3rd✯

"What do you mean he's my cousin?!" I asked in a raised voice before feeling a pillow slap me in the face. 

"Shh! You'll wake up Daeul!" Jeonghan told me in a hiss. He dragged his chair closer to his bed and told me, "The two of you were really close as kids."

"How come I don't remember him?" I asked him. If we were cousins, how come I only know about him now?

Jeonghan opened his mouth and I waited and anticipated what he was going to say. But things always seem to get ruined. That was when Jeonghan's phone began ringing. He picked it up from his desk and answered, "Yeobosaeyo?"

I watched as Jeonghan continued his conversation with whoever was on the phone. As he talked over the phone, I tried to remember any cousin named Yoon Sanha. I clearly didn't remember anything so what was Jeonghan oppa on about?

After Jeonghan ended his conversation on the phone, he stuffed his phone into his pocket, grabbed his jacket and stood up. I immediately called after him, "Yah! Oppa! You still haven't told me who Yoon Sanha is and why he's my cousin!"

"Mian. Oppa has to rush to the cafe to finish my project discussion with Choi Sungcheol and Hong Jisoo. You'll understand once you're in college, Aerim-a," Jeonghan said before he rushed out of the room.

I followed after him but he was already out the door. I stood by the hallways, ruffling my hair. "Aish!"

"Noona?" a voice asked sleepily. 

I turned to my right and saw Daeul emerging from his room with bed hair and a sleepy face. I picked him off the floor and asked him while fixing his hair, "Daeul-a, did you rest well?"

Daeul gave me that cheeky grin of his and nodded. "Nae. Where hyung go?"

"Hyung went to a cafe. He has project to do," I told Daeul, glaring at the direction of the door, where Jeonghan left. "Are you hungry?"

Daeul nodded before scratching his face with the sleeves of his shirt. "I want cake."

I giggled before putting him back down on the floor. "You can't eat cake after you just woke up, Daeul-a. I'll give you a banana yogurt drink. Do you like that?"

Daeul happily danced and I just giggled more. He extended both his hands out and cutely said, "Juseyo!"

I patted his head, thinking about how cute my little brother was, then handed him the banana yogurt. "Daeul, do you love noona?"

Daeul began sipping from the tiny straw and looked up at me before he nodded more than once. 

"How much do you love me?" It was a question everyone asked little kids. 

"Manhi! (A lot!)" Daeul answered, showing hand gestures and his cute little smile. Then he continued drinking his drink.

I gave him a hug and carried him to our living room, sitting down by the huge couch. I brushed his hair to the side and asked him, "Daeul, do you know who's Yoon Sanha hyung?"

"Hyung?" Daeul asked, pausing from drinking his drink. He looked like he was deep in thought because he was staring out of the window. He shook his head and scrunched his nose at me. "Aniya!"

I giggled again before I brushed his hair to fix it again. "You don't know, too, right? Then how come Jeonghan oppa knows him? He says he's our cousin."

"Cousin?" Daeul repeated, his eyes enlarging and his mouth turning into a shape of an O. "Hyung say other hyung our cousin?"

I nodded, brushing my hair to the back and tucking it behind my ear. "Eung, Jeonghan oppa said that Sanha is our cousin. How come I've never heard about him?"

Daeul playfully grinned and shrugged his shoulders then rested on my chest as we watched TV. The Return of Superman was playing and Daeul immediately grinned and pointed at Sarang.

"Do you like her?" I teased Daeul, pinching his cheeks. 

Daeul played with his fingers before he replied, "It's a secret."

I pinched his cheeks more. "Ey! Since when was Yoon Daeul like this, huh?"

"Aniya!" Daeul said, sliding off my thighs and down to the floor. He smiled at me before he stood up, his stout belly showing, and ran to his room.

"Yah! Yoon Daeul!" I called, giggling before I walked into the hallway. In the middle of walking to Daeul's room, my phone began ringing and vibrating. I fished it out of my pocket and checked who it was from.

Unknown number calling...

I raised an eyebrow. My finger lingered over both the answer and decline button, unsure which to swipe. In the end, I swiped the answer button. Maybe it was Ayoung using a teacher's phone or Jeonghan using his friend's phone. 

"Yeobosaeyo?" I asked hesitantly. I bit my lip, hoping this wasn't a spam call.

"Annyeong!" a voice cheerfully greeted on the other line.

"Who's this?" I asked, raising my eyebrow again. I heard a sound coming from Daeul's room and immediately entered it. "Yah! Don't cause trouble while noona's busy! Aish!"

A chuckle was heard on the other end of the line. "Are you having trouble over there, Yoon Aerim?"

Just as I was about to stop Daeul from jumping on his bed, I paused. "W-who's this again? How do you know my name?"

