The quiet rumble of the car's engine and increasing warmth of the leather seats registered at the back of Amina's mind as she contemplated her earlier meeting with Mrs. Lee.  She replayed the event, going over every detail, hoping that she hadn't acted in a manner that was suspicious or disgraceful.  She knew she'd be hearing an earful either way, whether she could control it or not.  That lady loved to gossip. Vaguely, she heard her name being called.

She blinked and snapped back to reality.  "Neh?" she replied, glancing absent-mindedly towards Youngbae. They were still sitting in his car, inside the mall parking garage.  The sound of passing vehicles and slamming doors could be heard in the background.

Youngbae could tell that her mind was somewhere else.  He mistakenly thought that maybe being seen with him had been too much for her. "If you're not up to it, we can go eat another time," he quietly said.

Amina could see resignation in his eyes.  She shook her head slightly to clear the cobwebs.  "Mianhae. I was thinking of something... I had to do tomorrow," she lied.  She smiled slightly, "I'm up for it."

He saw the sparkle return to her eyes and could see she was game.  "Are you sure?" he asked.  "I doubt we'll be able to get a table that will allow us to sit ten meters apart." He grinned.

She returned his smile. "I'm good, I promise."

He continued to smile at her, but it didn't reach his eyes.  She tried again. "Besides, I'm hungry!" she said and watched him laugh at her confession. "I probably wouldn't care if I sat in your lap as long as you fed me."

"Alright," he chuckled and blushed slightly at her bold words.  "I'll feed you.  Where do you want to go?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I was originally thinking of taking you to hyung's restaurant, Yeolbong." He glanced at her and continued. "But, they're pretty busy as well." He paused, trying to think of another place they could go to.

"Let's just go eat gogigui" suggested Amina, remembering his love of Korean barbecue.

"You sure?" he asked her skeptically.

"Neh."

"Ok." he replied.  "I know a place."

They drove through the streets of Seoul, taking several back roads and smaller streets.  Sounds of R&B music flowed quietly through the car speakers. Amina stole glances at Youngbae's profile and watched as he concentrated on driving. She looked back out the passenger window and didn't recognize any of the buildings.  It was definitely a part of town that she hadn't frequented before.

 "So, the lady at the mall.  You said that was your mother's friend?" he asked, trying to engage her in conversation.

"Neh," Amina replied.  "She's more like an aunt to me.  I've known her my whole life."

"And... she has a butler?" Youngbae asked incredulously.

Amina half-laughed. "Neh." She glanced at him and found his gaze on her. She didn't know how to explain it.  She knew it was odd to have a butler accompanying someone on their shopping trip.  "My aunt is usually left home alone a lot.  Her husband goes on frequent business trips and they only have one son."

Youngbae nodded at her encouragingly to continue.

"So, because her husband wasn't at home often, they had people stay with them.  Their house is always fully staffed."

"What do you mean?"

Amina bit her top lip. "Like, there is always someone at home.  It may be the housekeeper, the cook, or the butler.  Someone is always there in the house with my aunt."

"How about her son?" He signaled the car to turn left.

"He lives in the States currently.  He's studying for his business degree so he follow can his father's footsteps one day."

Youngbae pulled into a dark lit alley, next to an unidentifiable brick building. It was the infamous pork skin barbecue place he and his band members often went to in their trainee days.  He knew the owners quite well and knew they would offer them privacy this evening.

"If you don't mind me asking, what does his father do?"

"He's on the Board of Directors for a bank," Amina hoped she sounded nonchalant. She didn't want to go into many details tonight.

"Any bank I know of? They might be holding my money," he joked.

Amina smiled half-heartedly.  "You're probably right." She hesitated but knew if she didn't say more that he would just keep asking.  "His father is on the Board of Directors for Shinhan Financial Group."

"Oh," Youngbae replied. Shinhan Financial Group was the largest banking services firm in South Korea. "I was right... they do hold some of my investments." He smiled depreciatively. "Maybe I can get some advice from the big guy one day, huh?"

Amina smiled.  "Maybe." She glanced at the dark street looming ahead of them and the building they parked next to.  "Where are we?"

Youngbae followed her gaze. "It's one of my favorite places to eat gogigui." He jerked his head slightly to signal her to follow. He exited out of the vehicle and Amina followed suit.  She noticed he left his sunshades inside the car and didn't bother to pull up his hoodie.  As they walked towards the entrance, he changed the position of his baseball cap to face backwards, exposing his face even more.

