Third Person's Pov:
Ji-ah and her grandmother decided to spend the day at the Han's , so here they are at their porch pretty early for a birthday party, but Han go-woon was home alone since Han seo-jun went to witness a baseball match and Mr.s Han is working overtime but they will be back before evening so it's not like they are leaving Go- woon attention deprived on her birthday.
Ji-ah is dressed casually in her comfy sweat pants and a baggy hoodie, her hair pulled up in a bun as usual with her signature bold eyeliner to give her the cold eyes she always goes for. She didn't bother dressing up, though her grandmother asked her to put in a little effort.
They are currently sitting in the living room watching TV it's some kind of baseball match. She does not have a particular interest in this game but it reminds her of the day she spent with ju-gyeoung and other girls at the game, it was fun. Go -woon is laying on the sofa with her head in halmeoni's lap as she runs her fingers through her hair.
"Why did they have to go out today!? It's my birthday " Han go-woon wailed "It's ok! They will be here soon and your omma is on her way home, she took a half-day" Halmeoni replied to calm her down. "But I'm getting bored," Go-woon said in a dejected tone, It was another thing that made Ji-ah self-conscious and an extreme introvert, it's really hard for her to start conversations or keep people engaged in any sort of activity, in other words, she is boring. It is easy for her to follow a conversation or talk back to people but she is doing the second thing a lot lately thanks to han seo-jun.
She snapped out of her thoughts at Go -woon's voice "Is that Oppa?" Ji-ah looked at the TV screen and saw Han seo-jun hugging Lee su both were jumping and cheering at the baseball match. " Are these two friends?" Ji-ah asked "They are sort of" Go-woon spoke when they heard the sound of the door opening Mr.s Han was finally home and Ji-ah was about to meet her for the first time.
"Omma!" Mr.s Han called out as she entered the living room she was addressing halmeoni as her mother, and they both embraced each other 'Mianae! I couldn't pay you a visit, I got so busy with work and my daily check-ups it was hectic" Mr.s Han said.
Halmeonim dismissed her concern and she looked at Ji-ah and she took her in a motherly embrace, Ji-ah was taken aback by this sudden contact but she welcomed it anyway, Mr.s Han let go of her and cupped her cheeks "You must be Ji-ah Aigoo! you are so much more beautiful than what omma told me " she said, Ji-ah chuckled nervously and bowed
"Beautiful? just look at her Mi Hyang" Halmeoni pointed at Ji-ah's attire." Oh gosh ! she always acts like a different person around the Han's as if I'm adopted or something" Ji-ah thought "Ani! she's adorable" Mi Hyang said, Ji-ah smiled and bowed "Gumawo! Mr.s Han" "Oh! you don't have to be formal at all you can call me emmo (aunt) if you feel like it," she said and Ji-ah nodded
"Dae! emmo" Emmo she repeated the word in her head, all of a sudden she's got so many different relations it's overwhelming. Halmeonim asked Mi Hyang about her health, her surgery was successful and she's doing great now it is so much better than being on dialysis.
Ji-ah wondered how han seojun must have felt seeing his mother in so much pain. On the other hand Han seojun was outside his house trying to get rid of the sore expressions on his face, he finally accepted his feelings for Lim jy-kyung and openly challenged Lee su but he's genuinely not doing this on purpose this time. he just can't help who he likes.
He exhales deeply putting everything at the back of his mind and putting up a happy mask for his family as he entered the house. The door was opened again and this time it was Han seo-jun, he entered the living room with a goofy smile on his face skipping like a little girl he approached Go -woon
and engulfed her in a bear hug, she tried to escape and shouted at him but he didn't budge and sang her the happy birthday song Go-woon finally stopped struggling to get out of his grasp and started laughing at his brothers nonsense, everybody joined in and sang her the birthday song, it was such an adorable sight like a clown entered a little girls birthday party bringing it back to life,
Ji-ah chuckled at this, she was glad to be a part of it. Then he started teasing halmeoni calling her by her first name and engulfing her in a bear hug as well. "Seo jun-ah have you introduced yourself to Ji-ah?' his mother asked him "Omma! we're in the same class" han seo-jun stated completely ignoring her presence in the room "Really? then you should look out for her arraso?" Mi Hyang told his son "Look out for her? I have more important things to do" he said it as if it was the most obvious thing ever. "You have time to mess around on your bike all the time "
"I don't ride it anymore' He said being all defensive,Ji-ah was really surprised at how easily he lied to his mom.
