Okay I don't know if I should put a warning for this, so here it is:

Does contain subtle (is it subtle or not, I have no idea tbh) mentions of self harm and a not so good feel of self-worth. It does not have anything graphic and there are no acts described, just brief mentions. 

Okay, proceed. 

Jiyong knew he was privileged. Not with money, friends or luxury, but with patience. Plenty of patience. If he didn’t have that, he wouldn’t be there, staring at the only woman able to steal his heart without him noticing or even having any say on it.

Taeyeon, the identity of that remarkably skilled person was Kim Taeyeon. She was a short looking woman in her early twenties, with a pale skin complexion and a dark brown hair that looked black under some lighting. It reached down to the mid of her back, stopping by her elbows. The corners of had slight upward curves in them, making her look more peaceful than her eyes led on, and her nose was slim and small. In other words, beautiful. She was beautiful.

Jiyong knew he was staring, and had also been caught doing so judging by the way Taeyeon shifted in place on the bench next to him, trying her hardest to avoid his eyes. Jiyong just couldn't help it. 

“Why are you staring at me?” she quietly asked, insecurity painted all over her voice  

“Because you're so beautiful and I like you.”

Taeyeon spared him a surprised glance but quickly averted her eyes, “I… I…” she jumped up from the park’s bench, suddenly anxious to move, “Let's go.”

Jiyong let out a soft sigh but mustered a small smile for her. He wasn't lying when he said those words, he was more than sure that was how he really felt, but convincing Taeyeon of that was a whole ‘nother story. Taeyeon was the kind of woman that had been hurt more than she could bear, so she didn't really trust what people told her. But Jiyong was patient. He would make sure that one day she'd believe him, let it be with him by her side or not. 

“Kim Taeyeon is not worth it.”

Words like that just made him sick. Everyone told him that he was just wasting his time, that there was no sense in trying to be friends with Taeyeon. She was cold, emotionless and she didn't let anyone near her. She wasn't 'worth it'. 

Why did anyone else even care what he was doing and who he was with in the first place? They didn't know Taeyeon the way he did. In fact, they hadn’t even bothered to try, scampering away from the first cold look she had casted on them. They were cowards, judgemental cowards with nothing better to do. So why would they have the right to judge whether she was worth it or not?

If he'd ever have listened to such words, he wouldn't now be walking home next to Taeyeon, who he loved more than he had ever loved anyone. And he was being completely honest there, he had never been so deeply in love before. So why couldn't they let him be? 

Frustrated by these thoughts again, Jiyong closed his eyes just as the soft hums coming from next to him filled his ears. They were walking together side by side, as Jiyong had taken the task of walking her home every day as his responsibility. He hadn't asked her, of course, but Taeyeon hadn't objected either. 

There was a moderately huge gap between them though, and each step was echoed with the sounds of rocks smashing together, but Jiyong didn't let it bother him. All that really mattered was that Taeyeon felt comfortable enough with him by her side, and if her humming was anything to go by, she was more than okay with him walking with her. 

Jiyong found himself soon humming along with her, catching the tune she had started with ease, already feeling a lot better. He had always found Taeyeon’s voice soothing. It didn’t matter if she sang, talked or just hummed, it just held something that soothed him in it.

Maybe it was because she used it in the most proper moments, whenever he was stressed, upset or just otherwise bothered. He wasn't sure if she picked up on his bad mood at times or something, or if it was purely a coincidence every time, but he was still grateful for it. But sometimes... Sometimes it just made him frown. 

"Taeyeon is nothing special." 

That was another thing he heard people often say to him after he got mad for their ridiculous claims, claims that included Taeyeon’s so called worth of being noticed. So what? Did she have to be special to receive love? Did she have to be the most striking beauty in the world to deserve someone by her side? Didn’t think so.

Besides, Jiyong was nothing special either. He'd probably end up becoming a boring office worker in the near future anyway, he had no dreams or skills to be famous. So weren’t they a perfect match then? Neither of them was special, and neither of them cared for such things. Jiyong just wanted to love the person he did and saw nothing wrong with that.

