Chapter 3

Hyejin was walking to the convenience store Hyunwoo was working at after walking his siblings home.

A group of girls from another school left with a plastic bag of food and drinks.

"He's so cute when smiling!"

"Yeah! I'd visit this convenience store everyday just to see that smile!"

"Why not just go to their school?"

"Eh... That's too far."

"They must be talking about Hyunwoo. He's getting really famous in other schools nowadays." Hyejin stared at the group of girls walking away.

Hyejin enters the convenience store and saw Hyunwoo watching something on his phone.

"Hey. What're you watching—" Hyejin was cut off by Hyunwoo jumping a little.

"Oh, sorry. Did I scare you?"

"No, not really. I was just pulled out of thought."

"I must've made him think there was a robbery..." Hyejin looked away as a single drop of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"Oh, um... What are you doing here? Have the two gone home now?"

"Yes. I walked them home and I told the others that we'll walk to my house together. But they're everywhere near here."

"Is that so... Well, my shift ends when my boss arrives and it's typically around eight o'clock—" Hyunwoo was cut off by the bells on the door hitting each other.

"Ah, Heesok hyung, welcome."

"That's his boss?! He looks rather... young!" Hyejin was taken back by Heesok suddenly entering while they were talking about him.

"Good work today."

Heesok heads to the locker room to change into his uniform so Hyunwoo can change after him and end his shift.

After Heesok changed into his uniform, it was Hyunwoo's turn before he heads out with Hyejin.

"Where are we heading?"

"We're heading to my—" Hyejin turns around and saw Hyunwoo eating a sausage on a stick.

"Ow! This is hof..." Hyunwoo made a pained expression on his face.

"A-Are you alright?"

"Yeah... But I think this sausage is too hot."

"I see..." Hyejin awkwardly laughs at Hyunwoo who still tried to eat the sausage.

"Yo! Hyunwoo! Hyejin!"

The two turns around and saw Jinho, Aerin, and Sungmin, walking towards them.

"I thought I told you three to head to my house?"

"Well, we just thought it'd be rude for your family if we entered without you..."

"No, it's alright. My parents are at a business trip and it's just me and my brothers. But a friend of mine is there already."

"We also thought it'd be great if we walked together with you and Hyunwoo."

"Let's go then." Hyejin told them and she continues walking with Hyunwoo while the two of them talked.

"Those two seem very close lately..."

"Right! Maybe they're in a relationship!"

"What? No way. Hyunwoo just arrived at the school this week. He's only making friends with our classmates."

"That makes sense... With his charisma and friendly nature, he might befriend everyone in the whole school."

The three talked while watching Hyunwoo and Hyejin walk together.

They finally arrived at Hyejin's house and it was a surpisingly big modern house with a huge garden. All of them were astonished by the size Hyejin's house since she never brought up anything about her and they rarely see her talk with people.

The group enters Hyejin's spacious bedroom and saw Jiyoon waiting there.

"Woah! It's Jiyoon! The school idol!"

"Sorry, I hope I didn't make you wait."

"No, it's alright."

"Are they your friends?" Jiyoon clung onto Hyejin who sat beside her.

"Yes. They're the ones I told you about."

"You didn't tell me you had such a handsome friend!" Jiyoon giggled and started shaking Hyejin playfully.

"Haha, thank you—" Sungmin was cut off short by Jiyoon.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I was talking about the guy beside you."

"Oh, thank—" Jinho was also cut off short by Jiyoon before he could also finish his sentence.

"I also don't mean to be rude, but I was talking about him." Jiyoon pointed at Hyunwoo.

"Um... Thank you." Hyunwoo blushed at the compliment.

"She said she doesn't mean to be rude, but proceeds to be rude anyways." Jinho and Sungmin cried and cursed Jiyoon internally.

"I feel bad for them..." Hyunwoo looked at the two.

"Anyways, since all of us are here, let's start studying with our quiz tomorrow."

"What quiz?" Jiyoon seemed clueless.

"We're having a quiz on the same lesson your class is studying. It won't be long before you get a quiz on it, so don't slack off."

They took out their math text books and notebooks so they can start studying and not to burden Hyejin too much.

After some time, they were now about to finish and Hyunwoo just had to answer the practice question given by Hyejin.

"Now, substitute this..." Hyejin pointed at Hyunwoo's notebook.

"And simplify it."

Hyunwoo wrote the answer and Hyejin takes a closer look at his notebook.

"That's correct."

"I feel so proud of myself." Hyunwoo holds his chest while smiling.

"I guess that's for today. If there's something you don't understand or something came up that wasn't here, just message me or go to me at school. Just don't ask me when we're having the quiz."

"Thank you for today, Hyejin." The group said while they started packing up their things.

"It's time you guys should head home now. It's getting late at night." Hyejin smiled at them as she picks up the pieces of paper on the table.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. The door opens and Junghoo was standing there.

"Noona, it's time to eat."

"Okay."

