be my girlfriend | k.s.w

10

"What's on your mind?"

Mirae and Sunwoo sat on a park bench, watching a bunch of kids running around the playground.

"My dad wanted to meet up with me." Sunwoo spoke, Mirae had no idea what he was talking about but decided to stay quiet and nod, just in case the topic was too sensitive.

"He said he missed me. I don't understand how he can do that." Sunwoo leaned forward and put his face into his hand as he let out a frustrated sigh.

Mirae placed a hand on his back, patting it as she sat beside him quietly.

"He's never done anything for me, he never picked up when I called, he never turned up when I missed him... but suddenly he misses me after all these years and wants to meet me."

"I told him to go, to leave, he probably hates me now... I don't know if I did the right thing. It's just not fair."

Sunwoo leaned back, Mirae taking her hand back, but Sunwoo grabbed onto her hand and held it looking at her delicate fingers.

"He doesn't hate you, he never will, a father could never hate his child." Mirae stiffened thinking of her own father, who she had never met before, wondering if he had ever once wanted to meet her.

"And you made the right choice, obviously you weren't ready to meet your father again and that's alright. Just try giving him a call when you think you're ready."

Sunwoo looked up at Mirae, his attention to her voice, as she spoke softly and confidently yet there was a brokenness that lay underneath.

"Sunwoo, I know you'll make the right choice, just don't rush yourself and it's okay to just think about yourself for a change. I know that your father will always love you and wait for you."

Mirae turned to look at him a small smile evident on her face as she held onto Sunwoo's hand tightly, squeezing it in support.

They stayed like that for a moment, hand in hand as Mirae turned away looking back at the happy children running around, calling out for their mum.

It reminded her of when she was younger, off to the side watching her friends as they ran off to their parents, laughing and smiling.

She wondered what it would be like to have her mum there with her, for her mum to smile at her, to tell her that she loved her.

She thought about Sunwoo and his father, thinking what if she were in his position.

What if her father or mother found her, what would she do. Would they embrace her and tell her that their sorry, would her father tell her stories of how he found her, would her mother hit her again...

She was afraid, she hoped that they wouldn't come looking for her, because she was afraid. However, even through that anxiousness, deep inside she wondered if they were looking for her a slight hope in her heart.

While Mirae was deep in thought, she didn't notice Sunwoo looking at her. As he looked at her, her hand still in his, it was cold, a comforting coldness, that cooled his hot hand.

He looked at her eyes, the way they wandered around, not steady trying to take in everything around her, unlike her hands, they were warm.

It's okay to think about yourself for a change.

There was a weird feeling arising, his heart beat louder, slightly taking him aback as he let go of her hand, looking away.

It was the same feeling he had for Hana, except instead of embracing it he was doubtful. Doubtful that she liked him the same way, doubtful that anyone could like him just for him.

He was scared.

The relationship he had with Hana had hurt him so much he didn't know whether someone could like him the way he wanted to feel loved.

Appreciated, known. And he didn't know if Mirae could do that. After all he had only known her for a couple weeks, there was no way he had developed feelings for her. Even if he did he couldn't.

Mirae was such a strong person, she would want someone as strong as herself not someone broken with past trauma like him.

Little did he know, she was hurting as much he was.

"I should probably go home now, mum's most likely back and she gets worried about me really easily." Sunwoo chuckled as he stood up, Mirae quickly following his action.

"Oh yeah me too, still gotta finish those cupcakes!"

"Bring me one tomorrow, I'll be your taste tester."

"Gotta make them extra good and extra pretty then!" Mirae giggled as she played with the sleeves of her shirt.

Sunwoo admired her as she laughed awkwardly. When he was with Hana, she knew she was beautiful and he could tell she knew. Maybe it was the fact that Mirae didn't know she was beautiful that made her all the more attractive.

"I'll look forward to that cupcake." Sunwoo finally said before waving and walking away.

Mirae stood there waving as she watched him walk away, the sunlight resting on his hair lightly as he walked away, effortlessly beautiful.

"Ummm excuse me noona?"

Mirae turned her head to the voice to see a small boy tugging on her sleeve as he looked up to her with big eyes, smiling an evident gap between his teeth.

"Who was that guy?" The little bit asks pointing at Sunwoo.

"Oh umm he's..." she didn't know how to answer does she say boyfriend, even their not really together, a friend? A classmate?

"He's looks really cool." The little boy said, letting go of her shirt and watching Sunwoo as he walked away.

"Yeah he is..."

"I wanna be as cool as him when I'm older!" Mirae giggled at the boys extroverted confidence as she gave him a pat on the back.

"I'm sure you will be."

"He's really lucky to have such a pretty girlfriend like you noona."

"W-what?" Startled, Mirae widened her eyes at the boy.

"You're one of the prettiest people I've ever seen."

With that said the little boy left, being called by his friend as he waddled away, leaving Mirae standing there speechless.

Maybe it was the fact that he so casually called her Sunwoo's girlfriend or the sudden compliment.

Mirae shrugged her shoulders, turning away and walking back home to make the best cupcakes she's ever made.