The New Girl | 𝘈𝘛𝘌𝘌𝘡

What Happens on Saturday

Seonghwa is great company. He asks me about home and my family, and I explain that my brother and I were both adopted as babies, me from Korea and Jason from China. I tell him how we grew up spending our time in the dance studio, and while I was inclined for dance, Jason was more suited for books and was an excellent writer.

In turn, I learn that he and Hongjoong have three younger siblings, two brothers and a sister. EllaJin would babysit them when they were younger, and he'd had a crush on her until she got her first boyfriend.

"She was my first crush," he tells me. "She's crazy smart, so she used to tutor me, an my hormones got the best of me when I was 12. I tried to kiss her during a lesson, and it didn't exactly go well."

"You went for a high school girl when you were in middle school?" I raise my eyebrows, impressed by his bravery. "That's pretty ballsy."

"She was cool about it though," he chuckles. "I thought she would tell our parents or June, but she kept it between us and spared me the embarrassment."

"Seeing Wooyoung's reaction to her, it looks like you weren't the only one who liked her," I giggle remembering his friend's red cheeks when he was talking to EJ.

"I got over my crush before high school." Seonghwa smirks as if he's holding onto a secret and leans in close. "Wooyoung is so lovesick, and she's never going to give him the time of day. I've tried to snap him out of it, but he's too far gone."

"Poor guy." Between homeschooling and dance, I don't have much experience with guys, so I never had to deal with one-sided love, but it doesn't sound great.

"Anyways, did you have a boyfriend back in America? A girl as pretty as you probably had to fight off guys all the time." He chuckles, his caramel eyes seeming to almost sparkle as he looks at me. "I'd like to know about any potential competition."

"God no, I lived in the dance studio, so I was far from any guy's radar," I laugh, and Seonghwa's eyebrows practically disappear behind his hair.

"I find that very hard to believe," he mutters under his breath, but not quietly enough to get past me. "Anyways, I know this is a bit off topic, but I wanted to ask you if you were busy on Saturday."

"Saturday?" I shake my head. "Not yet anyways."

"My dad has this dinner party thing that he's dragging the whole family to, and Hongjoong is bringing a date now..." he trails off and meets my gaze, "so I was hoping you might be mine so I don't die of boredom."

I try my best not to look as flustered as I feel, but the way he's looking at me with those big, hopeful eyes makes it's near impossible. "Yeah, I'd love to."

"I should warn you my family is really annoying sometimes." Seonghwa leans in a bit closer. "You know how there's the stereotype of the embarrassing dad?"

"Sure," I laugh, knowing fully well that my stoic but kind father did not meet such criteria.

"Well, my dad invented it," he rolls his eyes, "and my brothers will try to flirt with you."

"I think I can handle it," I giggle.

"Okay good," he beams.

"Didn't you ask me to help you with English?" I quirk an eyebrow at him, and his eyes go wide.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" He laughs and reaches into his backpack on the floor. "I have a decent understanding, but I just want to double check with someone who knows the language better."

The two of us end up staying there discussing the chapters in detail, and Seonghwa slowly picks up on the things that were initially causing him problems. It's dark before either of us notices, but it's definitely gotten late without our knowledge.