This chapter wasn't beta read.

It’s strange that the closer we get

the further apart we grow

I’m scared that I’ll be left alone like this

I’m worried (I’m worried)

I believe you and you believe me

You can show me your heart now

(Do you want to show me instead of hiding?)

I believe you and you believe me

Shall we leave the past in the past?

(Shall we leave it behind instead of running?)

Don't run away - Motte

Two Months later

Taemin smiled proudly. Hana, one of the members of the team he gathered for the convention was counting the votes. He was first since almost everyone voted for him. Taemin did work hard on his proposition. He wanted to prove himself to Sora, that he could change the image of the perfume she used, but in the end, he felt above all, proud of himself and how his hard work paid off.

Sora's blank expression during his presentation worried him but he still did his best. He wanted “Stay” to be more than one of their older perfumes, almost forgotten and with no selling promotions in the past years. Taemin intended to renew its image, he wanted “Stay” to be about memories, the memories of our younger days, a good luck charm on your exam, the one your first love offered to you, the one you used on the day of your wedding, something you related to your mother or grandmother. He wanted it to be the perfume you wear during a life. He suggested several marketing ideas and how they would appeal to the younger generations and older ones successfully. He was detailed and above all, he put his heart and soul into his explanation.

Even though everyone was praising him for his win, Sora didn't say anything, her eyes on the files over the table in front of her.

“You should make a speech.” Hana suggested enthusiastically and Taemin got up from his seat and looked at everyone thankful.

“First of all, I need to congratulate everyone because you all worked hard and the presentations were amazing. I’m sure we will pick up some of them in the future.”

Everyone clapped and Sora joined in weakly. He looked at her biting the inside of his cheek. Was she sick?! Not feeling well for some reason?! Maybe she was upset with him since she couldn't even look his way.

Taemin cleared his throat “I’m glad my project was the one selected and I hope we do well on this convention. “Stay” is a perfume that won my heart.” He looked at her briefly hoping that Sora could see that the reason he liked it so much was her, all her. “It’s strong and yet delicate and can easily be differentiated from others with similar characteristics. It has personality. I want it to be more than a perfume but a part of a memory. Something that becomes a part of the person who wears it so that others that love that person can smell it and remember them, their loved one. It will be as if they never left as if they stayed - Stay.”

He couldn’t finish his speech because Sora got up abruptly from her seat. She stared at him as if he said something wrong and the anger in her eyes shifted to sadness or something he couldn't define before she left the room without a word.

Everyone stared at Taemin confused and he excused himself and followed after her.

A good leader would probably ignore what happened and continue with the meeting but he didn’t care what he was supposed to do, he never cared about that. Sora was suffering and he needed to understand why.

He couldn't see her in the corridor and run to the elevator but then instead of taking it, he opened the door to the emergency stairs and like he predicted Sora was there, against the wall with wet eyes and breathing hard as if she was having a panic attack. He closed the door and stepped towards her but she winced and looked at him like a scared animal, clearly not wanting him too close. Taemin stopped and opened his mouth to speak but he had no idea what was wrong. Now that he thought about it, she always acted like that when it came to that perfume.

“Tell me.” He asked making her glare “Tell me about Stay.”

She bit her lower lip and looked away “I don't want to talk with you right now.”

“And I’m the childish one.” He muttered, making her look at him with hostility.

“Can’t you for once do what you are told to do?!”

Taemin snorted bitterly “Like I was supposed to do all my life? Be the perfect puppet-like son?”

“Oh, poor rich kid!”

“Oh poor successful woman who has a family she barely visits and friends who adore her! At least you have people who care about you!”

Sora stepped away from the wall and even though she was smaller than Taemin she stood in front of him defiantly. Her expression changed and he swallowed hard knowing that whatever she would say next would hit him where it hurts the most because she knew him better than many did, she also had that power.

“You don't have to be perfect, just be a decent human being, one that doesn't take his one night stands to his brothers' bed just because he wants to be like him and not a shadow of him!”

That was unfair and she knew it. Not only she wasn't a one night stand but they never slept in his brother's bed and Taemin didn’t want to be like his brother. However, her words worked and Taemin stepped back as if he was slapped by her. Immediately regretting it Sora grabbed his arm and stopped him from walking away.

“I-I’m sorry...”

“I’m sorry too.” His voice was weak as if he was tired and slowly he took his arm away. “My project was accepted and I want you to present it.”

She panicked and was going to ask him to choose someone else but Taemin’s eyes were icy as if they barely knew each other.

“I can't do it.”

“It’s an order. I’m the director.”

He never spoke to her like that, not even when he first started and was acting like a lazy kid around the office. For the first time, he seemed like an experienced professional and sadly an unfriendly one too.

Taemin’s chin stiffened and he left her alone, fulfilling her request.

A loud sound filled the movie theater and Nari jumped on her seat, bumping her head against Jinki’s. He chuckled covering his mouth and then hers because she laughed with him. They decided to watch a horror movie because she insisted on it- another side of Nari that surprised Jinki recently but thirty minutes into it they started making out and barely watched any of it. He was the guilty one, the one who grabbed her hand and his seat to kiss her behind her ear. She giggled and slowly gave in to the caresses and now they were near the end of the movie and while all eyes were on the screen theirs were on each other or closed while they kissed.

The lights and the credits rolled on the screen. Couples started getting up and they stayed behind acting as if they innocently watched the movie.

“Did you enjoy it?” Jinki asked a little too loud making Nari blush “The movie?”

He raised his eyebrows trying hard not to laugh at her expression and she nodded collecting her things from the seat beside her.

They left the theater in silence holding hands and Nari let him guide her. She felt lightheaded from all the kissing and the caresses. They were dating for two months now and after his “confession” in front of his friends, she barely saw them again and instead they often went out on dates. They talked a lot, and not only about work. Surprisingly, they had more in common than she thought and they spent many nights enjoying good food, discussing things they liked as movies or tv shows, between kisses and makeout sessions.

It’s been a while since the last time they talked about but Nari knew that she was ready and as soon as he tried to cross the line she would allow it. He didn't seem to want to pressure her though and she was trying to tell him that she was ready without being too obvious about it.

“Where are we going?” she asked realizing that he wasn't taking her out of the building and instead the elevator was going up.

“I have a surprise for you.”

As soon as they were out on the rooftop of the building he released her hand and Nari marveled at the view in front of her. As a fan of romantic dramas, she heard about it before but completely forgot about it.

“The Sky Rose Garden.”

“The sun is setting now. I thought you wanted to see it.” He explained grabbing her hand in his again. He guided her through the several rose pots of many different colors, they passed a few tables and only stopped when they reached the other side of the rooftop where they had a perfect view of the sun setting behind the tall buildings.

“I didn't know you had this romantic side to you.” Nari said grasping the wall and peeking down at the street below.

He didn't say anything and instead stepped behind her placing his hands beside hers trapping her in his arms. She blushed and pressed her lips together, loving the way his proximity made her heart beat faster.

