I still couldn’t get the thought of Jimin’s teasing face out of my head.

I was in the library, waiting for Jungkook to text me if he’d be able to get out of the meeting earlier. Yue had left me because her dad came to pick her up. I had told Sehun and Kai I wasn’t going home with them. They somehow had an idea where I was going and who I was going with. The problem now was how to tell Luhan. I didn’t wanna lie and say I was doing something for school.

I sat at the cornermost table in the library. Instead of texting Luhan, I called him. That way, he’d know that I wasn’t hiding anything from him.

He answered at the fifth ring.

Luhan: Wei.

Me: Gege.

Luhan: Hmm?

Me: I might be home late today.

Luhan: Weisheme? School stuff?

Me: Nope. I…actually… I’m treating a friend out. Like a belated birthday treat.

Luhan: What time will you be home, then?

Me: I don’t know.

Luhan: Not later than eight in the evening.

Me: Okay.

Luhan: Do you want me to pick you up later?

Me: No. I’ll be fine, gege.

Luhan: Call me if you change your mind.

Me: Uh-

Luhan: Yinzi, take care.

Me: Xiexie, Lu ge.

Then we hung up.

Was that as easy as it sounded? Luhan didn’t even protest. He didn’t even ask me which friend. It’s kinda suspicious that he didn’t interrogate me. But I figured he was probably busy and preoccupied, what with the Fusion soft opening fast approaching.

In case Jungkook can’t make it, I can just stay in the library and study. I’d call Lu ge to pick me up after.

Beep!

I quickly picked up my phone and checked the message.

I’m at the parking lot, by the alumni office.

I giggled to myself. I sent him a reply that I was on my way. I stuffed my things in my backpack and almost tripped on the way out of the library. Good thing no one saw. I laughed at myself as I walked out.

The alumni building was near the mini theater. I had to pass by the other path behind the middle high administration building. I crossed the tree-lined driveway to the parking lot. There were two entrances to the parking lot. One was from the middle high gate, and the other was from the elementary gate, just behind the alumni building.

I saw his car parked beside a white Benz. He got out of the car as he saw me approach. He looked a little tired, but he smiled at me when he met my eyes. I smiled at him. He walked to the passenger side and opened the door for me.

I saw him run his fingers through his hair, as if to brush it off his eyes. A few strands had fallen in front of his eyes as he leaned forward to open the door for me.

I thanked him and slid in the passenger seat.

This time, I didn’t wait for him to tell me to buckle up. I placed my backpack under my feet. He had closed the door after me and went to the driver’s seat. He looked at the rearview mirror once, before he closed his door. He started the ignition, and out of habit, I guess, he turned to look at me. Probably checking if I had buckled up. When he saw that I was, he just chuckled and smiled to himself. He looked at the rear view mirror again.

He backed the car up and stepped on the accelerator.

I stole a glance at him as he slowed down near the exit. He had blown some strands of hair out of his view. I glanced down at his hands on the steering wheel. I didn’t dare look at his face for a long time. I was too conscious. His fingers wrapped around the wheel in a sure way. You could tell that he was comfortable behind the wheel. Like he was born to drive.

He drummed his fingers on the wheel and from my peripheral, he was bobbing his head to silent music only he could hear.

He nodded at the guard by the gate, then he looked left and right before he drove through the exit.

Him: So, where are you treating me out?

Me: Spaghetti sounds good to you?

Him: Yum. Sure.

Me: Kitchen Igosso, sounds like the right place, then.

Him: I don’t know where it is.

Me: It’s not that far from Du Yichu. It’s twenty minutes away from there. Go straight at E. Chang’an Avenue then left at Dongdaqiao.

Him: Ah, I know where is Du Yichu.

He checked his GPS just to make sure we were in the right direction. The atmosphere was getting awkward, so I improvised.

Me: Happy birthday, Kookie.

Him: You’re a bit late, actually.

Me: Just pretend it’s today.

Him: Okay. Kamsahamnida.

Me: It’s your eighteenth birthday, so it should be memorable. I wasn’t here on the exact day, so I’m gonna have to make do with today.

Him: You owe me three years’ worth of birthday gifts.

Me: I know.

Him: So, is Kitchen Igosso that expensive?

Me: Aniyo.

Him: It should be.

Me: I don’t have that much money, you know.

Him: You owe me three years.

Me: You owe me three years, too.

Him: Oh. Right.

Then he snorted. He realized that if he demanded right now, I could demand the same from him. But I didn’t have any plans in demanding three years’ worth of birthday treat. Being with him was enough for me.

Him: Actually, you don’t have to spend a lot.

Me: Hmm.

Him: I mean it.

Me: Thanks.

He smiled at me. I smiled at him. He snorted. I didn’t. I looked ahead and didn’t look at him. Because I saw him glancing at me once in a while from my peripheral.

Was he admiring my side profile? I hope so.

I chose to sit outside, under the shade of the umbrellas. We were at Kitchen Issogo. There were several sets of table and chairs outside. I was taking Jimin’s advice. Sunset for Jungkook. And seeing him gaze up at the setting sun, made me happy.

Jungkook grinned up at the sun. He looked like a little kid seeing the sun set for the first time.

I took out my phone and took a picture of him. I uploaded it online and tagged him. “Seeing the sun set for the first time.”

He didn’t budge. I took the opportunity to take more pictures of him. I snickered. He heard me and looked at me. He raised an eyebrow and stared.

Him: What?
Me: Nothing.
Him: It looks like it’s something.
Me: Like what?
Him: Are you planning to troll me?
Me: Aniyo.
Him: Yeah, right.
Me: It’s your birthday. Why would I troll you?
Him: Alright.
Me: I just took a picture of you and posted it online.
Him: Ah.
Me: Honest.

I raised my right hand and crossed my heart. He laughed.

Him: Okay. I believe you.
Me: You don’t wanna check it now?
Him: Nah, later.
Me: Okay.


We ordered our food and waited.

I heard his phone ring. I knew it wasn’t mine because of the ringtone. He bit his lip and took out his phone. He looked at the screen and paused for a second, then excused himself. He stood up and took the call somewhere private.

Probably his eomma.

I didn’t ask him when he returned after the call. He kept glancing at his phone every now and then.

The food arrived and his eyes lit up at the pasta. He thanked me and devoured his food. I snorted and watched him eat. I ate slowly. He also ordered a pan pizza, and I didn’t really ask if he’d be able to eat it all up. At the rate he was eating the pasta, I knew he could eat the pizza by himself. But in case he couldn’t, I’d help him. And we could bring the leftover home.

Him: This is yummy.

Me: I’m glad you liked it.

Him: It’s more than I expected. Thanks.

Me: I owe you three birthdays, remember?

Him: You’re paid in full.

Me: Jinjjayo?

Him: Hmm…yup. The sunset was perfect.

Me: I’d have to thank Jimin for that.

Him: Oh?

Me: Hahaha. We called him earlier today.

Him: Tch. What else did he tell you?

Me: Oh, nothing much. Just that you love pasta these days.

Him: Ah…ne. Ne. What else?

Me: That’s it.

Him: Oh. Okay. Good.

Jimin told me something else, but I’d rather not say. It was going to be awkward if I told him. He looked relieved when I didn’t tell him anything more. I guess he was expecting Jimin to tell on him. And he did, but I just decided not to tell him that Jimin said stuff about him liking me.

I slipped my hand inside my backpack. I had wrapped a little present for him. I bit my lip and hesitated.

I had given him a jade bracelet before, and it cracked when we had that…accident.

I bought a similar one, to replace the old one. I wanted to give it to him for protection.

I placed the small box on the table and pushed it towards him.

He stopped eating and looked at the box, then to me.

Him: Mine?

Me: Yes.

Him: Should I open it now?

Me: Mmm, okay.

Him: Hold on.

He finished chewing his food and took the box in his hand. He shook it. I chuckled. He grinned.

Me: Rip the paper off, it’s customary.

Him: Okay.

And he ripped the wrapping paper off. He wiggled his eyebrows as he examined the box in between his fingers. I had my phone ready. I wanted to capture the moment in a picture. He slowly tipped the lid off the box. I took the picture. He fished out the new jade bracelet from the box. I took another picture. He grinned.

Him: Wow. Cool.

Me: It’s a new one. The old one has a crack, right?

Him: Yup.

Me: It won’t be able to protect you much if it’s cracked. So I bought a new one for you.

Him: Jeongmal kamsahamnida.

He slipped the bracelet on and tightened to secure it. He grinned some more as he admired it.

Me: You like it?

Him: Mmm?

Me: It’s not much, but-

Him: I like it. It’s more than I expected. Thank you, Xiao Yi.

Me: You’re welcome.

Him: I have two of these now. I’m invincible. Hahaha!

Me: Bulletproof?

Him: I guess so. I can take better care of you.

Me: Cheesy.

Him: I‘m allergic to cheese.

Me: And you ate pasta and pizza with cheese.

Him: But I’m wearing your bracelet. I’m invincible. I can eat anything now.

Me: *snorts* Right.

He suddenly squinted and tilted his head. His eyes seemed to follow someone behind me. I turned my head around to see what he was squinting at.

Was that…Luhan?

Nah, that couldn’t be.

The guy who looked like Luhan disappeared.

He probably wasn’t Luhan.

If he was, I was sure that he’d come up to us and demand to tell him why we were out…dating…

Ugh.

Him: I thought it was Luhan hyung.

Me: Me, too.

Him: Maybe he didn’t see us?

Me: I doubt. He was walking on this side of the street. He could have seen you clearly.

Him: Yes. But that guy just walked past and didn’t even turn around.

Me: Maybe he just looked like Lu ge.

Him: Maybe.

We both shrugged.

But it didn’t erase the fact that the guy was wearing a similar shirt that Lu ge owned. Even if I only saw his retreating figure, I was able to get a good glimpse of his clothes.

Jungkook kept looking behind me, just in case he saw the guy walk past. But we didn’t see him again. It was a bit dark outside now, so unless the person walked by our table, we won’t be sure if it was Luhan.

I took out my phone and sent a text message to Lu ge.

I told him that I saw someone who looked like him and if he was in the vicinity. If he was, I was ready to face him and admit I was with Jungkook.

Lu ge didn’t reply right away. It took about ten minutes before he replied to my message. He told me he wasn’t in the vicinity, but if I wanted him to pick me up, he could come and do that. I told him it was okay. I’d just let “my friend” drive me home.

If Luhan was waiting outside the gate at home, I braced myself to face him.

If I liked Jungkook, I’d have to start defending him from my brothers. I knew my brothers only wanted the best for me, but I also knew that Jungkook didn’t mean any harm.

Sheesh.

What’s going on with me?

Jungkook waved a hand in front of me. It was the hand with my bracelet.

Him: Is Lu ge asking you to come home already?

Me: Nope. I have permission until eight.

Him: Cool. You wanna try driving around?

Me: Me? Drive your car?

Him: Yes. My three years’ worth birthday gift for you. Teach you what you need about driving.

Me: Are you serious?

Him: I’ve always been serious, Yinzi.

He winked at me.

I died.