Allegro con brio - / əˈlɛɡrəʊ kɒnˈ briːəʊ /, fast tempo with spirit

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“…that sums up the briefing! Thank you and see you all later.” Taemin nodded to his first officer and the cabin crew, as they parted ways, ready to meet later for the flight.

After the pre-flight briefing at the flight despatch, he stretched his neck and stacked up the piles of documents, ready to move to his aircraft. Before he glance at his phone for another notification from her, he heard a sound from behind. 

“Yah, Lee Taemin!” Kai slapped him on the shoulder. 

Still feeling disappointed from the interruption on that night, he sighed and turned around to face his best friend. “Yea?”

“You haven’t been replying to my messages for weeks!” He whined. “Plus the group ones!”

Taemin rolled his eyes. “Stop acting like you’re my girlfriend… I went out with you guys a while ago!” 

Kai raised his brows. “Girlfriend?” His lips curled into a smirk. “I knew it! I knew that something fishy is going on with you!” Kai smuggled closer and muttered lowly. “Are you really seeing someone?”

With ears tinted red, he glanced around the office. “Well… let’s not talk about this here.” 

Dragging him out to the porch, Kai demanded. “Now tell me! I need to know why you’ve been ignoring our messages.” 

Taemin chuckled. “I… It’s just I have feelings for someone at the moment.”

Kai raised his eyebrows. “Yes, I know. What next?”

“What do you mean what’s next?” Taemin turned away and suppressed his knowing smile, pretending not to understand his best friend’s question.

Kai rolled his eyes. “What are you planning to do next!”

He stared at the airport apron, his lips curled with the image of her smile imprinted in his mind. “Well… I’m planning to confess soon…”

“When? Need us to bring you flowers? Give you a sketchbook?”

He bursted into laughter, then sent him a look. “No! None of that. Don’t you dare come and ruin my plans!”

“Fine... Show us who she is and give us some good news soon!” Kai gave his shoulder a light pat.

……..

“Hello.” A man approached her as she stepped out of her gallery door. 

Naeun crossed her arms and tightened the hold on her handbag. She eyed him cautiously but nodded with a polite smile. 

“Do you mind if I ask for your number?” The man asked with a shy look. 

Her lips dropped flat and her look turned distant. “I’m sorry. I don’t give out phone numbers.” 

“I.. my name is Eunwoo. I’ve seen you on the street near the gallery for a few times and… I just really want to know you more.

She shook her head firmly. “I’m sorry.” 

“M..Miss.. I..” The man reached out his arm, as if to touch her. Before she could react, another long, muscular arm blocked the man’s path. In a blink of an eye, she found a lean, wide-shouldered man standing in front of her against the stranger. She widened her eyes in recognition, then felt her lips curl up instinctively. 

“Excuse me, sir. She already said no. Please don’t disturb her.” Taemin said coldly and firmly. 

The stranger glanced frantically between her and Taemin, then bowed in apology and turned away. 

“Why are there random erts on the streets?” He exclaimed in anger as he glared at the stranger. He turned and faced her beamed smile.

“Oppa! I thought you’re still on the flight?”

His cold and furious eyes turned soft when he faced her. “I came back early to see you.” His look turned cold again. “But I didn’t know I would have to witness such a scene.” 

“Did you get hurt? Did he do anything to you?” He asked worriedly. 

She shook her head and gave him a beautiful grin. “No, Oppa. Sorry I made you worry.”

He smiled and ruffled her hair. “Don’t be. You free to have some fun so this won’t ruin the mood?” 

As both fans of horror, they shuffled across and sat at the centre of the cinema, staring at the large screen in front of them. 

“You sure you won’t be scared?” He asked, as the film began.

She nodded. “Of course.”

His lips drooped slightly, hoping secretly that she could lean onto him when she was frightened. Though usually insensitive to horror, he jumped slightly at the sudden sound of a spook. She saw his movement from the corner of her eyes and felt her lips curled. He eyed her smile and bit his lip in embarrassment. 

“I wasn’t scared.” He explained lowly in her ears. She tingled at the sense of his voice but didn’t forget to . “Sure, whatever you say.” 

He pouted his lips and stared back at the screen with a determined gaze. She chuckled silently with her eyes focused on the screen. 

Minutes later, when a huge ghost popped out unexpectedly, she stifled a scream and leaned over to grip his arm tightly, linking their arms together. He turned to gaze at her deeply with cheekbones flying up. After being frozen for three seconds, her cheeks burned and jumped back to her seat, facing the screen again. She bit her lip, feeling his intensive stare still on her side profile. With her heartbeat still racing, she stole a glance at him and said weakly. “I… wasn’t scared too.”

He answered with a smirk, whispering with revenge. “Sure, whatever you say.”

After leaving the cinema with a widened smile on his face and a blush on her cheek, he queued at a coffee shop for their drinks. To her right, entered a group of ladies with eye smiles and intense contoured makeup on. Along with other customers, she stole glances at them, silently praising for the