“There are many things you still don't know about me!” he whispered into her ear and she closed her eyes smiling.

“Look.”

His sweet voice made her raise her eyes to the sky where the blue was now changing into an orange pinkish color.

“It’s beautiful.” He didn't want to back hug her there in public but still stepped closer so that their bodies would touch each other, without saying a word. Nari's eyes shined brightly while she kept them in the sky. Moments like that would always happen in dramas and movies and she thought that she would never get to experience them but Jinki proved her wrong. She moved her fingers over the cold wall in the direction of his and caressed his knuckles gently.

“How did you know about this place?”

“I’ve been here before.” he explained and she swallowed hard.

“On a date?”

It took him a little longer to answer “Yes.”

She wasn't stupid and even if his friend hadn't told her before, she knew he wasn't the kind to be single for long. “You must have brought many girls here.” Usually, that was a topic he avoided talking about so she wasn't expecting him to answer.

“Some.”

She pressed her lips together, his confession seemed to ruin the moment to her a little. How many girls did he watch a movie with, make out with them and then take her there to watch a sunrise like that?! How many ended up with a broken heart? When would her turn come up?

“I bet you broke many hearts.” She said hesitantly, hoping that her comment wouldn't make him upset and ruin the moment even more.

Jinki didn't answer and instead moved from behind her. She turned her face to look at him and he sighed deeply and placed his elbows over the wall, his eyes on the sky.

He looked so beautiful illuminated with that orange light, that she couldn't stop looking at him. She was almost bewitched admiring his profile, his strong and manly features when he was serious, which would suddenly become cute and lively when he smiled.

Jinki turned to look at her and she gazed away immediately as if she was caught doing something wrong. Nari tried hard to concentrate in the colorful sky but she couldn't when he wouldn't stop looking at her and with no shame, even leaning over to admire all of her features. She slowly looked at his eyes wondering what he was doing and he smiled, cute dimples showing up.

“I need to bring you here more often.” he stated raising on a finger to her cheeks “You look even more beautiful under the sunset.”

Nari’s heart hammered inside her chest and she completely forgot about all the other girls he supposedly brought there. Could she be the one he took there from now and forever?!

He straightened his body and she followed him with her eyes admiring how that cute guy turned into a handsome manly one again as soon as he stood in front of her. She swallowed hard when he leaned down and kissed her lips gently. He caressed her cheek after and seemed to not care about anyone seeing them so she didn't either.

“The past is the past.” She said more to herself than him “what matters is here now and the future.”

Jinki nodded still smiling “Should we sit down and drink something? I'll buy.” He guided her to a nearby table and asked her to wait. It seemed more like a retreat than anything but Nari didn't find it suspicious. He peeked at her while he walked to the small coffee stand on the other side of the roof. She was distracted looking at the sunset and he ran a hand through his hair. Her mention of the future always made him feel uneasy. He could only live in the present with her. He was selfish in every way. He took her there deliberately. He chose that movie theater with the sole purpose of taking her there. Not to woo her, not because it was romantic and he took other girls there for that reason, but because he knew she would look the most beautiful surrounded by flowers, bathed by the sun. He wasn't wrong and even while standing in line to buy their drinks he couldn't stop looking her way, admiring her as if she was a flower, desperately waiting for the moment he could be next to her and inhale her scent mixing with the one of the roses, watch her shine brightly at him every time she smiled. She was even more beautiful that evening than he pictured in his head. The other girls he bought there could be wearing expensive beautiful clothes and look like models but Nari wearing a simple white t-shirt of a famous cartoon over a denim skirt, her hair caught up on a now messy bun - all his fault because he couldn't stop running his finger on her hair when they makeout - looked the most beautiful ever.

He was truly going insane. His time to order came and to his surprise, he realized he didn't even ask her what she wanted, yet he knew exactly what it would be.

Jinki got back to the table where Nari waited for him with a bright smile. He placed the cups on the table, iced americano for him and iced matcha green tea latte for her.

“Oh just what I wanted.” She thanked him, grabbing the cup immediately and sipping from it.

They drank in silence enjoying each other's company and the view.

“What about you…” He suddenly said “Your past. You said you were hurt before.” He didn't want to talk about his past but he wanted to know more about hers.

Nari her lips “I told you about them before.”

“Not about your last ex-boyfriend. You seemed reluctant to talk about him.”

He knew he stole her money but didn't know much more about him.

“We dated for a while and then we decided to…” It was funny how she had to talk about that when she just decided that she was ready to give herself to Jinki. “That it was time for our first time. Well, mine...as I learned out later.”

“You thought he was a and he wasn't?!”

Her cheeks got red and she defended herself “I'm not naive, alright?! He just convinced me that he was and since I didn't know that he had several girlfriends before I thought that we were on the same page and…”

“It's fine.” he comforted her. “I wasn't judging you. It's not your fault he decided to lie to you.”

“Anyway…” she looked away “The previous week he was having money problems and wanted to pay for this business he wanted to start. It was something big for him and he said he wanted to earn money so that we could get married. We decided to go together and pay the landlord for the store so I transferred the money needed to a common account and then rented a room in Gyeongju where the business would take place.” She drank her latte and Jinki crossed his arms in front of his chest listening closely, having an idea of where that would go.

“The night came, we had a romantic dinner and I might have drunk too much. I don't remember well but I fell asleep before we did anything. I remember waking up, confused, still dressed in bed alone. I was so disappointed that I ruined our first night but then realized he was nowhere in the room, he wasn't picking up my calls and the bank card disappeared. Later he sent me a text after I thought something happened to him, saying that he was sorry and that he took my money. I learned that he met another girl while he was dating me and he only used me for the money. The end!”

Jinki took a deep breath and uncrossed his arms.

“Pathetic right?” Nari said rubbing her neck “Sora and Jonghyun scolded me so much. I’m more careful now. I don't trust that easily.”

Jinki frowned. She was still the same, she still trusted him. However, he wasn't like that guy. He didn't want to be like him. “Your ex is an absolute .”

“I guess he was.”

“You guess?” he widened his eyes upset “He used you and cheated on you and stole your money and you...guess?”

“Right….I just can't stop feeling sorry for him too. I believe you can't have a happy life if you keep doing things like that to others.”

Jinki chuckled and shook his head looking at her lovingly. That was so her and maybe that was why she attracted him so much. She was just out of this world in every way. His sister would love her, she always liked peculiar people. The idea of them meeting fascinated and terrified him at the same time.

“Did you even go to the police so that they could locate him and get your money back?”

“No. I was embarrassed and also the account was made for both of us. I was stupid.”

Jinki groaned and frowned as if in thought. “That bastard….”

Nari giggled and grabbed his hand. “It’s fine. It's the past, right?”

