Heart beats faster, pounding, rapidly. She holds her breath for a long time. She touch her neck and nape, feeling it one more time. It didn't make sense because at his first touch, Taeyeon felt a highly nerves where all of her body was stunned can't be moved, like he did bewitch her body to stay quiet. She closes her eyes again and exhale her long time choked breath, slowly then resting her still tense body for a while before the sun is rises.

The smells of warm porridge welcoming her morning. She wakes from her bed only to see Yuri sits on the sofa with a business magazine she reads "Mrs. Cha made you this. Jiyong oppa ordered her. Eat, i'll take you three walks around here" she don't take her eyes off of magazine and smirks slightly.

She coughs, try to find her voice after her deep slept then drinks glass of water in one sip "right now?" She uncovers her blanket and starting to take a spoon and stir the porridge, Yuri just nods not living any words in that magazine.

"He told me. Everything. About what happened between you and Dr. Park" Yuri walk closer to the bed where Taeyeon eats her porridge now. "I am so sorry Taeyeon-ah. I was useless for you. I---

"No Yul never think about it on your mind, please. It wasn't your fault anyway" she assures her "but i'm not ready to tell with you about us" she drops her spoon, waiting for Yuri's respond "no need. Joohyun told me. Me and Seulgi" her gaze staring deep into Taeyeon's eyes as same as Jiyong's gaze, deep and intimidating.

Taeyeon looks up "what?"

"Wasn't the weather here cold? I already make sure no mosquitos here." Yuri demands an answer.

"Yeah, no problem Yul no mosquitos here. Clean." Taeyeon smiles at her.

Yuri cross her hands on the chest then laughing her off. She fanning herself with her hand after awhile, awkwardly pointing at Taeyeon's milky neck "very well then, you better clean up your neck before others see it. See me in the 1st floor ok?" Then she puff from her vision.

Neck?

Taeyeon's fingers travels on her neck and she remembered it. Dumb! Stupid! she walks on her closet and seeing her reflection on the mirror. Messy hair, thick eyebags and most importantly a visible red marks, many red marks not only on her neck but back on the nape too. Lucky it was Yuri who seen it.

She eats the porridge again, still ashamed of what did just Yuri say. It still linger on her brain, how Yuri decently mocked her but Taeyeon being Taeyeon who didn't have any idea, how Yuri's laugh her off when notice not only one mark but many. Suddenly the porridge becomes tasteless in , she opens the mini fridge take out the bottle of mineral water and drink it like a baby drinks milk quickly.

A vanilla scent hooked into her nose when she enters her bathroom, unbotton her pajama down to her pant and she is standing down the shower, feel the heat water on her skin. The shadow of how Jiyong act last night interrupts her shower, she shook her head thrice to get rid of it. 

In one hour, she's done showering. Time to choose a proper clothes, seeing how the weather right now on her side. She don't need to embarrass herself if she wears something warm and thick right? She choose a pair of black jeans, maroon shirt, socks and hoodie as match as her pants. There you go, she's ready.

She passing through Jiyong's studio and room, stop on her track and daydreaming like a fool without she realizes the owner of the studio clicks his door open showing him in match couple colors with her, black jeans and maroon shirt. The only difference is his maroon hoodie and sock, don't forget his unshaved mustache. "Taeyeon?" He pushes her little bit to wake her up "mind on earth, Taeyeon?" Now his tone is higher, "Kim Taeyeon!" she snaps from her fantasy "nothing" then hurriedly goes to the stairs but Jiyong quick enough to chase her and take Taeyeon by the wrist to the elevator. 

Silence in the elevator. A reminded the first time Jiyong cornered her in the Aewori elevator makes her situation more awkward with him, she hold her breath, 'what happen with you Kim Taeyeon'. Jiyong on the other hand relax as usual he is, put her left hand in his pocket while his right hand plays with the car key. He clears his throat "have a nice sleep?"

No respond.

