NARRATOR

Sunday Morning.

The sun woke Nara up, lightly hitting her face as it peeked through the curtain slits. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and a smile crept up her face. “Sunday!”

“Good Morning!” Jaejoong placed his cup of coffee down and grinned at her sister. She gave him a weak smile. “Hey Oppa.”

“Hungry?” He handed her a plate of pancakes.

She nodded and plopped beside him, mindlessly stabbing the pancakes with her fork. “Mom and Dad?”

“Singapore.” Jaejoong shrugged. “But they’ll be back by Thursday.”

She blew a raspberry and looked out their glass walls. The weather was pleasantly appealing, not too cold not too hot. “I’m going somewhere.” She stood up, handed him back the plate and ran to her room to change. Jaejoong looked at her dash upstairs and crinkled his nose. “I thought she was hungry.”

“Hey Junnie. How are you?” She smiled as a tear escaped her eye. She gently placed the bouquet of flowers down his grave and read his name.

Park Minjun (1988-2009)

Her heart clenched again like how it usually does whenever she thought of him. All she could feel was guilt washing over her system all over again.

“The company’s doing great, Junnie Oppa. You used to tell me that I should study hard to work for Dad in the future. Well, now I’m doing it. I’m in charge with this new hotel project…” She forced a smile, biting her lip.

Her eyes stared at his name. “Do… do you hear me every night, O-Oppa? I remember you ask me to sing for you every time you get stressed with your football practices. I always get moody with you, and I used to tell you to get lost.”

She chuckled bitterly as she wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. “And now I sing for you every night. How ironic.”

Luhan rolled his eyes.

“Tell me the truth, son.” Mr. Xi looked at his son firmly, setting down his utensils. Luhan looked at his father with utter bewilderment and coughed, noticing his father was dead serious.

“Papa, I’m not gay!”

Mr. Xi held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay! I’m sorry! I just…”

“Just because I don’t have a girlfriend doesn’t mean I’m gay. Look at Kris! He’s a forever-alone dude. Is he gay? No! Xiumin? Chen? Yixing? Tao?”

His father chuckled. “I just want to see you happy with a girl. Just understand your old man, I have my dreams of holding grandchildren too.”

Luhan looked at his father with scrutinizing eyes. “Or you just want me to have a family and take over the business entirely?” He asked bluntly. Mr. Xi shook his head. “Oh, no, no. Well, Uh— maybe partly because of that too.” He sheepishly smiled.

Luhan pressed his lips into a thin line. “I knew it.”

“Well, I’m not getting any younger, Han.”

“I’m going out, Pa.” Luhan grinned at his Dad before bowing to him politely. “See you later!” He waved and ran out the room before his father could continue his old man drama again.

Nara wiped the tears away and hastily walked to her car. She smiled bitterly at her actions and drove away from the cemetery. Few minutes after, she arrived at a local coffee shop.

“A vanilla frappe, one strawberry waffle and… extra cream please.” She nodded at the saleslady, keeping her ‘I’m fine’ façade.

She plastered a smile on her face as she carried her tray, walking towards the corner of the shop. Her eyes scanned the whole room, that she failed to notice a man standing in her direction.

“What the hell?!”

Her eyes widened, looking at the remains of her frappe and the man’s splattered shirt. She bit her lip, apologetic. The man’s mouth was agape as he looked at his shirt, and he slightly shuddered with the cold. “You…” He started.

Nara trembled slightly when the man’s brows furrowed and creases formed on his forehead. He twitched his lip before pointing an accusing finger at her. “Do you know how much this shirt costs?” He seethed, emphasizing every word.

She flinched. “I’m so sorry. I will… I will pay for the dry cleaning…”

“That won’t do!” He snarled, not even attempting to wipe his shirt. She backed a step away, the tray unstable on her hands. People were murmuring as they watched the scene. “You stupid girl!” He raked his hair in anger.

One thing Nara hated the most was getting attention for something wrong. She calmed her breathing and handed him pieces of table napkin. “I’ll buy you another one, sir.”

He looked at her with unbelieving eyes. “Buy another one? This shirt was especially hand-stitched in Italy, you stupid b*tch. Now tell me, you’ll buy me another one?!” His fists curled as he neared her.

“I did not do it intentionally.” She murmured, head hung low. The truth was her blood was starting to boil, and she suppressed herself from adding salt to the wounds.

He snickered and lifted her chin up. Her eyes rounded with surprise as she took a big step back, but he took hold of her wrist. The tray wobbled on her hands.

“Get your hands off her.”

