Sinful Passion

three

It was 11pm. Chaeyoung yawned, looking at the workbook in front of her. The English language exercises on the page already didn't make any sense to her when she was alert, and they made even less sense now that she was sleepy. Chaeyoung sighed, completing another question despite feeling her eyelids weigh down like bricks.

She didn't have basketball practice today, but was camping out in a nearby cram school to study. Chaeyoung glanced at Jeongyeon, who was sitting beside her, and still looked like she was going strong with her revision. Chaeyoung was dumbfounded, genuinely believing that her best friend was part-android at times.

Chaeyoung couldn't study anymore. She packed up her things. "Jeongyeon unnie, I'm going home."

Jeongyeon looked up from her books. "Hm? Alright then, I'll stay a little longer. Be safe."

"Okay, see you."

Jeongyeon hummed, and Chaeyoung left her studious friend behind.

Chaeyoung arrived at her house, sticking her key into the door. She expected her dad to either be out working or be inside, well, working. What she didn't expect, though, was for Mina to be inside the house, right behind the door.

"AHH...!" Chaeyoung screamed, instinctively scrambling backwards to put some distance between herself and Mina. As a result, Chaeyoung almost tripped and fell off the top step of the porch staircase, but thankfully Mina grabbed Chaeyoung by her arm and caught her in time.

"Chaeyoung-ssi!"

Chaeyoung regained her balance, placing her hand on her heart to try and calm down. Perhaps it was beating fast for more than one reason.

"Wh- What are you doing here...?" Chaeyoung choked, still stunned.

"I saw you coming up the steps and was about to open the door," Mina explained. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, Chaeyoung-ssi."

"No, I mean... what are you doing... here?" Chaeyoung used her hands to gesture to the whole house.

"Oh," Mina blinked, registering in her head that it was common for Changmin not to tell Chaeyoung anything. "I've moved in."

Chaeyoung didn't know how to react. She didn't know how to feel.

Mina pushed open the door to reveal that there were some cardboard boxes by the stairwell. She said to Chaeyoung," I'm almost done unpacking, I promise. All this will be gone by tomorrow."

"It's okay, take your time," Chaeyoung assured, stepping into the house. Then she noticed the worst thing. Her dad wasn't home. "...Where's dad?"

"He's working late tonight," Mina replied. "But don't worry! I cooked you supper. Go and change, Chaeyoung-ssi. I'll prepare everything once you come down."

Chaeyoung rushed upstairs to put down her things and change out of her school uniform. Her mind was racing. So this was real. Mina was living with her now. Her new stepmom. Why was Chaeyoung feeling so jittery?

Chaeyoung returned downstairs, and her mouth watered at the sight and aroma of traditional Korean dishes adorning the dinner table. Wasn't Mina Japanese? How come she could cook Korean cuisine?

"Chaeyoung-ssi, come, sit. I didn't know what you liked so I just made a bit of everything. I hope it's okay," Mina said.

Chaeyoung sat down, and Mina did too. Chaeyoung was genuinely impressed and also touched. She usually had to buy takeout for herself because her dad wasn't home. Mina was obviously trying very hard to impress her and build a good relationship, and Chaeyoung thought the least she could do was to reciprocate her efforts.