Jihyo wonders if she’s letting Jongkook off the hook too easily after agreeing to go back to his apartment. She should have stayed firm and demanded to go back home to hers in Mapo instead of giving in. How could she, after his determined promise to win her over? 

Ever since day one of meeting you, I’ve already been trying.

It makes her feel warm all over just thinking about his words, but it’s also hard to think of Jongkook being slightly attracted to her right from the start. If he was, he could have told her in the beginning ten years ago — then maybe they wouldn’t be in this predicament a decade later.  

Wait, what was she even thinking? Would she have accepted his love years ago?

Unfortunately, she doesn’t know how to handle things with Jongkook when he’s literally just a room away. So there she was, lying back in her bed in his apartment after a long day of filming and unable to sleep. It doesn’t help that she’s also craving something sweet. She wants some peach bingsu, damn it! 

Except peach is out of season, being well into spring. And it’s one a.m. in the morning, who would open for her? The little baby girl growing inside of her really knew how to make some demands. 

Jihyo sighs, deciding to get a glass of water outside. She can’t be tossing and turning all night, and she definitely couldn’t be avoiding leaving her room. Besides, it’s late — Jongkook’s probably asleep. She’ll just grab her water and go back to staring at the ceiling, that’s fine.

Famous last words; she opens her room door, walks down the hallway and nearly bumps into Jongkook as he's heading to his own room. She blushes as she catches her, holding her steady while she squints, waiting for her eyes to focus in the dark.

“I thought you fell asleep already.” Jongkook comments, amused. “Why are you up?”

“Um, I’m just grabbing some water.” Jihyo replies. “Why are you up?”

“Just thinking about you.” He grins as she makes a face of disgust, cringing — he knows how he feels about sweet comments like these. 

“Well, stop doing that.” She fumes, her cheeks going red.

He laughs, letting her go. “I’m kidding, I was just clearing my schedule with my manager.”

“What for?”

“So that I’ll be free the whole week.” He shrugs. “Do you like that?”

“No.” Jihyo narrows her eyes. “Why did you do that?”

“So that I can spend time with you.” Jongkook declares cheekily, smiling. “You won’t feeling lonely in this house with me around.”

Her heart pounds thinking about all the possibilities they could get up to in his apartment, and then she snaps herself out of the daze, embarrassed. He’s literally trying to win her heart and she’s just letting him do it so easily. "Yah, don't get any ideas."

"Ideas?" He asks, genuinely confused, and she quickly looks away so he wouldn't have to see her start to become all flustered. “Anyway, what are you doing here? Don’t pretend it’s to get a glass of water — I think you wanted to check on me.”

Jihyo splutters at his ridiculous comment, denying quickly. “That’s not true! I’m only up because your daughter wants to eat peach bingsu in spring. That’s why!” 

“Are you really sure?” He teases happily, patting her bun. 

“Of course!” She retorts, abandoning her plans to get her water as she turns on her heel in preparation to storm back to her room. “Good night!”

“Wait!” Jongkook pulls her back, and she stumbles, nearly falling face first into his chest. She blushes as he lets go of her, and curses her clumsiness. “Peach bingsu?”

“Yeah.” She replies softly, embarrassed. “It’s just a craving, okay? I don’t need it.”

“I think you do.” Jongkook grins. “Okay, go get dressed.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go get you some bingsu.”

“It’s one thirty in the morning.” Jihyo points out, unconvinced.

“So? There are twenty four hour cafes.”

“I want peach bingsu.”

“I don’t know about that but we can still get you some bingsu.” Jongkook presses, chuckling. “Come on, Jihyo. I’m paying, right?”

This was a trap. He’s going to spend more time with her, and she’s going to have a hard time with her feelings about him, and it’s all going to go downhill from there. Still, her daughter really craves for bingsu. Just any form of ice shavings, cold and creamy in . 

“Only if you’re paying.” She gives in eventually. This baby was going to push her to lose her self control for good.

There are literally no cafes at this hour open to make any bingsu for her, so she has to settle for a classic chocolate matcha at a twenty four hour chain. Ironically, it’s kind of becoming a recurring theme in their relationship now.

For the first few minutes of digging into her sweet dessert, Jihyo completely ignores Jongkook, focusing on her spoon. Mhmm, bingsu! The soft shavings of ice just delicate enough to melt on her tongue tasted so good, she tries not to stuff spoonfuls into ; too fast and she’ll get a brain freeze. But it's like she couldn't stop tasting it, her lips at the chocolate flakes happily.

Jongkook only watches her tenderly, holding his own spoon but letting her demolish the pile of ice. She tries not to let that bother her, but it starts to make her self conscious after a couple of minutes in. “Is there ice on my face or something?”

“No.” He chuckles, smiling widely. “You’re just really pretty.”

Jihyo groans, cringing as she shakes her head. “I hate that.”

“I know. But is it working?”

Her heart beats furiously in her chest and she starts to remember their confusing new relationship. “No.”

“Okay, I’ll work on it.” Jongkook shrugs. “What do you look for in a guy?”

“Someone who doesn’t ask stupid questions.” She shoots back, rolling her eyes.

“It’s not stupid; it’s a legit question. How am I supposed to win you over if you don’t tell me what you like? That’s not fair.” He protests, digging into the bingsu and chewing on a chocolate cube. 

“I never asked you to do that!” She protests, her cheeks going red. Was he going to be this blunt? 

“Can you just... humour me? Please?” 

“No.” Jihyo declares, unwavering. “Hmm... unless you buy me more food.”

“One isn’t enough?”

“I really wanted peach and they didn’t have it so...”

“Okay, okay.” Jongkook laughs. “You’re really pregnant, aren’t you?”

“You were there at the ultrasound appointment!” She flares, upset. “So are you going to buy me another bowl?”

“I’ll buy the red bean one.” He relents, giving into her. 

She watches as he goes, wondering if she’s being weird around him. This wasn’t considered as flirting. Was it? She doesn’t know. What kind of man brings a woman out at two in the morning to eat out of season fruit bingsu? She chews on another spoonful, savoring the richness of the chocolate, then frowns. This wasn’t his way of bringing her out on a date, was it? Oh God, why did she even say yes?

Jihyo looks down at her stomach, covered by her jacket but she knows the small growing bump was underneath all the coverage. “This is all your fault.” She whispers, as if the baby can hear.

 Jongkook returns just as she scraps around the bowl, lighting up at the tall mountain of ice shavings he’s holding. He looks at her half melted, mostly empty bowl in front of her and laughs. “Did you finish that?”

“Um...” Jihyo looks down, embarrassed. “You should have more of the second one.”

“No, you should eat more. I owe you lunch.” He grins, pushing the patbingsu closers to her. This time, she tries to control herself from stuffing everything into , the sweetness of the red overpowering her senses. 

“So... what do you look for in a guy?”

She grimaces again, pulling a face. “Why do you keep asking that?”

“Because you agreed to humour me if I bought you more?” Jongkook gestures to the bowl in front of her, chuckling. “And I did, so I think you owe me some answers.”

“That’s... that’s not fair! Ask your daughter for answers if you’re really that curious!”

“Okay.” Jongkook stands as he leans closer to her, startling her as he addresses her stomach childishly. “Hey baby girl, what kind of men does your omma like?”

“Yah!” Jihyo sputters, pulling her chair back in surprise. “That’s so immature! I didn’t mean it literally!”

“So? Do you like rich men? I think you do, you keep asking me to pay for things.” Jongkook sits back down, unable to hide his smile. “Didn’t you date your CEO? I bet he was loaded.”

She stares at him, speechless. She can’t believe it. He’s a childish, stubborn man. He brought her out at such a late hour just to bribe her. Unbelievable!

“I have my own!” She retorts, scoffing. “And I don’t need money; I just need someone who can love me for who I am.”

“I do.” He says, soft and serious, his eyes no longer shining with mischief. 

She hates how fast he changes, from being light and pulling jokes to determined  and tender in seconds. He loves her. It’s a very scary thing to think about when she’s pregnant with him. In theory, she should love him back. 

But she can’t find it in her to say anything, so she shakes her head, focusing on the bingsu and not his eyes. “The bingsu is very good.” She changes the subject instead.

“It is.” He replies, joining her as she digs in too. He had plenty more days to show her how much he truly felt for her.

On Tuesday, Jongkook buys her flowers. Jihyo’s not a girl who appreciates flowers, and he definitely knows that. But he brings in a bouquet of pink roses into her room at noon (waking her up, no less) and expects her to be okay with it. 

“Each flower represents my undying love for you.” He says sweetly, smirking as a look of disgust appears on her face. “Is it working now?”

“No.” Jihyo scowls, unimpressed. She pulls the covers over her head, groaning, but he stops her before she can go back to bed.

“Okay, I’ll work harder.” Jongkook promises, settling the flowers by her bedside. “If you don’t like flowers, what can I buy you?” 

“Food.” She yawns, blinking as her eyes adjust to the light. , she’s not going back to sleep anymore. “Why the hell did you wake me up to give me flowers?”

“Because I wanted to see if you liked them.”

“You can give them when I’m awake!” Jihyo throws a pillow at Jongkook, irritated but he dodges it easily, laughing. 

She leaves the flowers, though. They are pretty (and probably expensive), and she’s not heartless enough to chuck them down the bin. 

On Wednesday, Jongkook prepares dinner for the both of them. Jihyo wishes he didn’t serve her something as healthy as chicken and an overload of vegetables, but he only smiles. 

“It’s the only thing I cook well. Plus, it’s very good for you.” He grins, and this time she doesn’t even hide her distaste “You said you wanted food!”

“I wanted tasty food!” Jihyo scoffs, poking her broccoli weakly with her chopsticks. “Not... grass!”

“I know, which is why I’m eating that. You’re eating this.” Jongkook enters with a dish of baked rice in his hands, settling it down in front of her. “It’s still healthier than fried chicken, so I’ll allow it.”

She looks down at his dish, wide eyed. “Did you make this?”

“Yeah.” He nods, taking off his oven mittens. Her eyes hover over his build a little too long, watching him look so domestic even with hi