"(y/n), can you send this to your aunt's shop? she needed the new stock." your grandfather asked, handing you two medium boxes of unknown stuff in it. you nodded and grab your phone and wallet before holding the boxes and walk outside to get the bicycle that was used for delivery, but it's not here.

"hal-abeoji? where's the bicycle for the delivery?" you stick your head into the shop and shouted at your grandfather who was busy analyzing the herbs and teas.

"that old bike run down already, sweetie. the new one will arrive in 2 weeks." you widened your eyes at that.

"how am i supposed to deliver the new stock?"

"maybe call that boy Jinki. your boyfriend would help." he answered, getting pretty busy with stacking his herbs and teas back to where it belonged. you sighed and walk out, thinking about whether you should walk or take a taxi with it. you don't have time to wait for taxi, so you decided on walking. you decided on putting the box on top of each other and lift it up, carefully. since the medium box is considered big too, you barely see the sight infront of you, much to know where you're walking to.

"need help?" you turn around and see Jinki looking at you, smiling a little. you smiled and nodded, and he pick up both of the box with ease and walk.

"Jinki, i can lift one of them, it's too trouble for you to hold 2 of those." you says, trying to lift his burden.

"ani, it's fine. i'm strong enough to break a walnut with my finger, you know?" 

you smiled. "really?" he nodded, looking at you with a glint in his eyes that shows how much he like to talk about it to someone that he is comfortable about.

"so where to?" he ask. 

"oh, to my aunt's shop in another road. can you really see?" you ask, concerned of him. he nodded again.

"i'm tall enough, don't worry (y/n)" you pouted a little at him, not satisfied. but he seems to take this as his own amusement and nudge your body with his hip gently. you giggled a little and nudge him with your arms.

"mianhae, Jinki-ah, my cousin was supposed to drop by and take the boxes, but he was really busy at the moment. so i had to deliver this." he nodded, looking infront of him while you guide him to the destination, while holding his arm. it feels nice to be spending time with him outside school, where he can be free with himself and his smiles around you. well...

"Jinki-ah?" he hums, listening. you grip his arm while walking, feeling doubt inside.

"why did you left yesterday?" you feel him stiffened under your fingers, probably thinking about what happened yesterday. 

"i don't want to take what are his," he exclaimed, his voice is stern. you turn to look at him, confused.

"what are who?" 

he sighed and keep quiet, and that is a cue as you to shut up also because he didn't want to answer that. you walk until you found the shop and lead him in, feeling the sense of familiar smell of herbs and everything inside.

"ajumma!" you called, seeing an older woman in her late 40s walk out from the back quickly to see you and smile brightly. she gave you a hug and you told her about the new stock and she guide Jinki to put it on the counter.

"where is that dummy?" you wonders, looking around. 

"at the back probably, still sorting the tea bags. now who is this charming boy you have here (y/n)? you didn't tell me that you are dating somebody!" she laughed, patting Jinki's on the back. both of you blushed.

"ajumma..." you groaned, feeling embarassed that Jinki had to witnessed everything from your grandfather to your aunt. but he laughed at it too, thinking that your family is really funny.

"(y/n)-ah!" both of you turned at the sound of Kai walking with a tall book on his arms. you feel Jinki stiffened at the sight of him. you smiled at him.

"yah dummy, you're making me and Jinki walk from grandfather's shop to here all because of you." you put both of your hands on your hips, pretending to blame him. Kai shrugged and put the book on the table while turning to look at Jinki.

"hello! i'm (y/n)'s cousin, Kai." he sticks out his hand to Jinki, which Jinki accepted in daze. you turn to look at Jinki as his tongue was cut short from Kai's greetings.

"c-cousin?" he stutters. both you and Kai nodded.

"ne. want some tea? (y/n) makes the best tea ever!" he exclaimed, getting an eye roll from his mother. Jinki turn to look at you and you nodded at him, grabbing his hand, much to your surprise and lead him into the stairs at the back with Kai trailing behind both of you.

you and Jinki walk from your aunt's herb shop in the evening after the tea session and interrogation from Kai. all of you had fun though, and Jinki finally showed his genuine smile after a few days of mystery. now, both of you are enjoying the evening breeze as walking back to your grandfather's shop. but the walk was very quiet. you didn't know what was happening in his mind.

"i didn't know that he was your cousin," Jinki started, you look up at him, shrugging at it.

"not alot of people knew about it. but it doesn't matter much because they will sooner or later." you answered, looking at the clouds and not paying attention to the road. but you were pulled back into him when you see a car passed by, honking at you to be careful. you turn to look up at Jinki who was holding you close.

"don't let yourself get hurt. arasso?" you nodded, and pull away from him. he didn't seem to trust you enough to walk again, so he made sure that you walk not beside the road and intertwined his fingers with yours, making you look down at it and back to him, redness forming on your cheeks. he smiled at you with a glint in his eyes before stopping infront of your grandfather's shop. you turn to look inside that your grandfather is busy with his book, while Jinki is infront of you, watching you with interest.

"i guess this is it then. i'll see you tomorrow." he says, backing up and was about to walk, but you pulled him back and stand on your toes and give him a kiss on his lips, which he gladly returned to it back. it was just like yesterday, his hands was at the back of your neck, deepen it, and you got the chance to tangle your fingers in his soft hair. it was perfect. you hear the door bell ringing, meaning someone has just come out or in and pull away, Jinki holding you close to his chest.

"young man, as much as i approved your relationship with my granddaughter, i expect you to ask for her hand in marriage very soon before you can properly kiss her in public. arasso?" your grandfather say, standing proudly infront of his shop. Jinki laughed nervously and nodded, pulling away gently but still holding your hands. your grandfather goes back inside and you and Jinki burst into a laughter together.

"like i mentioned before, he is really nice." you smiled at him.

"he is. i'm glad he's not that strict. although marriage? hmm, i guess we need to get married so we can kiss in public then." you . he grinned and lift up your hand and kiss it gently, like a proper gentleman.

"i shall wait for that moment to arrives, my lady. until then," he leans down and give a kiss on your cheeks, before pulling away and walk backwards, winking at you before turning around and walk until he dissapeared in the corner. you blushed and squealed a little before walking back inside the shop, loving today.

you turn to put your stuff inside the locker, sorting the things out while waiting for Amber. you had told her everything last night, which makes her feeling giddy and told you to wait for her today. sometimes you didn't understand her, but then again, don't. just make sure that she's not doing something dumb without you by her side.

you feel a peck on your left cheek. "hello love," that familiar voice greet you. you smiled and turn around, seeing Jinki by your side, smiling at you with his sunshine smile. like a kid. you pinch his cheek softly while still sorting out the stuff inside your locker. what a mess.

"hi Jinki-ah." you greet back, feeling a bit embarassed because he called you by personal nickname on you, while you're calling him by his name instead.

"why don't you call me oppa instead?"  he suggested, like he was reading your mind. you blushed and turn to look at him questionably.

"do you want to?" he nodded. eventhough you're both not officially dating yet, you had been close with each other like lovesick couples already.

"my yeobo will be mad at you" you teased, closing the locker door. you were mentioning about Amber, but Jinki seems to be taking the wrong idea of it.

"the one who you're intend on giving the jasmine herbs?" he is sharp. you nodded and chuckled a little. you could see him fuming alittle.

"it's Amber, oppa." you assured, calling him the nicknames that he wanted you to call him just now. he softens and pouted before squishing both of your cheeks together with his big and warm hands.

"yah! you cheeky little thing, you're trying to make me have a heart attack again ah?" he grumbled, squishing it again before releasing your face, making both of your cheeks red from all the squishing. you giggled.

"you should have asked clearly, oppa. if not, you will get pretty jealous often." you stated, intertwined your fingers with his. he huffed at this.

"i'm not jealous." he commented, pouting like a kid. you laughed harder.

"that just happened, cute litte jealous kid. then we better started dating so that you could keep me all for yourself." you suggested, half-hoping that he will agree. you're being blunt, but it's not or never. his pouting face turn into one of the brightest smile that you could ever seen, as he took out a rose from where it came from, and hand it to you. which you gladly take it.

"well then, will you go out with me? i mean, be my girlfriend, you could be my soulmate also.. aish." he babbled again, which you kissed him to shut him up.

"yah! both of you, there is no PDA rule in the hallway!" both of you pulled away, turning to look at a teacher yelling at you. Jinki smiled and run, tug you along with him and run to the perfect place that both of you could over think of, the garden. both of you stopped under the tree, the same tree both of you used to sit down and get to know each other closer. 

you let out a breath while watching if the teacher has followed both of you, but luckily the teacher doesn't. you turn back to the already sitting down Jinki. you plop on his lap, surprising him and pulled you close, hugging you to his chest.

