{ 02 }

When Baekhyun stepped out of the fitting room, Haeyoung was laughing while talking to the assistants at the boutique. Her back was facing him, and he crossed his arms as he stared at her. At first sight, she looks like a real brat, considering the way she acted when he first met her. However, she seems okay when you finally get to know her.

Baekhyun! Why are you even thinking of getting to know that crazy girl better?! He scolded himself before he walked towards her. “Yah, crazy girl, let’s go.” He said. Haeyoung immediately stood up and the two of them thanked the designer and the assistants before they left the shop.

He was about to enter the car when Haeyoung beat her to it. “Mr. Shim, can you just stay here? I’ll call you later to let you know where we’ll be!” She happily said and the driver only nodded. After that, she held Baekhyun’s hand, smiling from ear-to-ear. “Let’s go?”

“Go where?” He lazily asked. “I wanna go home.”

Haeyoung pouted at him. “C’mon, don’t be such a mood killer, Bacon!” She exclaimed. “Let’s go on a date!”

If Baekhyun was drinking something, he would have spurted it out on her face.  “WHAT?!”

“I said let’s go on a date, Byun Baekhyun.” She seriously stated.

He couldn’t help laughing at her statement. She’s asking him on a date! “You’re really crazy, Moon Haeyoung. Point proven.” He said when his laughter finally ceased. “Let’s go home.” He was about to tug her to the car but to his surprise, she only let his hand go instead of going along with him.

When he turned to her, he saw that her face was contorted in annoyance which she was trying to hide. Haeyoung’s just like an open book, after all. It’s not that hard to guess what she’s feeling or thinking based on her actions and facial expressions. “Go first then,” she stated, sulking. She leaned to the passenger’s seat and the driver opened the window. “Mr. Shim, please take Byun Baekhyun-ssi back on his place. I’ll call you later so you can pick me up.” After that, she walked briskly away from the boutique and he could only stare at her retreating back.

It was the first time that Haeyoung didn’t bug him to death, after all. It only surprised him that she’s not putting up a fight like how she usually does.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the car’s backseat and settled himself.

--

Haeyoung was still sulky as she strolled through the busy streets of Gangnam, Seoul’s shopping district. She was actually hoping that she’d at least enjoy the rest of the day with Baekhyun, but the stupid bacon just has to be so annoying! He could at least pretend to be interested just to humor her a bit, right?! But no! He’s an !!!

She sighed as she stared at the clothes shop lined up in front of her. She’s not even seeing the beautiful designs as her mind kept on flitting back to Baekhyun. She really likes him, even though he keeps on acting like a jerk in front of her. And she’s still keen on pursuing him, but she’s just not in the mood today.

After all, no matter how childish and crazy Moon Haeyoung may be, she’s still a girl with dreams about first loves and knights in shining armors. She fantasized about a romantic first date with her man kissing her as cherry blossoms fell from trees. (Okay, so maybe that’s too anime-ish but that’s romantic for her! No judging.)

She’s not afraid to lose her pride to pursue the stubborn bacon, but sometimes she reaches her limits too. Baekhyun may think that her asking him out on a date was nothing to her because she did it in a nonchalant way, but she’s actually nervous that she’d reject him and look! He really did. She’s always feigning her nonchalance when she’s around him because she knows that he’d only reject her.

She’s fine with not achieving her perfect first date– since she’s already the one who asked him out and there are no cherry blossom trees around– but the least he could do was to ride on her plans. However, he just had to be a jerk and leave her to hang out by herself!

Haeyoung squared her shoulders as she tried to cheer herself up. C’mon Moon Haeyoung, you managed to live seventeen years of your life without that stupid bacon! You can surely hang out and have fun with yourself, right?!

She took a deep breath before going back to enjoying herself. Thankfully, Gangnam’s a busy district and there were a lot of stuffs which can be enjoyed so she managed to have fun by herself even though it gets a bit lonely at times. She didn’t even notice that it’s actually nearing dark and she had to contact her driver soon.

Upon remembering that, she thought of Baekhyun once again. Tss, she huffed. I bet he’s already chilling at home, not even thinking about me– the girl whom he rejected mercilessly!

She picked up her phone and was about to dial her driver’s number when she heard wolf whistles behind her. Her heart pounded on her chest when she heard footsteps nearing, and soon enough, there were two men circling her. She already knew that she won’t get away easily since she’s now cornered in a dark alley.

“Hi, miss, you look lost?” One of the thug-looking guys said, his frame bulky and he had several tattoos on his arms. She immediately sensed that the two of them didn’t approach her just to talk.

“No, I’m not lost.” She answered with a saccharine sweet smile. “Why don’t you guys get lost?”

The three guys looked dangerous when they all grinned. “Ahh, I like my women fierce,” the other one commented.

“Really? Go to the zoo then. Oh wait–!” She grinned. “I just realized that you can’t find a partner there ‘cause you might commit !” She chuckled loudly while the two thugs look really annoyed with her.

They were about to crowd her when she kicked one guy straight on his groin and she hit the other one’s ribs with her elbows. They were about to retaliate when she kicked both on the stomach and jabbed at their faces repeatedly, making their noses bleed. The two thugs lay on the ground, fear on their faces.

“Take that, you erts!” She screamed at them. “Girls are not easy targets, cowards! Change your attitudes, will you?!” She had hapkido and self-defense lessons since she was a child up to the present, and those came handy at times like these.

She was just about to contact the police when police officers came rushing to them. They immediately picked up the thugs and she was surprised when someone suddenly engulfed her in a hug from behind.

Arms were tightly draped from her back as if she’d be lost at any moment. The man behind her was panting, his face buried on the crook of her neck. “You crazy girl,” he breathed and Haeyoung’s eyes widened. “Just how much do you want me to worry about you?”

“Baekhyun…” She said, her words lost.

He held her shoulders and turned her around so she was facing him. She was even surprised to find him with a faint smile on his face. “You never fail to surprise me, Moon Haeyoung.”