"I'm sorry, what?" Minsu found it hard to take in just as I did.

"Nothing, dont worry about it." 

"You cant just change the subject, Jongin." I cut in before my brother could throw a fit. If this is a joke, its a sick one and it would take time for me to let it go.

"I'll tell you another time, not now."

Minsu snaps into a position where he drags me out of the room to where Jongin wont be able to hear us, although we were only outside and there was a door in between us, he isnt capable of hearing it. "Where and when did you meet him." He spoke in a way that was very demanding, as if it wasnt a question.

Having only met him yesterday, I thought about t for a few moments as he may throw a huge lecture at me and also blackmailing me into telling mom and dad about him so I thought carefully but he is someone known to be impatient. "Yesterday. In the basketball court."

"How do you know he's not some stalker or someone trying to take money from us or someone who wants revenge?" He flicks his thick right elbow north.

"He isnt..." I gave him the impression of how I'm unsure, if I think about it, he knew about Soojin, he knew my name, he knew Minsu, he definitely knows the existence of my father, this could be adding up. "He's not." I stand ground and gave him more assurance this time.

"Kids," In a matter of seconds, father peaked up from the staircase to find both of us in a heated conversation. "me and your mother have been waiting for you to eat breakfast, is something wrong?"

"We'll be down in a minute father." Minsu gladly responded as we both bow goodbye for now. As he makes his way to the kitchen, he opens my bedroom door only to glare at Jongin. "Stay here until we come back and dont touch anything." I didnt hear a word from Jongin but he probably nodded without any expression to his face. Minsu seals the door shut and gapes into my eyes. "We're going investigating today."

"What has gotten into you?" My thoughts were cut short as he was already sprinting halfway down the stairs.

***

I struggled eating my breakfast the whole time, I was full of anxiety, just waiting for the moment for Minsu to click and everything will be untold but to my relief he didnt speak a word and family breakfast goes the way it usually does. Because of my untouched breakfast, I was told to bring it upstairs, this came to an advantage so Jongin wouldnt be left starved.

I look at the bowl of bibimbap and then back at Jongin. "Here, I managed to get you some food."

"Thanks." He kindly accepts the breakfast and made his way into swallowing it up.

I observe Minsus attitude towards Jongin, he repeatedly remains passive towards Jongin, I would say something but I know i'm going to recieve a scolding from him. "Why are you here?" Minsu grudgingly questions. "Are you here for revenge? Do you want money? How much do you want?"

Jongin smiles widely, to me, it looks too innocent for someone to get revenge. "Its not what it seems. I'm here to simply make friends."

With the look on Minsus face, you could tell he is taken aback. "Thats not what I was expecting..." He mummbles.

"If you think I hold a grudge against your father, I can assure you, I plainly feel nothing towards him other than a-"

"Other than a what?" I furrow my eyebrow, I became too curious as what he felt the need to say.

"Forget it, lets forget about this whole situation."

Minsu briskly peeps at me with a concerned declaration.

At the same time, the rays of the sun began to ricochet its way past the clouds. "Lets go out."

"Now?" I hurriedly ask, its odd that he had a sudden change of attitude, Jongin however went along with it and I'm the only one left suspicious of the both.

"Yes, now. Call Soojin to meet us by the boba cafe."

***

It was bvery difficult to sneak out past our parents with Jongin following behind our lead, I refused to let him out the way he came back in,there was a risk of an injury. Eventually we got out within an hour because of the interruptions from several people within the house, we were only one block away from the boba cafe and I spot Soojin waiting outside with the phone in her hand, my phone vibrates inside my pocket, I could pick it up but I would have to suffer alone through the constnt complaints on how late I am so instead I ignored it so us three can suffer together.

"What took you so long? There was so many people walking past me with dirty looks, did you know how uncomfortable I felt?" I know I wanted us three to suffer her complaints but she only had her eyes fixed on me as she whined, it felt like an interrogation of some sort. "And-oh, hello." She finally noticed the other two but only Jongin, completely ignoring Minsu. "I'm afraid we didnt introduce ourselves yesterday, I'm Kang Soojin."

Jongin didnt move an inch so instesd, Soojin forcefully shakes his hand. "I'm Kim Jongin." He replies uncomfortably.

Soon, we all head inside the cafe to try and find a table. "You hit jackpot Minzy! 2 days in a row?! And its early in the morning! You must really like him." She nudges me with her elbow, throwing constants eyebrow lifts.

