Chapter 3- Pinky Promise

-Garden-

"Ya Nuo, I know that everyone must have a reason behind their secrets so I won't ask you why you are hiding yours. Now, do you wish to continue learning taekwondo? You don't have to mind what Huan Hei wants. This is about your interest. Since our taekwondo practices are all groups of male, you might feel uncomfortable. So I want to ask for your opinion first."

"I want to continue learning,but I hope my secret will remain between us. Can you promise me this?"

Grandpa Hoon patted her head gently as he smiled, "Of course. We can do a pinky promise and thumb stamp if you want."

She held out her right pinky and waited for him to complete the rest of the pinky promise. "Hahahahaa, you're too cute! Here." He crossed his pinky with hers and stamped his thumb with hers.

She smiled sweetly and chanted, "you pinky promised! If you break it, you'll become bald and wrinkly."

"Don't worry, our secret will be between you and me. Nobody else will know."

She nodded and retracted her hand, "I need to go home. My parents didn't know that I am out so I need to sneak back in the house before they find out."

"Then pack some food to go before you do."

Before she turned around to walk back to the dining area, she asked, "Grandpa Hoon, why did you help me and not take me as a joke when you found out my secret? Normally adults would laugh and think its a playful act,but you actually pinky swore."

Grandpa Hoon revealed a smile, "Because your eyes showed seriousness and strength. I could tell that you really wanted to hide your identity so I want to keep this our secret."

She felt a sense of warmth spread inside of her, "Grandpa Hoon, your family is very glad to have you. If I had the choice to choose my family, you would be my grandfather." After saying this, she fastened her steps toward the dining area.

-end of flashback-

-Saturday-

Ya Nuo panicked when she woke up and saw that it was already 8:45 A.M.

"Shit! I forgot to set an alarm! I swear Huan Hei puts sleeping pills in his homemade lemon tea! How could I fall asleep like a pig. Ahhhhh I need to hurry! Hurry!!"

She hopped out of bed and clipped up her smooth black hair. She took a quick hot shower and applied a 5 minutes all in one skin care facial mask. While her skin is absorbing the mask, she opened the box that Huan Hei gave her. Inside the box was a white off shoulder thigh length dress with mini light pink flower designs around the waist and a pair of matching heels.

Her slender fingers brushed against the dress and tip of the heels. She smiled slightly, "it's been so long since I've worn a dress and heels.. maybe it's not too bad after all to help him with this favor."

After 15 minutes, she was ready to head out to the park. Since her skin was carefully taken care of daily, she only applied sunscreen, a light blush and a rosy colored lip balm.

'Hopefully everything goes smoothly today..' she thought to herself as she wandered around Granstial park looking for Huan Hei.

'Found them! Wait.. let me see what the current situation is like since I'm late anyways…'

She hid behind a tree and watched Huan Hei and the girl from a distance.

' Wow.. this girl looks pretty cute. If she stands still, she could totally be a model for a magazine cover. hmm? This girl speaks pretty loud. I could hear their conversation pretty clear from here..'

Girl: "Huan Hei, you said 10 and it is already 10:07. Don't make up an excuse and say that she's busy or she can't make it here today. If she doesn't come, then you need to accept me as your girlfriend."

Huan Hei rubbed the creases on his forehead and replied in a frustrated tone, "She is coming! Can't you have some patience? I will definitely show her to you today. I hope you'll keep your promise and not get involved with me after seeing her."

The girl smirked, "Don't worry. If what you said is true, then I will let you two have your sweet time. But if she is someone you paid or a friend, then forget it."

Ya Nuo got tired of listening from behind the tree especially because this girl is the never-ending type of girl. 'Damn.. no wonder he needed my help.'

After fixing her hair and outfit, she walked over to Huan Hei, circled her arm around his and intertwined their fingers.

"Sorry I'm late! The traffic delayed me. Hei~ did you wait a long time?" She smiled lovingly and looked into his eyes.

Her soft black hair reached her slim waist, skin glowed naturally under the radiant sun, moist glossy lips, and gorgeous hazel eyes, left him speechless. Even though he expected her to show up, her sudden intimate act took him by surprise. Her beauty and soft voice mesmerized him and made his heart race.

She smiled widely and leaned closer to his face, "What? You saw me just yesterday and already missed me this much?"

Huan Hei smiled, "You're worth all the wait."

Girl: "y..you are.."

Ya Nuo turned her body around facing the girl's direction. "Hello, my apologies for being late and the late introduction. I am Huan Hei's girlfriend and childhood sweetheart. So you are the girl who was after him. I was studying abroad and recently came back to hear about you again."

Girl: "You're lying! The closest person from his past was Yang Ya Nuo! He is some poor guy who follows Huan Hei around and hangs out with him other than his group of taekwondo gang! Where did you come from? Huan Hei paid you to pretend didn't he?"

Ya Nuo leaned her head against Huan Hei's shoulder and smiled mischievously, "You're quite a joker. Didn't you demand my Hei to introduce me to you? Now that I'm standing in front of you, you're in denial? Just how many times have you been checking Huan Hei's past? And how much do you really know about him and his family? I can answer all these questions you have with no problem.

Girl: "I'm not just some random girl! I am Xing Lan Lan and I've been in love with him for 2 years ever since I met him at a party. For the past years, I never saw him with any girls including you. It's always been that Ya Nuo person and he is like some freeloader bug always around Huan Hei!. It's not fair how someone like him could stay there and I can only watch from a distance at the spot that's mine. And now.. now you suddenly pop out of nowhere and claim him as your boyfriend! I won't believe it."

Huan Hei's hands clenched into a fist, "Shut up. You have no right to call or address my best friend the way you just did. He is the only truly sincere person who would always tell me the truth and won't trash talk others. You've gone too far with your jealousy and now that I've fulfilled your curiosity of who my girlfriend is, please stop interacting with me in any way possible."

Lan Lan's eyes turned red from his straightforward rejection, "You.. I've loved you for this long, yet you've never once tried to look at me for who I am. I treat you so well, and you bring a fake girlfriend to trick me! How could you do such a thing? How could you trample over my heart like this?"

Ya Nuo sighed inwardly, "What else did you expect from Huan Hei? He's already endured your past years of love confessing. He already turned you down countless times and now he even had me show up to prove that he has a real girlfriend. So, let me just put this out here, there are things in this world that no matter how much you wish to get, it doesn't belong to you. What is the point of lingering on someone whose heart doesn't belong to you?"

Lan Lan: "Just shut up! Who are you to talk here? Even though you are prettier than I am, it doesn't mean I can't beat you. You're only his girlfriend. You are not his wife."

Ya Nuo: "What would it take for you to stop your childishness?"

Lan Lan: "Then the two of you kiss and give each other a speech about how much you love each other. After that, maybe I will trust that you two are dating and consider the thought of giving up."

Lan Lan smirked as she stared confidently at the two of them. Her sharp instinct told her that they were definitely pretending and will not be able to fulfill her request.