“You should watch where you’re going,” Taeyeon noted with an absent tone.

Jiyong opened his eyes and offered her a smile, “You’re right. Can’t get hurt so that I can properly keep an eye on you.”

As expected, Taeyeon only scoffed and rolled her eyes, but her gaze darted all around and her hands wrapped around her upper body, as if to shield her from his words. She was bad at taking anything that had to do with being on the spotlight, feeling as if she didn't deserve it. She was terribly introvert, too, so it came in handy that Jiyong was loaded with patience. 

“Too much,” his mother often told him with a shake of her head, “You have too much patience and end up spending a useless amount of time on useless stuff, from which you gain nothing.”

It didn’t matter if his mother implied on other things, too, some of which he could honestly agree on, but it still struck him the wrong way since it also involved the time he spent with Taeyeon. It was the time he refused to ever regret even if he would fail at his quest of conquering her heart. And that, Jiyong was ready to pledge on.

He was snapped back to reality once he heard Taeyeon clearing .

“Thanks for walking me home,” she said softly, still standing beside him.

Jiyong lifted his head, surprised. In front of him was the familiar, dull looking house he knew Taeyeon lived in.

“Sorry, I didn't even notice... Got too lost in my thoughts,” he quickly admitted while rubbing the back of his neck with a small laugh.

All in all, he just wanted to curse himself. Taeyeon was hard to get through to, and spending time with her was even harder. Yet there he was, having wasted his day’s tries by thinking of people that didn't deserve it, sans his own mother of course, but still. Way to blow it again.

He carefully examined her face, weighing his chances. Her face was blank as usual, but her eyes were warmer than at most times. He was never really ready to say goodbye to her, and she seemed to be in a rather good mood that day as well. Maybe he'd have a chance today? 

“So, what you want to do now?”

He made sure one of his most approachable smiles were on his face as he said that. Taeyeon looked into his eyes for remarkable four seconds before looking away, jaw tensed.

“I'm going in, Jiyong,” was her blunt reply, and when Taeyeon said she'd do something, she did exactly that. So she simply just turned around and got inside. But before the door closed, he caught the one last look she gave him, and started smiling like a fool even if the door was shut in front of him.

Better than nothing.

Being with Taeyeon wasn't easy. Jiyong hated the people that always took all his effort for granted, and even more those, who told him Taeyeon was a waste of his time. 

Sure, Taeyeon was not easy, that he would admit. But that gave them no reason to tell what she was worth when they didn't even know her. Jiyong hated most of his peers because of that. 

It was normal to gossip around in academic facilities, but they weren't just a bunch of teenagers anymore. He couldn't believe how immature some people could still remain even after coming of age. Sure, he liked some good, juicy gossip every now and then, too, but ‘scoring’ people? Judging them and then isolating them from their social circles? Nope, not his thing.

He sighed. The class was passing way too slow, and something was nagging at him at the back of his mind, making him uneasy. It was hard to focus, and his eyes kept shifting between the view outside the window, the clock on the wall of the classroom, and the hallway outside the class. He was extremely nervous but he couldn't figure out what he was so nervous for.

He started wondering how Taeyeon was doing. She had looked rather down that morning when he had greeted her, and he couldn't help but to think that this was going to be one of those harder days. It was during days like those that he wished they'd share classes more often, so that he could better keep an eye on her.

It was less than halfway through class when he caught a figure running past their room, storming off. It took Jiyong only a second to recognize the girl he had been so worried about till that exact moment, and when he realized what was going on, he moved.

The teacher got cut off in the middle of her sentence. She was staring at him, open mouthed as she had forgotten what she was supposed to say just now, and she just silently stared as Jiyong approached her from the back of the class without saying a word. 

Jiyong was sure she would ask him about it tomorrow, but that she'd also understand him once he'd explain. The teachers weren't all monsters without feelings after all, and neither was he. He shot an apologizing look at the teacher before running off, following Taeyeon’s path. He knew the only place she'd run to was home, so he had no problem finding his way and catching up on her.