Youngbae noticed her apprehensive gaze in his direction and could only grin.  He opened the front door for her and motioned for her to enter.  The loud ding of their entrance was multiplied tenfold because the restaurant was empty. The diner was small but clean, the worn out table booths and chairs showing their signs of age.  But the place appeared cozy and well loved, the dim lights lending an intimate atmosphere.

Amina turned around and faced Youngbae.  "Are you sure they're open?"

He smiled.  In a loud voice he called, "Annyeonghasaeyo!"

A small lady from the kitchen area came out with an apron on.  She had short curly hair and thick glasses on.  "Ah! Youngbae!  Come in! Come in! We didn't see you last week.  Where is everyone else?" She shuffled them towards the back of the restaurant, behind a bamboo makeshift divider that shielded them from the main dining area. She the grill and faced the couple.

"Oh, it's just us tonight," Youngbae replied.

"Annyeonghasaeyo," Amina bowed deeply and smiled.

The older woman repeated the gesture and smiled widely.  It was the first time Youngbae had brought a female to their diner.  She looked at Youngbae with a knowing glint in her eye.

"Mianhaeyo.  Could you tell me where your restroom is located?" Amina asked quietly.

"Neh, neh... right around the corner," the older woman replied, pointing back towards the kitchen entrance.

"Kamsahamnida." Amina bowed and left her wool cape in the booth, taking her small wristlet with her to freshen up.

As soon as Amina turned the corner, the older woman Youngbae.  Her eyes were wide open, a silly expression on her face.  "Who's that?"

Youngbae laughed.  Blushing slightly, he replied, "She's a friend. Her name is Amina."

"Just a friend?" pried the elder woman teasingly. She elbowed him mockingly in the ribs.

Youngbae chuckled.  "Yeh... a friend." 

"Well your 'friend' is very pretty," she commented and watched him flush a little. "Does your mother know about your 'friend'? She wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

He grinned and folded his arms over his chest.  "I don't tell my mom everything."

She smacked him on the arm playfully.  "You should!  This bad boy image of yours must be driving her crazy."

He teasingly enveloped her in a bear hug. "But all the ladies love it, including you right?"

She blushed and grinned. "Stop that now!" she smacked him again. He knew she had a soft spot for him and used it to his best advantage.  "You can't go hugging women just because you know you can.  This is why you're still single!" she wagged her index finger at him. "A lady wants to feel special. So you need to save your hugs for her only... and stop showing off your body to the world!"

Youngbae choked on his saliva.  "Imo... how do you know I show off my body to the world?"

"YouTube," she replied smartly over her shoulder, as she walked towards the kitchen.

He laughed at her retreating back.

Amina walked back towards the dining area. From the corner of her eye she saw the older woman return to the kitchen. The lady had a giddy expression on her face.  Amina smiled slightly and wondered what that was all about until she found Youngbae standing near their table with a similar expression on his face. They were like two peas in a pod, Amina silently remarked.

"You must come here often," Amina said as she scooted inside the booth.  She glanced up in surprise when she saw him follow after her.  He sat next to her right side, instead of across from her.

He smiled.  "Neh. We try to come here at least once a month or more." He toyed with the knobs on the grill, turning it up higher.  "We've been coming here... for almost ten years now."

"So, she's like family?" Amina smiled in return.

"Neh. She's like my imo.  She and her husband have been real good to us."

Amina quietly envied the easy going relationship he had with the diner owners.  If only she could have the same relationship with her own family.  Even Hanna's parents weren't as relaxed and friendly.  She could tell they grew up differently.  She silently wished to hear more about his life.

The front door entrance dinged, signaling more customers. The voices of young couples and another group of men could be heard from the main dining area. Amina was grateful for the partition. There was light music playing the background that would help drown out any conversation.  And with their backs faced against the entrance, it would be hard pressed for anyone to guess they were even back there.

"Seems like a lot more people now," Amina remarked.

His shoulders rubbed hers slightly as he turned towards her direction. "Neh, it usually picks up around midnight."

Quickly thereafter, the older woman came back with their trays of meat and pork skin entrées to grill, along with several side dishes.  She filled their glasses with water and asked if they wanted anything else before she left. "How about some red wine?" she asked, knowing how the band members sometimes drank wine with their barbecued meat.

Youngbae looked at Amina questioningly. "Do you want some wine?"

Amina shrugged her shoulder delicately.  "Sure. Just one glass." She emphasized one glass, more to herself than anything.  Youngbae caught the slight change in her voice and smiled knowingly.

"We'll each have a glass," Youngbae replied. He watched amusingly as the older woman started humming a love song to one of the latest drama series currently on television, while she walked back towards the kitchen. She returned quickly with their wine glasses and uncorked the bottle, still humming the tune.

Amina blushed and smiled slightly at the older woman's obvious attempts. Youngbae glanced over at Amina with an embarrassed look on his face.  As soon as his 'aunt' left, he replied, "Mianhae... I'm afraid she's going to be like that all night."

She shrugged her shoulder and smiled.  "It's alright."

Youngbae began to assemble the meat and pork skin on the grill, while Amina passed out their plates, silverware, and repositioned some of the side dishes closer to him. She helped him cook some of the vegetables on the barbecue, secretly watching him expertly turn the meat.  A butterfly feeling sprouted at the pit of her stomach as she was subconsciously aware of how domestic they might appear to on-lookers. They glanced and smiled shyly at each other from time to time as their hands bumped lightly or when their paths would cross. Once completed, they sat in companionable silence watching the food cook, listening to the vague murmur of voices coming from behind them.  They reached for their glasses of wine at the same time and looked sheepishly at each other.

“Shall we make a toast?”  Youngbae asked.

Amina smiled. “Sure.” She waited patiently for him to begin.

“Let’s see,” he began, thinking out loud.  “Here’s to… the food.  May it increase our health and allow us to age gracefully like imo, so we can torment others for a very long time.”

She grinned at his jab towards the older woman.

“And… here’s to tonight.” He looked meaningfully at her, his eyes turning serious.  “May it be the first of many nights to come.”

Amina nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement, his words having a heady effect on her. They stared deeply into each other’s eyes as they slowly took their first sip together.  The magical moment was shattered by a teenage girl’s high pitched voice, squealing loudly from the main dining area.  “Mwuh? You’re blood type B? So am I!”

Amina choked slightly on her drink and looked quickly away from Youngbae. With merriment in her eyes, she quickly recovered and grinned embarrassingly at him.  “I guess we’re not the only ones out for the first time tonight.”

He chuckled quietly to himself. “Should we be asking similar questions of each other?” He glanced shyly towards her direction. 

Amina narrowed her eyes slightly at him, her wineglass still halfway to her lips.  “As if you don’t already know.” She picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a cooked piece of onion off the grill.

He grinned. So she did know about my talent for guessing blood types, he thought silently to himself.  He was flattered. “I didn’t know you were such a fan girl,” he teased.

“Mmm...” she chewed quickly and shrugged her shoulders indifferently. “You didn’t know?” She raised an eyebrow and bit back a grin.  “That’s the only reason I came out with you tonight.”

He laughed, his heart feeling light.  He stretched his left arm along the back cushion, his fingers lightly grazing her hair.  He gently tucked a strand behind her ear and leaned towards Amina, his open side bringing her in closer contact to him.  “Is that the only reason?”

Amina saw the longing in his eyes, his blood red lips inviting.  She swallowed a small lump of emotion in .  With a serious face, she shook her head slightly. She softened her brown eyes, leaned into his space, and whispered quietly in his ear.  “You also have a nice car.”

Youngbae chuckled and saw her impish grin, before she ducked her head shyly away from him.  She wasn’t giving him an inch tonight.  He rubbed his lower jaw with his right hand, turning back towards the food.  He sighed heavily, like a man in deep despair.  Picking up his wine, Youngbae swirled the contents and brought it up to his lips. She giggled quietly beside him and he smiled into the glass.

The ding of the front entrance marked another set of dining guests.  But instead of entering the main dining room, the visitors were making their way towards them, the sound of their footsteps coming closer.  Amina immediately straightened and cast a worried glance towards Youngbae.  He turned towards the sound, annoyance clearly written on his features.  Not very many people were allowed in the back area.  He stood up halfway and was about say something, when he realized who it was.

“Oh, hyung!” replied Seungri.  “What a nice surprise… I thought you were… you know,” he lowered his voice so the other guests couldn’t overhear, “…on your date.” He walked further in and noticed Amina, who was blocked by Youngbae’s body. “Oh… I guess you still are.” He looked at the both of them sheepishly.

