.

On that side, there were Yi Jenny, Ian, and an old lady, who emitted a charismatic aura, sitting beside them. The sharp and prim look in her eyes was a carbon copy of Yi Jenny’s. Well, actually, Yi Jenny was a chip off the old block. Thus, the old lady seemed to be Yi Ruda’s grandmother.

Yikes, now I had come to think of it, I didn’t even bow or introduce myself to the adults since I was so astonished to see Lucas after a long time.

Being nervous for a moment, I nodded a greeting.

“Good morning.”

“Hi, Donnie.”

“How are you? It’s been a while.”

I heard Yi Jenny and Ian’s calm voice one after another. The old lady’s ponderous voice came after them.

“They are my grandson’s friends?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“And they have to return home?”

Eek, I threw my glance at Yeo Ryung and Yeo Dan oppa who were standing behind me. After exchanging brief eye contact, we began to slowly explain our situation.

Our parents went on a trip to Taiwan, but they were concerned about leaving us alone in the house where burglars could break in, so they sent us to Yeo Ryung’s grandparents’ house to spend our holiday weekends. However, her grandparents also took a trip to Taiwan just in time without notice.

Lucas asked in a low voice from beside me, “Did you guys do something wrong to Taiwan?”

‘Please keep your mouth shut.’ That was when I warned Lucas that way with the look in my eyes. As soon as we finished explaining about how we ended up here, Yi Jenny, who was resting her chin on her palm, suddenly uttered, “Do you guys want to wait in our house for a moment then? If we call the driver from Seoul, he’ll soon be…”

The moment when I tried to say yes in delight, Ruda’s grandmother intervened in Yi Jenny’s words.

“Still, didn’t they tell us there weren’t any adults in Seoul too?”

“Oh…”

Yi Jenny closed her mouth as if she had been pointed something out of her expectation.

What Ruda’s grandmother said was true. I understood her concerns; however, if we left the door locked, there wouldn’t be any burglars breaking in.

It was the moment I had those thoughts in my head.

“Lucas, Ruda.”

Their grandmother’s sudden call made Lucas and Ruda’s shoulders stiffen automatically. Watching that sight, I realized how scary and stupendous this old lady was in the family.

Just as I expected, Ruda’s grandmother flung a question with her eyes wide open.

“Did I raise you two as kids who were being of no help to their friends in trouble?”

I discovered a critical flaw hidden in that question. ‘I mean, excuse me, ma’am, as far as I know, Lucas has been adopted to your family just a year ago,’ I said in my thoughts.

At that moment, Ruda and Lucas, who were now full of spirit, shook their heads and uttered, “No, not at all.”

“So you know what you’re supposed to do now, right?”

They nodded forcibly upon her continuous questions as if they indeed knew what they should do right now. But the problem was, only we weren’t aware of what the two would be doing for us.

Yeo Ryung, Yeo Dan oppa, and I exchanged eye contact busily.

‘What are they talking about?’

‘No idea. I wonder what on earth they’d be doing for us.’

Then I barely came up with the most plausible option here. In concern of the three of us spending the long weekends in the empty house without any adults, Ruda’s grandmother would let us sleepover in this house.

As soon as I finished having that thought in mind, I quickly turned pale. ‘Oh, Lord, that’s the worst trouble we can cause to these people during the holiday weekend!’ That was when I tried to open my mouth immediately and say, ‘No need to do such a thing.’

Heading toward the shoe rack all of a sudden, Ruda said determinedly, “Let’s go.”

Eh?

“Go? Where?”

As soon as I tossed the question while blinking swiftly, this time, Lucas replied, “Where? Of course, to the house on the opposite side.”

The house on the opposite side was Yeo Ryung’s grandparents’ house. What were they going to do in that tightly locked house? However, once I recalled Lucas’s enigmatic skills I had seen before, my brows met in the middle.

‘Ah, come on… no way…’ With that thought in my head, I bent my steps in anxiety. Yeo Dan oppa and Yeo Ryung followed me yet with a look of wonder on their faces. And after a moment, they directed their eyes on Ruda and Lucas with a glance beyond expression.

As if greeting a client, Ruda stood in front of the opened door and pointed at the inside.

“Now you can go in.”

“What the…”

“You’re welcome. It’s nothing between neighbors, isn’t it?”

It was Lucas who spoke that way while flaunting a refreshing grin.

Then I heard Yeo Ryung murmuring in a low voice beside me, “Nothing between neighbors? Do you really think it’s nothing to unlock your neighbor’s front door in five seconds?”

I couldn’t dare to tell her that Ruda and Lucas could unlock not only these traditional types of doors but even the newest digital door locks. Showing an awkward smile, I just said to myself, ‘Anyway, Ruda’s grandmother isn’t also an ordinary lady…’ That was the conclusion I made.