When he finally spotted her, he realized that she had managed to get a bit further than he had expected. It was in that same park he and Taeyeon usually walked through to get to her house that he finally caught her. She was there, crouched down in the middle of the path, heavily crying.

Jiyong stopped to catch his breath. He knew he'd need all his strength now, so he took his time, letting himself to calm his breathing, breathing in, and then breathing out. In… and out. After making sure he was ready, he approached the balled figure, gently touching her shoulder.

Taeyeon flinched at his touch and jumped up, blindly pushing him away. He tried approaching her, but she just screamed at him to go away, hands going up to her hair as she pulled on them hard, trying to distract her mind from the pain of her memories and the ill thoughts that haunted her nights.

Watching her crumple in such way was a torture for Jiyong no matter how many times he witnessed it. When her cries only kept getting louder and louder, Jiyong could no longer take it. He stepped forward, caging her arms in his as he forced them away from her own body.

"Let go!”

She trashed in his hold, and even when she managed to scratch under his eye, he held firm and held her still, not letting her go. Eventually Jiyong pulled her against his chest, locking her in place when she refused to calm down.

"You should already know I don't need a gentleman or a man of wealth, Jiyong. I need someone I can trust when I can't trust anyone."

Not even herself. 

She tried to fight against his hold, but he only tightened his arms around her, forcing her to still in his embrace. She was still sobbing, wetting his shirt and killing him inside, but Jiyong just closed his eyes and kissed the crown of her head, feeling his own tears burning his eyes. He would never let go of her till she'd have calmed down enough. He'd hold onto her forever if he must, but he'd never be the one to let go. Never.

In the end, all energy wasted, Taeyeon fell limp against him, legs too weak to carry her non-existent weight, while her hands remained tightly secured in Jiyong’s grib. After making sure she was fine, he slowly lowered her and helped her to sit down on the ground. She was so lost into crying that she didn't even react to him when he wiped her tears and petted her hair, trying to get her to stop crying. It was after she finally stopped, merely hiccuping and sniffing now, that he helped her up, whispering comforting words to her as he guided her forward.

“Come on, let's take you home.”

No one was there. It was dead silent, dark and... cold. Jiyong had never really figured what to expect when he'd finally be allowed inside, but he had somehow imagined it a bit... brighter inside. It felt no different from the owner of the house, if he really thought about it, but wouldn't it be better if she lived in a house that would cheer her up instead of making everything even more gloomy and depressing? Jiyong really wanted to paint her walls yellow. Or purple. Or pink?

Making a mental note to check the web for psychologically cheering colors, he patiently waited till Taeyeon was ready in the bathroom, the door kept open just in case, and immediately stood up once she was done, ready to aid her in her weak state. She said nothing when he helped her stand by making her lean on his hold, but Jiyong was glad she let him help her. 

He brought her to the kitchen after wandering around for a while, and seated her there while he looked around for some coffee or tea. Coffee would take too long and make her uncomfortable with him around there, so he settled with the red berry flavored tea that he found from one of the cabinets.

Water ready to boil, Jiyong turned around. Taeyeon was looking away but it was nothing out of ordinary. She probably wasn't willing to talk, so he just simply busied himself with whatever. He didn't want to pressure her.

After he managed to successfully boil the water and serve the tea, he couldn't help but to sigh in relief. It seemed that after drinking the cup she had gained some energy back, and she looked a bit better now. But before he could ask, she opened ,

“Thanks for taking me home.”

It was always the same words with very slight variations that she used when telling him to get out of her sight, but each time Jiyong could only see her belittling herself. It was in her eyes, he could see it there.

‘Thanks for walking someone like me home’, ‘Thank you for making sure I was fine even if it risks your education’, ‘Thank you for caring for someone as unimportant as me’, ‘Thank you for caring, even if there is no reason to’, ‘You can go now, you don't have to waste your time on me anymore’.

