He was watching her from the window, waiting since a while now, until she raised her eyes from the bag she was holding in her hand, noticing him standing across the window, and went wide in surprise, making him blink spontaneously, smiling at her.

He walked to the door to get in, as the bell above the door rang when he entered the store.

“Why were you waiting outside?” she took a glance at him, turning to put the bag back on the shelf, as he walked behind her hugging her back, making her shiver slightly before melting in his warmth, 

“It’s so cold outside” she added, her tone transforming into a softer version, watching his arms around her waist, as she could smell his cologne now, and everything about this random skinship was feeling good, “You should have come in” she added in the lower tone, trying to not disturb the serenity in the atmosphere, contemplating now if she should hold onto his hand, but her frozen hands were still on her side, too busy in the dilemma for the real action.

He had relaxed, resting his chin on her shoulder naturally now, tightening the grip around her, “Hmm” “It’s really cold” he shuddered, cozying up, making her chuckle as she her side, taking a glance at his pale face, “That’s what, why were you outside?” she whispered, waiting for him to answer,

“To see you”

“You were looking beautiful, my feet weren’t moving ahead” he had the innocent eyes on her, as his lips curled up, as he snuggled back in her neck, before she could respond, warming her skin with his warm breath, as she gulped her dry throat, feeling a strong wave of shiver passing down her body, which got her pulling up from his embrace in reflex, to turn around facing him, as he straightened up too, probably knowing the reason of her reaction, as he had the stifling smile under the pressed lips, gazing at her intently.

“You don’t have to drop me home everyday” she mentioned, trying to start a new conversation now, as he was surprised by her choice of topic, “Why?” he chuckled, watching her in amazement, “You’re my girlfriend” “Why can’t I do that?” he was defensive & commanding at the same time, as she ended up blushing on hearing the word girlfriend.

Somehow his words were always so straightforward & direct, which she wasn’t really used to, and that would usually get her feeling butterflies in her stomach every now and then.

They had started going out for three months now, and since the day they confirmed their relationship, Taemin was very particular about this ritual of picking her up from home in the morning to dropping her at her store and walking her way back home as well in the evening.

He was quite busy with his own load of work and was a workaholic kind of person himself, that’s why she was more surprised how he was so persistent and punctual about following this routine everyday.

Never before, in her share of experience with boys, anyone had this level of persistence.

She was impressed but then was always worried too, that she was not that capable of returning this kind of act of service. Being the person with more passive personality in their relationship, she would always be overthinking at such times if she was taking enough efforts in return.

Naeun owned a bag store in Seoul. She had got the talent of designing her own bags from her mother, and with her personal preference of style she had created some unique designs, so she started a store by herself, selling her handmade bags on her social media first and now she had a decent store in the city, which was giving her the creative freedom as well as supporting her financially quite well.

While Taemin was an art director, working with one of the famous media companies for more than five years now.

They both had met each other at a friend’s wedding, were introduced to each other by common friends, as they exchanged their numbers that day, and when Taemin decided to show his interest first, Naeun had liked his personality too, so they started meeting and talking more, and were officially dating each other for three months now.

Taemin always had these fuzzy words like girlfriend, love, slipping down his tongue very comfortably, while it was a big task for Naeun to digest this open-heart language of his, as well as return it back in words to him.

She was trying to take in everything, slowly & steadily, because this overwhelming kind of feeling for someone, was the first time in her life. 

“Of course you can do it” she smiled, not saying much more ahead, as she turned around, continuing to wrap up her work now, to cut the time short of him waiting for her all this while.

“That’s it” he was not satisfied by her short answer, as she arranged the last bag closing the display shelf, turning back to him, to see his unsettled mind reflecting in his eyes now.

She took a minute to think before speaking this time, watching his awaiting face, “I was worried if you may feel tired someday and don’t feel like coming"

"I’m saying it would be okay to skip it if you're busy” she explained, as he blinked, thinking on her words, turning actually serious now, “Meeting you is not tiring for me” he announced it like the most natural thing to say, and she was speechless, watching him bewildered.

She didn’t know how to respond on those words, he was definitely good with words unlike her, and she mostly had no answer when he would say something like this.