"i still didn't get the answer though." he exclaimed. you raised an eyebrow at him and smiled playfully at him. really? after the kiss?

"maybe."

"maybe?" he slouched, frowning.

"oppa?"

"yes?"

"i was just joking. it's a yes." he let out a sigh of relief, happy that you accepted him. he was about to lean in and kiss you again, but you put your fingers on his lips.

"i have one question though..." he nodded, urge you to go on.

"who are you in love with exactly?" his head shot up in surprise in your question. but you had been feeling curious about it until now. and being blunt, again, you feel the need to ask to know the person that he was exactly fell in love with.

"a girl from the herb shop that i visited a month ago." you scrunched your eyebrows at him, pointing at yourself.

"me?" 

he didn't answer. "when i walked in, she didn't notice me, but i do. she was stacking the herbs on the shelves, being busy herself. i remembered that when i visited the next day, she didn't do anything, but was reading a book about herb, which i know she could not probably understand most of it due to many names and benefits from it that is all the same. but she tried to understand it and try to help out as many customers as she can before relying on her nice grandfather. i talked to her grandfather once, he was proud of having a granddaughter like her for helping him eventhough she have no interest in herbs and teas and everything in that shop. so i had a crush on her for a few weeks until i decided it was enough to stop stalking her like a ert person for no reason, and tried to talk to her but i made the wrong first impression. she couldn't handle dust, now that i know. and after i make it up to her, which doesn't end much nicely because i assumed that she has a lover, which she are capable of getting one, whom is her own cousin which i felt embarassed in judging and getting mad at him in the first place. that crush unknowingly turns into love, and until now, which i held her in my arms today, was never changed. and i'm glad she accepted me to be his lover, officially."

he finished, and you feel like your heart is going to burst into happiness because of his speech. so you attacked him with a huge fit of kisses all over his face. he was laughing but enjoying it. you pulled away after giving a peck on his lips and smiled brightly at him.

"i love you too, you know that? i'm glad you stepped on that dust because it ends to me sitting on your lap, being your girlfriend." he grinned.

"i'm glad that i decided to step in the herb shop a month ago. i could not be finding my soulmate if i hadn't stepped inside." you blushed at this.

"already thinking ahead or are you just being cheesy?" you teased. he smirked in the corner of his lips and kisses you gently before pulling away.

"i'm 100% sure we were meant to be." he say it in a serious tone and expression. you smiled and leaned closer to him, kissing his nose.

"then i'm 100% sure you are already thinking ahead."

"of course, my future wife makes the best tea that i have ever tasted. how could i ever let her go?" he exclaimed. you were about to answer when a voice cuts both of you.

"yah! why didn't you wait at the locker huh? and why are you on his lap? are you two in the middle of something?" Amber strut to both of you with Kibum, and the other 3 friends that you're still didn't know about. Jinki sat up straight, pulling his sweater off from him and drape it over your legs, and also pulling your skirt down more on your legs so it doesn't show too much to his friends. he was being protective and jealous already.

"Amber, will you shut up? i'm trying to make a conversation with MY girlfriend." Jinki replied for you, emphasising on the second last sentences. all of their eyes widened at his answers. you blushed when all of them stared on both of you.

"you guys are dating? congratulations!" the one with the brown hair, that looks too young from his usual age chirped happily. he grinned. Kibum smirked at him.

"finally, no more whining about not getting her and there." 

"but he will whine about how much he loves her after this, which is more worst than that." the short, another brown-haired boy say, scrunching his nose in disgust. the tallest among them rolled his eyes.

"just let them be. they are happy." he says, and then nodding at your boyfriend, which he nodded back, thanking him.

"well now i got competition in pulling you away. yah Jinki! i don't care if she's your girlfriend or the mother of your babies, but i would still pull her away whenever i want, and don't testify me ah!" Amber exclaimed playfully. you laughed at her words. she's being her crazy self.

"no way! she is mine, and i worked hard to get her so it's my turn now!" Jinki argued. you turn to look at him and place your hand on his cheeks, which he leaned on while glaring playfully at Amber.

"both of you could stop being posessive of me or i'll go back to Kai" you sang, making both of their heads whipped to look at you.

"NO!"

well this day could be better, with your friends and your boyfriend together. what a lucky life you have to fall sick in that herb shop. you owed one to your grandfather for being a silent matchmaker in the first place.

"aigoo.."