Daesung followed after and noticed Youngbae, a look of confusion on his face.  “Did Seungri invite you too?”

“Ani…” Youngbae grounded out and sat back down.  He couldn’t believe his luck.  Seriously? Of all nights, these guys had to choose the same place as him to eat a late dinner. He glanced back and forth between the two of them. In an annoyed tone he pointedly asked, “Don’t you guys have somewhere else to be tonight?” He wasn’t normally rude, but he couldn’t help it this time.

Amina gently touched Youngbae’s arm and he turned back towards her.  “It’s alright.” She looked up at Seungri and Daesung and motioned for them to sit across from her and Youngbae.  “Please, come eat with us.  There’s plenty of food to go around.”

“Jinjja?” Seungri exclaimed happily.  He was halfway inside the booth before Daesung’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

Daesung looked apologetically at his hyung and Amina. “Ani… we’ll just sit over at another table.” He began to drag out the maknae, who was already stealing sampling bits of food off the grill.

“Yah!” Youngbae warned.

Amina laughed quietly. The owner of the restaurant made her way back towards the commotion.  Her face lit up when she recognized the new faces.  “Imo!” Seungri cried out and leapt out of the booth, his open arms stretched to welcome her. Amina watched as they greeted their ‘aunt’, the joyous expression on their faces genuine. Seungri continued to rant about his latest adventure, speaking in large expressive hand motions to the elder lady.  Amina glanced over at Daesung and implored, “Please, sit with us!” she smiled at him.

Daesung looked between Amina’s buoyant expression and the scowl that was on his hyung’s face. Torn, he stood there, undecided on what to do. Amina noticed Daesung’s dilemma when she peered over at Youngbae.  He had a frown on his face, the disapproving message clear to anyone looking his way. She needed Youngbae to stop scaring his dongsaengs.

“Oppa…” Amina softly called to Youngbae, and watched as his eyes changed from irritation to interest. He had a possessive look on his face and knew she was the cause of it. She had called other older guys ‘oppa’ before, but it was the first time she’d said that to him.  For some reason, the word sounded like an endearment. The emotions she felt behind them were very intimate. She blushed becomingly and continued to stare at him, forgetting what she had originally planned to say.

Their faces remained close, as they continued to gaze at each other silently, blocking out those around them. She saw the array of emotions in his eyes and silently answered them with her own questions. What was happening between them, she didn’t know.  But ever since he called her ‘jagiya’ at the mall, the role felt very real and natural to her.  She could see herself becoming his jagiya… little by little.

“Ahem,” an amused male voice snickered nearby. “Do you guys want a room?”

They broke apart, embarrassed to have been caught in the act.  "Ah, Jiyong," replied Youngbae.  "What's up bro? What brings you all here tonight?" He scooted closer towards Amina to allow Jiyong to sit down. It was a tight squeeze, but Youngbae didn't appear to mind the closeness.

Amina on the other hand could feel the heat radiating off his body.  She was suddenly swamped by his scent, a mixture of light cologne and soap. She tried to stay as close to the wall as possible, but gave up the uncomfortable position and just allowed her body to melt into his side.  Daesung sat across from her.  With his help, Amina busied herself with cutting the cooked beef and turned the vegetables, while Youngbae and Jiyong talked.  Every once in a while, Youngbae would move or flex his left arm, and it would brush up against the side of her right .  She became affected by his nearness and hoped he didn't notice. But he didn't turn around or acknowledge the caress and instead continued conversing like normal.

She needed to ignore Youngbae's closeness and focus on other things.  She tried to keep a polite conversation going with Daesung as the food cooked, asking about his day and plans for the upcoming week. Seungri trailed behind Aunt, carrying extra plates, silverware, and cups.  He passed out the dishes to Daesung and Jiyong, before sitting down in front of his own plate.  Seungri jumped into their conversation.

"Are you doing anything on Saturday?" Seungri asked Amina.

"Umm..." Amina tried to think that far ahead.  "I'm not sure.  I have a family friend in town, but no plans yet for that day."

Seungri nodded and picked up the tongs near Daesung.  "I'm having a birthday party this Saturday.  You should come."