Maybe it was fine for her but it wasn't for him. He moved his chair closer to hers and kissed her, his fingers moving to the back of her neck to pull her more to him. He inhaled her scent and tasted her as he wanted ever since he brought her there. The idea of someone harming her like that made his blood boil and he wanted to catch that bastard and make him kneel at her feet and ask for forgiveness.

His tongue her lips and she pulled away gently. They were in a public place and things were getting too heated. Jinki pulled her hand to his lips and delivered several slow kisses over it making her melt in her seat. Nari leaned her head against his shoulder and giggled like a fool in love.

The lights all over the roof signaling the start of the night. The sun was almost completely absent from the sky now and their cups were nearly empty.

“I really enjoyed today.” Nari confessed “Should we go to my place? I can make dinner for us. Jonghyun isn't home. He is going to a creative writing workshop.”

Jinki liked the idea of an evening with her with no Jonghyun around and nodded. She immediately grabbed her bag and smiled to herself. That was the night, they would be alone at her place. She opened her heart to him and he knew how important that was to her. Everything was going according to plan.

“If you got your money back, right now, what would you do with it?” He asked surprising her because she thought he forgot about it.

“Hum…The money was mostly my parents. Savings they left me, for me to go to college which I didn't. So I guess I would spend part of it on myself and keep the rest for my future?!”

“What would you do with it?” He insisted curiously.

“I would go to Japan. I’ve never been there.” Her face illuminated “We could go together!”

He frowned looking away. The idea of traveling alone with her pleased him but was also scary because it sounded like something real couples did. He never took any of the girls he dated on a trip before. “Maybe someday you will get that money back.”

“Maybe.”

She didn't seem to care about it and walked to the elevator followed by him. He knew people who did it for a living and if he wanted they would find her ex-boyfriend for him. Then he would make him return the money and she would get to go on that trip, even if he wasn't going with her.

“What is the name of your ex, by the way?”

“Why?” She asked confused.

“Just curious.”

Sora tapped her fingers on her desk and sent one last upset look in the direction of Taemin's office. He was still inside working and after the unpleasant conversation they shared, he barely looked her way or when he spoke to her it was related to work. She was supposed to have a late dinner with him that night but since he forced the boss card at her she couldn't even look at him without wanting to throw a stapler at his face. He probably didn't want to have dinner with her either because he was still stuck in his office. Sora closed the drawer of her desk with much more strength than needed and turned off her computer. Screw him and how he made her go from upset to worried with him. Wasn't he going to at least order dinner?! He skipped lunch too. Sora rubbed her forehead and groaned. He was probably inside watching a horror movie and she was there worrying about his health.

“Stupid, stupid…” She mumbled to herself collecting the files over her table. If only he hadn't picked up Stay and left the past alone.

“Sora are you leaving now?” Hana asked checking herself on her pocket mirror.

“Yes.” It was hard to act as if she wasn't still upset and easily Hana noticed it.

“I heard you are the one presenting the project at the convention. You don't seem happy with our director’s decision.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Why? This is a big opportunity for you. I wish he chose me.”

“Why didn't he?!” in Sora’s point of view he only chose her because he was selfish and wanted her to follow his orders. He was acting like all males being an absolute manipulative jerk.

“He told us after he came back to the room that you are the best person to present it, that he didn't have the skill to do so and he trusted you. He seems to admire you a lot. You are lucky!” Hana spoke with a hint of jealousy and left.

Sora watched her go and then looked at the light coming from Taemin’s office.

It was true that he always praised her and asked for her opinion and maybe she was letting her personal pain blind her discernment.

Sora stared at the door of his office as if she was hoping for him to come out and give her an excuse to speak to him but eventually gave up and collected her things from her desk. Her hand brushed against the folder with the project he wrote and she grabbed it and opened it.

Stay as a part of a memory. His presentation affected her because that was exactly what her father had envisioned for that perfume. Stay was more than a product, it was a creation of a lifetime and above all, her father's legacy. It was special to her, a part of her and the fact he recognized it without even knowing what happened in the past and the origins of it showed how Taemin’s sixth sense was strong. The guy had talented, was smart and hardworking. He truly resembled her a little and it was infuriating how they connected so well.

Sora closed the file and sighed hugging it against her chest. Maybe she was wrong on judging him, maybe she could give him one chance to know her better and understand why she was acting so weird when it comes to that project.

She stepped towards his office and knocked on the door.

Jonghyun was already late for his creative writing class because he got distracted writing and let time pass. He rushed to the bus stop hoping that he wouldn't have to catch a taxi instead. He was almost there when his phone rang. It was Eunsook and he rushed to pick it up.

“Jonghyun ssi I need your help.” She cried on the other side and he froze in the middle of the street.

“What happened? Where are you?”

“I’m…” she hiccuped “I wanted to call my brother but he isn't picking up. I have no one I can call.” She sobbed.

“Where are you? I’ll pick you up? Are you hurt?”

“I’m not hurt but I’m at the police station.”

She gave the address to him and he rushed in the opposite direction of the bus stop searching for a taxi.

“Don't worry. I’m going there immediately.”

He didn't even notice when the bus passed by him. His muse needed him.

“I’ll do it.” Sora announced placing the file over Taemin’s desk. He looked tiredly at her. The top buttons of his shirt were open and he took off his tie. His hair was a little tousled too and his desk was filled with papers. She was wrong, he was truly working and he seemed exhausted, so much that he didn't seem to understand what she was talking about immediately.

“Good. I really didn't want to force you to.”

“However…You need to know something first.”

“I’m all ears.”

She sat on the seat in front of his desk and leaned back. “Stay was given by my father to my mother.” she wasn't still able to tell him that Stay belonged to her father but at least that way he could see that it was connected to her family. “Eventually I started using it too. It’s a scent that I connected to my father. What you said today about wanting it to be a part of a memory and a person itself, well it is for me already.”

Taemin leaned forward and rested his arms over his desk.

“I know...That's also the case for me. I told you how I connect it to you.”

“Yes…”

“And weirdly it reminds me of you now.” She confessed and he smiled weakly, the wrinkles of tiredness in the corner of his eyes disappearing briefly. Why was he so handsome and cute with not much effort?!

“I’m sorry for being an idiot earlier.”

“I’m sorry too.”

“And thank you for telling me and for accepting to do this presentation. It means a lot to me and the company.”

She couldn't care less about the company but she cared about him. “It means a lot to me too.” It did. Now that she said it out loud she realized how much it did.

He smiled gently and rubbed his eyes.

“Arent you tired? Did you eat?”

“I’m fading.”

She laughed and he did too.

“Let's eat something.”

“Only eating because I don't think I can do anything else besides that and sleeping.”

“It's fine. We can just have dinner.”

He raised one eyebrow studying her. It was true they shared many meals together lately but it always ended up in or at least heavy making out.

“I mean it.” She repeated and he chuckled “You think you are that irresistible that I can't be beside you without it getting physical?”

“Well….” he shrugged and she groaned pretending to be upset.

