My Boyfriend's Birthday: Yuna's Heart (3)
After thoroughly enjoying that thrillingly different kiss, the next day arrived. The moment Yuna looked at her phone, her hands began to tremble violently. It wasn’t because some dangerous situation was approaching. Nor was she scared after seeing some frightening photo. The reason Yuna had become so flustered was none other than this.
A message had arrived from her boyfriend’s mother.
Her nerves were so frayed that sweat coated her palms, and her hands shook as if an earthquake had struck. It wasn’t like she had done anything wrong or was in any kind of trouble. If she had to name one issue, it was simply that their skinship had progressed a little faster than most couples.
Her mind raced with all sorts of thoughts as she wondered what the message could possibly be about. With great care, she typed out a reply.
An unexpected proposal came from Jihyeok’s mother.
In a way, it was the perfect chance to make a good impression on her boyfriend’s parents. Although Yuna was incredibly flustered, the desire to earn points with the people who would one day become her family won out. She answered without a second’s hesitation.
The thought of meeting Jihyeok’s parents—something she had expected to happen only after the first semester ended—made her heart race. Yuna decided she needed to prepare properly for the surprise that would take place tonight.
When it was time to head to school, Yuna told her parents,
“I have to go buy my boyfriend’s birthday present tonight, so I’ll be heading out in the evening.”
“Hm? Are you going with your boyfriend?”
“No. Um… his parents asked to meet me once, so we’re going to buy the present together and take care of the introduction at the same time…”
Her parents’ eyes widened in surprise.
“…Our daughter is already laying the groundwork for a formal meeting with the in-laws.”
“Who taught you to talk like that?”
“I picked it up really fast just by browsing the internet.”
“Ha… Anyway, I’ll go earn some points.”
“Get a perfect score! Fighting, sweetheart!”
“Okay. I’m off!”
Yuna left the house and ran straight to Jihyeok, who was already waiting outside.
“Good morning~ I missed you!”
“We see each other every day. Good morning.”
The two of them held hands and began walking to school.
“My family was looking at me and smiling strangely this morning.”
“Huh? Out of nowhere?”
“It was like they were expecting something. …What could it be?”
Yuna, who knew the secret, couldn’t hide her smile.
“Who knows~ Maybe it’s a sign that something good is about to happen? It is your birthday tomorrow~”
“Is that so…? Well, if my lovely girlfriend says so, it must be true.”
“Pfft… That’s right~ Let’s hurry! We can’t be late, can we?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
Seeing Jihyeok casually say such loving things out of the blue, Yuna decided she would have to reward him with another kiss on the way home from school today.
After school ended, she replayed the memory of Jihyeok’s lips that she had tasted to her heart’s content and basked in pure happiness. She hadn’t originally planned to go this far, but his reactions after their skinship were just too adorable to resist.
If he keeps reacting like that, I don’t know how much longer I can hold myself back from pouncing on him… Just endure it. Endure.
Because she wanted him to stay by her side forever, part of her wished she could just pounce on him and make their relationship an undeniable fact. It was all because Jihyeok was too kind and too handsome. With a face like that and a personality like his, who wouldn’t fall for him?
Even if people called it love goggles, she didn’t care. She loved how he looked only at her, and because of that, those goggles would never come off.
She stood in front of the full-length mirror in her room, checking and rechecking her outfit while she waited for the call. Since they would be out shopping for a while, she had chosen bright colors that would still be visible even after dark. She wore a sky-blue dress that gave off a pure, innocent image and carried a small handbag she had prepared just for occasions like this.
Once her preparations were complete, Yuna glanced at her phone. Not long after, a message arrived.
She slipped her phone and wallet into her handbag and left her room.
“I’m off to earn some points with my future in-laws!”
“You’re fully armed, huh?”
“If someone saw you, they’d think you were going on a late-night date with your boyfriend.”
“I’m meeting his parents, so it’s basically the same thing.”
“True. Have a good time, sis.”
“I will.”
“Just don’t make any mistakes out there.”
“Hey~ Whose daughter do you think I am? I’ll be back!”
“Okay. See you later~”
Maybe it was because their house was on the first floor. The moment she stepped outside, she saw Jihyeok’s entire family waiting. Not wanting her first meeting with them to start with her tripping and falling because she was in too much of a hurry, Yuna walked over calmly and greeted them.
