[Mina's POV]

Strawberry. Of course, her lips would taste like strawberry.

She pulled away and looked at me and gently touched my lower lip. She bit her lip and smiled, her dimple showed itself again.

My ears were suddenly hot and I felt my heart skip a beat. Ottoke. I looked away.

"Wae?"

"Do you remember when you were in your short hair phase?"

She nodded.

"There's this vlive you had where you were wearing that dark green sweater and glasses," I found myself smiling for just visualizing it, "that part were you brushed your hair with your hand and looked at the camera. I think I was watching that broadcast in my bed. Waa. Jinjja, I found you really attractive and it made me feel conflicted." I had a mental picture of her and it made me blush a little remembering it. "I even saw memes where people have been calling you oppa Chaeyoung," I giggled.

"Yeah. I actually miss my short hair," she laughed, "except at times when it's being styled and it would look like a mushroom."

I also laughed.

"Should I cut my hair again and start calling you noona instead?" she wiggled her eyebrows playfully.

"Hajima! (Don't!)" I shook my head, "you're even more attractive now with that hair. You make oppas, unnies and dongsaengs swoon more than when you were in that short hair."

"Did I make you swoon, unnie?" she's being extra playful.

"A little." I said as I leaned my head against her shoulder.

This feels nice. In this moment, the sands of time stopped trickling. Nothing else matters or exists. It's just the two of us in this magical bubble we have created.

"What do we do now, Chaeyoungie?" I asked. She reached for my hand and held it tightly and sighed.

Before she could answer, there was a knock on the door.

The door slightly opened and Momo's head popped up.

"I really don't want to disturb you. Mianhe. (Sorry)" She paused and looked at me, "Mitang, you have a visitor."

"Who is it?" Momo looked at Chaeyoung. She didn't answer my question.

Chaeyoung nudged me to get up.

I reached out my hand to pull her up, but she refused it.

"I'll just fix our stuff a little bit. Jeongyeon unnie will get mad if we leave a mess. Go. I'll follow when I'm done." She smiled weakly.

I nodded, "Arraseo. (Alright) I won't take long. I'll be back in... five minutes."

"It's okay. Take your time."

THERE he is, sitting in our couch, chatting with Nayeon unnie. He stood up as soon as he saw me.

"Annyeong (Hello), Minari." He smiled brightly.

He stood up and bowed as I walked closer.

I bowed and smiled half-heartedly, "Why are you here?"

He was taken aback with my question, "Well... you messaged my yesterday that you weren't feeling well. I haven't heard from you since so I got worried."

"You could've just texted." I scratched my arm.

"I left like 10 messages." He sighed

"Or called."

"I called a bunch of times. I called Nayeon noona and she told me you're here so I figured I'll just go here and check up on you."

I saw Nayeon unnie crawling away from the sofa and walking slowly to the kitchen to join Jeongyeon and Momo opening food containers.

She was greeted by Jeongyeon with slaps at her back.

"Yah. I told you not to meddle. Aish!" Jeongyeon grunted.

Nayeon scowled at her, "Wae? He called me and you know I'm not good at lying."

"Lie." Tzuyu came out of nowhere. "I can't lie, but you can."

"Okay. Okay! I panicked. He was already a few blocks away when he called me." Tzuyu didn't budge. "He said he bought jokbal for all of us! Look! It's such a waste if we send him home will all these food. Jeongmal. (Really)" Nayeon looked at Tzuyu for approval.

She just shrugged. But Momo nodded while biting a big chunk of jokbal.

I coughed. They were talking too loud and we can't help but awkwardly listen to their conversation.

Jeongyeon looked at me and nodded. She whispered to the two and they hurriedly grabbed their plates and hurried together to the big room. We were left alone in the living room.

The door opened and Nayeon went back and grabbed a few bottles of juice in the refrigerator and rushed back to the room.

After ten seconds of no one coming back from the big room, we were finally alone. I checked the small room, hoping Chaeng not to decide to come out in the next five or ten minutes.

I offered him a seat and we both sat in the couch, four feet apart.

"How are you feeling?" he asked,

"A little better." I mumbled.

