unpretty

12

February 18, 2011

"Are we set to go?" Mom asked all of us, making sure that we were ready to present ourselves inside another neighboring family's home.

As we found ourselves already settled, we tramped against the wintery night, careful to the hot dishes we each carried on our hands that it won't fall, and walked towards the house that had a seemingly cozy interior ahead of us.

Today was Hoseok's seventeenth birthday and again, the Jungs have invited some neighbors, including us, for another family dinner celebration at their house.

After Ailee knocked three times on the wooden door, we were immediately greeted by a woman in her early twenty's. She warmly smiled and welcomed us in.

My eyes sparkled at how pretty she was.

Each of us also greeted her. First is my dad, and then my mom, and then Ailee.

When it was my turn to greet her, I immediately bowed at her politely.

"You're very pretty," I told her honestly.

She raised her eyebrows in amusement and smiled at me in response, "Thanks. You're pretty, too."

Aware that she was only being respectful about her reply, I didn't make a big deal out of the topic. I said, "Thank you. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too!" The more she smiled, the more she reminded me of someone I know.

"Hey, Hoseok!" Ailee called when she saw the boy approach us, "Happy birthday to you."

I noticed how his eyes twinkled when he glanced at her. He gave her a light smile, "Thank you."

When his gaze shifted towards me, the small curve on his lips lessened.

I was surprised when his expression instantly changed into a wide grin.

"Hello," He greeted me.

I felt a little dumbstruck, but nevertheless, I forced myself to reply, "Hello, Hoseok. Happy birthday."

"Thanks," he shrugged playfully and gestured the woman beside me, "I see you've met my older sister."

Older sister?

She was Hoseok's older sister?

"You have an older sister?" Ailee, who was as confused as me, questioned.

The boy nodded.

Now I know why she reminded me of Hoseok everytime she smiled.

Hoseok's older sister fixed her gaze at Ailee, "And you must be... Boksung?"

My sister giggled at the woman's mistake, "Oh no, Miss. I'm Ailee, and she's Boksung," she pointed at me.

The woman then looked at me baffled for a moment before she came into realization and said, "Ah! Sorry. You're Boksung?"

I nodded at her respectfully.

She glanced at Hoseok and nodded at him while smiling mischievously before finally looking at me.

"I've heard a lot about you! I've been dying to meet you, actually, ever since my little brother started talking to me a lot about you," she chimed.

I remained speechless as I tried to understand what she said.