"No. Not really" Taeyeon mumbles under her breath but enough for Jiyong to hear.

ting

The elevator arrives in the basement. Jiyong gets out himself first before turns his head to Taeyeon who is right now lean her body on the elevator wall and sleep safe and sound. Her breath is normal and even, her pout lips inviting Jiyong to peck it, but no, he shouldn't too aggressive with her just slow but sure he needs to change first to make Taeyeon believe.

Jiyong back into the elevator. Not try to wake her up instead he watches her sleep peacefully. He cross his arm on his chest, lean his back and watch her sleep. Her silky hair, long eye lashes, nose, that pinky lips, and her porcelin skin everything about her perfectly printed in his head like a permanent marker written on the white board, can't be erased.

She yawns, raising both hands as a stretching after her short nap then cutely blinks her eyes search around and all she finds is Jiyong beside her holding her gummy smile "we gotta go. Let's go"

Taeyeon knocks her head on the wall, murmuring how stupid she is waking up like a giant in front of a man damn. "Where's the others?" Taeyeon follows where Jiyong goes as talk to him, "Irene and Seulgi have gone with Yuri. You come with me" Jiyong press the key to opening his black lamborghini for her. Taeyeon gasped "wait, so i go with you?" Jiyong turns on the machine "then should i call Daesung back to fetch you up?" Taeyeon doesn't answer him because minute later she sits in the seat beside him. She looks around the car, no passenger seats behind only driver and the co-driver seat means she really go only with him.

Jiyong drives carefully out from the resort following instruction from Yuri in his phone. All travelling stuffs handled by Yuri since she invited three of them. Yuri instructed him to bring Taeyeon to Yeomiji Botanical Garde, the largest botanical garden in Asia located in Jungmun Tourist Complex. Occasionally, Jiyong switch his eyes from road to Taeyeon who cutely hold her yawn everytime he turns his gaze to her or when the red traffic comes.

"Sleep. It's alright. I know you need it" Jiyong stops in the mini market to buy them beverages and adjust Taeyeon's seats so she can sleep more comfortable. "I will buy some snacks first. You wait here. I won't be long" he pats her head lovingly send a shiver into her skin.

10 minutes of waiting, Taeyeon feels something drops down there on her . She takes out her phone and check the calendar and ruffled her hair. Of course. Her menstrual cycle. Again she ruffled her hair more messy now because she didn't prepare it before but much chaos again because Jiyong is the one inside the mini market. Impossible for her asking Jiyong to buy it. She  unbuckles the seatbelt and heading to the mini market "excuse me, is there toilet here?" She speaks to the cashier, "yes, straight from the ladies stuffs rack then turn left"

Taeyeon in hurry takes the sanitary pad from the shelf and straight to the toilet without looking at confused Jiyong. 

Thank God! 

Taeyeon let herself out from the toilet to cashier to pay it but she drops her jaw because she remembered her bag is inside Jiyong's car where her wallet put. 

"Hhmm can i have a minute please? I left my wallet in my car" Taeyeon bites her lips feeling embarrassing to the cashier.

"No need. I will pay it too. Count it" Jiyong shook his head and showing his naughty smirks wider while he press the pin for his unlimited black card. And Taeyeon? Intertwined her fingers, blushing cheeks and hair falls down covering her face 'double of shames!'.

Yeomiji Botanical Garden

Jeju-do, South Korea

"Why took it so long?" Yuri hugs Taeyeon, thought of her lost in the road with Jiyong or something bad happened almost ruined her mood.

Taeyeon hugs her back whispering sorry and nothing need to worry about then goes to hug her sisters, Joohyun and Seulgi who also judging from their faces is worried as hell meanwhile Jiyong pats Yuri's head and agree what Taeyeon have been said before.

Taeyeon's shock, so are Joohyun and Seulgi. The view is insane. There are lots of greenhouses, kind subtropical and tropical plants, and flowers. If she had an option where to live, then near this garden is the answer.

"Stick close guys, this botanical garden is extremely wide." Yuri warns them.

For the first 40 minutes it's all fine, "Seulgi-ah look cactus here" Joohyun turns her head to see nobody behind her. Her eyes wandering around the cactus area but no sign of Seulgi near here. She puts back the cactus and start to sniffs gathering attention from Jiyong and Taeyeon who see around too "what happen Irene-ah?" Jiyong feels something missing and panicking him.