All these words were so precious coming from him. Her heart would flutter, and melt and she would feel light like a feather, but she didn’t know the way to express her feelings in return, which would end up her going silent with a flustered face every time.

“Is meeting me everyday uncomfortable for you?” he asked instead, seeing her lost in thoughts, as her eyes were widened only to shake her head in denial immediately, “Oh no” “Not at all”

“Why would I be uncomfortable with you?” she was taken aback, scared by his unpredictable mind & questions, 

“I like it” she muttered under her breath, intimidated suddenly for confessing out of blue, as he was staring at her in expectation of a better explanation again, “Huh?” he leaned forward, getting closer look at her, as she looked up in the very second, to match his eyes staring into hers.

“I like spending all this time with you” she managed to confess again, her voice slowly disappearing in the heartbeat that was rising inside her, as she felt his hand on the back of her neck which got her closing her eyes, making him step ahead, as their nosetips touched.

Both of them were startled by the ringing sound of the phone, as Naeun stepped back dazed by the interruption, searching for her phone that was somewhere close in her vicinity, as she finally got her hands on the annoying ringing object on the side desk behind her, as she let out the breath she was holding in carefully till now, watching the caller being her mother, which got her walking away to talk to her.

Taemin was silently smiling to himself now, watching Naeun so baffled, when she was trying to respond to her mother somehow.

She was ready as much as he was anticipating.

It was the first time he had actually taken the chance to kiss her, and he didn’t know till now that it would give him so much joy just by knowing that she wanted to kiss him back.

He turned around feeling really hot, almost forgetting how he was shivering a while ago, as he fanned himself, walking to the window on the other side to get some air.

Few minutes went by, when he was standing there now watching Naeun still talking on the call, walking in the opposite part of the room.

After dating a number of girls before this in search of a partner, he knew quite well this time, that he was not just attracted to Naeun physically or was in this relationship, because he was single for a while.

She was the kind of girl he knew he wanted to treat better and was intending to save her for life.

For that matter, Naeun had a completely different personality than him, she wasn't as impulsive as him, and he would never know what she likes and dislikes if he didn't pay attention to her reactions carefully, as he wasn't the type to ask such things and she wasn't the type to say it out loud.

She was more like the person, who would hide her worries and not tell him everything at once, and he had those impatient times when he wanted to just ask her directly, everything about her life and herself, but knowing her day by day was kind of turning out to be fun now, as he was matching her pace subconsciously in the attempt to make her feel comfortable. 

Maybe he was capable of being patient too, all girls he had dated before wanted something he could give, it was just matter of question & answer, and when the conflict would arise in that give and take, it would always lead to a breakup, there was no understanding someone before this, and hence he had never tried this slow pace of knowing someone he was dating, before this one happened to him.

And apart from how he was trying to get closer to her, he could see her efforts in extending her boundaries in response to him.

Every little step she was taking to show him her feelings, was sort of winning her heart over and over again for him. 

He could see that she was so much more comfortable & expressive with him now, would play along his absurd style of jokes, answer his questions with much longer sentences, and tell him more about her day in detail, she was covering her half way too in her small steps.

But still, there were times like this moment now, when he wanted to set all the world aside that was standing between them, and make her see just him and only him.

She was done with the call as she walked to him, “Should we leave?” she was acting ignorant, as he nodded quietly, walking behind her to the door.

They got in his car, he drove her home, she got off & waved goodbye and walked in, slowly disappearing in her house, as his hopes and expectations were gone with her by now.

And he was restless again in that one moment, sitting in the car, thinking of getting off to knock on her door and complete that kiss, and tell her she means a lot more than just a girlfriend to him.

But at the same time, he was afraid she would run away if he shows his impatience. He was good at waiting now, and he wanted to wait for her to make the move this time.

She was mysterious and interesting like that next unread page, he was dying to read, but staying on the current page and completing it first was definitely the right thing and a better way to enjoy the story, right? 

---------------

Taemin had a pile of work resting on his desk, and it was going to be a heavy workday, maybe he’ll have to do overtime today, which made him sigh, before taking a sip of his morning coffee, settling on his chair, getting his hands on the keyboard, to get started.

