Nina Cox Must Date

Chapter 21 - Hyun

I can't stop thinking about the kiss. It's been a week, and the sensation of my lips against his hasn't faded. It wasn't just a quick peck; his lips parted, and we stayed connected longer than acceptable for friends.

We laughed together, but it wasn't the silly laughter we reserved for trivial occasions. It was awkward and shy—the kind that arises when you're caught red-handed doing something naughty. Taylor and I aren't supposed to kiss; I'm not meant to feel this way.

Since then, we've talked, and he's visited the barn. Everything has returned to normal, but we haven't addressed the kiss again.

To try and forget, I've been emailing Hyun. I find him intriguing—he's smart, good-looking, and a professional musician who plays the cello in a symphony orchestra. He seemed genuinely interested when I shared what I do for a living. He has a wealth of knowledge about toys, teaches younger musicians, and keeps up with their interests.

We agreed to meet today at 4 p.m. at the food court. I initially thought that was early, but he mentioned he had a Christmas concert to play in the evening.

As I finish packing the last parcel, I decide to stop by the post office on my way to the mall to drop it off. Just then, the door opens, and I look up. The man delivering my boxes isn't my usual delivery guy, but he looks familiar.

"Good afternoon; I have a package for Nina Cox," he says while glancing at the label on one of the boxes.

"Hello, Declan," I reply, reading the name embroidered on his shirt.

"Hi! Could you please sign this?" He hands me an electronic terminal. I scratch my signature on the pad and return it to him. "You have a cool place here. I remember many of these things from my childhood."

"Were you interested in anything in particular?" I ask.

Declan walks over to a display and stops in front of it.

"My brother never let me play with his Ghostbusters toys. I was too young, and he said I would break them," he says with a hint of sadness.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, I am. My brother passed away at the start of this year. He was sick for a long time," he replies.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I say, gently touching his arm.

"Thanks. I want to buy this toy set. It will remind me of him every time I look at it," he adds.

I carefully retrieve the toys from the display case and pack them up. "The doors of the Ecto-1 are delicate, so keep it away from little hands. The figures are sturdy enough," I explain.

"No problem there. I don't have any kids around me. My love life is a disaster; I let go of that dream long ago," he responds.

"Tell me about it. I've been on eight failed dates. I have one later today, and I'm feeling hesitant about it," I mention while handing him the receipt and his purchase. "Thank you for your purchase. I hope you enjoy it."

Declan then picks up a business card from the register and writes something on the back.

"Thank you, Miss Cox," he says, handing the card back to me. "Have a nice date."

Declan leaves the store, and I look at the card in my hand. On it, he wrote, "In case your date doesn't work," with a phone number. I place the card in my wallet. You never know.

As I open the boxes Declan delivered, I feel like a little girl again. A smile spreads when I see a 1983 Garfield plush toy. I have a Garfield collector among my clients—a woman with an impressive memorabilia collection—but she doesn't have this particular item. While other women remember every single pair of shoes they've seen, I remember toys.

I snap a picture and send it to her. Within five minutes, I receive a response: "Don't you dare give it away. I'll sell a kidney if I have to pay for it!"

I laugh out loud. I'm not even that passionate about my collections. I make an appointment with her and decide to head to the mall.

After arriving, I grab a hot chocolate and sit at a table near the spot where I agreed to meet Hyun. Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to find a teen boy standing there.

"Can I help you?" I ask him.

"You are Nina, right?" he asks.

"Yeah, do we know each other?" I reply.

"I'm Hyun," he says.

I feel like I've been slapped. This is not the guy from the pictures. In front of me stands a boy with bubblegum pink hair and round glasses too big for his face.

"You're Hyun?" I ask, and he nods. "And you're 29 years old?" His cheeks turn as pink as his hair. "How old are you?" I inquire.

"Almost seventeen," he replies.

"Whose pictures have you been using on your profile?" I begin to feel irritated.

"My uncle's. It's his dating profile. He has a girlfriend, but he left the site signed in."

"Did you seriously think this would work?" I gesture with my cup at him.

"I thought if you got to know me, it would be fine," he whines.

"Hyun, you are still a kid!"

"Age is a state of mind!"

I laugh. I've been on ridiculous dates, but this one is in my top three. His affinity for toys and the early date time make sense now.

"Do you even play a musical instrument?"

"I don't," he admits, looking ashamed. "I'm going to a Christmas concert tonight, though. My uncle is playing, and I was hoping you could come with me."

"I'm sure it would be breaking the law to do that. What about your parents? Do they know you're on a date with a woman almost twelve years older than you?"

"But you look young! And no one can arrest you; I'm consenting to this," he protests.

I can't help but laugh now. People at the surrounding tables glance our way, and Hyun slides down his chair in embarrassment.

"I'm going home. I wish you luck, sweetie. Try next time with a girl your age."

I discard my empty cup and head to my car. I feel foolish—dating a teenage boy! I pull out my phone from my purse and dial Taylor.

"You won't believe this," I say when he answers. "I've been catfished! It was a boy pretending to be his uncle."

Taylor bursts into laughter, then coughs. I hear him tell a colleague that he's okay.

After recovering, he says, "I'll go to your house when I leave work. I need to hear all about this. "

I hang up, unable to stop wondering when my bad luck will end. I then remember the business card in my wallet and dial Declan's number.