The man’s grip loosened. Luhan glared at him from behind. “Now.” He firmly ordered. The man chuckled bitterly and faced Luhan. “Who are you?”

“That doesn’t matter, sir. Get your hands off her now, or else you’ll not like what will happen if you don’t.” Luhan carefully spat the words, his jaw clenched.

She tried to jerk her hand away, but the man’s grip tightened. “No.”

Luhan stepped forward. “What?”

“No.” The man teased, pulling her closer. A light squeal escaped her lips. Luhan exhaled lightly and eyes his grip on her wrist. His eyes traveled to his face, and he tilted his head. “Mr. Shim, isn’t it?”

“H..how do you… know?” The man’s brows furrowed.

Luhan’s lips tugged into a slight mischievous smile. “I’m Xi Luhan.”

“X…Xi?”

Luhan smiled as Mr. Shim’s grip on her loosened at once. She immediately stepped back, placed the tray away and moved to Luhan’s side. “Oh, Mr. Xi… I didn’t know…. I didn’t know you knew this girl. Well, it was all an accident, no worries.” He chuckled nervously.

Luhan smiled at him. “Yes, it was an accident. But you treating her like that was intentional. Oh by the way, this is Kim Nara, Director of Kim Corporation. Nara, this is Mr. Shim of Shim Industries. Remember him well.” His words were thick with sarcasm and irritation, sugarcoated with feigned enthusiasm.

Mr. Shim tried to protest but he cut him off with his hand. “Goodbye, Mr. Shim. I’ll make sure to junk your proposal.”

With that he turned away, leading her out with his arm around her shoulders. Mr. Shim was left alone there, his mouth slightly agape.

Luhan swiftly turned her to face him as they exited the shop. “You okay?”

She nodded, her head hung low. Luhan sighed and bit his lower lips. “Nara… seriously, are you okay. Please face me.”

She slowly lifted her head up revealing her lopsided grin. Luhan’s eyes slightly rounded. She eventually erupted into small fist of giggles.

A smile tugged on Luhan’s lips.

“Why?”

“That was… daebak, Ge! Thanks.” She grinned and showed him her thumbs-up. He ruffled her hair playfully. “I know right?”

“Okay, don’t let it get to you.” She chuckled and slightly pushed him away.

He rolled his eyes and placed his hands on his pockets. “So… I’m guessing you’re hungry?”

She smiled at him. “You’re some kind of psychic, are you?” Luhan huffed, jabbing his own chest. “I’m all-around. So, fast food?”

“To fast food it is!”

“He was a real jerk.” Luhan mumbled, devouring his fries. You shrugged, lifting a spoon of sundae to your lips. “I’ve met worse. Chaebol sons tend to be like that. I remember my Dad setting me up to one of those. That was… one of the most heart-crashing events in my life.” She ranted, her brows knitted together, her eyes focusd on her cup.

Luhan looked up. “What’s the most heart-shattering then?”

Nara’s eyes rounded with surprise as she looked at him. Obviously the question was something she wasn’t expecting. Something she was avoiding.

Luhan bit his lip, scrutinizing her face. There he noticed her slightly red glassy eyes. “No… I… I didn’t mean to pry. I mean, that’s private. Sorry.”

She put on a smile and wiped her lips. “It’s fine, really.”

“So… let’s just… uhm… erm… get to know each other more!” He clasped his hands like a kid, his eyes twinkling. Nar chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Shoot away!”

“Hmmm…. Hobbies?” He started. Nara pursed her lips as she thought. “S…Singing.” She faltered. Luhan noticed her change of tone and realized he made a mistake again. “I love playing wii with the guys! It’s so relaxing! Tao told us you like to play Wii too! You should really join us.” He nodded enthusiastically. Nara grinned and nodded her head. “Great, count me in!”

They both hi-fived and got back to their meals. “How about you, Ge?? Only Wii?”

“What?” He looked up, not catching most of her line. She clucked her tongue and eyed him. “Hobbies? Hello, earth to Luhan Ge!”

His lips parted in realization. “Ah! Sorry…. Erhm…” He scrunched his nose as he rummaged his brain for an answer. “Oh, I compose songs. I love music.”

“Songs? That… That’s amazing!”

He touched the nape of his neck sheepishly. “Well… you could listen to it some time. I have a studio in New Songdo.”

She stopped and looked at him pointedly. “I’m sorry, where?”

“New songdo.” He smiled innocently.

Nara slowly nodded. “I go there often. My… friend has a unit there too.” She forced a smile. Luhan excitedly giggled. “You can visit my studio then if you pass by then!”

She rolled her eyes playfully. “Okay, okay!”

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