a reason to smile // seo changbin

chapter twelve

icy cold

moon jieun - saturday

"are you going out?" my mom questions.

"yeah." i nod, checking my phone once again. after i met changbin after class, he had asked for my number so that he could text me of his arrival to my house for our ice cream "date".

"where to?" she questions, her eyes lighting up slightly.

"ice cream with a friend." i tell her, not adding any details. the corners of her lips turn upwards into a small smile.

"when will you be back?"

"probably an hour or two, it's just ice cream..." i tell her, partially trying to convince myself.

"well i hope you have a lovely time." the sincerity in her tone filling me with a warm and fuzzy sensation. it felt good to hear her be sincere. to see her smile honestly.

"thanks, mom." i smile back, a small genuine smile.

"i'd better get started on cleaning everything up before your father comes home." she tells me, her smile instantly dropping. and i couldn't stop myself from speaking my mind.

"you can leave him." i speak firmly. she blinks a few times, locking eyes with me.

"honey, you know i—"

"i will be okay. if things get bad i can move into the dorms. we're not stuck here."

"jieun—" a soft knocking on the door cuts her off. she perks up, smiling once again as she skips to the door. "that must be your friend." she changes the subject, promptly pulling open the door with a smile. i panic, noting that changbin had not yet texted me. i expected him to text me so that i could meet him outside, but as my mom pulled the door open, there he stood, hands behind his back as he bowed politely at my mother.

"hi, i'm changbin." he introduces himself. i almost sigh as i see the shock on my mothers face. she definitely wasn't expecting my friend to be a man, and i could already tell she was putting pieces together.

"it's nice to meet you, changbin." my mom greets him back with a small bow.

"same to you, mrs. moon." he speaks formally, a warm smile on his face.

"oh please, call me chaena." she waves him off, giggling bashfully. "jieun, are you ready?" she calls out, waving me over.

"yeah." i nod, shuffling over to the door.

"well you two have fun!" she practically shoves me out the door. it was obvious how excited she was about this, probably more than i was.

"i'll have her home in a few hours." changbin tells her. the both of us wave as my mother shuts the door.

"i thought you said you'd text me?" i ask, wondering why he didn't.

"i figured it'd be more polite to walk you to my car." changbin shrugs. "i also had a feeling you wouldn't dress very warm." he chuckles, nodding to my thin long sleeve. "so i brought this." he finally takes his hands from behind his back, revealing a black jacket. i furrow my brows as he places it in my hands.

"you didn't have to—"

"i wanted too. you can keep it, i'm not quite convinced you own one of your own." he jokes. "here, let me help you put it on." he gently pulls it from my hands, turning me around so that my back was towards him. i allow him to slip the jacket on, instantly feeling much warmer, much more comfortable. "what do you think?" he asks, taking in my form.

"it's very sweet of you, changbin." i thank him genuinely.

"well there's more where that came from, come on." he smiles, holding his arm out for me to hold onto. i feel heat spread across my face as i place my hand onto his bicep, allowing him to walk us down to his car. everything felt so strange, it genuinely felt like a real date, but i wasn't sure if it could be considered one yet. and i definitely wasn't about to ask for clarification.