“Hello. Thank you for inviting me today.”
“Oh my~ She’s so pretty~!”
“…So our son really does have good taste.”
“Hello. I’ve only heard about you, but Jihyeok was right.”
“Wow! Sis, you really look like a doll!”
Judging by the family’s reactions, it seemed like a successful start. Yuna smiled and said,
“I’m Han Yuna, and I’m dating Yoon Jihyeok. Please take good care of me today.”
“Yes, of course. We’ll be in your care as well.”
“Honey~ Why are you so tense? Relax a little. You’re making Yuna nervous.”
“…I can’t help it. She’s our son’s girlfriend. I can’t afford to make a mistake.”
“Dad. Just do what you did with Yunseo. You weren’t nervous in front of her at all.”
“That’s right, Dad! Should I hold your hand so you don’t get nervous like you do with Jina?”
“…Sigh. Fine.”
Jihyeok’s father looked at Yuna and said,
“Let’s do proper introductions while we walk to the department store. Is that alright with you, Yuna?”
“Yes! That’s perfectly fine!”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
With Jihyeok’s father leading the way, the five of them headed toward the parking lot. As Yuna observed the family, she came to one clear conclusion: they were all genuinely good people.
Once Jihyeok’s father got in the car, Jiwook opened the door for her.
“Get in first. You don’t get carsick, do you?”
“Ah, no! Thank you!”
“You’re probably the same age as Jihyeok. You can speak casually to me. I don’t mind that stuff.”
“I… I’ll ease into it slowly.”
“Sure. Whatever makes you comfortable.”
Once everyone was seated, Jihyeok’s father finished preparing to drive and announced,
“We’re heading out.”
“Okay~”
After a few adjustments, Jihyeok’s father began driving. His mother spoke up in his place while he focused on the road.
“The man driving is my husband, Yoon Junseok. Make sure you remember that.”
“Ah, yes!”
“The son sitting to your right is Jihyeok’s older brother, Yoon Jiwook.”
Jiwook, who had been looking at the scenery outside the window, made a V-sign with his fingers and said,
“Twenty-three years old. I have a fiancée. Planning to get married within five years.”
“Wow… Congratulations!”
“You’re too kind.”
“And the daughter sitting to your left is our youngest, Yoon Jina.”
“I’m twelve! I’ll be a middle schooler in two years!”
“Twelve? That means you’re the same age as my little sister.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Oh my. Is that so? What’s your sister’s name?”
“Her name is Han Seohee. Unlike Jina, she’s really quiet and well-behaved.”
“Is that right? Then we should arrange for them to meet sometime~”
“Jina would love that!”
“Hehe. Then should I bring her along next time the chance comes up?”
“I’ll be waiting anytime~”
While chatting with Jihyeok’s family, Yuna soon realized they had arrived at their destination. After parking in a nearby lot, the group entered the department store.
“Should we head straight to the gift section?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to look around first and then choose?”
“You’re right… After all, a department store this big has so much to see.”
“Yuna! That was a great call!”
“Yuna, could I ask you to look after Jina? She’s still young, so I don’t want her getting lost.”
“Of course! Jina, do you want to hold my hand while we walk?”
“Yes!”
Thanks to all the conversation in the car, Yuna and the family had grown fairly close. They began browsing the department store together. There was still so much they didn’t know about each other. While Yuna learned more about Jihyeok from his family and they learned about her, they started looking for presents.
At first, the questions were simple—basic background checks, hobbies, talents, and dreams. Then came the question every couple inevitably hears after they start dating.
“What made you confess to our son? Especially when you’re this pretty.”
“This is a little embarrassing to say, but… I fell for him at first sight. Even when I tried to find any flaws with my radar, I couldn’t see any. I thought, ‘Can someone this kind really exist?’ and I didn’t want to let a man like him slip away, so I confessed.”
“That’s such a pure love story.”
“Isn’t it? Jiwook, who confessed first between you two?”
“Yunseo confessed first, but I was the one who brought up marriage. I just had this feeling that I absolutely couldn’t let her get away, just like Yuna described.”