"What are we doing here Minsu?" I ignore Soojins remark.

"We had to do it publicly, he could have killed us when we were alone in the room."

"'Killed'!?" Soojin double widened her eyes.

Immediatley, I snap into shutting completely with the palm of my hand. "He might hear us." I analyse the cafe and found out he wasnt even near our presance, he was already in the cue.

"c'mon Minzy, dont you find him at least the tiny bit suspicious?"

"Why are we talking about murders?" Soojin continued to ask, only till it hit me than she still doesnt have a clue about whats going on.

"Tell Soojin everything whilst I help Jongin with the drinks."

"Wait!" Minsu grabs a hold of my attention. "Do you have your whistle with you?"

"Thats a little bit out of proportion." I wink to reassure him that I'll be fine.

The line is intermediatly long but Jongin is cued at the back, squinting his eyes to be able to read the menu. "Hey, are you doing okay?"

"Erm, I guess. I need my reading glasses."

"How about I read out the orders for you."

"That would be great, thanks."

I, too, squint my eyes, my eyes may not be as bad as his that he needs reading glasses but they worked fine. "Taro, mango, watermelon-"

"Chocolate." Unexpectedly, we both collided with the same words.

"Chocolates your usual, right? Chocolate with tapioca."

I press my lips together into a firm position as I analyse him. "Right again." I comment. "How do you know so much about me?"

"Just a hunch." He laughs it off. "So does Soojin want Mango or watermelon?"

"Errr...mango, she hates watermelon."

"Does she? Thats odd." He adds.

"You know what else is odd?"

"What?"

I continue to furrow my eyebrows, I tried going deeper into his mind to find out his scheme or whatever but its too puzzling when he acts so oblivious. "That you know all of our usuals. Do you know what Minsu likes too?"

He shakes his head as if he were a puppy. "Not a clue." He speaks with a pokerface.

"He likes honeydew." I comment.

in his head, I find him calculating the total. "So that would be 7907.32 South Korean Won?"

I was impressed to see how he could work it out in a matter of 3 seconds. From this I learnt that hes great at mentally working out numbers in his head in a short amount of time. Immediatley, he takes out his very vintage looking wallet from his back pocket. "Oh, no, its okay, I'll pay." I offer.

"No, I insist." I reach for my back pocket but I felt a small glint of skin on my the surface of my skin, it was the palm of Jongins hand, I gape up and there was that famous warm smile I always catch him giving me.

"A gentleman should pay, right?"

"Right..." Those words ring in my head, its the words my mother always tells Minsu when were out without my father, just the three of us.

He opens his wallet, one side faces me, it revealed two pictures, one of two adorable kids of the opposite sat together smiling at the camera with a plain white background, they wore lavish clothing and both have deep and sculpted dimples. "Who are they?" I ask. "That little boy looks alot like you, is that you when you were a baby? Or your sibling?" I suggest as it looked very modern to be set around 17 years ago.

"Err, it was me and my sister back then."

"I see."

I shifted my eyes to the next picture, its a picture of a woman, black hair, pale face and lips so red its can be camouflaged as a rose. I felt the mood of Jongin catching my eyes. "Thats a friend. A best friend actually."

"She's beautiful."

"Very." 

To my surprise, she shuts his wallet with the money present on his hand. I was very tempted to ask about her, it seems like its all in the past now. "What happened to her?" It came to me that I came on very strong or too sudden, perhaps even touched a sensative question. "You dont have to answer."

"No, you should know. She died of a fire. Arson, the detectives say."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I bow my head down, I shouldnt as anymore questions about his personal life until we get to a certain level, I thought and it was silent the whole time until we got to the front of the cue.

"Hey, how can I help you?" The cashier asks.

"Can I have one large chocolate milk tea with tapioca, one medium mango fruit tea with mango pobbles and..."

He stumbles along his words, I was too engaged with his voice as how he knows that Soojin prefers fruit tea over milk tea anyday and how I always take a large cup but he mentioned earlier how he doesnt know about Minsus taste so I stepped in. "A large honeydew milk tea with tapioca."

"Is that all?" The cashier expected an answer.

"Yes."

"Okay, that'll be 7907.32 South Korean Won." Jongin gives the money as expected. "I'll be back with your order."

"Are you not going to order anything?" I gape up at his face, this is probably the first time I had to look up to him since we left the house, he may not be tall compared to other guys but considering my height, hes tall for me, almost my ideal height for man.