"Have you already forgotten me, Yoon Aerim-sshi?" 

I tried to remember who I've met today. Of course, how could I forget the six boys I've met today? I've recently talked about him, as well. "Yoon Sanha-sshi?"

"Ding, ding, ding! You remembered me!" he happily chirped on the other line. "So, what are you doing now?"

"Uhh..." I had an urge to end the call we were currently having. "I'm busy, Yoon Sanha-sshi. Don't call me again. Bye."

I quickly ended the call and picked Daeul off the bed, to which he began squirming. "Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Yah, Yoon Daeul," I said, putting him down on the bed as I took a seat as well. "That was our cousin who called."

Daeul folded his arms over his chest and gave me his usual upset face. "Hmmph!"

"Should I tell him? That we're cousins? It'll end the whole deal but I think it's for the best. Why on earth would I pretend to act as his girlfriend when he's my cousin?" I asked, thinking things over. 

"Hyung noona's girl... girl?" Daeul asked with a hesitation of words. I guess his Korean wasn't good yet. 

I nodded and laid down on Daeul's bed. "What should I do, Daeul-a? Oppa won't even tell me why I don't remember Yoon Sanha. Maybe he just moved to Korea?"

Daeul climbed on top of my stomach and poked my face with his little fingers. "Noona play!"

"Arasso, arasso. Let's play," I said, getting off of bed. I think it was best to only assume things once I got more information.

✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯

When Jeonghan came back home, I immediately attacked him with more questions. Jeonghan, annoyed, shut the door in my face. He seemed to be having a bad day. Well, if he thought it over, I'm having it worst because now I have to pretend I'm someone's girlfriend when I'm actually their cousin. 

Sounds wrong, doesn't it?

"Hyung mad?" Daeul appeared in the hallway again, standing next to me as we tried to stare at Jeonghan's door. I hope our stare melts the door so I can barge in and ask Jeonghan questions again. 

"Yes," I replied to Daeul. I was this close to kicking Jeonghan's door open. In a loud voice, I said to Daeul, "Because someone's not going to tell me anything about our so-called cousin!"

"I'm busy! Shh!" Jeonghan hissed all the way from inside his room and beyond the closed—and probably locked—door. 

This won't do. If he wanted alone time, fine. Picking Daeul off the ground, I asked him, "Do you want to go get ice cream, Daeul-a?"

Daeul was nodding happily by the mention of ice cream and I took that as a sign of yes. 

I brought him into his room to get him changed before I changed my own clothing. I made sure he dressed warmly—since it was still quite chilly outside. I put a cute hat on him and dragged him out of the apartment, not caring that we might get scolded later on. 

The convenient store that sold ice creams was not very far from where we lived. Walking at night in the cold with Daeul somehow gave me a sense of comfort from all that has happened today. I pulled him into the store, greeted the kind lady behind the cash register and examined the ice cream in the freezer. 

"What flavour would you like, Daeul?" I asked him, examining the other ice creams in their wrappers. 

Daeul pulled a grape flavoured ice cream out of the freezer and handed it to me.

I took out a chocolate flavoured one and held Daeul's hand as we walked to the cashier to pay for it. After we did, we sat inside the store, next to the window. I helped Daeul opened his ice cream and made sure he wouldn't make a mess after. 

"Hold it properly, okay, Daeul?" I asked him before handing it to him.

Daeul concentrated on the ice cream in my hand before he nodded. I handed him the ice cream and he began eating it deliciously. 

"Don't make a mess, arasso?" I said before I dug into my own ice cream. 

Daeul nodded and kept on eating his ice cream. He even danced in his seat and I giggled. He's just so lovable. 

All of a sudden, someone occupied the seat next to me. My heart almost jumped out of my heart because of the sudden appearance of someone. 

The person who sat next to me wore a baseball hat and a mask that covered half of his face. I wasn't even sure who it was until he pulled down his mask and smiled, braces showing. "Hi!"

"Are you following me?" I asked instead of greeting him back. "I might call the police at this rate."

"Now, that isn't the right way to treat your boyfriend," Sanha said, pouting at me. He noticed Daeul and waved at him. "Annyeong! Who are you?"

"Yoon... Da... Daeul!" Daeul happily introduced. Maybe next time I should train him on how to not to introduce himself to strangers. Or simply people like Yoon Sanha. 

"Hi, Yoon Daeul! Are you good to your noona?" Sanha asked him, leaning closer to pat Daeul on the head.

"Nae!" Daeul happily replied before he sucked the ice cream flavour. 

Then Sanha turned to me, flashed his smile and showed his braces. Thinking about having to fake a relationship while he's my cousin was something... nasty. I'd ask him if he knew but Jeonghan's words echoed in my mind. 

"Whatever you do, don't tell Sanha about it."

