“We should get going too then?” Jungkook nudged and Nabi jolted slightly at the touch, not noticing that Jungkook too stiffened at the contact that he himself so hesitatingly initiated.

“Yeah.” Nabi couldn’t come up with a better reply.

---

Noticing that Nabi was walking rather slowly to observe the festivities going on around them, Jungkook matched her pace. It pricked at his skin that Nabi paid as much attention to him as she would to a passerby on the street. Being next to Nabi as nothing more than a stranger was honestly a difficult situation for Jungkook. Every time their hands brushed against each other in the crowded streets, he’d be tempted to lace their fingers together. Every time the wind blew a bit too harshly, he’d pushed down the desire to reach up and gently tuck her stranded locks of hair away. Jeon Jungkook wanted to be more than a stranger. Jeon Jungkook didn’t know how to be more than a stranger.

“Jeon Jungkook? Jeon Jungkook.” Nabi furrowed her eyebrows at the unresponsive individual next to her. What had got his mind in the cloud?

Nabi chewed on her lips and with an unknown burst of determination, she leaned in closer and whispered a sweet nothing in the boy’s ear.

“Jungkook-ah~”

Jungkook jumped at least five feet backward from shock, his left hand raised to cover his reddening ears. He could still feel the problematic heat of Nabi’s breath and the sensation sent paralyzing shivers through his body again and again. Now let’s not assume or misunderstand anything, Han Nabi was not a flirt. The number of real conversations she had with guys outside of official business could be counted on one hand. The only thing Han Nabi was good at was making an effort. Again, Nabi would have never made an effort like this with anyone. Jeon Jungkook, apparently, was the exception...since she just did.

Why was this boy always an exception?

“While you were day-dreaming, I spotted this shop and wanted to check it out.” Nabi glanced over, her eyes searching for permission.

“We, we can go.” Jungkook managed to squeeze out an answer.  *There’s a limit to being clueless.*

Jungkook followed Nabi as she headed toward a rather lonely stall at the entrance of an equally lonely alley. The appeal that traditional masks and head accessories gave seems to have dissipated with the wind because no one spared two glances at them. Han Nabi, however, deemed it worthy of her time.

“Hello mister, can I see that one please?” Nabi cheerfully greeted the stall owner and pointed to the fox mask that was hanging at the top. The old man reached up and handed it to her, grateful that she had made his day a bit warmer.

“Anything for your boyfriend there?”

The old man gestured to Jungkook who was standing cluelessly next to Nabi as she admired the mask. Nabi glanced back, obviously flustered at the sudden comment.  

“Um...he’s not my-”

“I’ll take the rabbit mask please.” Jungkook finished the sentence for her. He took the mask happily and pretended not to see the expression that Nabi was giving him. It was somewhere between confusion and...something else that he couldn’t quite read. Nabi too knew that Jungkook had ignored the look she gave him and agreed that she should also feigned ignorance...right?

“How much are these mister?”

“I’ll give them both to you for $10.”

“I’ll pay for both of them.” Jungkook offered and pulled out his wallet.

“No you won’t.” Nabi insisted and handed the old man her five dollars before Jungkook could even protest. She thanked him before leaving Jungkook behind to explore the other stalls. Jungkook quickly handed in his five dollars and rushed after her.

“You should’ve let me pay noona.” Jungkook said when he caught up with Nabi.

Nabi nonchalantly put on her mask before stating matter-of-factly. “Shouldn’t patronize me like that, we girls can pay for ourselves.”

“That’s not my intention.” Jungkook pouted and put his mask on as well.

“You just wanted to be romantic, mister boyfriend?” Nabi teased, expecting a reaction from Jungkook. When she got none (apparently freezing up and gulping down his saliva went unnoticed) she fastened her pace and ended up in front of Jungkook, catching him by surprised.

“Why didn’t you deny it?” Han Nabi was referring to the old man’s claim of him being her boyfriend. Her tone of voice was different now, it was filled with seriousness and curiosity. Jeon Jungkook, however, stayed frozen. He was so stunned at the question that he failed to assess how sincere Nabi was being in asking it and how serious he should’ve been in answering it. Perhaps things could've been a little bit different had he been honest then. Instead he did what every typical korean drama boy would do in this situation. He shrugged and bullted his reply.

“I thought it would take too much effort in explaining it.”

Both of them was glad that they had put on their masks prior to this short conversation because the disappointment on Nabi’s face and the lies written on Jungkook’s forehead were both well hidden. After a short yet deafening silence, Nabi took off her mask and glanced up to meet Jungkook’s eyes.
“Come on mister boyfriend, we don’t have all afternoon you know.”