"Seulgi...." tears railing down her face

"Missing. She's missing" Joohyun try to find her voice back again makes Taeyeon plops her eyes out and Jiyong's jaw is clenched.

Yuri who walk first with Daesung stops when she notices they don't follow them only to find a crying Joohyun surrounded by Taeyeon and her cousin. Daesung sense the dangerous "seems Seulgi is missing, Yul" they approach them.

"I gotta go to the information" Taeyeon let go Joohyun from her arms and run, run as fast as she can while remembering what clothes do Seulgi wear today.

South, west, east to the north Taeyeon finds nothing. Why would the information placed not around here damn "why just you don't call her?" Jiyong's idea relief her. She dials Seulgi's number when an answer calls back "Seulgi thank god. Where are you?"

"I'm sorry Taeyeon ssi, this is Mr. Jung. Seems Seulgi left her phone on the dinning table that time she had breakfast" she almost lost her balance, sky like falls down to her, sweat traces down to her face. Seulgi left her phone in the resort. Taeyeon might fall to the ground if Jiyong don't hold her waist protectively "what is it?" Taeyeon gaze drops on him, shaking her head weakly "she left the phone in resort. It was Mr. Jung who picked up my phone"

 this is getting more serious. Jiyong brings Taeyeon to nearer bench and handle her a water from the mini market. He sees the light of hope when an information board drench on his eyes "you stay here. I'll be back. You can keep your eyes on me from that box, ok?" Jiyong runs as fast as he can although his stamina as not good as Daesung or Seungri but he needs to move fast otherwise Seulgi will be lost further.

Taeyeon can't move an inch of her body. Her crams in her left stomach comes, it is her routin everytime her menstrual is coming. She groans in pain but still grateful towards Jiyong of his seriousness to find Seulgi too. Her pain mixed with a relief when the informant using his speaker announce a missing person details with her clothes and where should she find them.

Not long after, Jiyong sits beside her and drinking the same bottle from Taeyeon. Taeyeon places her head to his shoulder, close her eyes for awhile and Jiyong let her be. She must be still in shocked knowing how Seulgi missing. After they hear the announcer informs for the fourth time about the missing Seulgi, a ringing comes from Jiyong's phone "hello Dae-ah?"

"Really? Can i speak to her?" Jiyong waits.

"Yah! You know how panick we were." 

"Ok sorry, we thought we lose you. Remember to stick close each other." Jiyong put his phone back to the pocket.

"Seulgi's back?" Taeyeon asks still put her head on his shoulder and Taeyeon can feel Jiyong is nodding "she said she was in awe with the cactus seller, she bought it but didn't notice left behind" Jiyong explains the same as Seulgi said. Taeyeon lifts up her head "she's with them right?" Again Jiyong nods and pat her head "no worry anymore. Lucky i did remember what Seulgi wear today. Now all i need to worry is you" his piercing gaze straight to her brown eyes "me? Why? What happen with me?" Selfless, that's what Jiyong learns from her character also that's the reason why he needs to show her his gentle side to prove her that he's not always playing around with women but he can have soft spot to protect them. "You have crams. I saw you grip your stomach tight. Let's go home" he pulls her wrist to rosen her up from the bench only to receive a negative respond from her.

"I am fine, Kwon Jiyong. Why did you act like Mr-Know-Everything? Stop like you have ever in my position before!" 

"Great. Now your anger hormone is working" his sarcastic makes Taeyeon boils "i don't want to go home! That's my final words" they are like a super over protective boyfriend and the stubborn girlfriend bickering right now "no rejection. That's also my final words, Kim Taeyeon! Let's go" yet Taeyeon slaps his hand off of her wrist "i said no! I still want to be here"

"You are sick and i order you to come home with me!" Jiyong's higher voice jolted Taeyeon a bit from her seat.