“Both the eldest and the second son take after their father when it comes to having incredible luck with women.”
“Oh? Are you saying that for my benefit?”
“…Right. Let’s keep moving.”
“Look at you getting all shy~”
As they walked around the department store chatting, the parents’ mood seemed to rise, and the conversation eventually turned to even bolder topics.
“This might be jumping way ahead, but if Jihyeok asked you to marry him, would you say yes?”
“Yes.”
She answered without the slightest hesitation. Her parents-in-law smiled warmly and said,
“We don’t know what the future holds, but please don’t ever change that heart of yours. We’ll be counting on you to take good care of Jihyeok.”
“Yes! I’m the one who should be asking for your guidance!”
After thoroughly exploring every corner of the department store, the group seemed to have decided on gifts for Jihyeok. Jihyeok’s father spoke up.
“Alright. Let’s each pick out our gifts and meet back at the checkout counter. Yuna, you can shop with Jina and help her choose.”
“Yes, understood. Leave Jina to me!”
“How reliable~ Alright then, shall we?”
“Sounds good. While we’re buying Jihyeok’s gift, I should look for something that would suit Yunseo.”
“Right. Let’s all meet back at the checkout. Dismissed!”
After hearing Jihyeok’s father remind them to call immediately if anything dangerous or urgent happened, everyone headed off in their own directions.
When she asked, Yuna found out that she and Jina were looking for similar gifts. Thanks to that, they were able to choose without much difficulty. Most department stores required you to pay inside each individual shop, but this one used a system where they attached barcodes to your items and you paid for everything at once before leaving. Restaurants were the only exception.
After choosing Jihyeok’s gift, Yuna and Jina placed the wrapped items in her handbag and arrived at the checkout counter. They waited a little while, and once the whole group had gathered, they placed all the chosen gifts into the shopping basket. Jihyeok’s father headed to the register.
“Make sure none of you get caught when we get home. Yuna, please don’t mention anything about the surprise at school either.”
“Yes! Of course!”
Yuna had planned to pay with her own money, but since she had been suddenly invited, they insisted on covering it this time. She decided not to refuse and simply accepted their kindness.
“I’ll pay for Yunseo’s gift separately.”
“Got it.”
Once all the payments were finished, they gathered the gifts into department store bags and headed back to the parking lot.
On the way home again. Because of the time, the orange-tinted sky had turned completely black, and stars now twinkled overhead. The path to the parking lot was so dark it was hard to see, but thanks to the bright clothes Yuna had chosen and the flashlight on her phone, no one got left behind.
“If Yuna hadn’t worn that dress, we would’ve been in big trouble~ Thank you, Yuna.”
“I had a feeling something like this might happen, so I deliberately wore bright colors!”
“You’re incredibly well-prepared. I can trust you with Jihyeok.”
“When I get married, I’ll come with Jihyeok. By then you two will be adults too, so you should try on dresses as well.”
“Huh? Sis, are you getting married too?”
“Ah, not yet! …Well. If it’s with Jihyeok, I’d be ready right now!”
“Haha. We’re fine with it, but what about your parents, Yuna? They’re not against the idea or anything?”
“Oh, no! Actually, they’re really looking forward to it!”
“Are they? That’s wonderful.”
Although the topic had started half as a joke, Yuna smiled the entire way home, looking forward to the day it would become reality.
When they arrived home, the group got out of the car and prepared to part ways.
“Thank you so much for inviting me today. I had a wonderful time.”
“It’s gotten quite dark. Be careful on your way in.”
“We had so much fun too~ Please continue taking good care of our Jihyeok, okay?”
“I will!”
“If you’re ever curious about anything regarding Jihyeok, just ask me. I’ll tell you as much as I can.”
“Ah, yes! Thank you!”
“Your hands were so warm, sis! Get home safely, Yuna!”
“Yeah~ Thanks to all of you, I had a great time too. You get home safely as well, Jina~”
After saying goodbye once more to Jihyeok’s family as they headed inside, Yuna gathered the gift meant for Jihyeok and returned to her own house.
…Look forward to it, Jihyeok. A present filled with your girlfriend’s heart is waiting for you…
Imagining the happy look on his face when he received it, Yuna’s cheeks flushed like a girl head over heels in love.