“Oopps. It’s my work.” I am about to open the car door when he stops me and takes my hand away from the handle. I look at him weirdly. He just smiles and volunteers to open it for me. “Men should not allow their dates to open doors for themselves.” He says and winks at me. “Please get in, princess.”

Princess?! Why is he calling me that?! Princess?! What?!

I don’t know how to respond to those words so I end up entering the car silently. No single words come out of my mind. I don’t know if it’s because I am just speechless, or it’s because I suddenly feel embarrassed and shy. I don’t know. I’m not sure. Hearing that from him only gives me such a weird feeling.

I watch as he closes the door, running towards the opposite side to enter as well. He does it really swiftly. Oh well, what do I expect? He’s a pro when it comes to dating.

Oh, and yeah, why would I need to be surprised? I’m sure he calls everyone “princess”. Duh. I shouldn’t feel affected. He is just being the player that he is.

But as soon as he enters the car, his phone rings. I’m not sure if I can see it right but he seems suddenly agitated upon hearing his own phone. He picks it up, and as someone who is just sitting beside him, I can overhear the conversation between the two of them.

It seems like there is an emergency in the clinic he owns so he needs to be there immediately. After few minutes, he ends the call and looks at me, “A patient was brought to the clinic unconscious. They couldn’t bring him to the hospital because they need my assistance.”

“Oh. Then you should go.”

“Can you go with me? I don’t think it will take much of my time. We could go anywhere you want after I check on my patient.”

“But…”

“Please? I just said I’ll date you today. I should at least do what I said, right?”

This type of Taemin really surprises me all the time. I am not expecting to see this side of him. He looks so sincere and genuine, and this face… this angelic face, is actually hard to reject.

Gosh, why is he like this? It’s hard to resist it.

“Okay.”

Upon hearing that word from me, he smiles and nods. “Thanks.”

Perhaps this is why a lot of girls are wooed by him. He looks like someone you could never ever say ‘no’ to. Maybe this is his charm, and a lot of girls are being trapped by this charm of Lee Taemin. He can easily please everybody. Gosh, what a player.

We travelled 15 minutes by car and finally, we reach his clinic. His current reliever, a doctor I haven’t seen, is there. “I’m sorry I had to call you. It’s just that, his parents are insisting that you should see their son right now because you know his health history.” He said to Taemin when we enter the clinic.

“It’s okay. I got this. Thanks.” He pats the shoulder of the doctor a couple of times and smiles before entering the consultation room. Taemin goes in without even looking back at me, as if I’m not there. But anyways, I think he is just really concerned for the child.

I take a seat and patiently wait for him to finish. The doctor looks at me and greets. “Hello Miss.” He says to which I greeted back. “You’re with Doc Lee?” I nod. “You are his…” It is an awkward question but I think I should answer it the way I should.

“H-his wife.” This is the first time I actually introduced myself as Lee Taemin’s wife. Wait, it doesn’t sound awkward at all. I don’t know. Whatever.

“His wife?!” The doctor and the secretary who are there both questioned in chorus. “Wow. I thought he was just joking!” He says and chuckles right away to ease the awkwardness. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Lee, I just… I just didn’t think Doctor Lee will marry at this age, and I know him, and I actually didn’t know he is into marriage.”

I am supposed to ask, ‘what do you mean?’ but I think I get him. He never expected him to get married because he only thinks about dating girls forever. No lifetime commitment and required loyalty. But here he is, tied to me as my husband.

“He always says he needs to go home early because his wife and his daughter are waiting for him. We found it so funny and weird, thinking that Doc Lee has suddenly went out of his mind. But meeting you now, I guess he’s being true. Oh, you have a daughter?”

“Yes.”

The secretary and the doctor are surprised about knowing me and Dannie really exist in Taemin’s life. We start talking like real friends but it feels like that are more on interrogating me – asking me this and that. I’m thankful I took up a course in communication. I know how to answer their questions well without being caught out.

Few more minutes have passed and finally, Taemin goes out with the child and his parents. As I can see, the child has gained back his consciousness but he still looks weak as he is being carried by his father. “You can go back to me on Monday with the lab results, Mrs. Kang, so I could give him the right medicine.” He says with a gentle smile on his face. Then, gently, he rubs the child’s head, “Don’t hesitate to tell omma or appa if you’re not feeling well, okay? You could always come to me anytime, Taejun-ah.” The kid politely nods.

At that moment, he just looks so reliable and professional. He smiles gently and assures them everything will be fine for their son, and that they should not be worried because he will be treated in no time.

They bid goodbye and thank Taemin for his accommodation. He only smiles. I am just looking, watching him as he shows another character of his.

“I’m sorry I took a while. Let’s go?” I only come back into my senses when he talks to me again. I thought he forgot about me already. I stand up, and notice how he is gaining weird looks from the doctor and the secretary. He notices it, too, but just shrugs. “I know my wife has already answered all the questions you have in mind, now please excuse us.” He says and holds my hand as we leave.

We’ve been holding hands for some time now but I don’t know why every time he tangles his fingers with mine, I still feel weird.

***

We arrive at this luxurious restaurant to which the receptionist quickly approaches him. “Hello, sir, ma’am, this way please.” She says to the both of us and Taemin only nods coolly. I keep eyeing on him. I know he’s a pro.

“Are we going to eat here?” I ask and he only nods, walking towards the table that is reserved for us. “But this is too formal.”

He stops walking and looks at me while frowning. “This is too formal? Why? This place doesn’t make you comfortable?”

“Actually, but if…”

“I got it.” He says even without me finishing my statement. Taemin looks at the receptionist. “I’m sorry, but can we cancel our reservation? My wife wants to go somewhere else.”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay…” I whisper, even pulling him closer to stop him from cancelling the reservation.

“No, it’s okay. I insist.” He looks at me with that assuring look. “I’m not going to feel okay if I know you’re not comfortable here. Let’s go somewhere you want. I’m sorry I took a reservation without asking you first.”

Wow. Just… wow. Am I really talking to Lee Taemin? Is this the Lee Taemin I fought with several years ago? Is this the Taemin that is full of himself? Is this the Taemin who often looks highly of himself? I can’t understand. Why … is he being like this?

I am about to make a strong protest and tell him that we should just stay but he is quick enough to cancel the reservation, and just walks out of the restaurant with me.

As we go back to the car, he asks me “So, let me know what you want to have.”.

But to be honest, I have no specific food I want to eat right now. I’m rather busy thinking about how weird he’s getting day by day that I have no more time to even think of what we should eat.

“I don’t have anything in mind.”

“Anything. I want to take you to some place I know you would like. You know, I don’t want to force you towards the things and the places I often enjoy. Tell me what you want so I could understand and I could adjust.”

Gosh. He is making me frustrated, really!

“Then ice cream, cake, everything sweet.” I really don’t have anything in mind so I don’t care whether he thinks my cravings are weird and not really woman-like. He looks at me for some good seconds, and then shrugs his shoulders and starts the car engine.

So.. where are we going?