Jiyong didn’t know when these kinds of thoughts had first started plaguing her. He still wasn’t sure who had caused it and why, and why had it gone to the point it had. It was the part of her life that Jiyong hadn’t been let into yet. He could only wish he had because those thoughts he could see in her eyes were barely a scratch of the surface. He knew a lot, he knew that, at least ten times more than any of the people that had tried to talk to her before. But he could see that there were some horrendous things she still kept locked inside her mind, things even Jiyong hadn’t had the time to reach. Judging by the things he already knew, he wasn't so sure he could handle anything worse than that, but he'd have to if he truly wanted to know who Taeyeon was.

He must’ve been staring again. Taeyeon’s gaze was going all around the place, uncomfortable. It didn't even matter if he wasn't truly staring at her, it was enough for her to feel uncomfortable if she just stood in that direction. After she noticed he had come to his senses again, she opened again.

“I'm going to take a nap now,” she informed as she stood up and went to the door of another room.

Jiyong silently followed behind her, careful enough to leave some space between them, but close enough to catch her if she fell. 

Taeyeon stopped moving and turned her head towards him, looking at him over her shoulder. She wasn't directly looking at him, she rarely ever met his eyes, but Jiyong knew that even that was better than being closed off completely.

“It means you should go.”

It came out of nowhere but Jiyong had sort of expected something of sort to happen. Taeyeon didn’t want people to stay for too long, and she sure as hell didn’t want to let anyone be there while she cried herself to sleep. Jiyong sighed, rather wanting to stay as he knew she wasn't that stable at the moment.

But he didn't push it.

“I'll come first thing in the morning,” he promised with worried eyes. She said nothing but he knew she'd wait for him. She always did. 

Being with Taeyeon was like being with a flower that was about to wilt any moment now, blown over by the gentlest of winds and the tiniest of raindrops. It was like he was walking on a ground filled with glass shards, and she was waiting on the other side of the world. But Jiyong wouldn't stop trying. Even if it took all he had to finally get to her, he wouldn't stop. Even if he'd lose his patience for more than thousand times, he'd still return after cooling off. Because he loved her, and he knew he'd forever regret it if he just gave up and let her be.

But if Taeyeon was a flower, she would for sure be one with long, sharp thorns. Because being with Taeyeon was sometimes awfully painful. Sometimes it hurt to receive harsh tones and cold looks, and he dreaded the rejection he got every time he tried to woo her, time after time. It hurt to know that even after years of trying, she still couldn't trust him enough. And it made his blood boil that there were actual people out there that could destroy another human being to the point they almost got rid of themselves for the rest of the world.

Jiyong couldn’t deny he was beginning to feel weary of this all again. It was hard, much harder than he usually let people see through him - almost outright exhausting at times because Taeyeon needed help, lots of help, and he had to sometimes go beyond his strength to even get her to accept any. But he had promised himself he wouldn't give up till he succeeded. How could he when he only had eyes for her?

He was more than willing to try again, and again, and again every time he made a mistake. And he had done plenty of those. But each time he felt like he understood her even more than before, and this time he was sure he’d finally get to her.

Yet when they reached her house again after one, pleasant day together, that determination wavered despite his patience. It was hard to come up with excuses to make her stay with him even for a while longer, and it was even harder to suddenly give a proper confession when the other times had proven him that Taeyeon’s heart was almost impossible to reach.

He knew he had a foot wedged between the door to her heart, but he didn’t know how long it would finally take her to open that door and fully let him in, and how much patience he had left. Four years… Four years was a long time to show how serious he was about her, no?

"I had fun today. Thank you.”

Her words screamed of a yet another goodbye, a goodbye he wasn't willing to accept yet. Jiyong tried to quickly pull himself together, trying not to get too desperate. He was starting to get worn out and maybe he needed to get himself some time to cool off for a while again. It wasn't easy to fill yourself with hope every morning when you woke up, only to just be shot down before he could even properly say what was on his mind. How could he ever show her how much she meant for him if she never let him show it to her? 

"Jiyong?" she called with a frown on her face, a bit worried because of the sudden silence and the unreadable expression on his face.

