They stood at the back exit of her family’s restaurant, holding hands as they breathed in the cold air. Winter was almost over but it was still freezing cold, especially at this hour. Zico swung their hands together, his other one holding a bag with a container of marinated crabs from the restaurant - he figured he’d buy some for his family, and maybe even use the opportunity to tell them about his girlfriend.

“Go on, you should leave now. I don’t want you getting sick by staying out in the cold for so long,” Hayi urged as she gently pulled her hand away.

Jiho put the plastic bag down on the ground for a moment and encapsulated her in his arms, swaying slightly and enjoying the feeling of her petite frame wrapped up safely against him. “I’ll just keep holding you like this to stay warm, then,” he said, earning a laugh that could be felt against his chest with her so close like that.

“Just go, you pabo. It’ll take awhile to drive back to your parents’ place too, so if you want to get home with enough time to sleep then you better head out now.”

“Actually, I was planning to head back to the studio later-” he confessed guiltily, knowing she was going to get mad. Hayi took a deep breath and exhaled to calm down as she extracted herself from his embrace and picked the plastic bag up, handing it to him again.

“Make sure you don’t take all those red bulls and stuff, take a nap instead of drinking so many cans of all that sugary crap. You know those so-called ‘energy drinks’ aren’t to be drunk so often. I won’t completely stop you from having them when you need to, but drink em in moderation, got it?”

Jiho pushed her hair out of her eyes, looking at her with a grin on his face. “You really sound like my mom when you nag at me, it’s both weird and cute at the same time.”

Hayi rolled her eyes and turned him around to push him, sending him on his way. He walked away slowly, turning back to wave at her as he slowly trudged backwards. He stopped for a moment as though he forgot something and pulled out his phone. Soon after, Hayi’s phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out, reading his message.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: I almost forgot. Send me that tiara selfie, princess ;*

Hayi shut her eyes at the impending headache looming behind her eyebrows and inwardly chided her mother for exposing her like that.

Jiho tucked his phone back in his pocket and turned to walk away, only to stop once more. What is it now? she thought as she watched him walk back to her in haste, skipping a little as a small, radiant, yet nervous smile graced his lips.

“There was one last thing I wanted to do today,” he explained as he stood in front of her. She simply raised an eyebrow in response before her eyes widened when he leaned down to her height. He smirked at her reaction before closing the distance between them.

His lips parted slightly just as they met hers, claiming her upper lip as he kissed her deeply. Her hands wrapped around his arms in surprise but she slowly closed her eyes and kissed him back for the first time, just before he pulled away, the kiss ending just as quickly and suddenly as it had started.

As if it wasn’t enough he suddenly left her weak in the knees and defenseless with that kiss, he opened his lidded eyes, stared straight into her black orbs and softly declared, “I love you.” She halted and she could not even decide how to react because he was already backing away with a smile on his face. Did she hear him wrongly? No, she couldn’t have. The shiver that ran down her spine upon hearing those words was too real.

He skipped away with that impish grin still plastered on his face, leaving her dumbfounded and burning hot despite the zero degree weather. She placed her cold hands on her cheeks, reminding herself to breathe to calm her rapid heart rate. Her phone buzzed again and she opened the text.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: I’m still waiting for that picture, princess.

A few seconds passed before another message popped up on her screen.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: ...and perhaps a reply to… you know. What just happened. If you... idk-

She called him immediately, her fingers fumbling, rushing to type out his number and hold the phone to her ear. He answered on the second ring.

“Why are you calling-”

“I love you too.” She answered curtly before hanging up immediately.

She leaned her back against the back door of her parent’s restaurant, clamping her lips together to fight back the smile that keeps creeping its way back to her face. She shook her head at what had just happened. She had imagined how this scene might play out so many times before but this was never how she would have expected it.

Her phone was buzzing non-stop with the sound of his designated notification tone emanating from the speaker and she let herself calm down before opening the messages he had spammed.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: what

Pabo Mr. Jiho: the

Pabo Mr. Jiho: hell

Pabo Mr. Jiho: where did you learn to be so sneaky

Pabo Mr. Jiho: who is this omg lee hayi what are you trying to do to me YOU CAN’T JUST HANG UP AFTER THAT.

Ms. HAIYAH: serves you right for just skipping away after saying it yourself

Hayi walked but into the restaurant and gathered her stuff, getting ready to leave. Her sister offered to drive her back to her apartment and she gratefully accepted. As she got in the car she read the messages that had come in while she wasn’t looking at her phone.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: …

Pabo Mr. Jiho: okay well that’s true

Ms. HAIYAH: 😌

Pabo Mr. Jiho: don’t think i’ve forgotten about that selfie though

Ms. HAIYAH: oh my god why can’t you just let me live??!?!??

Pabo Mr. Jiho: cos i love you

Ms. HAIYAH: …

Pabo Mr. Jiho: come on, say it back.

Ms. HAIYAH: …

Pabo Mr. Jiho: iloveyouiloveyouiloveyouilobeyouiloveyouiloveyou

“Why are you smiling at your phone?” her sister peeked at the screen and she brought her smartphone to her chest, hiding it. Hyurim laughed as she brought her focus back to the road, lamenting about how her little sister was all grown up and keeping secrets from her now. Hayi typed out a reply, carefully shielding her phone from her eonni’s view.

Ms. HAIYAH: i ‘lobe’ you too xD

Pabo Mr. Jiho: i didn’t even notice that typo-

Ms HAIYAH: :p

Pabo Mr. Jiho: okay give me that selfie already

Ms HAIYAH: no

Pabo Mr. Jiho: :(

Ms HAIYAH: I love you

The read ticket disappeared from her text, meaning he had already read it. A minute passed and there was still no reply. She almost laughed, wondering if he was staring at the his phone in disbelief. Since his almost immediate replies had suddenly halted, she locked her phone and put it away, only pulling it out once she was near her apartment and was walking down the street to the entrance of the building since her sister had dropped her a couple blocks away so she could make a turn at the intersection.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: …don’t think saying that is going to let you off the hook with the selfie.

Ms HAIYAH: I love you, Woo Jihooo~

She smiled cheekily, knowing he was probably doing the same. It felt so weird to be able to say those three words so freely when before this, she never knew if she should say them. She wasn’t even sure if they were what she wanted to say, if they truly reflected her feelings towards him. But that doubt had melted away just like the snow on the pavements she walked on. The moment they left his lips and she felt them echo back to him from the depths of her being.

Her phone ping!ed again and she tossed her head back laughing as she dropped her bag on the couch having safely arrived at her apartment.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: ….still not getting off the hook.

Ms HAIYAH: :* 😘❤❤💛💙💜💚💕💓💖💞💘💋💗

Pabo Mr. Jiho: …………are you trying to kill me?

Ms HAIYAH: idk, maybe. Is it working?

Pabo Mr. Jiho: you tell me

Ms HAIYAH: i think… you’re not going to get that selfie 😈

Pabo Mr. Jiho: fine, I’ll just ask your mom for it then : )

Ms HAIYAH: you don’t even have her number

Hayi flopped down on her bed as she kicked off her socks and slipped under her warm blanket. It had been a tiring day and she just wanted to curl under the covers and sleep, but she still had some business to settle with her annoying little boyfriend.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: i do tho, we just exchanged numbers.

Ms HAIYAH: …don’t ask my mom, she’ll tease me non-stop about it. i don’t need twice the teasing. I’m already getting enough from you as it is.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: so hand over the photo, princess~

Ms HAIYAH: 😪😥 fine. But stop calling me that.

She sent him the picture and quickly sent another message right after.

Ms. HAIYAH: I’m gonna sleep now, bye.

Pabo Mr. Jiho: Sleep tight, princess~ :*

His final reply has a photo of his new wallpaper attached - the selfie she had just sent him. Hayi stared at the photo for a moment before groaning and burying her face in her pillow. But truth be told, as much as she was annoyed and embarrassed, she could not help the grin that tugged at the corners of her lips. She fell asleep with a smile on her face, the taste of his lips still lingering on hers, and his voice still soft in her ear.

“I love you.”

A/N: hey fellas i know i promised this a couple days earlier but i got busy with life and stuff plus my exams are this week so i kinda forgot about it. but here it is now! enjoy!!!