❝the breakdown;
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                                ask your husband about mental disorder will you? .

It was bright and early when he woke up to the direct sunlight coming through the window. Taemin let out a loud groan, rubbing his eyes and blink once and twice before he sees someone outside at the balcony. It's Jinri who's standing in that cold morning breeze outside the balcony. He groan once again and got up into a sitting position. His back hurts, so badly. He got up and walk straight towards the bathroom and take a quick shower because he knows that she had shower and already packed up. 

It only took him less than 15 minutes for shower, he finally got out from the bathroom only to see Jinri on the bed looking through her phone, furrowing a little. She heard him coming out and it made her look up, meeting his gaze "we're off?" she asked and he just nod to her. Putting his stuffs in the bag and put on his jacket. There's his jacket on top of his bag making him furrow a little and look back at Jinri, she's putting on her coat and fixes her hair. 

He didn't say anything, instead he just hold the jacket and grab his bag with him, walking out from the room and let Jinri lock the door. "here" she passes the key to him and walk down the stairs to the lobby. Jinri didn't follow him, instead she waits for him by his motorbike. It's definitely a nice day today, the sun is out and even though it's still chilling outside, she loves seeing the blue skies. She look down and met his eyes as he walk out from the lobby towards her. 

None of them say a thing, he hop on before she gets on and wrap her arms around him. this time, she doesn't feel awkward or such. She felt somehow natural doing such things and obviously seems like he doesn't mind because it's the only option for her to grip on something. He started his motorbike and quickly dash off to what she's assuming that they're heading towards Merrilake. 

She did some research of that place, it is stunning. She never been there, only heard that place's name. The nice morning breeze hit her face softly making her resting her face on his back. He felt it and it somehow gives him that tingling feelings, butterflies in his stomach. "you'll get the bed next time" murmured Jinri and he heard him. 

"you must've hurt your back" she said and it made him furrow a little. It's as if she read his mind or something. "do you always go to Merrilake?" she asks hoping for him to answer her question because she is bored. "sometimes" he answered her but this time it sounded so ... soft. "sometimes? you're from Merrilake?" she asked though it sound so stupid "no i don't" he answer her again. "okay maybe i'll stop here before you get mad at me for i don't know why" she said but it made him chuckle a little

She was surprised. she is because it is hard to even make him smile. "about last night's question though" he started and again he made her surprise once again. "oh forget about it" Jinri tried to escape it but he pushed it forward "are you jealous?" he asked making him roll her eyes at his question. Maybe there's no other way to escape the question, unless if she decides to jump off the motorbike. "no i'm not" she lied obviously. 

"you're lying" he pushed her once more and it made her groan "what makes you think of that?" Jinri asked him back and once again he chuckle. "because you are. i know the look Jinri" he said, focusing on the road. Jinri let out a long sigh and finally admit "okay fine, maybe i am.. because you guys are so close together" murmured Jinri and it really did make him smile wide except that she couldn't see his smile. 

"how far are we to get there?" she tried to change the subject "another 2 hours" says Taemin and it somehow odd for her because he talks, like a lot today. Which is amazing but somehow weird as well. This is her first time hearing him being this talkative and not getting annoyed nor angry for no reason. She's hoping for this kind of attitude of him to stay, at least for today if it's hard to ask for. 

30 minutes or almost 1 hour has passed, she lost count but after those silent ride, she just couldn't stop looking at the view. as they get closer and closer to Merrilake, the view just keep on changing and get even more prettier. "oh my god" murmured Jinri and it did made him look back at her for a bried second and furrow. "what?" he asked. 

"pull over!" she said almost shouting and he furrow even more but he didn't say a word and pulled over, only realise what it was. Jinri hopped off, rushing down the unstable ground that's full of dry leaves. He wanted to shout 'careful' but as always, he didn't. "just give me less than a minute! i promise you less than that!" she shouted and run towards the beautiful lake that she sees. Taemin just chuckle, he didn't realise he was chuckling until he found himself smiling as he land his eyes on her. 

Soojung was so right about him being so ego about it. 

Sometimes it does make him feel tired for acting like he didn't care about her when the truth is he does care for her, sometimes. Jinri's standing before the beautiful blue lake that's in front of her and just amazed at how beautiful the view is. She was wondering why she never hear of this place before, clearly this isn't Merrilake but it's almost as beautiful as Merrilake. 

"TIMES UP" shouted Taemin from the back making her scoffed at him "seriously? did you time me?" she shouted back and saw him showing his wrist watch. She just roll her eyes and take loads of pictures of the lake before running back towards him who's waiting for her to come back. "you promised" he said, naturally helped her up by holding her hand. "i didn't expect you'll take it seriously" murmured Jinri 

"okay fine, another 1 minute" he said and walk towards his motorbike, hopped on it and took out his phone. He look up to see her still taking photos of the view, unintentionally he pull up his phone and take a picture of her from the back. 

SOOJUNG

10.34AM : how do i keep a conversation going?

10:35AM : with a girl?                                          

10:35AM : with a stranger.                                   

10:36AM : and who's this stranger?                     

He found himself sending the picture he took of her from the back to Soojung and he is serious right now. He wouldn't lie more that Jinri is indeed changing him to someone else, someone better with a better life. something like that he thought. Because he was so mad at himself, he's so gloomy and was surrounding with bad things in his life that he wouldn't care much about great things that's around him. The great things that he couldn't reach it himself

But Jinri helped him, slowly he's getting there. He could feel it

SOOJUNG

10.37AM : Talk with your hearts out.  she's lovely you know.

"TIMES UP!" he said and made her jumped a little. "i know i know..." murmured Jinri and smile at the beautiful photos she got. Jinri hop on and wrap her arms around him, looking at the view one last time before he dash off and heard him says "there's better than this"

"hey can you do me a favour?" asks Jinri and he turn a bit to look at her, arched a brow and waited "say yes first" she insist him on saying yes which he did after awhile of thinking about it. "okay yeah, what is it?" he asked. 

"keep this nice version of Taemin for at least today" she murmured

he smile softly behind her back.

Jinri nearly fell asleep but thankfull she didn't but she is tired and hungry. "hey.. i'm hungry" murmured Jinri but he didn't reply her. Her eyes wandered the surrounding, realised that the view has changed once more but this is even better than before. There's a small town on her left side and the people looks so friendly and nice as they past by them. 

"we're almost there" he said and she realises that they're heading towards the woods making her furrow a little "you're not planning on killing me are you?" she asked as they get into the woods, away from the town "even if you are, at least let me eat first" she said making him chuckle. It was only 5 minutes after they went in and she can see a cabin not too far from them. 

And it gets bigger as they get closer to it. "is this yours?" she asked when he finally park his motorbike in front of the cabin. "partially yeah" he said and take his bag with him. "so am i staying here?" she asked