"Look i am sorry. I didn't mean to scream at you. I just... i am worry about you. I don't want to see something bad happen with you"

He keeps on his feet, waiting her to calming herself "ok. Let's go home" Jiyong helps her to stand properly then off to his car and sending a message to Daesung they go home first.

He opens the car door for her and help to buckle her seatbelt. Their breath is attacking each other faces, Taeyeon already blushing while Jiyong try to netralize his heart. Taeyeon closes her eyes when pair of lips peck her forehead "sleep. I will wake you up when we arrive" then Jiyong's going back to the driver seat, driving them back to the resort while his right hand Taeyeon's softly.

He parks his car in the basement, turns his body to the small lady beside who is in her inner peace sleeping. He don't have any heart to wake her up. well, there is no other way. He unbuckles their seatbelt slow without drop sound, once it succeed, he get himself out first then heading to her seat and carrying her on the bridal style. 

"Mrs. Cha please make a warm tea and prepare a warm water in the bottle" Jiyong still carry on her talk to Mrs. Cha in the main door then he straight to her room.

He placed her carefully, covering her body with blanket. Her sweat traces on her forehead. Jiyong heavy sigh sits on the edge of the bed only to receives tons of misscall, messages and chat from either Yuri or Joohyun asking the same question 'what happen with Taeyeon?' a small bell ringing from the outside, showing Mrs. Cha brings tea and bottle from the intercom. 

"Please put it here" Jiyong intructs to the drawer

"What happen with her, Ji?"

"Cramps in the stomach. First day of her PMS"

"You better massage her stomach with this warm water first. Press it gently. I still have to make you guys lunch" the lady butler excuses herself.

"Wait. Me?" But it's too late for him to got the answer.

He open the curtain and window a little bit to find the fresh air. The thought of masagging her stomach never exists before. It doesn't matter if it's Yuri, BoA or Dami but her, the woman who succeed change his behaves. He reaches out the railing and ruffle his combed black hair, what is he gonna do then? He needs to find a quick solution otherwise maybe the crams is worst.

2 minutes thinking finally he made decision. He gets back in again, take the bottle of warm water and massage it carefully onto her stomach. A groan and small moan escaped from Taeyeon's mouth, she is now fully awake and how surprised she is when she feels a warm sensation on her stomach caused by the warm massage.

"Sorry, i have no other choice"

"No. I mean... go on what you've done Jiyong" Taeyeon hold his wrist gives him a signal to continue from her pleaded face.

Silence fills the room. But different with Jiyong's mind. Something bothering him for so long. He wants to ask Taeyeon but how if the answer is only cause more pain, on the other side he still wants to know her answer.

Seems Taeyeon is much relax right now, no scream in pain, no crench her stomach anymore, her mood seems back to the natural one.

"Willyougoondatewithmetaeyeon?" He speaks in one go.

Taeyeon blinks her eyes cutely "what?"

this is it Jiyong, no turning back.

"will you go on date with me, Taeyeon?"

"Oh" she snaps in shock.

1 minute no answer

2 minutes neither

The next minutes also none.

Taeyeon again in her own mind where Jiyong thought as a rejection. He rises from the bed, put down the bottle's back and excuse himself.

"Is it okay in Namsan Tower? I've never been there" 

Wait? What? Jiyong didn't wrong to hear right?

He turns his body to her direction. There still in the bed, she smiles at him with her cute chin dimple, she repeat again "how about date in Namsan Tower because i've never been there before"

Jiyong stupidly nods "yeah. No problem. Sure. Namsan tower. Ok." His eyes glued not to her face but somewhere else, like a blank paper. "Just tell me when is it. Ok? I just leave then" his tense body awkwardly steps to the main door.

"Next week. I'd like to next week" she smiles again without knowing her smile can make someone's heart pounding crazily.

"Yeah. Next week is ok. Whenever it is ok. Ok next week. Ok then next week." Jiyong repeating again her words "ok next week. Yes next week. Fine next week of course"

"Ji are you alright?" He just nods but still showing her his dumb expression and repeating again the words next week. He walks to the door still with his poker face, without look at it direction.

"Jiyong!"

TBC~

One more chap to end this story