"No, I cant eat too much sugar."

"Oh, I'm sorry-"

"Why do you keep saying sorry?" He chuckles. "Its not your fault."

"Well we did pick the place, we should of ask you on your opinion."

"Well you fed me a heavy breakfast, thats enough for me."

We sat down in complete with all our orders, Minsu and Soojin are sat opposite me and Jongin, there wasnt anything exciting happening other than Minsu continuously interrogating Jongin about his past and present. 20 minutes came by and by that time, I took the last sip of my bubble tea. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"I'll come with you." Soojin couldnt refuse.

"I'm okay, seriously." This guard thing was getting out of hand, if Minsu didnt explain to Soojin that this was some sort of crime scene, she'd feel so relaxed and not so worked up.

Jongin was in the way, he was sat on the edge so there was no other way of me getting out without him moving, as he positioned himself out, stealthily, I slip a little note in his hands in an angle the other two wouldnt be able to catch, this was meant to be for earlier when Minsu sneaked into my room without any permission but he had his eyes on me the whole time. The note reads 'Come meet me outside in 5.' I honestly hope that Minsu would find anything suspicious.

***

Behind one of the stalls in the girls toilet, I discovered a window big enough to squeeze me out, with the proper grip, strength and possibly motvation, I managed to step into fresh air and finally meet with Jongin, even though I was dismissed from the table earlier, he was capable of getting there first.

"Whats wrong?" Jongin immediatly recognises a small leaf attatched to a stand of my hair and peels it off till no essensce of it is left.

"Nothing." I shook my head breathlessly. "Lets go." As if I wasnt tired enough, I caught a glimpse of Minsu and Soojin preparing to leave the building, I tug on Jongins wrist and headed east to where a oversized meadow is located.

We paused as soon as what we estimated to be in the middle, we werent the only ones here, it seems to be filled with other people, mostly adults with their families or couples so we couldnt really tell where the middle exactly were, nevertheless, they wouldnt be able to spot us here as we took many turns and this field continued to recieve more guests, lets not forget the grass that is is expanded up to our knees with daisies to compliment them. We sat down together as we figured we'll be unnoticable with the grass up to par with our heads.

"Are you okay?"

I desperatley breathe in the fresh air as I strive to catch my breathe. "Never better."

"Do you need water?"

"That would be great."

"Wait here, I'll be back."

I didnt argue into talking him into staying and going together but I did come to realisation that he is new to Seoul, at least thats what I think, he doesnt seem very familiar with the place, he may even get lost and I dont even have his number but 2 minutes later I forgot about it as I was too busy relaxing and enjoying the pleasure from the sun. Whilst relaxing and with a possibility of getting a fan, my phone bleeped out loud next to me. 

"Where are you? Are you with Jongin?"

- [Minsu, 13:48]

"No and I went home and I'm with mom at the salon, dont reply, we'll be getting our nails done."

- [Minzy, 13:50]

By the time I sent my last message, Jongin came back with a bottle of water. "Hey, I'm surprised you actually got some water." I reach up for the bottle in his hands but he tugs it away incapable of my reach.

"And why is that?" He winks but the ray of light wouldnt allow me to see his profile.

"Arent you from somewhere else?" I carried on grasping onto the bottle but he wouldnt allow me to have a slight touch of it.

"Where did you get that idea?" He sits down beside me and drinks from the bottle.

"You dont seem to know your way around here." I watch in envy as he continues to make me want to savour all of the water.

"Thats right, I'm from Calabasas. I'm living here with my nan for now, she lives near here actually, thats how I figured out my way around here." I didnt say a word as I didnt want to seem greedy but he wouldnt stop drinking the water until the very last drop. "What?" He chuckles at my unnerved appearance.

"You drank all the water I asked for." I emphasis on the 'drank' and 'I'.

He tilted his head back and laughed heartily. It was a deep sounding, mellow and calming. "Isnt this the water you asked for?" He pulls out another bottle, I dont know where from but I hoped it was still cold and fresh.

This was my time to snatch it but he automatically jerks it away from me as if he expected it to happen. "Stop playing games! I'll get dehydrated!" I beg, attempting to take a grasp of it.

"There are things in life that you have to earn."

"Great. What do you want?"

"Nothing special, its quite simple actually."

Beside him, I gaped up to his sharp jawline. "Shoot."

"A kiss."