Han Nabi hoped that she faked her smile well.

---

“Bet you half a month worth of my salary that Nabi will be the first one to confess.” Hyuna said as she munched on the crunchy top of the pistachio muffin.

“We don’t get paid, it’s volunteer work.” Taehyung eyed the rest of the sweet treat curiously as if waiting for it to do something magical like disappearing into Hyuna’s mouth.

“I know, I’m talking about salary from my actual jobs.”

“Jobs.” Taehyung repeated, emphasizing the “s” at the end of the word.

“Yes, jobs. Why? You’ve never seen a girl multitask?” Hyuna teased and followed Taehyung’s obvious gaze at the rest of the uneaten muffin.

“Also, you should stop staring, I’m not going to eat that.” Hyuna mused as she moved on to her next delicious victim.

“But, why not?”

“I don’t like the texture.” Hyuna shrugged as if knowing this little fact was common sense.

“But, why not?”
Hyuna put down the new muffin that was half-way through being skinned.

“You’re asking lots of questions today. Curious about me?” Hyuna offered him her signature cheshire grin and Kim Taehyung knew he was being delusional but he wanted to lock up that infectious smile because sharing is caring.

Honestly, what was wrong with him?

“Yes.” *Not really.*

Taehyung shuts his eyes slowly and mentally curses his troublesome habit.

“Your habit is cute.” Hyuna giggled and Taehyung opened his eyes to gawk at her, his face slightly flushed.

“You, how?”

“I got a knack for reading people.”

With this, she leaned forward and the distance between them slowly closed, Taehyung only wished that she hasn’t stopped. Hyuna, however, halted midway with her elbows supporting her position as she stared meaningfully at the man opposite of her.

“Your blushing face is cute too.”

Taehyung jolted back and never before had so much blood rushed to his head.

Honestly, what was wrong with him?

“Don’t worry, it’s not super obvious. I’m just really good.” Hyuna laughed when she saw Taehyung trying to cover his face.

“Were you just born good at reading people?” Taehyung question came out all muffled.

“I wish, I actually learned from korean drama and a few relationship fails.”

Kim Taehyung didn’t know what it was, but something inside of him sank so deep and burn so hotly that even hell would be jealous.

“Past relationships?” Again, emphasizing the “s.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t multitask on this one.” Hyuna joked, wanting to get a pleasant response from her conversation partner. Instead, she glanced over to meet eyes filled with frustration and annoyance.

“Hey, Kim Taehyung, your expression is...scaring me a little.”

“How many?”

“What?”

“How many past relationships did you have?” Kim Taehyung knew he was sounding extremely irritated but he couldn’t help it. Kim Taehyung was never one to care enough to feel annoyance towards a girl, but here he was, being an insensitive jerk. Why? He didn’t know.

“You’re asking something very personal in a very rude manner.” Hyuna leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed. She wasn’t mad at Kim Taehyung. To Hyuna, those past relationships were nothing more than nostalgic memories. Hyuna was simply curious about why this boy was annoyed at her. And Kim Taehyun, mistaking this curiosity for anger, regained his sanity.

“I’m sorry-I-I-didn’t mean to, um, to, uh, pry. I-I don’t um know what came o-over me.”

Hyuna had to turn around because she could tell how similar to the cheshire cat she must’ve looked at that moment. In all the 18 years of her life, Kim Hyuna had never met a guy as cute at Kim Taehyung.

“Are you, are you that angry?” *Kim Taehyung you ed up real bad.*

Hyuna turned around with a calmer smile and shook her head.

“I’m not that mad, but only if you finish those three muffins within a minute.”

Without hesitation, Taehyung swallowed the first muffin whole, then the second, then the third. Hyuna gasped as she watched those muffins disappeared one by one and ran to pour some water when she noticed Taehyung coughing.

“Here, drink this.” She handed him the cup of water and patted his back in concern. “Geez, are you an idiot?”

Instead of answering her question, Kim Taehyung took the hand that was gently his back and placed it in a firm grip.

“You’re not mad anymore?”

“Idiot.”

They both smiled meekly at each other as they realized the ridiculously childish event that had just happened.

“Mom! This couple won’t stop staring at each other.”

Hyuna broke out of her daze and turned her head to see a little girl pointing her finger at them. She whipped her head back to see a satisfied smirk on Taehyung’s face and ripped her hand from his.

“Stop looking so smug.” Hyuna headed straight toward the door with roses painted on her cheeks. Kim Taehyung thought it was the cutest thing ever. He wanted those soft, pale cheeks to continue being painted in a rosy hue because of him, and only him.

Again, what was wrong with Kim Taehyung?