The new semester has started. You're worried for Kai and how he will act around his new classmates. But then again, everyone knows to leave him be and to avoid him at all cost. They just don't want to risk getting into a fight with him.

It is both your free period now and you're walking with Kai to get coffee. Someone runs past you, knocking into your shoulder. Kai immediately pulls you closer to keep you from falling. He is glaring at the culprit, who has turned his head to apologise.

"I'm sorry!!!" he shouts breathlessly. "I'm kind of late for class—"

"I don't give a—"

"Kai," you say in a warning tone when your boyfriend starts shouting back.

"But he—"

"It's fine, it was accidental," you tell him as you loop your arm through his.

The guy is already gone, too much in a hurry to reach his destination. You tug on Kai's arm and drag him to the café you often frequent. He is acting like a child who had just gotten a scolding. Nonetheless, upon reaching the coffee shop, he nudges you to a table as he goes to line up to get drinks. You find two empty spots by the window. The café is a bit crowded today, so these are the only seats you can find.

Kai comes over after a while with two iced frappés. He sits close to you so that your elbows are lightly touching. You're talking as he listens when someone ruffles your hair from behind, causing you to squeal. Kai turns around in a quarter of a second, ready to fight whoever that is attacking his girlfriend. But then he relaxes, so you turn to face the culprit. It's Suho.

"Coffee date without me?" he teases.

You hug Kai's arm and move closer to him. You reply teasingly, "Yes."

"Stupid," he mutters, pushing your head with his finger. You laugh and he informs you before walking to the counter, "I'll go get a drink."

When Suho has his back to you, Kai stands from his seat. You stare at him and he pries your hand away from his bicep gently.

"I'll get another chair."

He comes back with a chair and places it on your other side. He sits again and you shift closer to him so that Suho will have more space later. You're talking to Kai when you drink his iced beverage on accident. You don't want to give it back though, because it tastes better than yours and you just want his.

"Yah, drink your own," Kai grumbles, trying to pull his drink out of your grasp.

"No," you shake your head, your lips on his straw.

"We got the same drink," he says exasperatedly, giving up as he takes your cup instead.

"Really? Why does yours taste better?"

"My saliva, maybe," he mutters under his breath, a bit annoyed.

"Hmm," you hum inquisitively as you move closer to him. "Let me see."

You turn his head with gentle fingers and kiss his lips lightly. You're not normally this bold with your skinship in public, but you just feel like kissing him right now. So you do. He moans softly when you press another kiss to his lips.

"Yeah, must be your saliva," you murmur, grinning at him when you move away.

"You're so gross," he crinkles his nose at you, but you see the smile on his lips and you know he's not mad.

Suho comes back and settles in the seat next to you. "You guys need to keep your PDA level down," he grunts. You laugh and just to rebel your brother, you place a hand on Kai's inner thigh. He pretends he sees nothing and asks your boyfriend, "Are you coming home tonight?"

"We're going to his house," you answer. "Family bonding time."

"It's not family bonding time," Kai grumbles.

You laugh, smoothing his thigh. The three of you stay for half an hour just to chat before Kai has to go for his next class. Just before he leaves though, you quickly cover Junmyeon's eyes with your hand and Kai understands easily as he leans in to peck you on the lips. You giggle when your brother groans aloud. You return his vision back to him.

"Meet me at my car," Kai reminds you before he turns to Junmyeon. "Bye hyung."

"Be a good boy, Jongin-ah," your brother calls after him and your boyfriend only waves, not even turning around. Junmyeon smiles at his retreating back before turning to look at you, "He loves you, you know."

You blush, "No... He just likes me."

Your brother chuckles, shaking his head. "You just can't see it," he tells you. "Everyone else can. But not you."

It's like after what Junmyeon has told you, you're suddenly seeing things a lot clearer.

When you get to Kai's home that night, you sit next to him at the dining table. And while his mother piles his plate with food, he does the same thing to you. But you already have a lot on your plate and you're already quite full.