It made her unconsciously pull down the long sleeves of her black sweater, drawing Jiyong’s eyes to the wrists covered with a bunch of leather bracelets. He stared for a moment too long without even realizing he did, and she noticed, hiding her arms behind her back.

“Thanks for walking me home again,” was her way of hurriedly wrapping it up. 

She quickly turned around, about to slip in to her apartment as fast as she could, her hands shaking with the keys as she unlocked the door. Jiyong cursed inside his head, wanting to smack himself in the face right then and there. He had made a yet another mistake. Again. But before the door could close in front of him again, he reached out.

“Taeyeon, wait–”

He didn’t know what took over his mind and made him grab on her hand, making her still. He had just wanted to stop her, to give him another minute to spend in her reserved presence, selfishly so after subtly reminding her of the years of pain she had went through.

“Jiyong,” she whispered, dejected, as if his touch brought her pain. Jiyong immediately let go before looking down at his feet. 

“I just– give me a chance, Taeyeon. Just one chance to prove myself to you. I just… I just want you to give me one, small chance. Even for a minute. Please…”

Jiyong wasn't sure if he was imagining things, but for a second he thought Taeyeon had stopped breathing. And he was right, Taeyeon did have trouble trying to breathe after that. She tugged down the sleeves to cover herself even more, anxiously trying to hide everything her heart bore.

She wanted him to leave, to leave her alone with the thoughts that invaded her head and turned her mind toxic, but she couldn’t find the words to turn him down, or her voice at all, so she just simply turned away in haste, ready to storm inside.

“Please… How can I win you over...?"

Taeyeon stopped for a second, breath stuck in . She knew she had made her hesitance too obvious and it was too late to retreat now. She had to face him. She took a shaky breath before turning around,

“Jiyong–” her voice cracked when she met his eyes, feeling as if he was reading her inside out, like a diary she had forgotten to lock, “I…” She looked away, unable to get any further than that.

She was hopeless. A lost cause and all that, but she couldn't help but to admit she felt comfortable with Jiyong at times, more than she was ready to admit. But showing that, expressing that and making him see that was burning her from inside because she couldn't, she didn't know how to, she just–

Jiyong lowered his head, his mind stuck on the pain in her eyes. He knew she was going through a lot by just being with him, by letting him be part of her life, but he just simply couldn't leave it at that. He was determined to be the one to chase away all that hurt in her eyes and to fill them with his love. He would be the one that erased the marks of pain and replaced it with care and hope to live through another day. That was exactly why he needed to be even more persistent now.

"How can I prove it to you? How can I show you that the man you're looking for is me, none other but me?"

Taeyeon really wanted to believe him with all her heart, but her mind was screaming at her, telling her to get a grip and forget such foolery that would only lead to pain, messing with her feelings. He was hurting, too. But she couldn’t trust anyone anymore, let it be someone as gentle as Jiyong or not. Anyone could hurt her and she was no exception. She had seen that before.

"I will do anything, I swear, just give me a chance."

His tormented eyes met hers and for a second she could feel her heart wavering. She wanted to reach out for him and see if his embrace would be just as assuring for her now than it was when she most needed it, when her raging mind got out of control, or was it just her weak heart that made him seem all safe?

With her heart wildly hammering against her chest, she took a deep breath and, “I..” The hope that flared up in his eyes could kill her. She bit her lower lip. She couldn’t do this after all, “I can’t-”

In a second Jiyong had stepped forward, almost nose to nose to her as he took her hands in his, 

“Please… Just this once. Don’t do this to me, don’t lie to yourself. Please, I’ll do anything.”

Taeyeon averted her eyes, feeling her walls shaking under his presence. “I… I…”

Feeling uncomfortable with his face way too close to hers, she turned her head away and gave his chest a small push. Jiyong took the hint and stepped back, immediately apologizing for doing that. She raised a hand to wordlessly tell him to forget all about it, letting the silence take over. She was grateful he was giving her time and space to think, to weight on the options.

“Please, I'll do anything.”

“Anything…?”

Jiyong's ears perked up and he lifted his gaze to hers, confident as he replied with, “Anything.”

