GOURMET

七

(but he'd later find out, his mother left her entire savings to him in an envelope, saying she left them enough for the next year and a half—and that was all yongnam would need—just some time to get a job and save and leave their apartment behind—find something different where ahyoung could live and he could live without being reminded of the shit family they had)

The change was sudden but not unwelcome. Rent cost a lot but Yongnam had already been cooking and cleaning in place of their mother since she got sick and Ahyoung couldn't care less about her parents leaving as long as Yongnam didn't.

("because oppa," she'd said with wide glassy eyes looking up at him as he attempted to brush her hair into pigtails. "i can live without them, i can't live without you though.")

That was the first time he cried since they left because he thought he wasn't good enough, he thought he wasn't doing anything right but he was and she was happy and the weight on his heart lifted because he could do this. He could raise his sister and he could raise himself. He didn't need his parents.

And he still doesn't. He doesn't need anyone, but he has friends, and his sister and that's good, he's good. He's successful, and they're okay.

Change has been happening more and more around him and he's not as opposed to it, he's realized, but this. He like's Tzuyu, he likes her a lot, but this, this is big change, a really big change. He was barely able to handle people stalking their little community for a chance to see Mark, to get pictures of his sister. How is he gonna handle it. He stills. He does know one person who he can ask.

He takes a deep breath and steps through the kitchen to find his hoard of friends still sitting there.

He makes eye contact with Ahyoung and freezes.

"What, what's wrong?" She blinks at him. "Is she okay?"

"...fine." He says, lifting an eyebrow. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." She says, tilting her head and pursing her lips. "What's up?"

"How was it, when you went public with him?" He says gesturing towards Mark.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, y-you, you know how I am. You know how I get, how privacy is something that I, I have to have and how I don't like things changing to much, I just," he takes a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Gikwang frowns, eyebrows furrowing.

He shakes his head. "I like the girl I'm talking too."

"Oh." The two exchange a look, surprised by his straightforwardness and confused as to why he's bringing this up.

He looks around, turning this way and that, to make sure no one is listening to him before he leans in, speaking in front of Mark, Gikwang and Ahyoung. "I just found out, my girl," he flushes but doesn't stop, looking Mark in the eye now. "she's Tzuyu. TWICE's Tzuyu, that's who I've been talking too."

He lets a beat pass and then Gikwang is coughing, something deep from his chest and Mark blinks.

Ahyoung looks at him, completely stoic before she breathes. "The first thing you need to do is make sure you breathe. Don't ignore her because you're freaked out, that won't help. I recommend you stay away from all social media for a day or two and then revisit her as a person first. From there after, however long you want to wait, you can talk to her about how worried you are but avoid the words, fans, company, and anything regarding you being interested in her status. If you want to continue on with her, you also need to avoid mentioning in anyway or implying in anyway, taking a break, breaking up, or ending whatever you two are. If you don't want to continue with her, you need to let her know now, and make sure that you tell her, you will not betray her in anyway, because she told you everything about herself in confidence and you know that. Other than that, it is a normal relationship, she is a normal girl and you will break her heart if you are not careful. Also, I know I said this at the beginning but I'm serious. Don't freak out. If you are serious about her, and I know, it is scary to get serious about someone because the pressure of a normal relationship is a lot, and I know that the pressure of a relationship with someone who's apart of an incredibly big, incredibly popular group adds so much more but as long as you trust her," Ahyoung laughs. "she will protect you. She'll be the one that stops people from saying things to you, the same way this lug over here," she throws a thumb at Mark, who is staring at her with wide eyes. "did for me. So I say this in all honesty, you will be fine."