Junghoo left and Hyejin turns around to see them smiling and blushing.

"Your little brother is so cute!"

"Yes! He'll look good just like you when he grows up."

"You guys should join us for dinner. I'll just walk you all home."

"Huh? Why? You don't really have to feed us... We've given you a hard time already, so we won't bother any further. But thank you for inviting us."

"Even if I allowed you four to leave because you felt uncomfortable with joining us for dinner, my brothers would still insist you four." Hyejin said while Jiyoon walks out of the room to join them for dinner.

"No, he doesn't really have to feed us... We've spent a lot of time here in your house already. That was more than enough to thank you." Hyunwoo nervously laughed as his three friends nodded.

"Hyejin, it's time to eat! Bring your friends over."

They walk out of Hyejin's room to see three tall and muscular men cooking and setting up the dinner table, but an intimidating aura was coming out from them.

"Ah, Dad. You and Mom are back from your trip."

"Yeah, we just arrived."

"Wh-What is this?! It's like I'm seeing the pillar men!" Sungmin and Jinho watched one of the men approach them.

"You four must be Hyejin's friends just like Jiyoon. Join us for dinner."

"We have mildly spicy fried chicken and many other things on the menu today."

"Yes. My father's a great cook, so you should enjoy it."

"N-No, we shouldn't trouble you any further—"

"You guys should come eat. Their tteokbokki and fried chicken are the best." Jiyoon said as she casually plays with Junghoo.

Suddenly, they heard the loud sound of a butcher's knife hitting the cutting board.

"Growing kids like you lot should eat and enjoy food when you can. Come join us for dinner." Hyejin's father, Daesu finally turned their heads to the group as their souls left their body.

"... R... Rather than dinner, this feels like I was given put in a death row and I'm currently choosing my last meal before execution..." Hyunwoo smiled at them, but he was sweating inside.

"Woah! You're tall, but you're not as tall as us. Don't mind it though, you're still growing so eat if you want to grow taller!" Hyejin's oldest brother, Min-jin pats Hyunwoo's shoulder while laughing.

"Join us kids." Daesu repeated while slicing pieces of chicken.

"... Okay. Thank you Mr. Kim for inviting us."

They had no choice, but to join the familly for dinner.

"Haha! Just call me Uncle Daesu just like Jiyoon!" Daesu laughed joyfully.

"I'm so happy. This is the first time Hyejin has invited her other friends over." Min-jin wiped a tear falling out of his eye.

"It's not much of a big deal..." Hyejin blushed while looking away.

"But your brothers are just very proud of you! For the past eleven years, you've only brought Jiyoon here with you!" Hyejin's other brother, Ji-hwan also wiped a tear in his eye.

"Don't make a big deal out of it!" Hyejin started smacking her brothers as they laugh at her.

"Eat up, kids." The three tall men stood in front of the group as they start sweating.

"Y-Yes..."

They sat on the table with the others and the sound of footsteps from upstairs was heard. Their heads turn to the side and saw a beautiful woman walking down the stairs.

"Could that be... Hyejin's mother?"

"She looks just like her. They're both pretty!"

"Heejin, come join us. Hyejin brought some new friends, so we're so happy that we should throw a feast!"

"My, my, I never thought Hyejin had some good-looking friends hidden from us!" Hyejin's mother put her hand on her cheek while smiling.

"She's obviously talking about Hyunwoo just like earlier— Wait, did she just say... "friends"?! Does that include us?!" Jinho and Sungmin blushed as Heejin sat beside Hyejin.

"Oh! Jiyoon's here too! She's as pretty as ever! Did you receive the things I sent to your house?"

"Yes. Thank you!"

"Jiyoon sure does seem close with Mr. and Mrs. Kim."

After eating, Hyunwoo and the three were outside, finally on their way home.

"Come again soon, kids. It's rare to see Hyejin bring other friends here, so her mother, brothers and I are just very happy she brought some friends. We should go on a picnic some time!" Daesu gave them a thumbs up.

"They're so cool!" The group of friends also gave him a thumbs up with a sparkling aura around them.

"Yes! Thank you so much, sir! We'll never forget your kindness until the day we die— No, we'll bring this memory even after death!"

"Haha! You four sure are a funny group! It's great to see Hyejin have friends like you four! Anyways, I won't hold you four back any further before it gets late! Come again some time!"

"Thank you for the meal, sir!"

"Call me uncle!"

"Good night, uncle!"

"Yeah! Good night, kids!"

Daesu waved them goodbye before closing the gate. The four walked away, thinking about Hyejin's family's kindness.

Unknown to them, Hyejjn was watching them walk away while smiling.

The next day, Hyunwoo, Jinho, Sungmin, and Aerin were standing in front of Hyejin while smiling.

"Look, Hyejin! We got high scores!"

"That's great! If you guys are having trouble with a lesson again, you should ask me to teach you again." Hyejin smiled at them while looking at their scores.

"We will if you aren't going to be busy!"