The two met at their favorite restaurant the day after he returned from South America. Initially, Hana frowned when she saw him.

  He looked thinner and paler than he had when he'd left; his gray t-shirt hung more loosely on his lean frame than she'd recalled it before his trip. For a moment her brow furrowed in worry.

  Hoseok didn't leave her much time to worry as he wrapped her up in a huge hug upon seeing her for the first time in months. Even though his appearance had changed slightly, the way hugged hadn't. His arms felt as strong as they had before he'd left. Hana felt safe, just as she used to.

   "Hana, you've gotten taller." Hoseok teased and then chuckled. She gave him a joking glare.

  "Hobi you know I haven't grown for a good three years." Hana laughed at his feigned surprise and continued to smile. She felt at ease in this type of atmosphere. It was familiar and safe.

  Always the gentleman, Hobi pulled her chair out for her. Once the pair had sat down and ordered, they slipped into the routine.

  "Hobi, when the waiter gets back you need to ask for another half order of noodles at least." He looked at her inquisitively. "You don't look like you're eating nearly enough." To emphasize her point, she jabbed her spoon at him. He raised his eyebrows.

  "Well if I do, then you do too." She rolled her eyes at his deflection. "Really. You look thinner, have you been eating well?" Hana sighed. Hobi was right, she was thinner than the last time he'd seen her in person.

   Lately, her job at the law firm had been more demanding, and the larger workload meant she was busier than usual. So busy that she'd forget meals quite often. Hobi continued, "Okay, okay. We'll share the second bowl of noodles." She nodded in agreement, satisfied with his concession.

  Conversation and playful banter were passed back and forth between the old friends as they sat across from one another in the quiet restaurant.

  "How was South America?" Hana brought up the question because she was curious about his trip, but also because she knew he wanted to talk about his time away, but he wouldn't start the conversation about it due to his fear that he talked too much about himself. Hana didn't think that though; she always enjoyed hearing his stories.

  Hoseok beamed, and she realized how much she had missed his bright smile. "It was so wonderful. I loved the people there, the language barrier was challenging, but they're all so welcoming there." He laughed quietly. "We got a lot of work done there." Again Hoseok smiled and looked thoughtful, and Hana knew that he was thinking about his experiences there.

  "What were the new cities like?" As Hana asked, she leaned forward, eager to learn about the distant place. She'd never really traveled much, and hearing Hobi talk about the different places was always enjoyable and exciting to her. The fear she had of the unknown and her desire to see the beauty of the world were both satisfied by his descriptions.

  "I liked Rio. The food was delicious, and the scenery was gorgeous, there were so many colors." He leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. "You would've liked the sunset there, it was beautiful." He smiled as if he'd just realized something. He pulled out an envelope from his jacket pocket. "I almost forgot. Here's the rest of your postcards." Eagerly Hana took the envelope from him. Once it was in her hand, she decided to open it once she was home.

  "Thank you Hobi." He smiled and nodded, both of them growing quiet. After a moment he sighed.

  "Ugh, I'm so tired." Again he leaned back and then stretched out and closed his eyes for a moment.

  "Hobi, you look like you haven't slept well in weeks." Hana free uneasy about her friend once again and paused to check her phone for the time, "It's getting late, let's go home." He nodded quietly and sat up. To his chagrin, Hana paid for the meal.

  She pulled her jacket on. "I'll drive, where's your car?"

  "I didn't bring one. Someone dropped me off. I figured we'd just use your car." Hana swallowed, growing sheepish; she felt like a small child before they're caught for breaking their mother's favorite vase.

  "I didn't drive here. I walked because I wanted some fresh air." Hobi straightened as she spoke.

  "What? Were you planning on walking home too?" His voice had an edge of annoyance in it.

  "Kind of yeah. I haven't really gotten out much because I've been so busy." Hana wished she'd just driven her stupid car when she saw the incredulous look on Hoseok's face. "You know how much I love the fresh air."

  "How many times do I have to tell you not to walk alone in Seoul? You're not in Gwangju anymore Hana." Now she could read the annoyance on his face as well as in his voice. He sighed as he ran his fingers through his brown hair in frustration. She wondered why he was so overprotective. It wasn't as if she wasn't a strong independent woman who couldn't make her own decisions.

  "Hoseok I can take care of myself and do as I please." She glared at him slightly. For a moment he glared right back, a moment of tension took over, and then he shook his head.

  "You know, you shouldn't argue with me so soon after I eat." He patted his chest and made a slightly pained look, "It can't be good for my heart." He smirked a little as she laughed loudly. She couldn't stay mad at him for long. "We'll just take the bus okay." Hana agreed and then the two of them walked to the bus stop.

  Hoseok joked as the pair walked to the bus stop and as they waited. However, he grew quiet as the bus continued to take them to their destinations, the steady movement lulled both of them into a peaceful state. Soon after they sat down on the bus, Hobi's head laid on Hana's shoulder and he dozed off.

A/N: please eat well and take care of yourselves!
Eat more noodles!

(Edited June 2019)

*Novi*