Amina nodded absentmindedly as she watched him attempt to grab a piece of meat, but instead got smacked in the hand with a pair of Daesung's chopsticks.  "Hyung!" Seungri whined, rubbing his wrist in exaggerated motions.

"Hyung eats first," Daesung reminded the maknae.

Amina jumped in.  "Here, I'll serve him so we can eat."  She quickly grabbed her pair of tongs. Grabbing a piece of beef, she settled in into the lettuce leaf, quickly adding a piece of toasted garlic, ssamjang, and kimchi. She twisted the leaf tightly around the food and created a medium sized wrap. When she was satisfied with her work she turned towards Youngbae, catching Jiyong's gaze on her.

Youngbae stopped talking when he noticed Jiyong nod pointedly behind him.  He glanced back and noticed the wrap in Amina's hand.

"Mianhae... we're hungry," she apologized right before she gently nudged the wrap against his lips. He looked at her with surprise in his eyes, but complied, opening his mouth so she could feed him. They continued to look at each other as he slowly chewed. He groaned quietly in pleasure as he chewed into the meat, the flavors mingling all together perfectly.  The sound reminded her of another moment they shared... Amina turned slightly pink.

"Yes!" Seungri whooped to himself.  "We can eat now."

Amina turned and grinned at Seungri's single-minded statement.  She watched as he was about to grab the tongs again when Jiyong called him out.

"Seungri, I think you should eat last since you didn't help cook the meat."

Amina looked at Daesung and they shared a smile.

"But hyung..." grumbled Seungri.  "I had to grab the plates and stuff."  He looked longingly at the delicious meat roasting before him. "Here, let me feed you next so I can be in your honor and eat too." He started grabbing the lettuce wrap and meat, haphazardly piling items together.  He wrapped the food into a fat roll and presented it with both hands to Jiyong, much to the amusement of the others.

"Yah, I can feed myself," replied Jiyong.  But the maknae continued to bring the wrap closer to his mouth.

"Please hyung, I made this personally for you. Please do not let my efforts go to waste," he bowed formally.

Amina watched in fascinated horror as Jiyong relented, opening his mouth so Seungri could feed him. He nearly choked on the initial large bite, but Seungri was there to offer him water and pat his back.  Jiyong swiped Seungri's hands away and said something stern, but no one could make out what he was saying with all that food in his mouth. They all chuckled at the scene before them.

Eventually everyone dug into the meal. They discussed an upcoming commercial film shoot they had to work on that week.  While everyone talked, Amina only ate a couple of bites and listened with half an ear.  She mainly watched Youngbae eat... or observed how little he appeared to be eating since he was so busy talking.  Or maybe it was because Seungri was eating more than his portion of the share? She didn't know.... but when they needed to make more room to cook more meat, she grabbed the cooked slices of beef and placed a few slices on Youngbae's plate for good measure.

Conversation between the guys continued to flow in the background.  She avoided Youngbae's inquiring gaze and continued to cook more meat on the grill.  When he wouldn't look away, she finally turned to him and quietly said, "Mwuh?"

"You aren't eating." he quietly murmured.

She shook her head slightly and stated in return, "You aren't eating."

Although Youngbae had been talking the guys a lot tonight, he was vaguely aware of how much she ate.  He knew she had to still be hungry.  He grabbed a lettuce leaf and started making a roll for her.  Ignoring the curious looks of his band mates, he presented the food in front of Amina's mouth.  "This is our dinner date.  I think we should at least enjoy some of it."

He was right.  This was supposed to be their date night.  She opened and allowed him to feed her. Youngbae nodded in satisfaction and returned to his drink, catching the rest of Daesung's conversation.

Not wanting to be the only one eating, Amina went ahead and prepared another roll for him.  She interrupted him quietly with a caress of her fingers on his arm before she fed him another bite.  

Not wanting to be outdone, Youngbae made a roll for her and quickly fed her another bite.  They continued to go back and forth, feeding each other bits of food here and there, oblivious to their amused audience. 

When he went to feed her another roll, Amina groaned in protest.  "I'm full," she replied quietly. He looked a little dismayed, so she took the roll from his hand and offered to feed it back to him.  Youngbae opened his mouth and allowed Amina to feed him, his mouth moving sensuously in rhythm, hypnotizing her. Amina's lips parted in response as she continued to watch him chew.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Daesung replied jokingly as he watched the couple in front of him.  He had never seen public displays of affection like this from his hyung before.  Everyone turned at Daesung's comment.  "It's too much... this couple feeding is too much for my innocent eyes," he remarked, shielding his eyes in jest.

Amina and Youngbae grinned at Daesung.  "You had the option of sitting at a different table," reminded Youngbae.

Seungri looked at Amina and sighed longingly.  "I wish I had someone that would feed me."

Youngbae tossed his arm possessively around Amina's shoulders and replied pointedly at Seungri, "Yah, get your own girl."

Jiyong and Daesung chuckled at Youngbae's remark, while Amina blushed at his omission.  A hurt Seungri was left alone.  "Here Seungri," Jiyong replied.  "I'll feed you."  And the two went at it, feeding each other back and forth.

"Are they always like this?" asked Amina to Youngbae and Daesung.

Daesung nodded his head.  "Always."

She laughed at his honesty.  Daesung proceeded to tell her stories about Jiyong and Seungri and their mischief on the tour.  He must have exaggerated some parts because Seungri and Jiyong chimed in their disagreement of the facts. Amina couldn't help but grin as they went on and on about what happened versus what really happened.

Amina felt Youngbae move his arm off her shoulder as he went to prepare another bite for himself.  She quietly missed his warmth.  Amina watched from the corner of her eyes as Youngbae downed his roll and wiped his fingers on a napkin before tossing it on his plate, signaling that he was done eating for the night.

She chuckled at something Daesung said.  Her smile wavered slightly in surprise when she felt Youngbae clasp her right hand into his own. Their entwined fingers were hidden from everyone's view, underneath the table.

Youngbae slowly began to unravel their fingers, placing her palm right side up on his thigh.  The warmth and location of where her hand was at, was not lost on Amina.  She felt her face heat in anticipation.  Amina nodded encouragingly at the others and hoped that her face didn't reveal anything suspicious or out of place.  As long as she avoided Youngbae's direct gaze, she told herself she would be fine.

Amina smiled at Seungri's version of the story, but felt chills down her spine when she felt Youngbae idly trace circles into her palm.  It was pure pleasure; there were no words to describe it. She concentrated hard on the discussion, but it was difficult.  She found herself becoming aroused the longer he toyed with her hand.  Youngbae started making various lines here and there.  He continued to repeat the lines, over and over before Amina paid attention to what he was doing. She envisioned the he was tracing in her palm.  She could tell it wasn't Hangul... it was in English.

'W'

This letter was quickly followed by an 'I'. She concentrated harder on the next letter. It was a 'u'. Confused, she didn't know what he was doing, until he traced a more obvious letter, an upside down 'e'.

He retraced the letters again, starting from the beginning.  She reassembled the letters in her mind, finally realizing what he was doing. M-I-N-E. Amina quickly closed her fingers around his hand, entwining their fingers before looking up at his face.  She found his heavy-lidded gaze on her, the dilated pupils of his eyes turning his iris into dark pools of black. "Are you ready to leave?" he asked quietly, his voice husky and thick with emotion.

She nodded quietly.

They said their goodbyes and left the diner, Amina trailing behind.  Youngbae turned around and grabbed her right hand as they walked back to his car.  He tugged her along, his speed urgent.  Amina felt like she had to half run in order to keep up with him.  The turned the corner and barely made it to the dark alley, before he pressed her up against the brick building and devoured her, his lips slamming over hers. Her hands reached up of their own accord, and wrapped themselves around his neck, allowing her to press her body fully on him. Frantically, she kissed him equally back, their breaths and tongues mingling. 

He tugged her closer to him, his arms wrapped around her lower back, his right thigh nudged roughly in between her legs. The heat he found there drove him insane.  He moved his right leg and rubbed her slightly.  She moaned. He broke off their kiss abruptly, his forehead pressed against hers.

"This is crazy," he breathlessly said.

Amina was still recovering and could only nod slightly.  Her heart was pounding so fast, the adrenaline and hormones overtaking her body. Amina removed her shaky hands from his neck, sliding them down until they laid on his chest.  She could feel his heart beating fast as well, the pounding in sync with her own.

Youngbae reached up and covered his hands over hers.  With a heavy sigh, he pulled them gently away from his body, tucking them into his hands.  They stood there holding hands in the dark for a few moments, before Youngbae finally lifted his head off hers. He searched her face for a few moments before quietly asking himself aloud, "Why? Why do I lose myself when I'm with you?"

He turned his face away from her, and half-laughed humorlessly at himself.  Amina was still reeling from their kiss, unable to form any thoughts.

Youngbae and Amina walked back slowly to his car, hand in hand.  They drove home, not saying a word, the thick between them still hanging in the air. When they reached her apartment complex, Youngbae pulled into the parking garage and turned off the engine.  He glanced over at her and silently cursed himself for it.  She still looked half aroused, her lips swollen from his earlier kiss.  He knew that if he touched her, they would go at it again.  He slowly fisted his hands against the temptation.

"If you don't mind," he began, his voice still deep and husky. He cleared his throat and continued, "I'll just drop you off here tonight."

Amina nodded slowly, confused but grateful that he wasn't walking her to the apartment.  She was scared of what might happen if they kissed again.  Because if it went further than that, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to say no. "I had a good time tonight," she said lamely.

He reached in the back seat and grabbed the bag from their shopping trip.  The loud cracking sound of the plastic bag helped cool some of the ardor flowing between them.

Amina smiled.  "Gomawo... and thanks for dinner." She grabbed the car handle, ready to leave.

"I'd like to see you again," blurted Youngbae.

She turned back and faced him. His eyes were solemn and hopeful.  She nodded slightly and confessed, "I'd like to see you too."

He half-grinned and eagerly asked, "When?"

Amina lowered her eyes shyly and returned his smile, "Umm... I don't know.  I'll see you on Wednesday for your appointment.  We can make plans then."

He nodded his head. "Alright."

"Okay," she hesitantly half-laughed.  Amina felt a feeling of bliss spread throughout her body. She grabbed the car handle once more and allowed herself out of the car, standing on shaky legs. 

"Amina-ah..."

She leaned back down into the car and looked at him expectantly.

"Good night and sweet dreams."

"Neh... " she replied shyly.  "Sweet dreams, oppa."

Youngbae watched her walk inside the building before starting the car engine.  So much energy was coursing through his body.  He needed to run it off.  Thank goodness the YG building was accessible to him 24/7.  He headed that way for a late night workout.

That following Wednesday....

Youngbae sat in the waiting room at Seoul National University Hospital, waiting for his 11:30am appointment with Dr. Park.  He held a magazine in his hands and tried to read the articles, but his mind kept drifting. Excited as he was for this last appointment, he was even more anxious because he would get to see Amina.  It had only been a day since their first date, but he couldn't wait to see her again.  He had an idea of where to take her on their next date and hoped she'd say yes.

"I'm going to the restroom," the accompanying YG security guard said. 

"Alright," Youngbae nodded and watched the guy head back towards the elevators.  The place was bustling around this time of day, but he retained a low profile, allowing the security guard to check him in.  He recognized Amina's friend working at the reception area.  He wanted to walk up to her and ask if Amina was around so they could chat before the appointment, but was afraid it would arouse suspicion. Instead, he slouched in the hard plastic chair and continued "reading". 

Through his dark sunshades, Youngbae watched an elderly couple walk by, arguing cutely over doctor's new orders on exercise.  He smiled slightly and watched a toddler boy running away from his chasing parents.  They finally caught the boy and gave him a stern talking to, causing Youngbae to grin. 

The elevator dinged and a gentleman in his early twenties walked past Youngbae, carrying a bouquet of colorful flowers.  His hair was perfectly swept; his tailored business suit was cut to perfectly fit his slim, tall frame. His handsome looks drew the attention of all the nurses working behind the desk, their smiles and blushes amusing Youngbae. He watched Amina's friend fawn over the guy and returned his attention to the magazine he was reading.

"Annyeonghaseyo," the man bowed slightly. "I was wondering if Amina was around?"

At the sound of Amina's name, Youngbae glanced up. He turned his head slightly to catch the rest of their conversation.

"Amina-shi?" Yuri replied.  "Sure, let me check to see..." She toggled through a few screens on the computer. "Oh, actually, she just checked-in and is with another patient at the moment. Did you want to wait?"

The gentleman checked the watch on his wrist and shook his head. "Actually, would you mind just giving her these?" He handed over the flowers.

Yuri simpered.  "Neh, I can give her these.  And who should I say they're from?"

"From me... David Lee," he smiled. "I'm her fiancé."