"Anni ! Oppa was riding it yesterday" Han Go-woon spoke and Ji-ah wanted to appreciate her, serves him right she thought as she snorted, Han seojun glared daggers at her and pointed his finger at Ji-ah "She made me do it?" he put all the blame on her,
Ji-ah's eyes widened at this and she started shaking her head to show her disagreement "Stop lying will you?" she hissed, halmeoni and Mi Hyang were looking at both of them their eyes shifting from han seojun to Ji-ah every second
"I'm not lying here have a look at this, she asked for the bike" han seojun showed her the pictures of Ji-ah he clicked in which she was sitting on his bike and in the other photo she was taking off the helmet. Halmeonim and Mi Hyang were staring at the phone screen, their eyes about to pop out though Go-woon seemed uninterested she knew her brother better.
Ji-ah was not expecting that he will actually show those photos to halmeoni, she thought that he will keep them to tease her. Aisshh! this lying jerk. She decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. She switched into defensive mode, changing her expression into those of an innocent girl who is just about to cry
" Yah seojun-ah! You promised you won't tell them if I didn't tell them about your exam scores" she spoke in such an innocent tone, pouting her lower lip that anyone would believe her.
Han seojun: "Seo jun-ah?"
Mi Hyang: "Exam score?"
They both said at the same time with horrific expressions, Ji-ah ignored what han seojun said and focused on his mother "Dae! we had an exam a few days ago and I got 3rd rank -she bragged- but he barely got 50% and he didn't even study, just marked 3 for every option" she said waving her hands here and there as she spoke in a disappointed manner,
Han seojun was so shocked that couldn't comprehend what to say, he looked like a pray facing it's predator "He was so sad about his scores so I just wanted to cheer him up sorry emmo!" she said looking down at her feet trying to hide her evil grin.
"Han seojun you promised you won't ride it anymore and you are blaming her? She just started living here how is she supposed to know that it's dangerous ?" Mi Hyang scolded han seojun and he was just trying to get rid of this conversation, she caught him in his own trap.
He kept glaring at Ji-ah and looking at halmeoni with pleading eyes to save him "Yah Omma! ok ok, I won't ride it again ok?" He tried to reassure his mom "Ani! I'm not buying it again you said the same thing when I met Lim ju gyeoung , Ji ah-ya! you are going to tell me about his studies at school and if he rides his bike to school again ok?"
"Dae!" Ji- ah said, han seojun was fuming, he would eat Hwang ji-ah alive if he could "Yah! cut the crap already" he hissed in her ear "You started it" she whispered at him with a huge taunting smile. They both were busy in a glaring competition
when Go woon spoke up "I'll just go get dressed up, get ready with the gifts ya'll" Halmeoni interrupted her "Go woon-ah ! please take your uni as well and make her look presentable" oh there she goes again Ji-ah rolled her eyes at halmeoni's words, Han seojun got the chance to butt in "yeah! turn this dude into a girl" it was such a lame remark ji-ah thought
"But omma! you said it's a family gathering I should feel at home shouldn't I?" she tried to reason with her halmeoni and fortunately mi Hyang is on her side "Absolutely if you feel comfortable in what you are wearing than so be it, you look pretty anyway" Ji-ah smiled gratefully "Omma! is your eyesight ok? Han seo jun said trying to have a look at his mother's eyes,
she swatted his hand away, Go- woon pulled Ji-ah along with her and went to her room, Ji-ah helped her to get ready, on go- woon's request Ji-ah let her hair loose.
After the birthday girl got ready, they went back to the living room where everything was already arranged on the center table, Han seojun noticed the little change in Ji-ah's appearance, her long black hair falling on her back in perfect ringlets, she looked better with her hair open.
Go- woon cut her birthday cake, with everybody singing that birthday song, han seojun couldn't keep his nonsense in control and smudged his sister's face with cake soon it turned into a childish cake fight and somehow Ji-ah got involved in it, all of them were laughing their heart out they made Ji-ah happy effortlessly and she was grateful.
Finally, it was the time for birthday gifts han seojun gave her the tint he bought for her with ju gyeoung , go woon was happy to accept it but she didn't forget to mention how she is not going to rely on makeup any more thanks to her uni and seo jun's gaze automatically moved to ji-ah.
She was holding her gift in her hands nervously she gave it to Han go-woon wishing her a very happy birthday. Go-woon opened up the package her mouth was hanging open, her eyes lit up with excitement "Omo! It's gorgeous " she pulled the painting close to her chest, Ji-ah finally let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding
"Do you like it?' she asked' " dae !Gumawo uni! it's the best birthday present ever ohh! I look so pretty and i look like myself, how did you manage to paint this is your hand magical" she grasp her hand and kept looking at it weirdly ji-ah chuckled at her reaction
"I'm going to hang it in my room and I'll show everyone at school and I'll post it on my social media, you'll see you'll get so many orders but don't forget my commission arraso ?" Go-woon kept on blabbering and taking photos of the portrait.
The ease and satisfaction on Ji-ah's face didn't do unnoticed by han seojun, all the sadness related to his conflicted love life was not even at the farthest corner of his mind anymore.
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I can't wait for the premier of Why Oh sojae. Hwang In youp will get his girl this time😉