My Girlfriend Is Very Good to Me

On a peaceful Sunday, our house radiated calmness, in stark contrast to the bustling day I had with Heena yesterday. My dad, due to his job, occasionally works on weekends. He left for work today, his face tinged with regret.

Mom was at home, as usual, casually attending to household chores while waiting for Heena to arrive. She had overheard my agonizing over the gift I'd chosen for Heena yesterday and seemed to have taken special care with her appearance today.

"Son."

"Yeah?"

While we waited for Heena and watched TV on the sofa, Mom addressed me.

"Do you have enough money for the beach trip?"

"I've saved up some allowance, and I made a good amount from my part-time job recently. I think I'm good."

"Have you sorted out where you'll be staying?"

"Not yet. Isn't it a bit early? I haven’t even planned out the entire trip."

"You said you wanted to head there as soon as the holidays began, right? It might be getting late."

"Come on, how many accommodations can there be by the beach?"

Mom chuckled at my naive remark.

"If you want your girlfriend to sleep in a place crawling with bugs, then suit yourself."

"...Really?"

To be honest, I've never made accommodation arrangements without adults before, so it hadn't been a concern. But her comment got me worried. Mom isn't one to tease me about such things without reason.

Even if it's peak summer season at the beach, could the bookings already be filled up?

"Should I make a reservation now?"

"No need. I booked a hotel near Sokcho yesterday. Just head there."

Wait, what? Mom?!

"Really, Mom?"

"Stop overreacting."

"How could I ever speak so carelessly to you?"

"I can still change my mind, you know."

"I'm sorry..."

With a cool demeanor, she returned her focus to the TV.

Filled with admiration, I watched her for a moment. But when my phone rang, I immediately prepared to leave.

It had to be Heena calling.

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Raei  Translations

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I brought Heena home.

As we entered the house, my mother came to greet us at the entrance. Before Heena could even take off her shoes, she bowed deeply, almost at a 90-degree angle, and said politely, "Nice to meet you, ma'am. My name is Heena."

Heena greeted with a gentle smile. My mother, seemingly frozen in place, just stared at her without blinking.

Heena often wore skirts on our dates, but today she opted for crisp black slacks and a soft beige linen tee. Her outfit was simple yet incredibly neat and polished.

Her hair, silky and neatly done, suggested she had spent time on it in the morning. Her makeup was faint, almost imperceptible.

At a glance, I could see her intended style: a natural look, not overly done up but still very tidy—clearly aimed to make a good impression on the elderly.

However, Heena today exuded a particularly mature vibe.

She always had an aura of being older than her age, but today it was even more pronounced. If I had passed her on the street without knowing her, I might have guessed she was a college student.

She lifted her head, her gestures and expression never faltering, looking at my mother with a soft smile.

Finally responding to Heena, my mother said, "Welcome. It's been quite hot recently, hasn't it? I hope your journey here wasn't too tiring."

I'd never seen my mother smile so warmly before. She addressed Heena respectfully and invited her inside.

As I watched in slight confusion, wondering what was happening, Heena replied, "Yes, the weather was quite pleasant today. Ma'am, may I give you this?"

Casually, Heena handed over a gift that she had spent hours deliberating over the previous day.

To be honest, I initially thought there was no need for a gift, but Heena seemed to think otherwise. After much contemplation, she had chosen a diffuser set.

My mother has always loved such items, and my father kept one in his car, showing some interest in them. Moreover, it was an affordable choice that seemed just right.

"What's this? Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. And please, feel free to speak informally with me."

"Should I?"

"Yes, ma'am."

As they naturally continued their conversation while heading to the living room, I felt like an outsider. I simply followed Heena, feeling almost like a shadow.

Even after they both settled down on the sofa and chair, their conversation flowed without pause. I was left to serve the drinks and fruits my mother had prepared beforehand.

"Wait, so you confessed first?"

"Yes... I just really liked Yeonho and couldn't help myself."

"I thought he confessed first and was just too embarrassed to admit it..."

"What?! You pretended to believe me while thinking that?"

I felt a bit betrayed by that.

Yet, regardless of my reactions, they never seemed to pay any attention to me. It felt as if they were in their own world, seamlessly bouncing off each other in conversation.

Seeing my mother engaging with someone so joyfully was a first for me. The way Heena interacted with my mother was so respectful, it felt unfamiliar and even strange.

It was as if two strangers were conversing right in front of me.

For quite some time, they recapped our love story, from the day we first met to the many times Heena visited me at my part-time job over the past month.

As the conversation flowed, they eventually touched upon our upcoming beach trip planned for the first week of summer vacation.

"I heard from Yeonho earlier that you've made a hotel reservation for us," Heena mentioned.

"I did that because I was worried about Yeonho. Don’t overthink it."

"Thank you, ma'am. We promise to have a great time and return safely."

I half-expected Heena to politely decline, but surprisingly, she simply bowed her head slightly in gratitude.