"Jongin, she can't eat that much," his father laughs, seeing how you're already struggling to finish your bowl of rice.

Kai stops to look at you. You really are struggling to finish your food. His lips tilt into an adoring smile before he takes some food from your plate to his. After dinner, he is about to drag you back to his room just like how he always does but a servant comes out with a plate of fruits as dessert. You know that he doesn't want to stay because it means longer time with his family and longer time trying not to be annoyed at their constant chatter.

But then he must have seen that twinkle in your eyes when you see that there are mangoes being served. Because he sighs and stops in his tracks to his room. He pulls you back to the dining table, much to his family's surprise.

"She loves mango," Kai mutters as explanation, sitting next to you.

You blush but his family only laughs. They separate all the mangoes on the plate for you. Kai now has to stay longer and tolerate his family's attempts in trying to make him talk. It isn't that he hates being with them (it's not the case anymore), but it's just that with more than one person talking, his annoyance piques rather quickly.

When you're done with dessert, Kai looks at you, "Done?"

You give him an abashed smile as you nod. "Sorry for making you wait."

"Don't be sorry," he murmurs, holding your hand and standing up. His family focuses attention on the both of you, their eyes looking everywhere but your interlocked hands. "We're going back to my room," he tells them.

"Thank you for the food!" you yell when Kai starts dragging you away from the table.

You take turns to shower in his bathroom and then the both of you settle on the bed to talk. It's funny how he is always tight-lipped with his family but with you, he's like a child that likes to tease and joke around. No matter how close he is with Junmyeon or his family, the tie he has with you is incomparable. And that in itself already makes you feel very special. But maybe you're greedy. Maybe you just have to make sure of something.

"Junmyeon told me something today," you tell him as you try to braid your hair. Kai glances up at you from his phone. You smile at him, "About you."

"What did he say?" he quirks an eyebrow as he locks his phone. He watches you braid your hair.

"He told me that you love me," you murmur, eyes locked on his.

Something changes in his eyes, something close to surprise and contemplation. Just seeing that pause, watching that change in his eyes, you feel your heart break a little. You give him a tight smile and try to hide the hurt in your expression. Though you know you're not doing a very good job, since you've always been bad at acting.

"I'm just kidding," you say, trying to make it sound like a joke. But it doesn't come off the way you want because your voice is too soft to be heard and your tone is too calm to come off as normal.

"No, you're not kidding," Kai says quietly, staring at you.

You shake your head, "I am."

"You're a terrible liar, you know."

You sigh, "I know."

He goes closer to you. You swallow nervously. He pulls on your ankle gently so that you're sitting right in front of him.

"Hmm," he hums, smoothing his rough hand on your leg in a calming manner. "Let me see," he mumbles, his free hand cupping your chin.

He leans in close until your lips are just a hair breadth away from each other. You're staring into his eyes, watching every eyelash kiss his cheek as he blinks. He flutters his eyes close and presses his lips to yours softly. His plump lips feel like pillows that conform to the shape of your own lips. He deepens the kiss as he pulls you closer. You expect him to slip his tongue into your mouth when he tilts his head, but he doesn't. Instead, he starts trailing kisses away from your lips to your cheek, your eye, your forehead.

"Yeah, Junmyeon hyung must be right," Kai finally mutters when he kisses the end of your jawline. "This must be love, right?"

"What is?" you whisper, heart beating too fast and hard in your chest. Your cheeks feel hot.

"This desire to protect you and keep you safe," he murmurs, pulling away from you. "This... feeling I have every time you're with me. Like I might vomit." You laugh softly and he smiles, spreading his legs and dragging you to him so that your back is against his chest. "This need to always keep you close and never lose you," he whispers with his lips against your earlobe. "Has to be love, right?"

"I don't know," you whisper back, too nervous to think right.

