"Is there something you'd like me to do for you?"
"Hmm, something I'd like you to do for me?" Jung Hyun pursed his lips as he thought of a request. "I don't think I wa– ani. Isseoyo." His expression turned playful and his eyes twinkled with mirth. "Noona"
Hae Sun raised an eyebrow at his sudden use of salutation.
"Noona? Mwoya ige?"
"A request. I've already thought of a request." He smiled widely and Hae Sun started to feel a little nervous about it.
"O...kay?" she replied. "What's your request?"
"Oppa. Call me oppa, noona."
Hae Sun squealed at the thought of her conversation with Jung Hyun last night. Her manager screamed in surprise and scolded her from the front seat of her van. They were on her way home from her photoshoot that morning.
"Sorry, unnie!" apologized Hae Sun. "Something just came into mind."
"Why, what's wrong? Did you forget something?"
"No, no, it's fine. All of my things are here."
However...
"Uh unnie, can we stop by a cake shop?"
Her manager only rolled her eyes and smiled.
***
While she was being purposely kept by her agency off the media, the past few weeks had been very busy for Hae Sun. She did CF shoots, photoshoots, and even script reviews – some of which were supposed to be done at a much later time that month. These unexpected changes in her schedule was the reason why she couldn't celebrate with Jung Hyun earlier as they have previously planned.
Oh, but she was still going to. Hae Sun told Jung Hyun that her schedule would end late that day but she was already on her way back to Seoul by lunch time. She planned to cook dinner for him at his house and dutifully fulfill his birthday request.
He wanted her to call him oppa?
Challenge accepted.
I'll call him oppa all night.
She was an actress after all and they are of the same age until August. Hae Sun wanted to surprise Jung Hyun so badly that she intentionally didn't greet him that morning. She even set her phone on a 'do not disturb' mode the entire day which, on a hindsight, was a bad idea when she barged in clueless into Jung Hyun's house. She almost dropped the cake and grocery bag she was holding when she realized that he was doing a live broadcast.
"Omona! Were you doing a labang?!" she asked, mortified.
Jung Hyun dashed to her side with a goofy smile on his face.
"Yes. I think they even heard you call me." He cheerfully took her things and placed it on the counter table in his kitchen. Hae Sun silently followed with a surprised and somewhat fearful expression on her face.
"A, kwenchana. I immediately ended it anyway."
She only groaned and buried her face on her hands. "I'm so sorry, Jung Hyun-ah. I sincerely didn't know." Mental images of news headlines flashed through her mind when suddenly, a pair of strong arms enveloped her in a hug.
"Whatever it is your thinking, stop. Do I look like I'm mad?"
Hae Sun uncovered her face and looked at her boyfriend.
He was grinning at her from ear to ear.
"You're not mad?" she asked.
Jung Hyun laughed and kissed her forehead.
"Why would I be mad? You're here! Also – " he paused dramatically and whispered on her ear. "How can I be mad when you just called me oppa?"
Relieved, Hae Sun laughed heartily and embraced him in return. She gave him a peck on the lips and said "Happy birthday oppa."
Jung Hyun enthusiastically kissed her back.
***
Setting aside her accidental outing of their relationship for the meantime, Hae Sun began preparing for Jung Hyun's birthday dinner in true Bong Hwan fashion. Their menu for the night was truffle pasta and steak which they will finish with a mango caramel cake for dessert. She used her cooking as the perfect opportunity to carry out her plan.
"Oppa, can you open this for me?"
"Oppa, where are your tongs?"
"Can you please give me the colander, oppa?"
Oppa, oppa, oppa. It was like a Girl's Generation song on repeat.
Jung Hyun happily complied to Hae Sun's every request. She never broke character in calling him oppawhich he thought was very impressive because he looked like a fool smiling on cloud nine as he walked around his kitchen. They have not discussed using any terms of endearment since they started dating and Jung Hyun did not mind at all. Hearing her call his name was enough for him.
Which was why he did not expect to be so affected being called oppa by Hae Sun.
"The steak is good, right?" she asked excitedly. "Oppa, try the pasta. I swear it's also good! Then later oppa, the –"
Bam!
Jung Hyun suddenly slammed his hands on the table. He abruptly stood from his chair and breathed deeply through his nose with his eyes closed.
"Jung Hyun-ah, what –"
"Hae Sun-ah, ireona (stand up)."
"Wae? What's wrong?"
"Just, stand up. Please?"
Nervous at the unexpected change in his behavior, Hae Sun hesitantly stood. Without warning, Jung Hyun lifted her and sat her on the edge of the nearby counter table. Bracketing her frame, he placed his hands on the table and defeatedly placed his head on her shoulder.
"Thank you for calling me oppa but you can stop now."
Confused, Hae Sun took hold of his face and asked "Why? You don't like?"
"Ani, I like it. I'm even surprising myself with how much I like it."
"Then what's wrong?"
"You're too cute. I can't take it anymore', confessed Jung Hyun.
Hae Sun slowly draped her arms around Jung Hyun's neck. She opened her legs to make space for his body and she pulled him closer to the table where she sat. Instinctively, Jung Hyun placed his hands on her waist.
A teasing smirk formed on her face.
"So you don't like it when I'm cute, oppa?"
Jung Hyun groaned at her seductive tone and Hae Sun made it worse by gliding one hand down his chest.
Their dinner was left untouched until much much later.