"I brought some chicken soup. We could e—"

"I've already eaten." I interrupted him, "I-I don't think this is the best time for us to see each other." I glanced at the door again.

"Wae? What's wrong, princess?" hearing him call me princess made me flinch for some reason. There's the weird feeling in my gut again.

Jihyo came out of the big room and we both looked up.

"YAH! Bambam! Aish. Didn't we agree no dorm visits? Go home or I'll tell Jaebum oppa about this. Ka!"

"But sunbaenim, I just got here!" Bambam protested, "I won't take long. I just need to talk to Mina for 5 minutes."

Bambam is born in the same year as Jihyo and I, and GOT7 debuted earlier than us but most artist call Jihyo sunbaenim because of her record holding training period in the label.

Jihyo squinted her eyes. "Arraseo. (Alright) Five minutes..."

"I also bought you jokbal and sundae. Well... Nayeon, Jeongyeon and Momo noona already took all of it..." he scratched his head.

Jihyo squinted her eyes, looked at me for a brief moment and turned her back to us, heading to the kitchen.

Bambam shifted back his focus to me.

I gulped. Ottoke, I couldn't look even at him.

"I know I startled you with my question last week. But I didn't mean to rush or restrain you." he paused, "if someone you also like confesses his feelings for you like I did, I wouldn't mind if you date."

His... 

Someone I like... 

I looked up and saw the struggle and sincerity in his eyes. "Bambam..."

"But please don't push me away until you make your decision. Let me continue to show my feelings for you." He moved a little closer.

"I know what happened two years ago was tough especially for you," he sighed. I tried my best to forget about that.

I really like Bambam ever since. I had a little crush on him and he said he kept on telling me he likes me. We're aware the connection we have is not purely platonic. But that thing from two years ago... It was just a friendly photo that got out of hand. We haven't thought it would become a controversy that would raise conflict in our lives. It would've been just fine until that saesang fan and the death threat. I felt my heart rate racing. I winced as I gripped my pyjama.

"I kept my distance but I promised that I would take you out on a date as soon as Twice's dating ban is over."

I remembered. It was after a meeting we had with (JYP) PD-nim.

He opened the door for me as I wipe my tears slowly walking out of the office.

"I'm sorry I made you cry." He walked behind me.

"It wasn't your fault. I agreed to take that picture, and we both know it's not what people think it is."

"But still. It's my fault. I wanted to have a picture with my future girlfriend." He kicked the carpet.

My tears stopped and we were staring at each other.

"Aish. Why do you look more beautiful crying? It hurts me seeing you like this." He reached to my cheek and wiped my tear.

"I meant what I said Minari." He smiled faintly, "when the time is right I'll ask you to be my girlfriend." He moved his hand and reached for mine.

"We'll be able to take pictures together without this happening again. We'll be able to smile at each other and not think about what other people would think." He let go of my hand. "But for now, I'll keep my distance and bottle up my feelings from afar. I promise I won't do anything that could hurt you." He bowed and turned around.

I was frozen from where I'm standing. I didn't know what to say. I just watched him as he walked away and disappeared at the end of the hall.

"We had one date so far and I'm sorry if I blurted out my feelings immediately." He smiled, shaking his head. "I had a lot of things planned out since then, all these scenarios until my mouth ruined everything. But I hope you'll give me one more chance."

I nodded, "I don't take it against you. I know we've known each other for a while. But we haven't really known each other that much since our only interaction have been in JYP building or other shows." carefully picking my words. "I just want us to take a slower pace in getting to know each other more."

"I understand." He nodded. "I'm also here to tell you that I'll be going back to Thailand tomorrow. I have a solo concert scheduled and some things to sort out. I just wanted to see you before leaving."

He got up, smiling. "I think my 5 minutes is up."

Jihyo was at the kitchen, silently watching us the whole time. I didn't mind her hearing everything. She nodded to Bambam.

"I'll see you when I get back. Can we have our second date then?"

He's waiting for my reply. I stood up and bowed. "Let's talk again when you come back."

He bowed in return and said his goodbye.

Jihyo ushered him to the door and closed it when he left.

I sat back and let out a deep sigh.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds.