"Morning, Riku," her mom greeted me as I entered the kitchen. The nickname had stuck, and though it felt a little unusual at first, I couldn’t help but appreciate it. It made me feel like I was part of something, like someone genuinely cared.
"Hey," I replied casually, making my way over to the table and sitting beside Chaewon. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her, her head resting on her hand as she gazed sleepily at her breakfast. Her bed hair only made her look even cuter, and I found myself wanting to pull her into a tight hug, just to hold her for a moment.
"We're going to the mall today," Chaewon’s voice broke my thoughts. "Do you want to come with us?"
To my surprise, it wasn’t Chaewon but her brother, Chaemin, who spoke up first. Last night, I had been worried that he might have recognized me, but instead, he had been kind enough to let me share the bed without making it awkward.
"Yeah, sure, you should come," Chaemin added, grinning at me as he set down his cereal.
"Ah, yes, son," her father chimed in from across the table, barely looking up from his newspaper.
Chaewon still had her eyes closed, lost in thought. I hesitated for a second, unsure if she would mind me tagging along. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to go—I was just worried about intruding. But before I could second-guess myself, Chaewon, without opening her eyes, softly tugged on my sleeve.
"Just come," she said, her voice a little more insistent but still sweet. "You'll enjoy it." She smiled at me, her face bright and expectant, and I couldn’t help but nod in response.
Unexpectedly, Chaemin squealed, his excitement apparent as he clapped his hands. I blinked in surprise—he was definitely more of a ‘babygirl’ than I had imagined.
Chaewon rolled her eyes at her brother’s antics, but I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Then, she whispered in my ear, her breath warm against my skin, "He’s just happy he won’t have to babysit me and follow me around in the stores." I muffled my laugh, not wanting to make a scene.
At the mall, Chaewon must have asked, "Is this good?" at least a thousand times. Her parents had wandered off to give us some space, and Chaemin had disappeared into another store, leaving me and Chaewon to ourselves. She tried on countless outfits, most of them looking amazing on her, but ended up buying only a few items.
"Too pretty," I blurted, unable to help myself when I saw her emerge from the changing room in a floral dress that was perfect on her. She flashed me a bashful smile that nearly made me weak in the knees.
"Okay then, I’ll get this for my birthday... or maybe I'll find something else for it," Chaewon said with a playful eye-roll as she returned to the changing room.
I smiled to myself, my mind racing as I remembered that her birthday was just a month away. How could I forget? That was the day I first saw her—under a green umbrella, a memory that stuck with me. I still had the black umbrella she had given me, tucked away as a reminder of that moment.
Once we finished checking out, we aimlessly wandered through a few more stores. Chaewon was in a good mood, trying on things, laughing at my silly comments.
"You literally make everything look good," I said, and I could feel my heart skip a beat as she met my gaze. A deep blush spread across her cheeks, and my own face reddened in response.
"Stop making me blush," she muttered, clearly embarrassed, but I wasn’t done yet.
"With how perfect you are," I continued, "you’re the main character wherever you go. Even the moon falls short next to you. You have this beauty about you that’s beyond compare. Your eyes look like they hold the entire world, like endless oceans. I could drown in them..."
Before I could finish, she suddenly tiptoed and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. I froze, completely caught off guard. The familiar red crept up my neck, and I was left speechless as she pulled away.
"I need to pee," Chaewon said casually, leaving me standing there, utterly flustered.
I stood there for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts as a giggle escaped my lips. I couldn’t believe how easily she made me blush. It was like she had a way of affecting me without even trying.
Taking advantage of her absence, I quickly made up my mind. Her birthday was approaching, and I wanted to get her something special. I wasn’t sure what yet, but I knew I had to find the perfect gift—something that would show her just how much she meant to me.
As I walked through the mall, thoughts of her kept swirling in my mind. I wasn’t sure what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was heading in the right direction.
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