“So?”

“Neh?”

Naeun asks, hands on her lap. Kai squints his eyes and moves closer to her.

“Taemin. Do you happen to know him before? Or do you have a crush on him?”

“Just what happen now that you are persistent?”

"Tell me about it."

"Are you sure you will be fine?"

"Yeah."

He said, shrugging and went to the couch, slamming his back on it. Naeun sighs and sat beside him, leaning on the couch.

"It happens in high school.”

Kai turns slightly at Naeun at he knows from how her face change that they must have a relationship back then.

--Flashback--

“I put a dib on her.”

He said as the innocent fairy passed by and his friends shake their head.

“It will be hard. She is not one of those woman who will throw herself on you.”

Minho said, shoving Taemin’s shoulder.

“Wae?”

“I know about her from some people. Impenetrable they dubbed her.”

“So she never fall in love?”

“You could say it that way.”

Minho said, nodding as he puts a straw in his mouth, biting it as he looks around. Taemin grins.

“This make me want to have her more.”

“Don’t Taem. She is innocent.”

“Do you like her?”

“I have a crush on her back then but she has too many men around her. You know Wonshik?”

“Your soccer mate?”

Minho nods, taking out the straw and throws it away mindlessly.

“He is one of her guardians.”

“Woah. There is more?”

“There is few. I saw them with her few times. She had only one girl friend, Krystal. Over protective as well.”

“I have to just find a way to get to her then.”

“Don’t play with her. I warned you.”

“You know I love taking risk hyung.”

“It’s a waste talking to you really.”

Taemin laughs and stood up, walking to where Naeun went; ignoring Minho that called him to attend his class.

+++

“Do you want to have a cup of coffee with me?”

Naeun smiles apologetically and shakes her head. This is the fourth time Taemin approached her since last week but she pushed him away every time.

Taemin is close to giving up but giving up is never a solution to his every move so he did went to her and tries all possible way to take her out.

“Do you really like our Naeun?”

Krystal asks him one day when he was sitting under a tree alone. He looks around and nods.

“Why?”

“Do I need a reason?”

“Not really.”

She huffs.

“Alright. If you really like her, I’ll help you.”

“Why are you helping me?”

“You seem sincere.”

Taemin hide his smirk when she said that, thanks to his face, he thought.

“I am. I like her and I want to be her boyfriend. What should I do Krystal ssi?”

“You don’t have to buy her anything. You just have to show you are sincere enough. That you approach her because you like her.”

“How?”

“Uri Naeun, she likes kind people. Not just to her, but to nature too.”

Taemin nods.

“So try your best to win her.”

Krystal flips her hair and walks away from Taemin. He grins.

“So she is that kind of girl. Interesting.”

He said and took his things, heading to Green club for the start.

+++

“Naeun ssi.”

Naeun who was planting a small tree turns to the voice and smiles.

“Taemin ssi. You join this club?”

“Yeah. This world need more trees.”

He said and crouched next to her, smiling.

“Don’t you think so?”

“Of course.”

Naeun responds and continue to focus on her job, Taemin is bored but he did it anyway until it times to watering the plants.

“Do you want to have something refreshing?”

Naeun asks with the pretty smile on her face which shocked Taemin but he agreed anyway.

They went to a vending machine and she buys him a drink even though he insist on buying.

“It’s a thank you gesture. We could finish it quickly because you were there.”

“I didn’t do much though.”

Taemin responds, rubbing his nape.

“But still, thank you.”

She smile again and gulp her drink slowly and Taemin looks at her instead of drinking.

“Is there something on me?”

Naeun asks and Taemin chuckles. He shakes his head and drinks. He wants to throw sweet words but he have to be patient.

He have to take it slow like how Krystal advice him to.

“We are taking part in another event this Saturday. Would you come too?”

“I will I guess.”

Naeun nods and they talk things about nature and trees before the club members went home after Naeun call it a day. Then is when Taemin knows she is the president and he chose the club well.

+++

“Krys.”

“Wae?”

“Do you know Taemin ssi?”

Krystal leave her desk and went to Naeun.

“What about him?”

Naeun smiled and Krystal smiled too.

“He is nice.”

“Is he?”

“Neh. As I walk back from mart yesterday, he was feeding stray cats.”

“Really?”

“Eung. You know boys at our age chose to play around rather than getting along with animals and nature.”

Krystal nods acknowledging. Even she won’t join the club. It’s hot getting under the sun all the time.

“He kind of confess to me.”

“Do you like him?”

Naeun blushed.

