Before You Know It | BAEKHYUN

02

When Hyora arrived in Korea, the cherry blossoms were falling down as though they were specially welcoming her home. She'd only been out of the country for a month, but to breathe in the spring air again was like drinking water after being deprived of it for the same period of time.

As relieving as it was to be back, nothing was more invigorating than the fact that she had come home with her parents. And just as she thought that nothing could make it even better, Hanna and Haejin have welcomed them at the airport.

"Haejin, thank you so much for finding us an apartment!" Ara, Hyora's mother, said. "We'll pay you as soon as we settle in!"

Haejin waved her off. "Oh, that was nothing! Take as much time as you need! But more importantly, welcome home!"

While the adults were talking, Hyora and Hanna were having a conversation of their own.

"I'm just going to leave my stuff at the apartment first, then I'll go straight to your place afterwards," Hyora told her.

"All right, I'll wait for you at home!" Hanna said brightly. "I'll see you later!"

As soon as Hyora left her luggage at their new apartment, she headed off to the Kang residence.

She peeked into the glass window of the plant shop, but she didn't find Hanna nor Haejin inside, so she went to the gate and walked in. She knocked on the front door, but nobody was answering.

"Hanna?" she called. "I'm here to get my stuff!"

When no one answered her again, she twisted the knob and let herself in. To her surprise a fluffy white dog came jumping on her feet, wagging its tail in excitement.

"Oh my God, you're Byul, right?" she said, kneeling down to greet the puppy.

As she patted his head, she noticed him holding a blue squeaky ball in his mouth. Byul sat down and dropped it just on the tip of Hyora's feet, as if urging her to take it.

Hyora giggled and kneeled down in front of him to take it. "Are you giving this to me?"

"Yeah, he is."

She looked up, finding Kang Hanna who just came out of the kitchen holding a tray of freshly baked cookies.

"He likes giving random things to people who enters the house," she explained, taking her oven mitts out of her hands and placing them on the table.

Hyora arched a brow and closed the door behind her. She threw the ball somewhere and Byul ran after it.

"You're taking this baking hobby seriously," she said as she walked over to the dining table.

"I am, aren't I?" Hanna said. "Do you prefer your cookies hot or cold? I have some in the fridge from yesterday."

"Freshly baked is good," Hyora replied. "But I'll eat them later. I gotta go get my stuff so I could take them to the apartment after."

Hanna rolled her eyes and waved her off. "Fine, fine. Hurry up!"

Smirking, Hyora went to her old room, finding it the same it has been when she left. She heaved a sigh and gazed around first, taking in the fact that she had lived here for more than three years.

And now she just moved to an apartment with her parents.

The thought made her smile again, but it faltered when she saw her desk.

She walked over to it and saw that her mermaid sketch was still there. Her hand found the side drawer and she paused, suddenly feeling her heart race. After taking a deep breath, she pulled it out, surprised that it slid out so easily.