June 15, 2021
Ian's Residance
A delectable aroma greeted Ian's nose as he awoke from his sleep. The young man opened his eyes and paused for a moment before finally waking up from his sleep. His eyes caught Emma's cooking in his kitchen.
"When did you come?" ask Ian who is still on the floor since yesterday.
"Two hours ago," replied Emma. She then tasted the soup she had cooked, adding a little salt because it needed more seasoning. "Who are you drinking with?" The woman's attention was on Ian. The look in her eyes indicates that she is interrogating the child as a mother figure.
"I drink alone." The young Hwang then stood up. His body almost fell down because his consciousness still hadn't fully returned.
"Ah, so it seems." Emma nodded her head. She turned off the stove and walked from where she was standing to prepare breakfast for the boy. "By the way, why didn't you reply to my message last night? Why are you just reading it?"
Ian did not immediately answer the mother's question. He chose to sip his cold mineral water first. "I forgot, because when you texted me, I was drinking," he replied. "About Lee Soo Young."
Hearing the name of her target girl, Emma paused her cooking activities for a moment. She turned around and looked at Ian, who was also looking at her. "Why? Aren't you going to bring it to me? If not, give a reason."
Ian kissed his lips after hearing Emma's very unfriendly tone. A few seconds ago, he got the idea to protect Soo Young, but now he's hesitant to say it or not.
"Why are you silent, Hwang Ian?"
"Can you take it off? The girl is now dating Su Bin. You promise not to touch my friends?" Finally, he expressed his earlier thoughts. He lied about it to stop Emma from pursuing Soo Young. His heart was racing, waiting for Emma's response.
There was a smile on Emma's face. But Ian was afraid to play because of that smile. "Seems to be dating Su Bin." The female Gumiho left the kitchen area, walking in the direction where Ian had woken up earlier. She took her son's phone and opened it right on the messaging app.
"If she's dating Su Bin, then you're her mistress? She asked you to dinner today at her house," Emma replied as she showed Soo Young a message. "She even included a heart emoticon."
Ian clenched his hands tightly. His face showed that he was upset that Emma had violated his privacy, even though he was the woman's son.
"How?" Emma approached Ian, her hand outstretched and clutching the child's neck. "Are you going to bring her to me or not?"
"I will bring her to you."
***
Baekyeon University
Ian is silent while watching his phone screen, which is displaying his messaging page with Soo Young. He was still upset that Emma read the message and replied to him. Maybe after this, he'll put a hard password on her phone so she can't open it again. The young man sighed, turned off the phone screen, and put the rectangular object back in his bag. Ian noticed the atmosphere of the cafeteria at this time, which was very quiet, not as usual. But it was good because he could enjoy the food in front of him calmly.
Ian was about to put his food in his mouth, but the voice of the woman who called him made him undo his intention. He put a spoonful of rice on his plate. He knew who the voice belonged to—someone he didn't like very much.
Before the woman was near him, Ian chose to move from his seat by carrying a tray containing his dinner plate with one hand. After only a few steps, the woman apparently managed to get to him and put a hand on Ian's arm, but was soon released by the young man.
"Where are you going?" ask the woman to follow Ian behind.
She is Im Seo Rin, a student who is in the fourth semester but the same age as Ian. The woman had known Ian since junior high school because they were classmates, and even the woman with long blond hair was very fond of Ian. But while in high school, the two separated, making Ian very grateful. But it turns out that they met again at the university, although at different levels, because Seo Rin had stayed in class once.
"Are you going to ignore me?" asks Seo Rin in a spoiled tone. Since she was in junior high school, she was very often ignored by Ian, but it did not break her spirit to pursue the idol.
Ian stopped walking. He turned around and looked coldly at Seo Rin. His mind at this moment wanted to give this woman to Emma, but it seemed that this woman would be rejected by her.
"Why are you watching me like that?" asks Seo Rin, who is still trying to get Ian to talk. "Am I pretty?" Seo Rin was tucking her hair behind her ears, she was trying to tease Ian.
Ian chuckled at this very annoying-sounding speech in his ears. Without saying a word, he chose to leave Seo Rin standing in his place.
"You acting like that makes me want you even more, Hwang Ian."
***
Soo Young's apartment
"Are you going to have dinner with him? In here?"
The question Jae Mi asked was only answered by Soo Young's nodding head, who is currently combing her long hair. Seeing the answer, Jae Mi immediately put a smile on her face. It seems that the relationship between Soo Young and Ian is going well. This way, it won't be long before she and Soo Young can have a romantic double date. Just imagining it made her smile.
"Well, tonight I'm going to stay at Soo Min's House. You can enjoy your dinner in peace, unlike back then," Jae Mi said.
"Gosh, why do you have to stay at Soo Min's House? You can go home after dinner."
Jae Mi pats herself on the forehead when she hears Soo Young's words. She admitted that, apparently, his friend is not sensitive at all. "I didn't expect you to be insensitive at all, Lee Soo Young."
Jae Mi, who had been sitting on her best friend's bed, then walked over to Soo Young. She stood behind the woman, then gently grabbed Soo Young's shoulders. "I give you guys a place to spend time together, just the two of you. You know what I mean?"
Soo Young, who finally understood Jae Mi's words, couldn't cover her embarrassment. Her face instantly flushed like a tomato. Suddenly, a mischievous imagination flashed through her mind, making her immediately shake her head to get rid of that imagination.
"We've only known each other for a few weeks. How did we get to that stage right away?" ask Soo Young who immediately turns around and looks at Jae Mi.
"Ck, you are so old. No wonder no man wants to date you," Jae Mi said. "I wonder why Su Bin and Ian like you? Then, if you date Ian, you become the third person in their friendly relationship. But it doesn't matter, the most important thing is that soon this best friend of mine will have a lover."
Soo Young's face instantly becomes sad as Jae Mi reminds herself of it. She always felt bad about it. The first man to approach him was Su Bin, she should have chosen that young man. But, she chose Ian, the second person who suddenly approached her. To be honest, the two young men had the same handsome face, although with different charms that were still attractive to him. Su Bin, according to him, is a fun male figure; he is friendly and sociable but does not make him feel uncomfortable when she is near the young man. And Ian... she didn't know what to say to this figure that was so perfect in her eyes, especially since Ian was the type of man she liked.
"I'm going to college. See you, have a nice dinner, Lee Soo Young."
"All right. Be careful on the road."