“Oh Naeun ah. You like him!”

Krystal excitedly announced and Naeun blush even harder.

“Will it be okay? I never.”

“It will be okay. Just go with it.”

“Gurae. I’ll tell him tomorrow.”

“Finally, someone win uri Naeun’s heart.”

Krystal said cheerfully and Naeun too smiled as she feels her heart flutter.

+++

“What happen with Naeun thing?”

Minho asks and Taemin shrugs.

“Too hard to please. I’ve done all sort of thing, even try to be the most delicate person on earth but she is like a stone.”

“I told you. How many months had it been?”

“7 months. Woah. I don’t even go and have fun because I’m being careful to not get caught by one of her guardian angel.”

Minho laughs at that and pats Taemin’s shoulder.

“Give up will you? Try someone else.”

“Who? Is there any new chick?”

“Ani. Aishh. And I thought you were serious about liking Naeun.”

“I like her. But it’s not enough to make me stop hunting other girls.”

“Who can change you?”

“Myself?”

Minho makes a tchh sound and jumps down from the bench.

“I’m heading to the stadium. See you later man.”

Taemin just smile and walks ahead before he heard Naeun calls him. He turns around and saw how she spot an angry look.

“Naeun ssi?”

“It’s all planned huh?”

“Naeun ssi, I.”

“I heard everything.”

She said chuckling bitterly.

“Why me? Why you try all sort of thing?”

She shakes her head again and bites her lips.

“And I foolishly fall for you. I even plan to say it to you. Thank God I heard it all before I fall deeper into your trap. Goodbye Lee Taemin. Don’t ever think I will fall for your trick again.”

“That’s what happen.”

Naeun said, sighing as she sweeps her hair backward.

“But you said about meeting Taemin after me during the blind date. Why?”

“I know you and him never click so I try my luck.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I am sorry. I kind of use you. No one except Krystal and Taemin himself know about that. I don’t mind about being in contract marriage with you because I don’t want to get married to him. For that too, I apologize.”

Kai feels bad. Which woman in her right mind will agree to a contract marriage? Now that he knows, he feel like a jerk. Not that he didn’t know he was one before.

“Is he using that again?”

“He suspects that I marry you just for the parents and we didn’t fall in love.”

“He said that?”

She nods, sighing again. Kai crooked his mouth.

“So you being extra clingy whenever he is around?”

“I’m sorry. I have to show him that we are okay. You know like how we convince the family.”

Kai nods again and Naeun kind of feeling apologetic. Kai pats her hand and nods.

“It’s okay. It’s not that I hate what you did too.”

He grins and Naeun breath in relief.

“If Taemin said anything ever again, just call your husband and tell me everything. We have to help each other right?”

“I will do that.”

“Now let’s go to sleep. I have to go to the office early.”

“Deh.”

When they are on the bed, Naeun lie down on her right, looking at Kai who was facing the ceiling.

“Jongin, asleep?”

“Not yet.”

He answers with eyes closed. Naeun smiles and leans to kiss his cheek.

“Thank you for not having a weird thought about me.”

Instead of answering her, Kai pulls Naeun towards him and kisses her hair. They sleep in each others arm again.

They are not a couple in love but they had those little skinship as if it’s normal for them and Naeun too was surprised that she loosen up a lot with Kai.

Maybe, just maybe he is someone who is dear to her. And Naeun slept with that thought.

+++

"Naeun ah."

"Neh."

Kai kinda likes how she will respond to him with a slightly pitched tone, afraid that he won’t hear her. Yeah, the kids are loud all the time and he loves how surprised Naeun were at first.

"I’m going to work."

He said and Naeun smiled, with the kids watching and Naeun fix his tie like a lovely wife and he kisses her temple, just like a husband. It has becoming a routine and they don’t mind it anymore.

"Come home fast."

Namjoo teased while cooing at the process and Kai likes how Naeun blushed at the tease and he ruffles his mischievous sister hair.

"I’ll come home early."

He said to Naeun and she nods.

"Go safely Jongin."

"I will. Go and continue what you were doing."

"Neh."

Oh how he loves the neh from Naeun. And Kai doesn’t care that he doesn’t suppose to like anything about Naeun this way. They are still bound in a contract.

Thinking about that makes him somehow uneasy. He turns again at Naeun and his wife raises her eyebrows. He shakes his head and looks behind. There are no one watching them anymore and are busy with their own thing.

He smiles at Naeun, caressing her cheek with his finger and cups the back of her head and close his eyes as his lips find hers.

When will they realize that it's love?

Until next time ♡