Narrator’s POV

“Yah, I really don’t think this is a smart idea,” Ha Neul reasoned while holding onto Jonghyun’s arm and looking up to him worriedly. “At least change your clothes first, oh?”

But Jonghyun just shook his head while scanning the open plaza in front of them. “Nah, don’t worry.” If he went back there now, his manager would probably put a leash on him and chain him to his hotel bed… “It’s dark now anyway. Moreover, there’s almost no one here and it’s right over there.” Jonghyun nodded towards the building at the other side of the plaza.

Ha Neul wasn’t convinced. Although probably busy with themselves, there were still a few couples around. “Still, what if someone recognises you? This is just too risky.”

“’No risk, no fun.’ Your words,” Jonghyun said with a boyish glint in his eyes. “You’ll just have to help me hide my face.”

Ha Neul frowned at him. “Hide your face? Me? If we walk across that plaza with me holding my hands right in front of your face, I’m pretty sure every single person here will look at—”

“We’ll just have to blend in,” he cut her off by putting his arm around her shoulder and burring his face in her hair. “Let’s go,” he whispered and pushed her out of the building’s shadow.

And in the blink of an eye, all the excellent reasons Ha Neul had for opposing Jonghyun’s stupid idea disappeared to an unknown corner of the universe. Instead, they were replaced by the intense sensation of his hand on her shoulder, which seemed to be burning, and the shivers that ran down her spine with every single breath of his. And as if these conditions weren’t already enough challenge for her legs to support her weight and continue walking in the direction Jonghyun lead her, his heavenly scent was enveloping her on top of it, making her dizzy like crazy.

“You’re stiff as a bamboo stick,” Jonghyun chuckled in a low voice. “Come on, relax.” But it only made matters worse. Hearing, no, actually feeling him whispering things into her hair with that kind of voice, was just what her system needed to stop functioning correctly altogether. Her heart seemed to be racing against itself and her knees felt like pudding. She would have stumbled over her own two feet, if not for Jonghyun holding her up.

“Yah, be careful!” Jonghyun whispered again and Ha Neul caught her breath. Then she swallowed. “Can you just please not whisper into my hair?” She asked in a strained voice.

For a moment, she could sense his confusion, but then he chuckled, realisation dawning upon him. “Why? You don’t like it?” Jonghyun teased and Ha Neul promptly lost her balance once more.

This is humiliating! She thought and buried her burning face in her hands.

Seeing this, Jonghyun couldn’t help but chuckle again. And Ha Neul stumbled again. And Jonghyun chuckled even more. But then, he pulled himself together. “Alright, I’ll be quiet,” he promised. “So, you just concentrate on walking properly, okay?” Ha Neul nodded, embarrassed to the bone, and they continued to walk in silence.

But slowly, step by step, Ha Neul did relax. After getting used to it, feeling his strong arm around her shoulders and listening to his steady breath… it actually felt very reassuring. Unconsciously, she raised her hand and put it on Jonghyun’s hand that was resting on her shoulder. She felt Jonghyun smile and then tightening his hug.

It felt magical somehow. Walking with him across a sparsely but beautifully illuminated plaza and in this closely-entangled way that was reserved for couples only… Even just yesterday she wouldn’t have even imagined a situation like this. It was as if time and space had stopped for just the two of them.

But eventually, they still reached the other end of the plaza and the security of the building’s shadow. Thus there was no longer a need to “blend in” and Ha Neul wanted to take a step away from Jonghyun. He, however, had no intention of letting her do so. The moment she attempted to retract her arm from around his back, he grabbed it and firmly held it in place. At the same time, he used his other hand that was still around her shoulders to turn her towards him. And expertly using the surprise moment to his favour, he made a step towards her forcing her to take one backwards herself until she was up against the wall with her back; effectively trapping her between his arms in the process.

