You're My Star

Chapter 7: Meet the Seos

Woo-bin unlocked the front door with his key. Not a lot of houses in his area still used locks and keys, most of them had number pads these days. Not that he cared though. He liked having a key with a key chain that some obscure uncle or aunt gave him when he was 9, probably. Now, he was more nervous about having to present his home to his boyfriend.

He couldn't rationally explain why he was nervous. He was at Min-hee's house so often, even having sleepovers. They had been together for 9 months already! Why on earth was he so nervous?

Maybe it was because Min-hee had never actually been here before. In the now nine months they'd been together, they had not a single time visited Woo-bin's house. My parents are always home, was a popular reason. To be fair, it was much farther away from the school than Min-hee's dorm, so it was also out of pure convenience.

It was crazy to believe it had been 9 months already, actually. To think they actually spent Christmas together. The couple's holiday! It felt riveting to be out in the streets of Myeong-dong, being able to hold hands and do all the other coupley stuff that couples could do in public on Christmas Eve. Thank god Min-hee's company gave the trainees a week off. They couldn't spend New Year's together, though. Min-hee really wanted to see his family, which was more than understandable. They were quite the long train ride away.

So as the new year came, they were able to resume their relationship as 18-year-olds. It was also a scary thought that they'd be 2nd-years in March. Rumors had it that 2nd-years actually have to work harder than 3rd-years!

As Woo-bin managed to think all of those thoughts, they stepped into his house. The house was double-story, but the floors weren't so high, so Min-hee could reach the ceiling.

"What a lovely home!" Min-hee smiled as he hung up his jacket and took off his shoes.

"Really?" Woo-bin chuckled as he did the same.

Woo-bin and his family were quite typically middle-class. Their house was average and all walls and floors were wooden. Most of Woo-bin's friends in the past had the same kind of house as him, so he never thought there was anything special about it. But honestly, it was bigger than what Min-hee was used to, even before moving to Seoul.

Min-hee used to live in the countryside, but they never had a big house. They lived in a single-story house that actually might have been the same size as Woo-bin's bottom floor. Two bedrooms, one for his parents and one for himself and his brother that they shared. They were close in age, so that never really mattered. But Min-hee can imagine the hormonal kid he grew up with is glad that he has his own room now.

"Woo-bin, is that you?" a voice came from upstairs. Woo-bin's eyes widened.

Was his mother home? He very specifically remembered his parents saying they wouldn't be home today. That was the whole reason he invited Min-hee.

Woo-bin's mother's name was Yoo Min-ji and was a very petite woman who wore glasses and had dyed her hair brown. Mrs. Yoo quickly stood at the top of her stairs, ready to greet her son but was quickly surprised at the tall and handsome friend standing next to him. She found it funny because Woo-bin never brought people home, not even Seong-min whom she had heard so much about. She looked in wonder at Min-hee. She quickly walked down the stairs to get a closer look.

"Mom, I thought you and dad and that thing today," Woo-bin said out of surprise.

"It got canceled, I thought I texted you. Who is this young man? I don't think we've ever met," she answered, still not removing her gaze from Min-hee.

"I'm Kang Min-hee, I'm in the same grade as your son. Nice to meet you!" Min-hee bowed. He was probably just as surprised as Woo-bin, but was keeping it together very well. All that idol etiquette must've been good for slightly awkward social situations.