What's that supposed to mean?

"Daeul, we should head back home before eomma and appa scolds us," I told Daeul, standing up from my seat. 

"You're going home?" Sanha sounded disappointed that I had to leave so early. Well I'm sorry that I have to get back home and continue questioning Jeonghan about our real relationship. 

"Yup," I simply replied, cleaning Daeul up. "Time to go."

"Let me walk you home," he offered, standing up as well.

Was this deja vu? This already happened today. "No thank you. I only let boys who look like Song Joong Ki to walk me back home."

Daeul giggled. 

I smiled at Daeul before leaving the convenient store and Sanha there. Before we'd become friends, I need to know everything. Before I'd let him in, I need to know why, how and when. 

"Wait! Aerim!" Sanha called me back once again. I heard him running over to us in the streets. "You're still uncomfortable with me?"

Apparently I am. What else am I supposed to do with him? I just stared at him with a blank face.

"What's with the face, huh?" Sanha lightly punched my arm and smiled again. 

He does look familiar. I wondered if he thinks that I look familiar to him too. "I'm going home. And about this whole thing... What are we even supposed to do? I don't get much about it. Do you?"

"Manager hyung explained it a little but I'm not so sure about it," Sanha admitted, massaging the nape of his neck. "Are you okay with this whole thing, though?"

Does it look like I'm comfortable with pretending to be a couple with someone I find out is my cousin? Definitely not. Never. "Yeah, I guess."

"Great! At least I know that you're okay with this." Sanha smiled once again. "Can I borrow you phone? I left mine at the practice room."

I was reluctant but with those eyes, I found myself fishing out my phone and handing it to him. I eyed Daeul, who looked sleepy. I carried him in my arm and looked back at Sanha, wondering what was taking him so long. 

"Are you done?" I asked him, patting Daeul so he'd fall asleep. He needs his sleep right about now. 

"Al...most," Sanha replied, typing in something before he handed my phone back to me. 

"What did you do?" I asked, holding Daeul firmly with one hand while trying to check my phone with the free hand. There, he saved his number in my contacts—Yoon Sanha, my jagiya. "Are you serious?"

Sanha smiled a sheepish smile before he gently caressed the back of Daeul's head. "I need to go back now. I'll see you when I see you?"

I really don't want to see you, though. "Sure."

He ruffled my hair—like he was allowed to in the first place—and waved his hand at me. "I'll see you then!"

After he walked away, I just stood there, shocked by how easily he thinks he could put his hands on me. The next time he does that, I will seriously smack his head. 

✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯

"And where have the two of you been?" Jeonghan asked, trying to remain calm but I could easily see the angered look inside him.

"Where's eomma and appa?" I asked, looking around the place as I kicked my shoes off my feet. I made sure to remove sleepy Daeul's shoes as well. 

"Yoon Aerim, do you have any idea how worried I—"

I sped walked to Daeul's room and closed the door behind me. I gently placed Daeul on his bed and pulled the covers over him. "Sleep well, Daeul-a. I'll take care of the monsters in your dreams."

Jeonghan entered the room as well, gently closing the door behind him. "Yah, Yoon Aerim—"

"Shh!" I hissed, pointing at the sleeping Daeul who moved. "Get out. You'll wake him up."

"Yoon Aerim—"

I looked away from him, not wanting to see him. Why couldn't he understand that I didn't want to talk to him? Was he just being stubborn?

"Listen to me, Yoon Aerim!" Jeonghan screamed whisper. 

"Shh, Daeul, it's okay," I whispered, gently patting Daeul as he continued to sleep. I threw a sharp look at Jeonghan before I continued, "It's all okay."

Jeonghan groaned and gripped my wrist and pulled me out of Daeul's room. In the hallways, he massaged his forehead before he looked at me. "I know, you're mad, but do you have to do this?"

I gave him a blank stare before walking out on him. I just wanted to rest on my bed tonight. 

Jeonghan was displeased so he held me back by pulling my arm. "Yoon Aerim—"

"Stop, oppa," I told him, putting a hand in front of him. "I don't want to hear it. Not now. I've had enough of things happening today."

"Yoon Aerim—" 

I lightly slammed the door behind me and even locked it. I didn't want to hear about it anymore. I just wanted to go to sleep. Today hasn't been a very good day, I knew, from the moment I woke up. That alarm clock. Dang it. 

I curled up under my blankets, feeling like the world hated me today. But I knew, I assured myself, everything would be better tomorrow. 

Yoon Sanha, my jagiya: Good night! :) Have sweet dreams, Yoon Aerim! 

I smiled to myself. Yeah, maybe it will. 

~Author's Notes~

Here's another chapter for my lovely, Kimichies! Hoped you enjoyed reading it! :))

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung