Chapter 11 : Dinner Date and Maknaes Moment

February 14, 2021

Jongkook posted a picture of his handwritten note with Jihyo’s picture that he took on New Year’s Eve with a relieved sigh. Now the words are out, Jongkook decided to plan a simple valentine’s dinner to have with Jihyo. He quickly made a reservation at a fancy and definitely private restaurant, he also called his and Jihyo’s stylists to come and help them pick their clothes. Well, for Jongkook’s case, he only told his stylist to come and bring some because he hasn’t moved all of his stuff to Jihyo’s place, especially the suits and everything he usually wore to special events.

“Oppa, what are you doing?” Jihyo asked when she entered the room, she just finished her morning online yoga class. She saw him putting down his phone after ending a phone call with his stylist. “I made reservation for dinner tonight, to celebrate our first valentine and the announcement.” Jihyo chuckled. “You posted it already? Let me see.” She took her phone and went to Jongkook’s social media account.

“Oppa… what’s with the cheesy caption?” he wrote what he needed to write but the P.S made Jihyo giggled. P.S : Look how beautiful she is. I once said that I usually take pictures of beautiful things, and I still stand by my words. Beautiful, right?

Jongkook had to chuckle on that. The Song Jihyo he’s living with right now is still the same Song Jihyo he knew years ago, she still cringed when she saw cheesy lines or words. “But I’m a cheesy guy, Jihyo-ya. Wae? Sihro?” Jihyo laughed. “Ani. For the first time, I actually loved it.”

Jongkook pulled her closer to kiss her forehead. They were sitting on the sofa Jihyo had in her bedroom and this is how they usually spend time when Jongkook is off from work. “What do you want to do before we have to get ready for dinner?” Jongkook asked. They still have hours to go until their team come to help.

“Umm… movie?” Jongkook nodded. “Okay.”

Jihyo stared at her own reflection after her team did their magic. Wearing an elegant looking black fitting dress, she looked very pregnant in it. “Jeongseol-a, am I wearing this right?” she asked as she twirled once to show her stylist. “Beautiful, eonnie. I can’t wait to see Jongkook oppa’s reaction.” She grinned. Jongkook’s stylist already came and dropped his outfit, he’s taking a quick shower as Jihyo went to get her hair and make-up done. “I agree, eonnie. You’re so beautiful!” Hongda added. Hyemin was there too and it feels somewhat nostalgic for Jihyo. She hasn’t been to any formal events for a while now.

“Geure? Okay, I will trust everyone.” Jihyo finally agreed to trust her team. “Eonnie, when you’re getting married to Jongkook oppa, we’ll be your dream team right?” Hyemin asked suddenly. Jihyo let out a light laugh. “So sudden?”

“Ani… we saw the both of you earlier and you looked so happy eonnie.” Hyemin admitted that they were surprised to see how affectionate Jihyo and Jongkook are in private. Her words made Jihyo remembered Somin’s words before she left after the leaked pictures disaster. “Eonnie, I am so happy seeing you this happy. Yours and Jongkook oppa’s smile are brighter than ever. You’re glowing of happiness, eonnie.” That’s what she said before she left.

“Jjinja?” Jihyo giggled. “I am not sure when will we get married, he’s still my boyfriend for now. I think it will happen after the twins are here. But I wouldn’t dream of changing any of you sometime soon.” The girls cheered happily. “Wah, you’re definitely in love, eonnie. You never talked about marriage when you’re dating other men before.” Hongda clapped her hands loudly.

Jihyo covered her face with her hands. “He’s different, I admit.” She finally said after overcoming the embarrasment of admitting it in front of her team. They’re more like a family to Jihyo, they worked with her for years and spent more time with her on daily basis. Their chatting got interrupted by a knock.

“Girls, can I see my girlfriend now?” Jongkook called from the other side of the door, making the girls ‘OOOOH’-ed loudly. “Yah, shut it.” Jihyo warned them playfully. “Wait a second, oppa. I need to wear my shoes.” Jihyo called back from inside and heard a quick okay from Jongkook. “What shoes should I wear?” she asked Jeongseol who quickly put a pair of black sneakers in front of Jihyo. “This one, since I got a warning that you shouldn’t be wearing heels tonight.”

“But it’s been a long time…” Jihyo turned to see her racks of heels, untouched for a really long time. “Eonnie, how far along are you?” Jeongseol asked, crossing her arms in scolding-mother style. “26 weeks.” Jihyo answered. “Exactly. There’s no way I would let you wear any kind of heels now.” Jihyo pouted. “Alright.”

Jeongseol put the shoes on her and tied the laces well because Jihyo can barely her own feet when she’s standing now. “There. You’re done.” Jihyo let her team took pictures of her because that’s what they usually do before they go to any kind of projects. When she’s finally walking out of her wardrobe/changing/make-up room, she called for Jongkook.

“Oppa?”

“Front room!” he called back. Jihyo walked to the front room to meet him and when he caught her eyes, he froze on the spot. He stayed like that for a few seconds, eyeing Jihyo up and down and making her nervous. “Oppa, the dress is too much isn’t it? I looked so huge, I should change into something more loose—”

“Stop right there, young lady.” He cut her rambles off. “So beautiful.”

“Oppa…” she covered her face and he took a step forward, gently peeling off her hands away. “I think I won the war on my previous life, how did I get so lucky?” Jihyo slapped his chest. “Stop it oppa, you’re making me blush.”

“Oh geure?” he teased. His right hand went to caress Jihyo’s left cheek, gently moving her face left and right. “I definitely won a war before.”

“Oppa, why are you doing this?” she tried to hid her face again and Jongkook laughed. “Okay okay, I’ll stop for now. We need to go.”

Jongkook helped Jihyo the the passenger seat before he walked around to the driver seat. “It’s been too long since I drove you myself.” He chuckled. “Now this finally feels like a proper date, oppa.” They always have her driver or Gapjin to drive them around so this might be their first date ever. Well he drove her on her birthday last year, when the twins were concieved, but they were not in any kind of relationship back then.

“I know, I should’ve took you on a date sooner.” Jongkook started to drive his car to the still busy street of Mapo-Gu area. “I think your babies agreed with you there.” Jihyo felt the kicks (or punches) from the babies. She didn’t know how but she can differentiate whether it’s one of them or the both of them when they kicked / punched from the womb. “Both of them?” Jongkook asked, already smiling at the mention of their active babies. “Eung. Both of them. I think you can take them boxing or play football when they’re old enough, oppa.” Jihyo joked but Jongkook loved the idea.

When they reached the restaurant’s lobby, Jongkook walked out first and helped Jihyo next. The vallet service boy looked surprised, but thankfully he covered it well. The fancy restaurant Jongkook reserved had a private dining area, probably to provide requests from celebrities or another famous people because the area offered privacy. The city view is amazing and Jihyo loved it from the first glance.

“Wah oppa, we’re so high up!” she said excitedly. “I know you love high places, thankfully someone cancelled just before I called, so we can take this spot.” Jongkook took her left hand on his, it’s his new favorite thing to do: playing with her small fingers. “I hope you’re hungry because I ordered a full 8 courses.”

Jihyo grinned, she looked so cute when she does that. “I’m always hungry these days.” Jongkook nodded. “One of my favorite sight: seeing you so happy when you eat.” Jihyo laughed. “Am I? Must be because the babies always made me hungry all the time.”

Jongkook shook his head. “You always are even before I got you pregnant, took me almost 10 years to realize it though.” Jihyo didn’t know how much she blushed that day, her cheeks felt like they’re on fire. “Do you believe in fate, oppa?” she asked curiously. He nodded. “I do, and the fortune teller too. I took everything into consideration, you know that. What about you?” he asked back. “I do believe in fate. I don’t care if it took us 10 years to be here, but when it’s time, I believe things will fall to their fated places.” Jihyo’s eyes shone so brightly that night, Jongkook couldn’t even take his eyes off of hers. “I agree, we have to go through everything we went through to finally be here.”

They ate dinner while conversing lightly, hands playing with each other’s fingers. Jihyo ate so well and it made Jongkook glad he took her to dinner, seeing how happy she looks when she’s eating. Jongkook let her talk about her excitement of finally finishing up the nursery room decoration, something he let her do whatever she wanted to her desire. She excitedly showed him pictures of wall decorations, babies clothes and toys she ordered for the twins.

“Ottae? So cute right?” Jihyo asked excitedly when Jongkook finally done looking at the pictures and put her phone down on the table. “I normally wouldn’t let you buy that much clothes because babies grew out of new born’s clothes faster, but you’re right. I will not say anything about it.” He admitted lightly. “Ah oppa, we can afford to spoil them, you know?” he nodded, agreeing to her instantly. “Geure, we should. I can’t wait until they’re finally here.”

Jihyo grinned, showing her perfect white teeth happily. “Nado. I can’t wait to finally be able to sleep on my back again.” Jongkook remembered how much she fussed every night due to her back pain. “Ah right, I heard from Taeh