Kai buries his nose into the crook of your neck, dragging his lips across your skin. "Of course I love you," he tells you as he covers your hand and slips his fingers through yours. "I love you more than anything in the world. More than my family, more than my car, more than soccer."

"More than soccer?" you fake a gasp, turning to look at him. "Really?"

"Sometimes."

"Jongin."

"Of course really," he laughs softly, pecking your lips. "You're special. You're my baby."

"I never knew you were this mushy, Jongin," you giggle, squeezing his hand.

"You made me a changed man."

And indeed you had. From the moment you met him the first time out of school, until now. So that night, Jongin is the one bringing you close instead of you having to snuggle up to him. You go to sleep with his nose in your hair just like always, his arm around your waist protectively, and your legs in a tangle. The next morning, you end up taking a longer time than necessary to untangle your legs from his when his mother comes in to wake you up for breakfast. It's embarrassing because she is watching in amusement as you struggle whereas Kai still sleeps like a log.

"I'm sorry," you apologise with a red face. This is the first time any one of his family members witnesses how close you get with Kai when you're sleeping.

"Oh, no," his mother shakes her head, looking too happy and excited at nine in the morning. "Don't be sorry."

"Jongin," you whisper harshly as you pull his arm away from your body. "Breakfast."

"Let him sleep," his mother waves her hand as she looks at her sleeping son with a soft gaze.

So you leave the room with his mother. You sit alone with his family for the first time as you have breakfast. They are warm and caring to you, not once making you feel out of place. Fifteen minutes into breakfast, you see Kai walking towards the table with his bed hair and half-lidded eyes. His family greets him Good morning and he grunts in reply, taking a seat next to you.

"Slept well?" you smile, pouring him some milk.

"Yes, until you decided to leave me," he grumbles.

"Can't sleep without her, Jongin?" his sister teases.

"Something like that." A pause. "She makes a good bolster."

There is silence. Then his sister speaks, "Was he teasing you?"

"Yes," you huff, glaring at your boyfriend.

He laughs, which sends the second shock to his family. He brings you close with his hand on the other side of your face. Then he gives you a kiss to your cheek as a morning greeting.

You're terribly red and even his family is stunned. Kai starts eating like nothing has happened. You stutter to explain, "He, uh... S-Sometimes he gets really childish in th-the morning. So, uh... He won't remember this later."

"Pity," his father says. "That was so cute."

"I should have filmed it!" his sister groans.

"Here, you can film this, noona," Kai mutters, dropping his knife and fork, as he turns to you. There is already a mischievous glint in his eyes, telling you that he is fully awake and can totally remember this later.

"Jongin," you warn, moving away from him.

"Get her, boy!"

With his father's words, he leans in closer to you. But you push his face away, giggling. "Jongin, stop!"

"Just one more, please?"

You try not to give in. But he is pleading you and he doesn't sound awkward at all (he normally does). How can you say no? You sigh eventually, tilting your head so that he has access to your red cheek. His mother is looking on with adoration and excitement.

"Noona, quick," he mutters to his sister before he turns your face and gives you a peck to your lips.

You hear squealing and the legs of a chair scraping against the floor before someone starts clapping. You don't doubt that it's Kai's father. Kai is chuckling at your surprised (and betrayed) expression, as well as how red your face looks.

"I will fund all the expenses for your wedding when you get married," Mr. Kim proclaims, still clapping his hands like a proud father.

You're walking to your next class when you see a crowd. People around the area are at a standstill as they watch on. You're about to turn away when you see who are causing the commotion.

Kai is having a stare down with another guy and the both of them look mad. A girl is standing slightly off the side, crying, but you know she has to be one of the characters in this fight. You know you're going to be late for your class, but you don't think twice before sprinting towards the scene. People glance at you, probably wondering where you're off to in such a hurry.

"Jongin!" you shout when you're close enough. Kai turns to look at you, shock registering on his face. You reach him and glance at the seething man in front of him. "What's going on?"

