No more masks: Pulling out your safety pin

Date Night Part 1

Gang Tae finally asks Moon Young out on a date.

Gang Tae opened his eyes, stretching his arms above his head. He had slept so well. His first day of unemployment was already off to a lovely start. He reached for his phone, surprised at the time. It was past midday. He often woke up late after a long night shift, but he never had the luxury to wake up this late otherwise.

He got up and slid his feet into his slippers, heading to the bathroom to wash his face. He wondered what the others were up to.

The mansion was surprisingly quiet. He opened the door to Moon Young's room and found it empty. He could hear some faint clinking of dishes coming from downstairs, but no voices. He went down the stairs to investigate.

He found Moon Young alone downstairs, walking back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen... and it looked like she was ... cleaning up after eating? How was nothing burnt today?

"Ah, sleepyhead, there you are," she said as she carried some used plates from the dining table to the sink. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," he said, rubbing his eye with his hand, making sure he wasn't dreaming this up. "I can't believe I slept so late."

"I guess I tired you out yesterday," she said, smirking at him as she put on some pink rubber gloves. He blushed, but couldn't stop the answering smile bloom on his face.

"Guess what — Oppa and I woke up early and went to buy a toaster! He's been nagging me about getting a toaster for a while. He found an ad in the newspaper and wouldn't stop talking about it. No more burnt bread in this house! We ended up buying the cheapest one because he wouldn't let me buy the fancy chrome one that toasts four slices at the same time," she pouted.

He watched her, mesmerised and totally charmed, as she pointed at the toaster and proudly told him about how she and Sang Tae had eaten toast, butter and jam for breakfast, how Sang Tae tried to get her to drink a glass of milk but she could only drink half, and that she wanted to go to the grocery store again but wanted to go with Gang Tae.

She was wearing a baby blue dress with tiny white flowers printed all over it. Her short hair was parted to one side and in a low ponytail. She moved her arms around animatedly as she discussed this miraculous toaster and the perfectly toasted bread, such a mundane topic that he would never have guessed she would be interested in. Slowly but surely, Moon Young's sharp edges were weathering away, and she was showing him new sides of herself everyday.

He couldn't believe how lucky he was.

She asked him if he wanted her to make him some toast. He smiled and said he would love that, but perhaps a little later, as he usually couldn't eat straight after waking up.

He kept staring at her with that little smile on his face, as she raised her eyebrows, looking confused. He was just happy to drink the sight of her in, comfortable in the silence.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, almost shyly.

"Like what? A lovesick fool?" he shot back, smiling wider.

"Tschht, you're so cheesy," she scoffed, turning around towards the sink to wash the dishes. But not before he saw the little smile on her reddening face.

He walked over to her and hugged her from behind, his arms circling her stomach.

"You smell so good," he said, his voice muffled because of his face buried in her neck. He felt her shoulder move against his face as she worked on the dishes.

"Where's hyung?" he asked.

"He's gone to the art library with Sung Jae."

His ears perked up. "Gone to the art library, you say?"