Taemin stood up too and she helped him by turning his computer off. He put his coat on and grabbed his tie from the table. Their eyes met and he sighed deeply as if all tiredness was leaving his body and it was just enough to look at her to feel energized, or maybe the fact that they were good again was enough to take all stress away. She smiled at him and tiptoed to kiss his lips. He barely had time to answer before she walked away.

“Let's go.” She waited by the door and he followed after her turning the light of his office off.

Jinki sat over Nari’s bed, leaning his back against the headboard and stretching his legs in front of him. He grabbed one of her pillows and hugged it making her smile. It was rare for him to come to her bedroom because Jonghyun was usualy home and he always liked to make Jinki uncomfortable enough so he wouldn't try anything. He acted as if he was Nari’s father.

Nari closed the window of her bedroom, the same one from where she used to say goodbye to him when he came to visit her and sat on the side of the bed safely away from him but not too far away to be awkward.

“Did you like dinner?” She made a simple kimchi stew but he ate it as if it was better than anything he tried in one of the several expensive restaurants he went to.

“It was wonderful, thank you.” he patted his tummy cutely and she laughed happily. He laid back on her bed satisfied and full and she her lips wondering how she would get closer to him and change the mood so that things between them would heat up.

“You want to watch a drama?” She asked after a while, hoping that their closed proximity and the romanticism of a scene would help.

He tilted his head watching her and Nari’s cheeks heat up. The way he looked so intensely at her was as if he could read her thoughts perfectly.

“Maybe tonight we can watch something different.”

“Different?”

He sat up straight on her bed “I want to watch one of your favorite movies.”

“Favorite movies…” she looked at the huge collection of DVDs she had but he made a sound with his tongue to make her look back at him.

“Not that kind of movie, the other kind, the Japanese ones you have on your laptop.”

She blushed. It wasn't possible that he wanted to watch an movie with her!

“You don't mean…”

“I mean it. The ones you watch. I'm curious.”

“I can't watch that with you.”

He chuckled “Why not?”

“It's super embarrassing!”

“Lets still try it.” he grabbed her laptop from the end of her bed and opened it. Nari moved closer to him to stop him but he grabbed her hand gently away and then tickled her side. She complained and cried but he didn't stop and opened the folder where h knew she saved them.

Nari grabbed a pillow and covered her face with it just when he hit the play button. She peeked at Jinki that leaned back into the bed by her side watching the movie. She watched it from over the pillow for the first few minutes. It was safe for now and they were only presenting the story of two friends meeting at the girl's place to work on a college project together. They were only talking and flirting and one thing led to another and soon they were kissing. She watched that movie a couple of times before and covered her face with the pillow again knowing that things would only heat up from now on. Jinki didn't move by her side and soon the sound of kissing and the characters whispering things to each other filled the room. The kissing was over the top, with tongues moving slowly and ally as if the actors were devouring each other. She kissed like that with Jinki before and it was nothing like that. It was intense yes, and their tongues rubbed against each other but it felt way different from what it was on the screen. It was special and passionate.

“This is interesting,” he said making her peek again, this time at him. Their eyes briefly met before she hid again embarrassed, making him laugh. “Is this why you want to go to Japan?”

The conversation they had at the Sky Rose Garden stuck up to him and he didn't seem to want to let that go.

“No. I want to go there because there are so many beautiful interesting places to visit. Do you know that there is a place there where you can go and make your candles too? And even make glass? Also, there is this drama I really like and one scene was filmed there and….”

Jinki’s lips turned into a huge grin and he patted her head gently “You are truly cute and a nerd.” And he liked her very much. He swallowed hard his eyes moving from the computer screen to her. The actor was now undressing the woman in the movie, caressing her s over her bra. Nari liked watching that, she built a whole fantasy around her first time, she had big expectations for it and he wanted to understand them, what she imagined and what she wanted because he wanted to give it to her. Jinki wanted to know if she wanted him to be tender or rough, what she found romantic and what would make her aroused. To him, anything would be ok as long as she had pleasure, as long as it matched her expectations of it.

“Is this your favorite movie?”

“One of them yes…” She mumbled, her voice muffled because of the pillow.

“Why? What do you especially like about it?” He watched her carefully even though he couldn't see her face.

“The guy he….he is super gentle with her. He is manly and y and asks her if she is alright and when they finish it….he cuddles with her and they are cute together. They are in love.”

Jinki caressed her head again, taking his time moving his fingers on her soft hair. Tender. That was what she wanted.

“You are cute and yet such a ert.”

“I'm not!” She complained looking at him. Her cheeks were so red that he couldn't help but laugh. She got angry and took the laptop away to turn the movie off but Jinki grabbed her instead and pushed her down in the bed. He climbed on top of her pinning her down and she widened her eyes realizing the change in the mood immediately.

That was what she wanted and her heart started beating so fast she almost felt sick.

“Should we try acting it out?” he asked, “What they are doing in the movie?” He leaned down and kissed her lips several times like the guy in the video. Nari closed her eyes and grasped his arms caressing them over his shirt. The small kisses became more intense and soon his tongue was her lips so insistently that she had to part her lips allowing it inside . It was different, she was right. Their tongues caressed each other, and between and wet kisses, she lost all strength on her body. He moved one hand down to her tummy and pulled her t-shirt up. She struggled to breathe and when he moved away, giving her a few seconds to recover, she saw him sat up over her. Jinki slowly pulled her t-shirt up her body uncovering her bra and Nari held her breath. That was happening and she didn't know what to do. It was a good idea to prepare and choose one of her best underwear for that night.

“The guy undresses her, right?” Jinki said huskily using both his hands to help her take the t-shirt off her head. His eyes settled over her dark blue bra and she swallowed hard wondering what he was thinking.

Did he like her body?!

Jinki ran a finger in the middle of her s over the bra and down to her tummy. “Then he takes his time tasting her skin.” He leaned down and kissed her tummy just above her button belly and then moved upwards making her shiver in pleasure.

She closed her eyes and moved her hands down the bed to find his thighs and then over to his shoulders. The gesture was awkward and Jinki read it wrongly. He pulled up and chuckled making her open her eyes.

“I'm kidding.” he grabbed her t-shirt and gave it back to her. She stared at him shocked. Did he think she was scared and wanted to stop?! It couldn't be teasing only, he was just backing away afraid to be forcing her into it and Nari bit her lower lip disappointed.

He was going to move from over her but she sat up instead and cupped his face kissing him hard. She pressed her lips against his with so much force that it even startled her, slowly she lt go and kissed him more softly. He kissed her back and she melted against him wanting him to read in that kiss her need for him. Jinki grabbed her shoulders and caressed her arms slowly until she was satisfied and pulled away. Her cheeks were rosy and she looked beautiful and aroused. He caressed her cheek and down her neck before leaning down to nestle his nose there. She whimpered closing her eyes and he inhaled her scent, that floral scent that made him insane. He wanted her and she wanted him, nothing was going to stop him now.

