stardust | park seonghwa ✓

06

THREE pairs of eyes stare my down the moment I take a seat in front of them, on my favourite couch in the house. The air was getting thick and I could see the looks of curiosity in their eyes. Was I finally testing my guts to tell them? By the looks of it, yes, but inside, I'm panicking and extremely overthinking about what they'd say in return.

A pair of huge expectant eyes meet mine. My 3 year-old little sister Hyekyung clambers off from my dad's arms and crawls to me on the other side, hugging my legs tightly.

"You do know I have a client waiting for me in half an hour, right?" dad mentions, eyes glancing at the clock on the wall.

"Well..." I hesitate to say, picking up Hyekyung from the floor to place her on my lap. The little girl plays with the buttons on my shirt, almost pulling one loose but I pull her chubby arms away just in time.

"Okay, uh, this was a week ago," I begin to explain, hugging Hyekyung tighter.

Mum pulls her hair back and pushes it to one side, resting her body on her elbows that are resting on her thighs. "Now you're worrying me, Shin," she tells me, "what's going on?"

Now, this may seem like something so easy to tell someone. Should I be excited to announce it to my family? Hell yes, this hopeless kid finally has a chance in love so who wouldn't be? However the pressure still lies heavily on my shoulders and it's as if they're putting chains on my tongue, not wanting it to say anything. Mentally slapping myself, I blink once more and finally take a breath.

Take a grip of yourself, you coward.

"A week ago? What happen week ago?" Hyekyung tilts her head up to look at me with her round eyes, speaking in her small voice.

"Yes, baby," I coo at her, not being able to resist her adorable voice. "A week ago."

"So a week ago," dad prompts, "what happened then?"

So I go on to tell them about waking up an hour too early than I usually do and how I went to the roastery near my apartment and Hyekyung comments on how she also wants a croissant. Mum tells her to be quiet so that I could resume on my story. And I tell them about Seonghwa and how we was sitting all by himself for a long while, how I went to accompany him and how I met San also.

Before continuing to the main part I wanted to tell them, I grit my teeth and brace myself.

"When they both went, I also went home," I tell them as I bounce Hyekyung up and down on my lap, "and uh..."

I chew on my bottom lip nervously, looking down to the carpet. I peer through the top of my lashes and see both my parents with the same calculating look on their faces, but soon I see mum catching up on where this was leading to.

I know she's trying to bite back her grin while dad is still as clueless as ever.

Sighing, I finally reveal it.

"I got my mark on Sunday."

Mum almost flies from her seat, giggling in excitement at my statement almost immediately after I spoke. Dad just seems shocked, blinking his eyes rapidly when he tries to process the news, and Hyekyung? Well, she just continues to mind her own business.

"Your mawk?" she asks, sounding completely unbothered still, "why you have mawk Shin-eonnie?"

"Because she's found her star partner, Hyekyung!" mum cheers as she answers for me, dancing around the living room with lighthearted steps, "the day I've been waiting for has come!"

"Will I have mawk too, mummy?" Hyekyung hops off my lap and joins mum, reaching out her hands for mum to hold and they both twirl around the room.

"Of course, Kyungie!"