Few designs needed correction, few designs needed second reviewing and there were tons of them that were freshly made and needed his maximum attention. And the major problem was, he didn’t have much energy to give today. 

He was in this field because he was interested in helping the field of entertainment by giving his eye of vision through his cinematographic imaginations & his way of seeing art, but there were days like this, when he would be tired just by looking at designs and picking mistakes and convincing others for the necessary changes or even asking for minor changes sometimes.

It was a hard task, and he was the responsible one here to do it all by himself, after the experience of years now.

Being the hardworking type, he was loyal to his responsibilities and therefore was stuck to his seat, working on the designs diligently, trying to get through the work he wanted to get done for the day.

The office hours were over, but Taemin was still having a meeting, arranged last hour, for the project they had upcoming in two weeks.

Naeun had called several times by now, but Taemin had no idea about those calls, with his phone on silent because of the meeting.

He had totally forgotten in the stress of work to tell her that he probably would not be able to get off work on time today, so he can’t drop her home. 

The meeting was over and he was finally leaving the work.

He was inthe parking lot of his apartment, when he remembered to check his phone finally, still sitting in the car, as he saw 11 missed calls from Naeun.

He was surprised and shocked, and never expected that she had this obsessive personality hiding inside her to call 11 times in a span of 2 hours.

Probably after starting to pay extra attention to Naeun with the days passing by, and as they were spending more and more time together on their off-work car-dates, he had started to understand that her showing less interest was more about her patience and her visible cold response was just her being extra careful with words.

He was feeling a strange satisfaction while calling her back, most probably she was concerned, and less probably she must have had any issue she needed help with, but anyhow he was happy that she was thinking about him.

He stepped out of the car, continuing to walk with the phone onto his ear now.

He heard the ringing tone, as she picked up the call in the next few seconds, “I’m so sorry I forgot to tell you that I would be busy in the office today” he started as soon as he heard the receiving tone, “You called” “Is everything fine?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine” “Where are you?” he heard her, as he found his way to the elevator, getting in to press his floor number, as he walked back to relax on the wall behind, “I’m home” “What about you?” “Reached home?”

Two floors remained for his one, as he was waiting for her to answer,"Uhmm?"  “Not really” she had a hesitating tone, as he pulled up to stand back on his feet, worried now hearing her answer,

His floor had arrived and the doors opened, “Why?” he asked, walking out of the elevator. And before he could hear her answer, he was hit with a surprise of her standing in front of his house.

She had a smile, as the phone was still to her ears, as she pulled up the bag carrying the logo of a fried chicken restaurant, showing him, as he ended up laughing now, amazed by this unexpected visit.

“Since when are you waiting here for me?” he raised his voice, because of the distance between them, disconnecting the call to pull it down, as he walked forward in her direction.

She looked at her phone screen now to check the time before answering, “An hour?” 

He gasped, watching her with a widened gaze to press his lips together then, feeling bad for making her wait now, “It was quite a long wait” but she smiled instead, “Bringing food along was indeed a good idea” 

“You look tired today” she had her nose squirmed in a cute way, watching him for the response, as he smirked watching her silently, walking ahead to go stand before her.

“You brought exactly what I wanted today” he looked at the carrybag in her hand, before looking in her eyes again, “Let’s go in” “I am hungry now” he was lit with a glint of excitement now, making her laugh seeing his dull, worn out face turn into childlike, excited one.

He pressed the code, pressing the knob, as he walked in, watching her follow him inside.

“Can I take a shower first?” he asked, moving forward in fast steps, as she was looking around, mapping his house she had entered for the first time, “Yeah” “Of Course” “I can wait” she answered,

“Okay” “I’ll be back quick” she nodded, as he ran inside with the coat and bag.

 She took a seat on the sofa, placing the bag with fried chicken on the table in front of her.

—--------

They were sitting on the floor, with the food & beer on the coffee table, as Taemin took a large bite of chicken in hunger, as Naeun saw him smiling to herself then, as he noticed her to raise his eyes on her, “Why?” “What happened?” 

She shook her head before taking her another bite of her own piece in her hand, “I wanted to tell you something” 

He turned himself to her, wiping his lips with the tissue in his hand, paying her his sincere attention now, as she smiled starting to speak again, “the store slot in COEX I had mentioned to you last week” he nodded along, remembering the conversation now, “yeah right?”

“I got that” her lips had widened into a smile, as he jumped on his place in excitement, “Oh!” “Really?” she ended up giggling watching him, it was actually more satisfying than she had thought to share the news with him.

“That's great news” he was genuinely happy, as she could see his sincere smile reaching his eyes, “Hmm” “I wanted to tell you about it before anyone else” she added, as his eyes softened, his face calming down gently.

Something was different about her today, he was not expecting her to say something like this out of the blue, he was dumbfounded for the first time, not knowing what to say in return.

“As soon as I got the news, all I could think was tell you about it” she added, breaking the silence herself again, as he had this adoring smile on his face, continuous and constant, with his soft gaze on her getting deeper, which got her blushing then, as she couldn’t help but feel his heart, coming her way.

“You were the first person to know about the plan so I thought you should be the first one to know about the results too” she added, agreeing to herself, looking away around the room to distract herself from his alluring gaze.

“Well” “then-” “Congratulations” he had his hand extended before her as she looked at his hand before looking up at him, to see him smile wider, “You’re right I should be the first one to congratulate you” he added, making her laugh. She took his hand, matching his gaze, as he had more to add, “I’m your boyfriend after all” “I should know everything first, right?” He was teasing her again, so she shrugged pulling out her hand from his, turning back to nibbling on her chicken, but her face still had the blush growing, as he laughed watching her get shy again.

“Oh!” he startled her with the sudden loud scream suddenly, as he stood up in his place making her watch him in confusion, “Why are we drinking beer on such occasion?“ he looked at her surprised face with a suggesting smile, “I have a wine bottle in the fridge” the smile grew as he turned around to run to the kitchen.

She chuckled seeing him get the wine glasses from the shelf and the wine bottle from the fridge.

“We need to celebrate this” he came back, placing the glass on the table as he sat down beside her again, to open the bottle with the corkscrew, “Anyway I was not going to drink it alone” “We got a good reason now” he was filled with enthusiasm, and she couldn’t believe there was someone she had, who was so happy for her success.

Naeun was just watching him for a while, as he continued screwing up the cork, and the bottle was opened, “Done!” he breathed out heavily, as she got her hands on the glasses for him, holding them as he poured the wine in them.

He placed the bottle on the table, reaching for one of the glass in her hand but she pulled them back to place both on the table as he watched her with question mark, when she looked back at him, moving closer, extending her arms around his waist, hugging him, as he was taken aback to reciprocate, “It really means a lot to have you by my side” she stated it in the soft voice.

Her words were like the wave of warmth that melted his heart right away, as he reached to hug her back naturally, “It’s the same for me” “Even seeing you everyday after work makes my day” she was listening staying in the hug for a little longer now.

“Though I’m always sad that we can’t go on dates that often” he added, remembering suddenly how they hardly went on any dates because of work.

“Let’s have many dates hereafter” she moved back, to look in his eyes, as his were widened on her determined words, before smiling into it, “Okay” “Let’s have many dates hereafter” he agreed, as she nodded giggling, moving back again to take the glasses but before she could move further, he had reached for her cheeks on both sides, pulling her face to him, to give a small peck on her lips, releasing immediately to move back himself first now, as she was giggling watching his blushed face this time.

“Finally!” he sighed out a soft breath, “I have waited so long” he murmured, as she scoffed, before her jaw dropped in shock, “You were waiting?” she was embarrassed to know the answer, but seeing him nod sincerely in response, she let out a laugh, feeling the rush of adrenaline with that honest confession, as he looked at her to just raise it more with her quickening heartbeat, as her laugh disappeared, with his intense gaze staring into her soul, “You didn’t thought of it again?” he asked, scaring the out of her.

“I-” of course she did, so much that she wasn’t able to sleep that night but who will tell him, when she didn’t want to let him know how difficult it was to overcome that night for her too. 