“I’m scared.” She confessed swallowing hard. And he brushed his nose and cheek against her chin and face, loving how good it felt to feel her skin against his.

“But…” She explained “I want to do this. I want it to be with you.”

He admired the way she looked lovingly at him and his heart ached. That beautiful unique woman wanted to be with him, wanted to share something so special to her with him. He kissed her lips her lower lip softly, taking his time.

A loud moan coming from the laptop interrupted his lines of thought and he wrinkled his nose before turning to turn the movie off. The guy was now over the woman and they were having . Suddenly that wasn't interesting anymore to him. He wanted her, only her and nothing also mattered at that time. Jinki placed his laptop on the floor beside the bed. It was his time with her now and he didn't want anything to distract him from feeling her with every part of his body.

“Say it again!” he asked turning to her again, kneeling over the bed in front of her.

“That I want it to be with you?” Nari asked leaning against the touch of his hand on her cheek.

“Yes.”

She smiled brightly at him and Jinki swallowed hard. “I want it to be with you.”

His nose bumped against hers and they both giggled until he pushed her down on the bed with him on top. He kissed her again, this time not following any video and only going with his instincts.

He was scared too. It was his first time to be that scared to do something wrong and disappoint her but at the same time, it was exhilarating as something new as if it was also his first time. The difference was that he knew how good that could be. He wanted to show it to her.

Jinki’s lips moved down to her neck that he took his time and while Nari breathed hard, her hands moving timidly on his back over his shirt. He rose to pull it away and she ran her eyes down his chest so slowly and so innocently that it was extremely to him. Since she didn't seem to know what to do, Jinki grabbed her hand and placed it over his chest.

“You can touch me.”

“Y-you can touch me too.” She said shily. He knew he could but it was cute how she said it so he did just that moving a hand down her chest over her bra and to her tummy as if showing her what she could do back to him. Nari caressed his chest after and he waited while she moved her hand exploring his muscles and softly, as if afraid to hurt him, caressed his . He grasped her chin and pulled her to his lips for another heated kiss. He slid an arm under her back pulling her to his arms and against him making both moan of pleasure when their almost bodies touched each other and then he unhooked her bra. He gently placed her back on the bed and pulled one of the straps of her bra down her arm. He did it tenderly slowly caressing each of the wounds there. He wasn't sure what she ate that made those show up or if they were due to another kind of allergy but he didn't care.

“They are a bit itchy.” She said and he hesitated in the middle of a kiss.

“Am I making them itchier?”

“No, not really.”

“So can I kiss them?”

“You want to?”

“Well…” he leaned down kissing them and she fluttered her eyes enamored.

“Jinki…”

“Hum…” he moved to the other arm repeating the caresses and she ran her fingers on his back.

“Can I tell you something embarrassing?”

He pulled her bra away from her and uncovered her s. She wasn't a woman with many curves and they were small like he imagined but her s were perky and very atractive. She looked gorgeous to him and even though here and there he could spot a wound or a mark of one of her many allergies she still aroused him and he wanted her almost desperately.

“Yes.” He moved one finger over one of her s, drawing circles around it before teasing it again, and she shuddered in pleasure which only made him even more aroused.

“I'm glad I met you.” She confessed cutely and he leaned down kissing her and around it making her have a harder time talking.

“I'm glad I met you too.” At first, she infuriated him but now he got used to her, so used that he didn't seem to have enough of her and wanted more.

“You don't mind that I have weak health or that I'm weird.”

He closed his eyes and on her gently making her arch her body on the direction of his mouth. He wrapped her in his arms again and even though she looked fragile between his strong arms she seemed to fit perfectly.

“It's not your fault.” he said cupping one of her s while he hovered over her admiring her lips “And that's what makes you unique.” he kissed her again and Nari melted against him, the sensation of her s squished against his chest made both insane.

“You make me really happy and I never thought that a silly crush would turn into something more.” She wouldn't stop talking but it didn't bother him, on the contrary, it made sense in a way. Nothing with her was normal and even having had to be unique, besides she was nervous. That meant a big deal to her.

He kissed her and kissed her between words and still she wouldn't stop pouring her mind out.

”I know I should shut up and I'm ruining the moment.”

He raised one of his eyebrows observing her amused before leaning down for another kiss, his hand massaging her .

“It's fine for now.” He assured her, biting her neck softly and then sitting up to her skirt. Soon he would make her feel so good she wouldn't be able to think let alone speak “Nothing you can say right now can turn me off.”

Nari brushed her hair away from her neck and grabbed his hands on her skirt so that he would look at her.

“I have to say it! I feel like I'm exploding inside.”

“I'm exploding too. I'm really aroused.”

She shook her head, he didn't understand what she meant “I am too but...that's not it.”

He froze uncertain even a little afraid and she sat up so that she could look him in the eyes so that they could be close, so close she could feel his hot heavy breathing on her face.

“I love you.”

The world seemed to stop and he felt sick. That couldn't be happening. Jinki was wrong, there was something she could say to him that could ruin the mood and she just did. His expression wasn't good and Nari’s hands squeezed his hands and studied his eyes scared and vulnerable. He could no longer look at her and yet he couldn't move or look away either.

That wasn't planned, that was scary and shouldn't happen. It was wrong in every way. The moment any of the girls he dated told him that she loved him he would leave them. That was the limit for any of his temporary relationships. He was an idiot for thinking that Nari wouldn't fall for him before he ended what they had, when she already had a crush on him for such a long time.

He never wanted to break her heart, he never wanted it to happen like that and in that situation but he simply couldn't.

“Is there a problem?” She asked with a pale face, her cheeks no longer rosy with desire.

“It's not possible. You can't love me.”

“Why? What do you mean that it's not possible? I know what I feel and I like you.”

Because if she took it back he could still be with her.

“Like! It's very different from love. I like eating dumplings but I don't love them. I also like the guy that sells fried chicken down the street but I certainly don't love him!”

“So you don't love me?” She released his hands “To you, I'm like the guy down the street that sells fried chicken?”

He shook his head, his ears red “No of course not. You are not like him!”

His eyes fell on her body. She was nothing like the guy from the store for sure. Jinki freaked out and stood up from the bed and almost stepped on the laptop on the floor. “This is just insane!”

She didn't move from the bed but grabbed one of the pillows to cover her chest “Insane that we are dating and fell in love? How is that insane? Isn't that the main reason people get together? Shouldn't you be happy about it? That I care so deeply for you that I love you?”

He groaned and stopped to look at her. Her lips were still swollen from his kisses, her hair a mess and he could see all the marks he just kissed a few minutes before. Nari truly believed in love, she wanted the fairytale and a prince and he was far from being it. Saying that he didn't like her confession was a lie. His heart did beat faster when she said it and for a split second his mind reached almost the unthinkable. Could he ever say those words back to anyone?! However he had a fiance already, someone chosen by his father, someone he promised to marry and family was above everything else. If she loved him he couldn't be with her anymore. He cared too much for her to hurt her like that.