“Yah,” Ha Neul complained. “What’s this fo—“

Her complaint was skilfully dismissed as Jonghyun crashed his lips on hers. Holding her head in both of his hands he ravished her lips. And after the first seconds of surprise, Ha Neul answered his kiss with equal passion. She dug her nails into the back of his shoulders pulling him closer even though she was already pressed against the wall. Jonghyun complied willingly, groaning at the intensified contact of their bodies. How he’d longed to finally hold her like this! To wrap his arm around her small frame and feel her warmth against his skin. Their tongues were battling, exploring, tasting each other.

And when they finally broke away, it was only because they were both completely out of breath. Ha Neul’s head was spinning like crazy, although his scent may have to take part of the blame for that. Panting heavily, they looked at each other through hazy eyes. Finally, Jonghyun pulled Ha Neul into a tight embrace and buried his face in her neck. Taking a deep breath, he mumbled: “This scent of yours is seriously dangerous…”

For a second, Ha Neul was stunned, but then she laughed silently. “Heh… like you’re one to talk…!”

Jonghyun pulled out of his hug and gave her a questioning look. Feeling embarrassed, Ha Neul lowered her eyes and bit her lip. But then, maybe because the overflowing happiness had reduced her brain cells to a mere lump of mush, she suddenly felt carefree. She looked up at Jonghyun with a half boyish, half shy grin. She tiptoed, wrapped her arms around his neck and took a deep whiff of his scent as well. “Gosh, this is so embarrassing…!” She said accusingly but hid her face in his chest.

At first, Jonghyun was too dumbfounded but then he broke out laughing and his low laughter shook her body, making her laugh as well.

Finally, they calmed down again and Ha Neul looked up to Jonghyun. “But didn’t you want to show me something here?” She asked without letting go of him.

“Ah, right,” Jonghyun said, remembering, and he gently shoved her over to what looked like a service entrance. He pulled out a key and in a matter of seconds they were inside one of Tokyo’s most expensive department stores.

Ha Neul just looked at Jonghyun. “And you said this place belongs to your family…?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?” He looked at her questioningly.

She shrugged. “Just because…” It wasn’t that she didn’t know about his family being quite well off, Jonghyun had told her himself that day at the rooftop park of the SM building, after all. But this was the first time that she got to experience it first-hand. Thus she was a bit overwhelmed.

However, Jonghyund didn’t give her time to admire the pretty necklaces in the glass vitrines or the luxurious assembly of designer bags and clothes. Instead, he pulled her straight into one of the elevators and used a key to gain access to the top floor.

“You have a key to your hyung’s office?” Ha Neul asked with a mixture of surprise and amusement.

Jonghyun chuckled. “You’re as quick as usual, huh? It’s because I’m his favourite younger brother,” he said with a grin. “And because he knows that I like to hide at such places when I want to relax from the busy entertainment world,” he added in a lower voice.

Ha Neul hummed in agreement and then, they grew quiet. They were still holding each other’s hand but neither felt the need to let go. It wasn’t awkward either; they were simply enjoying each other’s company and feeling each other’s warmth. And when the elevator reached the top, Jonghyun naturally led the way towards the couches at the window front. The space was illuminated by only two dim lights flanking the elevator doors and the city lights passing through the huge windows from outside. But it was enough to make out the wooden cupboard, pieces of art and plants that were arranged around the L-shaped room to create a pleasant atmosphere. Even in the dark Ha Neul could recognise the exquisiteness of the furniture and she concluded that many important business partners must have sat on the couch she now sat down onto.

With the small difference though, that it would have been daytime and that there wouldn’t have been a crazily handsome Kim Jonghyun sitting right next to them and holding their hands while studying their faces in a way that would make their hearts skip one beat after the other. Ha Neul didn’t dislike it, though. And neither did she when Jonghyun took her hand into both hands and caressed the back of it with his thumbs while looking at it, lost in thoughts.

“What are you thinking about?” Ha Neul asked softly after a while.