"Then…” she started, unsure. Jiyong encouraged her to continue by taking one of her hands into his again, and giving it a soft kiss. His smile was more than reassuring, but she could still feel her cheeks heating up in shame at the thought of one specific idea, ”Can you push me through the town on a wheelbarrow?"

Jiyong blinked, unsure if he had heard her correctly, ”A what?”

The whirl of excitement that he had ignited inside of her threatened to flutter away in that second but Jiyong was quick to fix his words.

"Of course I can. I promised you anything and I will do it if that's what you really want me to do."

Taeyeon had her suspicions, but gave him a soft smile she didn't even think she knew how to do anymore, and nodded.

Jiyong couldn't believe his eyes. Taeyeon blessing him with such a fond look was rare, and that only meant he had played his cards right. That he had finally, finally, gotten to where he had wanted. Taeyeon had finally truly given him a chance to prove himself. A chance he was sure would never come if he messed up again.

“I'll come to pick you up later this week, and we'll go cruising all over the city, baby."

Taeyeon’s eyes widened and she gave him a soft punch, "Don't baby me..." she muttered with flushed, red cheeks, clearly embarrassed. Jiyong just grinned till she went inside and then started thinking furiously. 

Because there was one problem: Where the heck would he suddenly get a wheelbarrow from?

It was exactly three days later that Jiyong found himself throwing small rocks against her window at the dead of the night. Taeyeon was a light sleeper, if she had slept at all in the first place, so the timing wouldn't be a problem. Besides, he was more than sure she'd prefer doing it now that there were less people around than when the whole city was bustling with life.

Jiyong had only a second to convince himself that this was a good idea before he saw her curious eyes peeking down from the second floor window, wondering who was making all that noise outside her house. Jiyong flashed her a boyish grin, thinking how cute she was with her messy bun and loose, comfy clothes. As expected, she didn't look like she had slept at all. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked him after she opened her window, careful enough not to wake up anyone. 

"I'm here to take you for a ride, of course."

Taeyeon looked puzzled, so Jiyong decided to motion towards the thing he had been sitting on the whole time. Her eyes widened. 

"For real? You'd really do it?" 

"Of course, I promised, didn't I? Now, come on. And remember to take something warm because it could get chilly."

"I–" Taeyeon fumbled for words, truly astonished that Jiyong had just come under her window with a fricking wheelbarrow. Yeah, he had promised he'd do anything for her, but after three days she had started to suspect his words. Yet there he was, beckoning her to come down and try the ride she had dared to ask for. Her heart skipped a beat and she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. 

"I'm coming," she promised before closing the window and changing her clothes to something more warm. She wasn't exactly sure how she was supposed to dress up for such unglamorous event, but she couldn't even truly pay attention to what she was pulling on. She was just in a hurry. 

She almost opened her window and climbed down there, but thank god her brain caught up and she took the door. Jiyong had already moved there, leaning against the tree outside her house. He fixed his posture once she came out and gave her a deep bow. 

"My lady," he addressed as he asked for her hand. Surprised by the sudden theatrics, she let him walk her to the wheelbarrow as if it was a limousine, and smiled. "Your ride is here," Jiyong exclaimed with a smile of his own.

Taeyeon got into her role and gave him a stern nod. 

"Please, let me assist you," Jiyong insisted as he helped Taeyeon, who let out a small shriek once he lifted her in the air and placed her in the middle of the wheelbarrow like she weighed nothing, careful not to accidentally flip it over. 

"Oh my god," Taeyeon breathed out, her heart going wild. She couldn't believe she was sitting there, on a freaking wheelbarrow, while Jiyong pretended to be her classy driver for some reason. 

It was amazing. She had no idea why she had always found this so romantic, but she had imagined this scene so many times inside her head. In reality it was kind of... odd. The wheelbarrow was cold and hard to sit on but Taeyeon was a weird girl with weird ideas, so even if it wasn't ideal and the most comfy seat in the world, she liked it. 

"Oh, and before we take off..."

