DERANGER - SEULRENE

032

it was dinnertime when the door to the dining area opens. heads turn to the newcomer--a fair-looking man, whose both hands are holding the strap of his bag.

"guess who's joining you guys late..." he says, and almost everyone in the dining room cheered.

you bite the inside of your cheek as you look at the said man. kim seokjin, that's his name--or jin, as what he prefers to be called. like every other church member in that room, you know of him and his family. in fact, you were also in the same choir group when you were teens.

"jin, over here!" his mum waves from the corner of the room. jin smiles.

on way his way to their table, your mum calls him.

"oh. hey, jin. how have you been?"

"hello, mrs. bae." he bows. "i have been fine. thank you. i came from an urgent work that's why i arrived late today."

"i didn't know you're done with your military service," your dad says. "has two years flown that fast?"

"ah. yes. i came back two weeks ago."

"ahh. time flies," jihye says. "the last time i saw jin, he was this skinny teenager with a cracking voice. look at him now. a certified man!"

jin laughs. "hello, noona!"

"by the way, irene's here." jihye points a thumb your way. you give him a little wave. "and this nice-looking person over there is our guest, seulgi. she was irene's previous student in the university."

"it's nice to meet you, seulgi." jin makes his way to shake hands with her. "i hope you're having a great time here."

"i am," seulgi says quickly. "people are nice. the food is nice. the view outside is nice too."

"cool. cool." jin pulls his straps, turning to look at you. "it's nice to see you again, irene."

seulgi tilts her head to look at you. you press your lips together, knowing she already sensed it.

"it's nice to see you too, jin," you say. "maybe you should get some dinner first. your mum is waiting for you."

he turns to the area where his family is located and turns back to you. "yeah. i should get some. i'll catch you all later."

your mum turns to you with a huge smile after jin leaves. "that kid has grown handsome, hasn't he?"

you only nod as you chew your food.

"he's still single, isn't he?" your dad asks.

"he's very much single. and i heard from his mum that he's been crushing on irene here since they were young. he couldn't make a move because of donghae."

seulgi coughs. she picks a tissue to wipe her mouth.

"mum, those are just rumours," you say. "and i don't like him."

"how could you not like him, dear? and it's not just a rumour. he confirmed that himself with his mother before he left for the military."

you bite your lower lip, feeling unsettled. you're used to conversations like this when you're with your family. and your usual response is to play along or shrug it off.

but sitting beside your girlfriend and hearing your family talk about your possible future with another person makes you want to disappear from the surface of the earth.

it's not helping that you can feel seulgi's eyes on you.

"what do you think, seulgi? they would make a great couple, won't they?" your dad asks.