She got her sip of wine, instead of answering, as he watched her turn pink from neck to cheeks now, as she fanned herself, before catching him staring at her for a whole long minute, “Are you always this flirty with girls?” she asked, turning her eyes on him, as he scoffed at her question, “Of course not” “You think I flirt with girls?”

“Hmm” “You are so good with making a person’s heart flutter so easily” she had another sip, resting her cheek in her hand now, looking slightly dizzy as he watched her dreamy eyes looking into his, she probably was not in control of her words right now, because a can of beer they had finished and almost a glass of wine down now, she was probably drunk.

“You think so?” he asked, continuing to lead her, as he wanted to hear her speak her mind out today.

She was gonna let out some secrets and he wanted to know each and every one.of them.

She nodded, as she was watching him keenly with the lethargic eyes, “What else do you think of me?” he asked ahead, as she smiled now, “That you’re a smart man?”

As he blinked suspicious of her growing smile now, waiting for her to speak more, keeping a straight face, “And?

“And-” with her slurred speech, she took her time, taking a brief pause, staring into his brown dewy orbs, “I think I really like you” 

“And?” he was not able to hide his smile anymore, as she smiled watching him give in, “I’m not drunk as you think" she blinked with a serious face, before straightening up to sit back again, "So you should stop now” she looked away from the eye contact, finally acting like the usual.

But he couldn’t stop blushing now, actually falling for her trick, “You’re really something else” he chuckled, taking his share of wine finally to wash down his embarrassment, as she watched him take another glass because the first wasn’t enough, and ended up smiling at him totally flushed now.

“But I do like oppa a lot” she added, teasing him now, as he took a glance at her, to end up laughing again, “I doubt you’re not drunk”

“Even If I am” “I do like you a lot” she said again, watching him with sincere eyes this time, as he was dumbfounded by her sudden courage, “Okay” “I will accept that” he agreed this time, trying to play along.

“That’s it?” she was the one to complain this time, and he was wondering now what had got into her today, as he noticed the familiar impatience in her eyes, making him realize how similar they were actually with each other.

She had the sad pout, as her disappointed eyes were cute, “Are you staying here tonight?” he went for what was on his mind, as she was just shocked to hear that question out of nowhere, and was now blinking helplessly.

She had not thought of it, and what was this question anyway out of context, but she was caught in silence again, as he started laughing then, making her give him a dead stare, as he turned serious again, reaching for her glass to pour her another drink, “I think you should stay”

He had the serious deep voice now, “I’m not intending to send you home tonight” she wasn't really expecting what he was approaching and she was a bit nervous now, when her alcohol was losing it's effect too in response.

“I can talk all night how much I like you” he shot her an eye, and she found herself relaxing now instantly, as she ended up laughing in embarassment the later second, making him smile victoriously.

She had her palms covering her face, not able to stop giggling now, as she heard him laughing too, knowing he was watching her, "You don't wanna talk?" she heard him, pulling her hand down with a shocked chuckle, as he had the teasing smile on his lips, "You want me to run away, don't you?" she asked, trying to convey her b embarassment, making him laugh more.

"Can you?" he was enjoying her quick responses, now that she was loosening her guards for him, "From me?" he had all the witty responses wrapped in an innocent face ready for her, and she found herself more tongue-tied now, unable to keep her blushed cheeks down anymore.

She went silent again, staring at him with a defeated pout, as he ended up laughing more seeing that cute face of hers, as he reached her cheeks to pull them in a loose pinch of his fingers, "You're cute!" as she looked away from him shyly then.

A/N :

Okay, I guess I'm gonna continue this warm, fuzzy theme for the shinee month, though I have a variety of plot in that area, so here's another chapter with more young stage flirting this time. Forever yours is one of my fav track of KEY so I tried using it this time.

Btw I do believe Taemin is one of the smoothest flirts, and I wanted to show his that side in this chapter. Naeun is a more serious type for me but I know she is an interesting person when it comes to flirting and romance. Wait for her version of it ^^

Hope you enjoyed this story as well !! And thank you for coming back as always <3