Taeyeon turned her head around and saw Jiyong pulling out a pillow from behind his back, as if just having read her mind. A seat cushion, really, but she was sure she hadn't seen him holding one when she stepped out. Where did he suddenly get it? And had he... had he really thought of her comfort so much beforehand that he had even prepared her a seat cushion? 

She couldn't even describe how loved it made her feel. It was overwhelming, and if she wasn't so excited about this whole ride, she could've cried just because she felt so grateful. Jiyong had never been nothing but sweet to her and she couldn't believe he was still there by her side, not demanding too much or forcing her to do stuff she didn't want to. She was so, so grateful that a person like him even existed in this world. 

Before she could get too lost in her thoughts, Jiyong gave her the pillow and supported her weight as she adjusted the cushion under her. After making sure she was absolutely ready to do this, Jiyong took the handles and stopped for a few deep breaths, mentally preparing himself. He had no idea what would come out of this but he was about to find out. 

"Here we go," he exclaimed and pushed forward. 

Taeyeon squealed with excitement once they started moving, hands gripping down on the sides of her ride. She should've tried to keep it quiet since it was late, but she couldn't help it when he picked up the speed and literally ran through the empty roads. A huge rock made her fly a bit in the air at one point and she let out a small scream, but Jiyong had been quick to make sure she didn't fall off, and she just laughed it off.

They went all around the town, passing the main street, random shops, familiar cafes, and even their school facility. Jiyong, although out of breath from the occasional spurts he did just to hear her cute squeals and bursts of laughter, had even agreed on pushing her up a hill. Taeyeon felt immensely guilty for having him push her weight around like that, not to mention up a hill, but he assured her he would do it because he had given his word on it. 

After reaching the top, she had told him he could take a break now. 

"Break?" Jiyong had asked with wide eyes, "Does that mean you expect me to continue this all night?" To which Taeyeon had laughed, loud. Jiyong felt all his energy coming back to him just by seeing her enjoy herself.

"You don't have to push me around anymore. It was nice and I enjoyed it, but it would be unfair if I forced you to die on me."

Jiyong laughed a little, "Don't worry, I'll drive you home. Let's just... take a break."

Taeyeon nodded, growing concerned of him again, "Are you sure you can do that? I can just walk home, you know. You don't have to push me..."

"I'm sure. Are you going to hop off and stretch your legs?"

"I think... I think I might just sit here," she said softly, "I like it."

Jiyong smiled, "As you wish, my lady."

Jiyong dropped himself to the ground with a thud, his chest heaving up and down as he still hadn't properly caught his breath. He stared at the sky, a bit bummed that he couldn't see any stars because it happened to be cloudy that night. Thank god it was summer now or it would be hard to see around this late. 

"Hey, Jiyong," Taeyeon called after a while. Jiyong turned his gaze to her but quickly sat up once he saw she was being serious again. Was something wrong? Was she cold? Did he blow it again? 

Taeyeon, looking as frail as usual, gathered the courage to directly look at him in his eyes. "Thank you," she whispered with all honesty, almost choking on the words. 

It took Jiyong a second to react, but once he did, he gave her the brightest smile she had ever seen. Then he stood up and stretched his body, looking ready to move again,

"I think I have the energy to push you around for days now."

Taeyeon laughed, a bit shy, but at least she was smiling. Jiyong approached her, squatting down right in front of her. 

"You know..." he started, hesitant at first, "I still need to be paid for the ride."

It should've scared her. The gentle, determined eyes and the words she knew had something following them, but she only watched as he leaned closer to her, smiling his wide, gummy smile. He moved slow, giving her all the time she needed if she wanted to push him away, but Taeyeon stayed still, mesmerized. 

He was so close, so terribly close, but for once she wasn't afraid. She didn't feel the need to push him away or turn her face to the side. No. She felt comfortable. This was the guy she was willing to give her heart to, this was someone who made her believe he would protect her when she was about to lose her self-control.

Jiyong was just the guy to keep her safe.

And when he finally leaned even closer, couraged by her stillness, Taeyeon didn't shy away and just closed her eyes as she let him kiss her.

Thank you for reading <3