“I need some time off.”

“What?”

“We should stop seeing each other. This is going too fast and you suffocate me.” He didn't even know what he was saying, he was just using all the words he used in the previous breakups before, but it seemed to work because Nari bit her lower lip and her eyes filled with tears. She truly believed that when he was the one who always made every effort to see her?!

“I am?”

“Yes. Y-you...keep calling me and we see each other almost every day besides your friends...I mean Jonghyun he is just a pain. I'm tired of all this!” he blurted out a bunch of nonsense hoping that it would be enough to convince her that he didn't want anything more to do with her “I'm tired of you!”

“B-but we only dated for two months. How can anyone get tired after two months?!”

“Well, I did!”

Nari pressed her lips together and squeezed the pillow against her chest. He almost could see her brain working, her eyes searching his as if she knew something was wrong “I see.”

“This won't work out. I'm sorry.”

She rubbed the wounds in her arms and he frowned wanting to tell her to stop hurting herself but he kept his mouth shut and instead grabbed his sweater and put it on.

“So it's over?” She asked her voice lacking the joy he loved in it.

He sighed avoiding looking her way. “Yes.”

“Funny…” He wondered what was funny and she offered him a forced smile. “Just a few hours ago we were talking about your long list of heartbroken ex-girlfriends. “

She didn't say it but in her point of view, she was another one on that list. However, to him, she was far from being on that list. She didn't fit on any of them and that was what scared him the most all along. Where did she fit in his heart?!

“I'm sorry,” he repeated and then left. He stopped in the middle of the stairs and listened to the silence coming from her bedroom. His hand on the handrail squeezed tight and he turned and went back. She was still on her spot in the bed and even though her eyes were wet she wasn't crying instead she stared at him as if she was more disappointed and upset than sad.

Nari didn't say anything but a small sparkle of hope gathered in her eyes and slowly her expression softened. She knew he was lying and that he was scared and Jinki backed away from the door.

“I thought I forgot something but I didn't.” She should be crying and begging him to stay and yet she was only looking at him as if she was sorry instead. Why?! It would be so much easier if she hated him.

“I see.” She smiled weakly and Jinki turned around almost immediately unable to stay longer. His heart and head were a complete mess, fighting for dominance. He wanted to stay and do the same she did to him and tell her how scared he was of those feelings, tell her why they couldn't be together but at the same time, he knew nothing would change what he had to do.

He stepped outside and inhaled the cold air. A part of him wanted Jonghyun to be there, to punch him, to physically punish him in any way.

Even far away he still could smell her scent that was probably in him now, on his clothes. He rushed to his car, guilty falling over him. How many times did he do that to a woman?! And why this time he was more than ashamed, why did it hurt too?!

Jonghyun was never in a police station before and even though he was there to release Eunsook it was still a learning experience. She has been crying and her mascara run down her cheeks, her silk blue dress was rumpled and her hair a total mess. From what the police officer told Jonghyun, since Eunsook only cried from the moment he entered the station, she was out shopping and by mistake bumped into a drunk older woman and they started arguing and end up on a fight with lots of hair pulling and cursing until the police arrived.

Eunsook kept her head down and walked beside him. Jonghyun would walk her safely back to her brother’s apartment that wasn’t far from there.

“I'm so sorry. I swear this is the first time it happened and I tried calling my brother and he didn't pick up. I couldn't call anyone else...my parents will kill me if they find out.”

She cried again covering her face and Jonghyun chuckled surprising her. She punched his shoulder playfully and smiled too.

“It's not funny! I was out with friends drinking and then they left and I was supposed to call a taxi but then this drunk woman bumped against me and demanded that I apologized. Which I didn't of course because it was her fault and she was being rude so she pushed me and one thing led to another and…” Eunsook’s voice died in her lips since Jonghyun was listening to her with an amused expression “Doesn't matter.” She looked down “Your impression of me must be shattered. “

“Not really. I used to see you as someone almost ethereal.”

“Ethereal?”

“Yes, I told you that I was flabbergasted when I saw you for the first time. I actually…” He looked away embarrassed “Saw you as a muse that came from my deepest writing fantasies to inspire me to go further and do better.”

She chuckled “And I’m not one anymore?”

“Well…” He bit the inside of his cheeks thinking. “Now you are more human...but don't, I prefer it this way.”

Eunsook that seemed a bit disappointed cheered up. “I think I do too.”

They walked in silence for a while until she broke the silence. “I’m sorry. I know that we haven't kept in touch recently.” He tried to say it was alright even though the lack of calls on her part made him think that she completely lost any of the seldom interest she had on him. “I was really busy and had to go on several blind dates.”

A faint oh parted from his lips. Of course, she would forget about a simple poor guy like him.

“My father wants me to get married around the same time as my brother. Since my brother already has a promised fiance for him it's my time.” Eunsook didn't seem happy about it and Jonghyun listened to her attentively.

“I wish I didn't have to get married at all. Why should I? I mean I earn my own money. Why need a man at all?!”

Jonghyun raised his eyebrows “Men are only needed for the money they earn?”

“Well, you know I don't mean it like that…” She looked rather funny discussing a serious matter like that with her mascara all over her cheeks. “If it's not for love why do it then?! It's not like I’m dying to have kids.”

“You don't want to have them?”

“I do if it's as a result of love, if not no thanks.”

“Well, maybe you will fall for one of the men you met at one of the blind dates.”

She looked up inhaling the cold air “They are all a bunch of stuck up idiots.” Jonghyun laughed and she kept complaining “You can't have a decent conversation with them. They only talk about money, their victories, how successful they are. Boring! Boring!”

She was rather cute and he couldn't take his eyes from her. Jonghyun wished her brother's place was further away but they were close now.

“I’m a mess.” She said once again complaining. It seemed like that was the thing she loved to do the most and it didn't annoy him, instead, he found her rather cute, pouting and frowning. Eunsook ran her fingers on her hair and cried “I went to the hair salon this morning. She completely ruined my hair.”

“It’s still there.” He remarked receiving an angry stare “I mean, you aren’t a mess.”

“I am.” She cried “I always ruin the dates, I’m the one who has the job no one takes seriously and the awful spoiled daughter. You should see how my parents up to my brother. The exemplary one. If they only knew how much he sacrifices for them, to be the favorite one?!” She scoffed “He barely has a heart.”

“Are you close to him?”

“We are twins.” She explained “We had to share everything since we were kids. My brother is….he is a good guy. I’m not saying that because he is my blood. However, he made his sole purpose in life to do everything for our family. He sacrifices himself to be the best son ever. When I say he doesn't have a heart I mean that he doesn't allow anyone to get closer to him.” she raised her hands to emphasize her words “I swear that he doesn't have hobbies, he doesn't do anything he truly enjoys besides working, attending social events related to work and socializing with people because of his image.”

“Sounds….lonely.”

“Yes…” she agreed sadly “He is a very lonely person. I wish he found someone that made him live more.”