"This bastard was hitting his girlfriend," Kai growls, taking a scary step closer to the culprit. The other guy flinches slightly and now everyone knows Kai has the upper hand.

"Jongin..." you murmur, slipping your hand into his big one, lacing your fingers together.

"Baby, you know I won't stand for this," he snaps at you, eyes blazing.

You squeeze his hand. "I know. But there has to be another way to solve this. Violence doesn't make peace, Jongin."

"Violence will hurt rats like him and when he's dead, peace is made," he shouts, causing you to cringe at his loud volume.

He sees the reaction and relaxes a little, letting out a big, annoyed breath. You look at the crying girl and beckon her to come closer. She does and you offer her a piece of tissue.

"Were you very hurt?" you ask her gently.

She shakes her head and glances at your boyfriend, "Kai-ssi intervened at the—"

"What the are you still doing here?" Kai shouts at the other man, voice dangerous and strained like he is trying very hard to hold back from exploding in anger. "Get the out of here!"

The guy leaves after a muttering a Crazy under his breath. Kai comes closer to you and you rub his shoulder, trying to calm him as much as you can.

"Why'd you even date a bastard like him?" Kai almost yells too loudly at the girl, making her balk.

You squeeze his hand, "Softer, Jongin. She's right in front of you, she can hear you."

He glares at you, "You—" Then he stops and groans loudly in frustration, running a hand through his brown hair.

"Don't meet him again, okay? He's not worth your time," you tell the girl, offering a small smile. "Not worth your tears either."

"You're pretty too, you deserve a way better guy," Kai grunts from behind you, though his compliment sounds a little forced. 

"Thank you," the girl sniffs, blushing a little. "For helping me."

She gives a grateful bow and then turns to leave in a different direction as her (hopefully) ex-boyfriend. You face Kai when she's gone. He doesn't give you any eye contact though. You know he is embarrassed because after all, this is the first time you've seen him in a near fight. With your fingers on his chin, you gently make him face you. Then you drop your hand to his chest, feeling the angry thumping of his heart. You rub his chest and go closer to him. He is staring down at you while you look up at him, your height difference significant.

"Will a kiss make you feel better?" you murmur.

"No," he huffs. But then he thinks better of it and mumbles, "Yes..."

You chuckle and he leans down to accept your kiss. You thought you might have felt his heart skip a beat, but then that's impossible because your heart is the weak one, not Kai's. You give him one more peck before moving away and dragging him to somewhere else. People are staring at you, probably still stunned by the scene that had unfolded and maybe also by the fact that you've just kissed the Guy With Anger Issues.

"Were you scared of me?" Kai asks after a few moments of silence.

You glance at him, "What do you mean?" He lets out an annoyed breath before he opens his mouth to explain. But you cut him off before he even gets a word out, "Of course not, Jongin. Why would I be scared of you?"

"I yelled at you," he sounds pained, like he couldn't believe he actually did what he did.

"What's yelling when someone else is abused by her boyfriend?" He doesn't say anything, so you continue, "And it wasn't like you were yelling at me without reason."

"I kind of was..."

"You were trying to get a point across."

"But still..." he tugs on your hand so that you spring back to his body. "I'm sorry," he murmurs gravely.

"Kai," you laugh, shaking your head. "It's okay." Then you drag him to his car where you stand before it and tell him, "But maybe if you drive me to my favourite cake shop, I'll forgive you more." His lips tilt into the slightest of smiles. Then you tap your bottom lip, "And maybe a kiss too."

"I can do both," he nods.

You're giggling when he pulls you close by the waist. He cradles your face in his hands gently and gives you a light peck on your lips. Then he escorts you to your side of the car before getting into the vehicle himself. As he buckles up, you remember the class that you've missed and wonder if Kai has anything else for the rest of the day. So you ask him.

"I'll skip anything for you in a heartbeat," he murmurs as he glances at you with a certain look in his eyes that you've recognised as love and affection. "No excuses."

Author's note: