With Jongin's own money, he takes the Manga on my hand and proceeds to the counter along with a few school supplies that he’d actually taken before he saw me (I really don’t know why he's buying those though), and pays for it. As we’re walking out the store, I stop as I remember that I was actually doing the groceries with Sunny! I hiss to myself and bite my lip apprehensively, staring between the grocery store and Jongin. Reluctantly, I stare up at him and gulp.

"Uhh.. can you.. wait here for a moment? I'll just go right there.. real quick?" I say, pointing at the grocery store on the other side of the road.

Jongin wrinkles his face as he eyes the store. "Are you still going to buy something?"

I shudder lightly. "Uhhh.. n-no.. I was actually.. doing the groceries.. with our maid.. and I kinda left her... there."

"You're accompanying your maid with the groceries??" He asks with an amused tone and a quirk on the lips.

"Y-Yeah?"

He steps closer and leans down a few centimeters from my face. I blink fast as my face burns from our eye contact.

"Yah, Park Jaera, do you expect me to believe that?"

"I'm telling the truth?" I say, wrinkling.

He narrows his eyes on me, assessing. Then, he grabs my hand and laces our fingers together.

"Ahuh?” He speaks with a challenge, “Alright then, Let me come with you.."

My heart swirls from his touch. It’s not really a big deal, but I’m irrevocably overwhelmed that he’s holding my hand. Jongin throws me a handsome smile, and I look away to not let myself obvious that his smile is stirring my heart.

Sunny isnt at the counter where I left her. Jongin throws me a suspicious look so I rush around to look for Sunny. Jongin's hold on my hand is really firm and warm, as if I'd disappear if he loosened a little. I find it really electrifying and awkward at the same time. I keep on avoiding his eyes, and I know that he’s constantly staring at me as we walk.

I sigh as I halt to face him.

"I'm not going to run away Jongin."

He blinks. "I'm just making sure."

"Are you for real?"

"I just don’t want to lose you." He says a little too rapidly, but then he jolts to clarify his words. "I mean, I don’t want to lose you.. like literally.. like right now.. y-you might.. escape from me.. and go s-somewhere else.." He stutters, and it’s the first time I witness him stutter like that. It seems to me that he meant a different sense despite his excuse but I’m just too dumb to really understand. Usually, Jongin is intensely smooth with everything he does, so seeing him stutter is pretty strange to me.

Then that is when we see Sunny. Turns out, she went back to buy more items. She’s about to turn to another compartment, a new pushcart on hold, when she halts to the sight of us. Her gaze moves from our faces, down to our locked hands. Her expression twitches in confusion, and I swallow hard. Ohdeargod! How should I explain this? Apparently Sunny has already assumed that I am dating Sehun, since he visits me everyday, now here comes another guy, and he's holding my hand!

I fiddle my fingers so that Jongin would let go, but instead, he grips on me tighter.

I chuckle awkwardly before dragging him along, totally defeated.

"Hey Sunny.. I just.." I start, "I came back to tell you that I'll be.. going.. with this guy.. somewhere. So uhh, yeah, that's it... that's all.."

"Okay, Miss J—" But I abruptly throw her a panicking eye signal in which she catches impressively quick. She is immensely confused but she plays along. "Oho.. ha ha! Okay??" Her eyebrows crease but she manages to switch it to a smile.

Jongin leans to my ears and whispers, "'This guy'?!" His face is ridiculously ballistic as he points a finger to himself.

I stutter down my throat and wheeze. "Aha ha.. by the way.. this guy.. I mean, this is Kim Jongin.. he's my.." Ohmygod how can I say it? I can’t say it! But I have to say it! "He's my b-b-boyfriend.. boyfriend.. yeah..."

Jongin snorts.

Sunny's confusion evaporates but I guess she’s thinking of a different assumption in her mind. Without further words, she bows down in courtesy and finally turns. I breathe out in relief before turning to Jongin and giving him a see-I’m-not-lying look. He huffs and smiles his ever so boyish smile which happens to backfire on me, causing my lungs to run short of air. I really hate it when he does that.

"Alright let's go." He starts to drag me again, and I follow nonetheless.

"Where are we going then?" I ask.

"You'll see."

*

The car stops in an open parking lot inside a really massive area. It is pretty crowded, and most people around are clad in colorful clothes or costumes or fluffy accessories and stuff. From a distance, I see scattered mascots; a panda, a rabbit, a bear and other sorts. Some of them are giving away flyers; some are apparently dancing just randomly. Jongin grabs my hand again and locks our fingers together. Some people are staring at us, as if we’re like an outcast or something, but eventually I realize that I somewhat took it wrongly because the stares that we’re actually getting are stares of admiration and interest.

Jongin looks incredibly simple today; he’s just wearing a plain white t-shirt matched with knee-cut trousers, not the outfit I usually see on him. His hair is really messy and trussed in different directions, but it appears like it is styled as is. Well, he is still alluring in so many unexplainable levels. I don’t know if it's just me, because I like him, or because it is the sole truth.

As we walk further, I finally realize that we are in a school, not our school, but