Just Seven Days ✓

Dinner

"And how was your day, honey?" Mrs. Zhang questioned from the living room as soon as she heard the front door open. She didn't need to look to figure out who it was. There were only two residents to the house; one being herself while the other was her eighteen year old son Yixing also known as Lay by his friends.

Next, a boy blanketed under a thin layer of frozen water particles in the form of tiny flakes entered through the threshold. His ears, cheeks and nose were all rosy pink due to the brisk weather Mother Nature had to offer. "Long and cold," he replied as he dropped his knapsack onto the floor just beside the staircase. He then removed his gloves, coat and scarf. "Are you already setting up, ma?" He pondered as he joined his mother. She was currently in the process of piecing the synthetic Christmas tree, the one they had purchased almost 5 years ago, together and he couldn't help but smile.

"Of course!" She cried out as she picked up another branch that needed to be attached. "Christmas is two weeks away and we haven't put up any decorations yet. See, I knew we should have done all of this right after Thanksgiving."

"It doesn't take that long, ma. Do you want me to do anything?" Lay offered kindly as he picked up a beautifully crafted glass ornament and tossed it into the air like it was a baseball. When Mrs. Zhang turned to him, her eyes widened in alarm as she snatched it away.

"No, no. It's quite alright, dear. Just go and grab a snack or do some homework. I can manage." She prodded as she shooed him out.

"Ma, how come you never let me help?" The boy pouted cutely, something he only did with his mother.

"What can I say? You have horrible taste when it comes to these kinds of things." The woman explained, trying her best not to laugh. "Now get going, mister. I'll call you when it's time for dinner."

"Oh, and what are we having tonight?" Lay inquired. It looked like he was filled with nothing but curiousness today.

His mother stopped all movement and cocked her head to the side. "I'm actually not sure about that to be honest. My old friend from South Korea just moved here because her husband was promoted so we're going to be joining them."

"Your old friend? You never mentioned anyone before." He pointed out.

"Aiyo, it's because you never asked." She pushed the side of his head softly with her forefinger and smiled.

"Ma." He whined.

"Oh and they also have a daughter. I think she's around your age so make sure you're on your best behavior, understood?"

"When am I not?" He grinned cheekily before he darted upstairs to his room.

{---}

"Where is she?" Mrs. Qi panicked as she continued to glance at the entrance of the restaurant every other second.

"Relax, sweetie. Jihye is probably exploring the city." Her husband suggested as he rubbed circles against her back.

"But she knows we're supposed to have dinner with Caolu and her son at 7:30. It won't look good if she arrives later than the guests." His wife explained chidingly. She then pulled out her phone and dialed her daughter's number for the umpteenth time. It rang and after thirty seconds, she was directed to voicemail, something she hated. "I am going to kill that girl if she's tardy." She fumed while her husband attempted to calm her down. She was breathing heavily when she was greeted by a rather familiar voice.

"Hyemi!" Mrs. Zhang beamed very brightly as she waved excitedly at her old high school classmate from a distance.

"Caolu!" She shrieked, her anger at her daughter's incompetence dissipating in a blink of an eye. With quick steps, she scurried towards Mrs. Zhang and embraced her without reluctance. "How have you been? I've missed you so much!"