“You said he was engaged…”

“He barely speaks to her. We know her since we were kids. She is the daughter of a friend of my father. But they never went on a date and only socialize when needed. They aren't truly engaged yet, but our parents talk about it since forever. I really don't like her. She is so boring.”

Jonghyun chuckled.

“My brother collects girlfriends.” She explained “Since he can't truly have anything serious with them, cos god forbid our father would be disappointed if he went and married another girl, he is the biggest playboy ever. I hate it!”

“I see.”

“If only he just…” she twirled and stood in front of Jonghyun making him stop surprised “found someone that made his heart beat faster, that gave him that weird sensation on his stomach, someone he wouldn't get tired of looking at or talking with, someone you can't stop thinking about….”

He held his breath admiring the way her eyes shined brightly “Love! Just like the one you speak off in your stories.”

If he was a brave man Jonghyun would have kissed her, right there and then even risking a slap on his face. However, he was only a normal simple man and he observed her enamored instead.

“Have you ever been in love?” She asked.

“I was.”

“Was? What happened?”

“She…” He looked away. It was hard to talk about it since it was something he never told anyone. “She was one of my best friends and I didn't want to ruin it. She never loved me back not like that.”

“How do you know? Did you confess?”

“No. I didn't have to, she knew and I knew what her feelings about it were.”

“I see.” She her lips over the smeared pink lipstick “I’m sorry.”

“No.” he smiled “It's better this way. We would have never worked out and I still have our friendship. Besides, I think she is falling in love with someone else and...I'm truly happy for her.”

“I hope you fall for someone too. I truly do. Everyone should love and be loved.”

He was already. That beautiful and interesting woman in front of him was the one at fault.

“I hope you do too…. I mean…. I don't know if you loved someone or not…”

“I've never been in love.” Eunsook said immediately, intensely gazing at him making him swallow hard. “I truly want to feel it. I long for it.”

That woman was weird. She was either saying that men were only needed to support you monetarily and talking about them as boring and then later she wanted to fall in love and met the man of her dreams.

They stood in an awkward silence staring at each other until she cleared “We should go on a date.”

“Date?” His heart jumped on his chest and she smiled rubbing her cheek cutely. Her hand got smeared with her mascara but Jonghyun didn't say anything and only smiled.

“Yes. I got the green light for the project I told you about. I want you to come with me to the hospital so you can start working. If you are still interested, that is.”

Of course, it wasn't a real date, what was he thinking?!

“Of course I am.”

“I’ll call you. This time I swear I will.” she stepped back and against the door of a building and he realized they arrived at her brother's place.

She inserted the code to open the door and waved goodbye to him.

He barely had time to say anything and watched her until she disappeared inside. Jonghyun took a deep breath and touched his chest over his heart.

If only she knew how she made him feel, how he was closer and closer to falling for her. They barely met and yet every time they did he would know a little more about her. She seemed disappointed when he said she was beautiful and made him nervous, but she was much more than that.

Once Jonghyun left, Eunsook showed up at the door of the building and peeked outside. She watched the blonde man walk away and smiled leaning her head against the glass of the door.

Her brother wasn't home yet, probably was either with one of his friends or with another one of his future ex-girlfriends. She pretended to go up so that he would walk away and she could be the one watching him go. She never truly saw his back before, besides when he gave her a piggyback ride, and always walked by his side or in front of him. Did it make sense that she wanted to see him like that?! Maybe she was weird but she pictured herself running after him and giving him a surprise attack back hug. She giggled and sighed. Jonghyun was fun. He wasn't boring like the guys she usually met and when she was with him she could totally be herself without any fear of being judged. Was that the reason why the others were boring? Because she now knew someone that wasn't like them?! Or were they boring now because she preferred to be with Jonghyun? She had no idea but she loved the person she was with him more than the perfect one she had to be in her daily life.

“What are you doing here?” Her brother’s voice interrupted her thoughts and Eunsook turned to look at him.

Jinki widened his eyes and almost jumped back when he saw her face. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Did you even check your phone?”

He frowned, the familiar cold ice falling over his eyes. He was always like that when he didn't want others to see what he was feeling. “I was busy.”

“Mating with another girl?”

“Don't talk like that!” He scolded her pushing her inside the building and even though she used to do that all the time to and make him reprimand her this time he sounded different, almost in pain.

“What happened to you?” She grabbed him by his arm to make him look at her but Jinki pulled it away and kept walking in the direction of the elevator ignoring Eunsook.

She jumped in front of the elevator door blocking his entrance and cupped his face. Jinki ‘s eyes moved all around the place avoiding looking at her and Eunsook released a surprised interjection.

Jinki froze and his gaze finally found hers.

“Jinki I know you! You are my younger brother!”

“We are twins!”

“No, I was born first.”

“Two minutes...”

“Whatever!”

“What happened to you?” he asked back but she shook her head.

“Oh no. I can explain that to you later. Now explain to me why your eyes are red! Did you cry?”

“No, I didn't!” He pulled her away from the door and entered the elevator. She quickly entered with him even though he punched the button several times to close the door before she did.

“I don't see you crying since…” She swallowed hard when he looked at her with his familiar stoned face. That was a subject she wasn't supposed to touch and she let it go.

“I didn't cry.” he said after a while. It was true, he didn't.

“But something is bothering you. Did you perhaps…” No, that couldn't be possible. She just told Jonghyun about it, about her brother falling in love. No one knew that she always wished for that, for her brother to be happy and find love. It was silly that she never wished things for herself, but the truth was that she believed she was able to get things by her own force without any wish, but when it came to her brother, to his broken heart he needed some luck.

“Are you in love?”

Jinki widened his eyes and looked at his sister. “Is my oppa in love?” She eagerly asked doing that annoying thing with her hands, touching his shoulder as if she was a cat. She knew how much he hated her aegyo. It was as if looking at himself in a mirror doing it since she was similar to him.

No. He wasn't in love. He wasn't. He definitely wasn't.

Nari...the way she looked at him when he got back to her bedroom, how she smiled as if she could read something in his actions that he couldn't.

“NO!” Jinki said storming out of the elevator as soon as it stopped. His sister followed after him and he held her before they entered his apartment.

“You aren't entering if you keep talking to me about that!”

“Oh, common are you a little kid or what?! It's just love, an emotion!”

“It's….” he sighed and then calmly spoke in almost a whisper “I don't feel that well tonight so please.”

He almost begged and Eunsook nodded slowly. Her brother was in pain and even though she had no certainties she wanted to believe it was related to love.

“I won't say a word.”

“Good. You can sleep in my bed. I'll stay on the couch.”

“Really?” Usually, when she spent the night at his place she would end up on the couch because she would annoy him so much he would punish her like that.

Jinki closed the door behind her and threw his coat over the couch. He wasn't going to sleep that night at all so it was better that one of them rested properly. He pulled at the buttons of his shirt and noticed how he buttoned them wrongly. In his rush to leave Nari’s bedroom, he didn't do it right. Eunsook noticed it and their gaze met but she looked away.

