26 At Nana's House...

(Spring break of 2004 -)

"Nanaaaa…", Mia ran and hugged her grandma as soon as she saw her standing in her courtyard, waiting for them.

"Oh, Mia! My baby…How have you been?

"We are great Nana.", she answered happily.

While Jina was still standing near the gate with a bag near her.

"Sis, this bag is heavy.

And it won't go inside on its own, you know?"

Both Mia and Nana looked at her.

"Oh, Jina! You haven't changed at all.

Come here, come to Nana…"

As she came near, Nana hugged her tightly.

"…Umm…Na..na…I can't …breath…"

Letting out her from the hug, Nana hurriedly went towards the fence of her yard and called,

"SEONG JAAA...SEONG JAAA…..Hurry up….Come outside…..

SEONG JA!!!!"

"...Coming, coming..."

And soon Seong Jaa, Jun's grandma came outside her house.

"..I am not a 20-year-old lady, you know.

I am an old woman who needs time to get up and—"

As soon as she saw Mia and Jina standing beside their Nana, she exclaimed happily, "OH MIA! JINA!"

"See, that's why I was calling you…", Nana said.

"Areumaa, then you should have called, "Mia. Jina", rather than,

"Seong Ja. Seong Ja!" I would have come running for them."

She laughed and entered Nana's courtyard by a small common gate in between their fences.

"Oh girls, how are you two?

I met Mia about 15 days ago but it feels like, it has been months…."

Then she pinched Jina's cheeks.

"And you, my little Jina! I didn't even get to see you that day."

"Owww…", Jina rubbed her cheeks.

"See, Seong Ja, my girls came here on their own this time, to meet me!!!"

Nana was really excited and happy.

Looking at her happy face, all others smiled at her happily.

"Grandma?"

"Yes, sweety?"

"Where is Jun?", Mia asked desperately looking at their house.

"Oh Jun? He has gone to the market, to buy some things.

He was really happy that you guys were coming.", grandma said looking specifically at Mia.

"Yeah! He was asking me over and over again, that when were you coming…", Nana said laughing.

"He said, we'll make something special today for dinner so he went to the market to get the ingredients."

Mia smiled while Jina had a teasing expression on her face.

'Let him come….Hehehe….', Jina laughed to herself.

"Now sweeties, come inside first.

Get your bags inside, freshen up.

You must be tired, because of the whole traveling, right?"

Both the girls picked their bags up.

"Girls, I'll go home now.

When Jun will be back, I'll send him to you, okay?" Grandma said.

Mia smiled and nodded.

~

"Grandma….I'm back.", Jun called as he entered the house.

"…I've got everything you need for today's dinner.", he said as he kept the bag on the kitchen counter.

"Oh, so you got everything?

Good.

You work really fast, at such times!", grandma said as she started to take out the things from the bag.

"Do you need any help?

Tell me anything. I'll do it."

"Oh really?", grandma asked teasingly.

"What do you mean?

I always help you…

What should I do?

I'll cut these vegetables for you.", he said while putting on an apron.

And he started to cut the vegetables, while grandma was smiling at him.

"Well, you know…", grandma said.

"What?", Jun asked still concentrated on his work.

"When you went to the market….", and she stopped talking.

Jun glanced at her.

"What is it? Did I forget something to get from the market?" He asked.

"Oh, No No. It was just that….", and she stopped again.

Jun stopped his work.

He turned to his grandma.

"What is it? Come on now, tell me.

I'll go and get it immediately."

"…Mia and Jina have already come!", said grandma trying to control her laugh.

"WHAT?", Jun's eyes widened.

"And you are telling me this, now?"

He hurriedly washed his hands and ran out of the kitchen.

Looking at his reaction grandma burst into laughter.

"..What about the help you offered me?", she shouted.

"I'll be back!!!", he answered shouting, as he closed the door and went outside.

Then without even opening the fence gate, he just jumped off and entered Nana's yard.

He was really happy that Mia was finally here.

He was smiling running at the door.

Then he stood there for some time, took a deep breath, borrowed a cold expression on his face, and knocked the door.

The door opened and Jina was standing there.

"Oh! So you are here?", Jina smirked.

Looking at her expressions, he got confused.

'Why is she looking at me like that?'

"Is this the way you talk with your elders?", he asked with an expressionless face.

"Well, not the elders.

But the guys, who are wearing a PINK COLOURED FLOWERY APRON!", she said looking at him from head to toe.

In hurry, he had forgotten to take it off.

He looked at himself and as he realized it, he hurriedly took it off.

Jina smiled looking at his expressions.

"Oh, Jun! You are here?", Nana said as she saw him from the kitchen.

"Why is he standing in the door, Jina?

Come inside sweetie."

Jun entered the house and went towards the kitchen.

While going, he kept looking here and there.

Jina who was walking just behind him noticed his actions.

"Are you searching for something?"

"Huh?", startled he looked back.

"N..NO! I am not…"

As he said it, he kept his head down and quickly entered the kitchen.

Jina laughed inside.

"Jun…You are back from the market?

Actually, I wanted to tell you something to bring.", Nana said as soon as he came near the kitchen counter.

"I'll go again if it's needed right now.", he said.

"I just wanted to bring some sweets for Mia.

She loves them…"

"Don't worry, Nana.

I've already got them!"

"Really? Great!

You always know, what to do Junaaa….", said Nana as she tapped on his head.

"Yeah…He really knows, what Mia likes.", Jina said teasingly.

But Jun didn't pay any attention to her.

"Do you need any help Nana?", he asked.

"No need sweetie.", Nana smiled.

"Did you meet Mia?

Go and meet her first. She was waiting for you."

"No, that's okay.

I am not like….desperate to meet her or anything...", he said.

"But I was!"

Hearing the voice, he turned back and saw Mia's cheerful face at the kitchen door.

"Jun!", she smiled brightly.

"...How have you been?"

"We met like 15 days ago.

Why are you asking such a dumb question?", He looked at her with cold eyes.

"I was just –"

"Yeah, yeah, Whatever."

.

'And the cold guy mode is ON!!!', Jina sighed, while she was looking at all this, standing in the corner.