Seeing this, my mother looked genuinely surprised and said, "How can someone be so well-mannered?"

Heena modestly replied, "Oh, it's nothing."

"To think I was worried about the two of you going on the trip. Seeing you now, I realize there's no need."

"I'm glad you feel that way. Oh, may I use the restroom?"

"Of course, it's just beside that door. Feel free to use it."

As Heena left for the restroom, I quickly moved closer to my mother, seeking her feedback. "Mom, what do you think of Heena?"

"Yeonho."

"Yes?"

But before she could answer, with a serious look on her face, she posed an unexpected question. "Is she really in high school?"

"Um... I thought so, but seeing her today, I'm having second thoughts."

It wasn’t entirely out of the blue. Today, Heena seemed so mature, it was hard to believe she's the same age as me. There was a sense of depth and experience in the way she conversed with my mother.

When it was just the two of us hanging out, she always felt mature but still close to my age. Today, she seemed way beyond that. Could she be older by about four years?

"She's so sharp and well-mannered. Why is she with our son...?"

"I get where you're coming from, but can you not say that in front of me?"

"Son."

"Hm?"

"Hold onto her tight. With her by your side, I won't have to worry about you for the rest of my life."

"I'll do my best..."

I truly need to make sure I don't mess things up with Heena. I'm no fool. I know finding a girlfriend like her would be next to impossible, even if I scoured the entire world.

A moment later, Heena returned, and the three of us resumed our conversation. We steered clear of personal stories, focusing mainly on mundane topics like school life, especially in my mother's presence.

"Thanks to that, Yeonho's math scores have improved a lot, hasn't it?"

"Yeonho worked hard to raise them."

"I thought you two were dating instead of studying?"

"Well, we did that too..."

Regardless, Mom was really pleased. I mean, how could she not be?

Pretty, studious, kind, and polite.

Literally the definition of perfection.

As I basked in the happiness of that realization, suddenly the tone of our conversation shifted.

"Do your parents know about you two going to the beach?"

"Yes. In fact, my mother mentioned she'd look into getting a room for us."

"Really? ...Just one room?"

"Yes, just one."

"Hmm..."

"Wait, this is the first time I'm hearing this. She's booking only one room?"

Taken aback by this unexpected news, I blurted out in surprise. But Heena's face didn't show the slightest hint of discomfort.

Seeing our contrasting reactions, Mom narrowed her eyes, alternating her gaze between us. Eventually, she settled her gaze on Heena and spoke.

"I booked two single rooms... should I change it?"

"Would it be possible to change it to a double room? It might be less of a burden for you."

"That could be arranged..."

"Don't worry about us, ma'am. We're still students."

"I'm not worried, but shouldn't my son have a say in this?"

"Exactly my point..."

I couldn't keep up with the rapid pace of the conversation.

I naturally assumed that Mom had booked two single rooms. So, I was shocked to hear she intended to book just one for both of us.

Did she trust me, or did she simply not care about potential issues?

Moreover, Heena's nonchalant attitude towards this topic seemed impressive.

Even listening made my face burn.

Oh well, it doesn't matter. Even if it's one room, there will be two beds. It's like a school trip.

However, the two people in front of me were wrapping up the conversation, seemingly without considering my perspective.

"So, we'll change the room booking. What's the plan for today?"

"If it's not too much trouble, can I meet your father as well?"

"He's coming home late, so that might be difficult."

"I see..."

It wasn't a face of relief from an awkward situation; it was genuine disappointment at not meeting my father.

"I'll be stepping out for a bit. You two can hang out until then."

"Huh? Where are you headed?"

"To see your aunt."

Ah, maybe she's visiting her because of the room change. The younger aunt lives nearby. I've heard she has some connections at the hotel reception.

"Make yourself at home, Heena."

"Yes, ma'am."

With that, Mom stood up from her seat. Judging by how she immediately got dressed and left, she might be catching up with her sister about her encounter with Heena.

We browsed some albums in my room and finalized the exchange we had discussed earlier.

It was a swap of photos from our middle school days. Ecstatic about the great deal, I quickly stashed the picture in my wallet, planning to revisit it from time to time.

After spending another hour reminiscing through the albums, we left my house.

With my brother's return uncertain, staying home felt pointless. Heena seemed curious to see what my brother looked like, but I wasn't keen on the idea.

Considering the likelihood of Yoonjung, my brother’s girlfriend, showing up, I wasn't ready for our paths to cross just yet.

Introducing my girlfriend to my brother also felt a bit daunting.

Instead of wandering around, we headed to a cafe to sketch out our travel plans. Although it felt somewhat excessive labeling it as an "itinerary" for a mere overnight trip, it was a big deal for me. It was the first time I was traveling with a peer, and that peer happened to be my girlfriend.

The anticipation made my heart race, and I couldn’t hide my excitement.

Heena seemed to share the sentiment, chatting with a flushed face.

Our final exams were behind us, and the vacation was just around the corner.

Our first trip together was about to begin.