He let his arms fall beside him and suddenly it was as if all came to him. He wouldn't see Nari anymore. He couldn't visit her during lunch hours. They wouldn't watch her silly dramas together nor would he about the stupid Japanese movies. They wouldn't make out at the movies anymore. He wouldn't take her for walks in the Han river any longer, nor would they discuss the names of the trees they passed by. He wouldn't kiss her nor taste her lips anymore. He wouldn't touch her and inhale her scent, and she wouldn't move her hands over his chest. They wouldn't have . She would never smile at him again.

Eunsook seemed to notice his pale expression and she seemed worried. Since she promised him to not speak about it she hesitantly parted her lips.

“A-are you alright?”

“No.” He felt awful. Truly awful like he didn't in a long time. When he thought about Nari he couldn't stop thinking about all the things he wanted to do with her and couldn't anymore. He was truly a selfish . “I feel like…” he couldn't explain it well, maybe because of many years of not speaking about his feelings “As if I ripped my heart out of my chest.” It was his fault. He was the one who should never have started that relationship with her.

“Good to know it was still there to be ripped. Can you put it back?” Eunsook joked but Jinki didn't smile back. That was serious and she stepped in his direction and hugged him. He hugged her back and she patted his back.

“I don't know what happened but I’m sure we will find a way.”

He closed his eyes and let his sister comfort him. What was happening to him?! He was always so good at protecting his feelings, at keeping himself away from things like that. Why was it happening again, that enormous feeling of loss?! And why over someone like Nari, over some girl that didn't share the same blood as he did.

“It’s going to be alright. “ Eunsook said gently. It hurt now but it was a good sign, Jinki was back to the living. Her wish was coming true. “Welcome back.” She said hugging him tightly.

Whoever that girl was, Eunsook would be forever thankful to her.

Taemin turned the flyer with the list of activities and lectures they could attend during their time in Anmyeon Island. The others didn't seem that interested in it and were more focused on the queue to sign in at the front desk of the hotel. But for him, that was his first time and he was excited.

Hana that was the one who reserved their rooms stepped in and spoke to the hotel clerk while the others stayed behind. Sora was beside Taemin a few steps away from the rest of the group.

“Is it true that you got single rooms for everyone?”

“Well, yeah.” He didn't even look her way still busy reading the schedule.

Sora smiled. He had no idea how that made everyone happy “We always had to share a room before.”

He looked at her “Really? Should I have asked Hana to reserve rooms with twin beds? Maybe we could share one!” He smiled teasingly at Sora and she ignored him. “I’m a nice guy. Besides, I hate snoring.”

“I don't snore.” She remarked with clenched teeth and he grinned.

“Yes, but we weren't going to share a room here. It would be weird if I shared it with you and not with one of the boys!”

“Right…” She mumbled feeling like an idiot. Of course, they wouldn't share a room there. He was her boss and they were not in a relationship. Lately, she had weird ideas about him.

Hana approached the group and they all joined in to get the room keys. Not all rooms were in the same hallway and two were separated from the others. Taemin grabbed one of the card keys for one of those rooms and even before Hana grabbed the other one, Sora did. Her eagerness to stay in the room next to his surprised her as much as it seemed to surprise Hana that stared at her. The others didn't seem to notice, not even Taemin that looked at the girls expressionless as if he didn't care who would be his neighbor for their time there. Sora grimaced grabbing her bag and she almost let it fall because Hana passed by her and pushed her back. She mumbled an apology but Sora knew it was on purpose. The woman wanted to hit it off with Taemin, Sora was sure of that and it bothered her that she was being “overprotective” of Taemin, trying to prevent her coworker from seducing him.

They went up on the elevator and then parted ways and Sora followed after Taemin to their side of the hallway. She was tired and was eager to have a shower and sleep. Maybe then she would feel less upset with her actions. If he wanted to sleep with Hana he could. It wasn't as if they were an item, yet the idea of him kissing and doing to Hana the things he did to her, horrified Sora.

“She seems to want me to have with her.” Taemin broke the silence not noticing the revolted expression Sora had.

“Who?”

“Hana. I know you noticed it.” Sora didn't know HE noticed. “Recently she has been trying to seduce me. She keeps flirting with me and yesterday she was a few seconds away from rubbing her s on my face.” He chuckled “I do like s but we were in the middle of a meeting and I wasn’t interested.”

Sora didn't react and stared at the floor in front of her. She was feeling weird, angry towards Hana and even towards Taemin for joking about something like that. Was he staring at her s then?!

“Don't worry.”

“I wasn't.” She said quickly but he didn't seem to hear her.

“I’m not interested in sleeping with her or doing anything with her. She wants an easy way to climb inside the company and I’ve heard the rumors about me being a playboy. I bet that's why she decided to try and seduce me. That's why she wanted to stay in the room next to me.”

So he noticed their fight for the card key. She wondered what he felt about it.

They found their room but stood in the hallway looking at each other.

“You are a playboy. It’s not really a rumor.” An ugly part inside her wanted to hurt him, to keep pushing him away into that image of him she hated.

“Not anymore.” He said calmly.

“What?”

“Define playboy.”

She her lips “A guy that sleeps around with many women?”

“For months the only woman I’m sleeping with is you.” She blushed realizing he was right. Taemin walked closer to her and she didn't back away, prisoner of his intense gaze. The thought did cross her mind before but not like that. Besides she was never truly sure if he wasn’t meeting other women while he was with her. She wanted to believe it was true because they had at least once a week and would spend a long amount of time at his brother's place together. They would have dinner, talk, sometimes watch a movie and then have . At times more than once. Some weeks it would be almost every day. That was what couples usually did. It was true they never slept an entire night there together and he would take her home after it. Maybe it was their way to not turn that into something….weirder. It was only a friendship with benefits, right?!

But now when she truly thought about it, they were almost what people called a couple.

He caressed her cheek startling Sora that was too lost in thought. “Goodnight.” His words were sweet and his eyes filled with warmth, just like they were after they had and they cuddled together. Taemin turned and opened the door of his room. She did the same, almost mechanically without any word. She pulled her bag inside and entered her room. Sora saw him watch her from the other side while she closed the door as if he wanted to make sure she was safe inside.

She leaned her head against the closed door. She was utterly confused. Still mad that he found it funny other women throwing herself at him, mad that he was still that guy, but also disorientated with what she realized that night. They were exclusively having with each other….and the way he touched her cheek and looked at her...It was like a boyfriend. Although a boyfriend would have given her a goodnight kiss or take her to his bedroom and have with her until she felt numb. Sora groaned. Her body was aching of need. She was aroused and wanted him and only after a small walk down a hallway. Maybe she was getting used to it, to being with him almost every night, to his touch and caresses.

She was an idiot!

Sora pulled away from the door. She needed a cold shower.