still a probation period that stops her from applying for annual leaves and weekends are too busy with commitments to take a break and visit the countryside.
She is not lying to anyone. Sometimes, she does stalk Seungmin’s Instagram account. It’s a modern world, unlike back when they were kids. They used to not have any way to contact but now it was just one social media away. Yet she still didn’t send him a DM. Neither did he. They didn’t even follow each other. But both accounts are set in public, and Minho checks out his updates once in a while. It feels like an ex that never moves on. Perhaps she is actually an ex that never moves on.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!”
In the middle of the lounge as Minho wants to leave the airport, she bumps into a guy when she tries to put her phone back in her bag. She gasps at the sudden anger, and quickly turns around to bow as an apology.
“I’m sorry!” she admits right away. Her hair falls over her face when she bows so she tucks it behind her ear when she gets up and she looks at the guy. The man looks stunned by what he just saw. The girl is so beautiful. Minho notices he said nothing else right after, so she excuses herself to leave.
“Wait” he stops her right away before she can even turn around. She blinks, waiting for further words. The man’s eyes avert elsewhere for a second, then suddenly he holds his left hip.
“I think I twisted my ankle because of you” and he tilts his body slightly to act like he is not putting any pressure on the left foot. Minho is dumbfounded.
“Randomly?” she reacts spontaneously, looking at the foot because how does that even happen over a shoulder bump? Embarrassed, the guy quickly raises his voice slightly to defend himself.
“What do you mean by ‘randomly’?! Take responsibility for what you’ve done!” he takes a step closer, tries to be intimidating. It doesn’t work. Minho doesn’t care that she is in a public space. She is ready to fight.
“I didn’t do-”
“Sir” suddenly a man interrupts Minho as he appears with his luggage and steps in front of her, blocking her view right away.
He is way taller than her and that scent smells familiar. Minho frowns when some random guy suddenly tries to win her fight, so she leans slightly to look at the tall guy.
Her eyes blow wide. Heart’s bpm jumps to 107. 111. 124. She cannot believe her eyes.
Kim Seungmin? Protecting her?
The stranger seems to panic when Seungmin, someone taller than him appears, but he still tries his luck.
“Don’t interfere-” unfortunately, Seungmin interrupts him this time as he leans forward like he is intended to whisper.
“Look, I’m on your side. I saw someone report you to the airport security for attempting to harass this lady. You might want to leave now before you get cuffed” he says so slowly, making sure the girl behind him doesn’t hear it. The random guy is confused for a short while, but Seungmin looks too nice and genuine to make up a scene, so he just awkwardly clears his throat and walks away, leaving the area.
Seungmin watches until the guy disappears from his sight before he can heave a sigh of relief. That was scary, he holds his chest to make sure his heart is still beating. He just landed and suddenly he hears the banter between that guy and this unfortunate lady. Usually he just minds his own business but somehow it looks so wrong. He is still too scared to interrupt, that’s why at last he just pretends to be on the guy’s side. Stupid, but he is too panicked to think properly. Now that he knows the guy won’t turn back, he can check on the girl. He turns around to see her face.
“Are you ok-” his words cut off with a sharp gasp when he gets hugged by the girl before he can even see her face. She hugs him so tightly, buries her face in his chest. He instinctively lifts both his hands like a criminal gets caught red-handed just to not touch her non-consentually. She is really warm but this is really wrong, but he is too nice to push a woman away but he knows he doesn’t have to be nice in certain situations like this one. Especially this one. The longer the hug, the more panic visible on his face and in his mind.
“Oh my god, M-Miss?! Miss, you can’t do this” this time he cannot help but to put his hands on her shoulders with a hope he can push her as gently as possible. “Ugh, please, I have a girlfriend!”
He can feel her body freeze and he has no idea how it works, because he freezes almost simultaneously too. It takes two seconds before Minho pushes him away aggressively. Seungmin gasps so hard when he realises that it is Minho all along but Minho is surprised with the statement.
“You have a girlfriend?!” she shouts.
“Girlfriend!” he shouts back, pointing at her. “What are you doing here?!”
Minho’s eyes grow like the size of plates, blush spreads on her face, harder every single time the information repeats in her head. She gasps so deeply like she forgot to breathe. She thinks she hears the sound of kettle whistling coming out of her ears. Oh no. Here comes the crash out again.
“I’m your girlfriend?!” Minho loses it.
“You always are- wait, holy shit!” Seungmin loses it.
Seungmin kicks his luggage and Minho slams her handbag to the ground and they both run away in the opposite direction, away from each other for as far as possible.
But wait.
He is here now. And she is here too.
They stop after ten to fifteen steps away, and with heavy breaths and hearts pounding loud, they decide to no longer run and turn around. They are facing each other simultaneously. The broad daylight highlights the excessive blush on their faces really really well. Seungmin bites his lower lips, and swallows the lump in his throat.
“I’m going nowhere this time!” he shouts. What are they even doing in the middle of the airport? Who knows? When love is in the air, everything just fades in the background. So, Seungmin doesn’t even mind shouting his confession.
“So… Noona, can we just believe in love at first sight and cancel the break up?!”
Minho can feel her body tense in excitement. Her tummy feels like it shrinks but at the same time it feels funny in the most giddy, best way possible. She fails to hide her wide smile. Hell, she even fails to hide her giggle that comes right after. Blush used to be so overwhelming, she could not help but feel hot. But now the happiness feels a little more overwhelming, blushing is getting bearable. Minho knows the right way to answer that question.
“Only if you shrink when you’re next to me! My boyfriend used to be small!” she teases. Her light answer blooms a smile on Seungmin’s face, and she can see him chuckle in disbelief. It sounds like the response is enough to tell that they are on the same page. So, he doesn’t think twice to respond.
“Well, I’ll be smaller than you when I get on one knee soon!”
Minho’s eyes grow like the size of plates, blush spreads on her face, harder every single time the information repeats in her head. Seungmin even plans to marry her? Fuck. The crash out is coming. She can feel it. The kettle whistle sounds too strong in her ears.
Oh wait, that is her screaming her lungs out because she is too, too excited.
She runs this time, but towards him. Screaming and running, people might think it's hysteria. But Seungmin sees her face right in front of him, and that is the beautiful face of happiness. He doesn’t have a doubt to welcome her in his open arms and catches her in his embrace when she jumps for the tightest, warmest hug. He spins her around and she laughs, her feet don't even touch the floor but that is the last thing she wants to worry about.
Because for now, there are so many more important things to focus on. Their new beginning, their time together in trying to learn about one another slowly but surely, and pursuing their dream career while having each other side by side as a boyfriend and a girlfriend.
The End.