TOUGH ROMANCE || scoups || BOOK ONE

23

With Mimi asleep in a shopping induced coma, I changed into pajamas and wondered why in the world I'd left my closet doors wide open. Then decided it had probably been Mimi. I was surprised at the effect an additional human had on a household. Toothpaste tubes were squeezed haphazardly in the middle. Snacks disappeared. And the TV remote was never where I left it.

I closed the closet doors firmly and returned downstairs. The back door was open, and through the screen, I saw Dokyeom on the porch. He'd turned my back porch into a citronella candle fantasy land.

"You can't tell my parents about any of this yet," I said without preamble as I stepped out onto the porch.

Dokyeom looked up from the tray of fancy meats and cheeses he was organising on the picnic table.

"Why would you even say that? I'm always Team Hani." He said.

"I know you talk to them."

"Just because your mum and I have a standing date at the spa every month doesn't mean I'd rat you out, sweet pea. Besides, I didn't tell them I was coming."

"I just haven't figured out how to tell them about Mimj. It took me an hour on the phone after I pulled a runaway bride before mum agreed to still go on the trip. I know if I were to tell them what was going on, they'd be off the boat and on a plane in a second."

"That does sound something your parents would do." He agreed, handing me a glass of wine. The man had brought an entire case with him. "Your beast wants to devour you like a dozen hot wings."

I flopped down on the lawn chair next to him. "How is that the first thing you say to me?"

"It's the most pressing."

"Not 'why did you leave Jun at the altar?' OR 'what the hell were you thinking answering your sister's call for help?' "

He propped his long legs on the railing. "You know I never liked Jun. I was ecstatic when you pulled the disappearing act, I only wish you would have let me in on it."

"I'm sorry." I said lamely.

"Stop saying you're sorry."

"I'm s-...our?"

"You're the one who has to live your life. Don't apologise to other people for the decisions you make for yourself."

My voice of reason best friend. No judgements. No second guessing. Just unconditional love and support...and the occasional truth bomb. He was one in a billion.

"You're right. As usual. But I still should have let you know I was pulling a runaway bride."

"You defo should have. Although, I did get great pleasure seeing Jun's mother break the news to him infront of the entire congregation. Watching them both trying not to freak out to keep their porcelain reputation intact was comedic. Besides, I took one of bridesmaids home."

"Which one?"

"Kia."

"Nice. She looked great in her dress." I mused.

"She looked better out of it."

"Hey-oh!"

"Speaking of bed time mischief. Back to the beast."

I choked on my wine. "There's no sex happening with the beast. He called me 'needy' and 'uppity' and a 'pain in his ass'. He's rude. He's constantly yelling at me or complaining about me. Telling me I'm not his type. As if I wished I were his type." I scoffed.

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because he lives right there." I said, pointing my glass in the direction of Seungcheol's luxury cabin.

"Oooh~ grumpy next door neighbour. That's one of my favourite tropes."

"The first time he met me, he called me trash."

"That bitch!" He gasped.

"Well, technically he thought I was Chae when he was yelling at me infront of an entire café full of strangers."

"That..vision impaired bitch!" He gasped louder.

"God, I love you." I sighed.

"Back at you, Lee. So, to clarify, you're definitely not sleeping with the hot, grumpy, tattooed neighbour who took you shopping for underwear and a phone?"

"I am 5000% definitely not sleeping with Seungcheol. And he only went shopping with us because there were reports of a man in town looking for me."

"You're telling me he's a grumpy, overprotective, hottie next door and you're not going to sleep with him? How wasteful."

"How about instead of talking about Seungcheol, I'll tell you why I burned rubber out of the church parking lot and ended up homeless in Riperia?"

"Don't forget careless." He added.

I rolled my eyes. "And careless."

"I'll get the truffles I hid in your bedroom." Seokmim volunteered.

Dear Hani,

Your father and I are having a wonderful time even though you haven't been updating us on what's going on in your life. Barcelona was beautiful, but it would have been even more beautiful if we knew our daughter wasn't spiraling into a depression or some sort of mid life crisis.

Guilt tripping over. You should have seen our tour guide, Paolo. Hubba Hubba as the kids say. I attached a photo that I took. He's single if you want me to bring you back a souvenir.

Love,
Mum.