Slowly, Jonghyun raised his head and looked into her eyes. And in an instant, Ha Neul was trapped. She felt like she was drowning in that vast universe expanding behind his pupils. She could see her reflection in it. And she could see how much effort it had took him to allow her to be there. Because, apparently, he loved her. And again, she felt that all-engulfing feeling of happiness wash over her. She searched his eyes; was he feeling like that too? Was he able to see his reflection in her eyes, too? These overflowing feelings she felt for him?

“You… love me?” A tinge of surprise and amazement resonated in his voice as Jonghyun spoke. But as he saw the surprised but loving smile break on Ha Neul’s lips, these emotions also showed on his face. “Your eyes seemed to be saying that…” He mumbled amazed.

“I’m glad you could see it, too. Your reflection in my eyes…” Ha Neul whispered softly.

Jonghyun smiled. “I love you, too. My Ghosty.” He placed a soft kiss on her lips and wrapped his strong arms around her, enveloping her in a warm and peaceful embrace.

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“But what are we going to do now?” Ha Neul asked. They were now standing in front of the huge window front with Jonghyun hugging Ha Neul from behind and their hands being entwined in front of Ha Neul’s stomach.

“What do you mean?” Jonghyun played stupid but Ha Neul didn’t notice as her gaze was still fixated on the twinkling lights of the city below them.

“I mean about us…” She thus continued. “We—“ She caught her breath when she felt something soft, smooth, and slightly wet touch her neck. And worryingly, Ha Neul found herself liking it.

Jonghyun placed another soft kiss on her collarbone and then turned her around so that he could look into her eyes. His lips were turned upwards with the kindest and most assuring smile Ha Neul had ever seen. “I don’t know about you but I will do what my heart tells me to do from now on.” Saying this could have sounded cockily, but Jonghyun said it with so much sincerity and a hint of melancholy that it was almost solemn. “It took me too long to get to this point that I’d risk losing you again. I know it probably won’t be easy but I was never expecting it to be. We’ll just take one step at the time and face things head-on if they come.”

“One step at the time…” Ha Neul mumbled slowly, as if she were analysing Jonghyun’s words with her tongue while speaking them. “Hmm…” Jonghyun answered and softly rested his chin on her head, making Ha Neul’s heart skip a beat once again. A silent chuckle escaped her lips. It seemed she didn’t have a choice to begin with. Jonghyun was right, she had come too far to risk losing this again. “And what is our next sept?” She thus asked while turning around in Jonghyun’s arms to look at him.

Jonghyun looked at her for a moment. And when the look in her eyes started to change from playfully expectant to questioning, he tightened his grip around her waist – if that was even still possible – and gave her a boyish grin. “Our next step? Me kissing your forehead…” He kissed Ha Neul’s forehead. “…and your eyes…” He softly kissed each of her eyelids. “…and your ears…” He pecked her earlobes. “…your nose…” He kissed the tip of her nose. “…your beautiful hands…” He took her hands that were resting on his chest in his and carefully kissed each of her fingers. Finally, Ha Neul found her voice again. “Uhh, Jonghy—“ “…and your lovely lips.” He placed her hands on his chest again and instead took her face in his hands. He softly brushed across her bottom lip with his thumb before caressing it with his own lips.

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“Where are you staying?” Jonghyun asked and quickly glanced over at Ha Neul. They had taken one of the company’s cars - after a lot of doubting whether this was allowed on Ha Neul’s side and equally much insistence on Jonghyun’s that it was – and were now driving through the streets of Tokyo.

“In the same hotel as you but on the other end of the corridor.”

Jonghyun turned to her surprised. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Ha Neul shrugged. “I guess it was easier for the company that way, logistically I mean.”

Jonghyun nodded in agreement. “I guess.”

For a few moments, they drove in silence before Jonghyun spoke again. “You said, you were sent here alone, right?”

“Nee,” Ha Neul answered truthfully and with slightly questioning undertone as she didn’t understand where he was aiming at with his question.

Again, Jonghyun seemed to be pondering about something before he spoke again, though this time so quietly Ha Neul suspected he was talking to himself. “They must have gotten you a single room, then, huh…”

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What exactly Jonghyun was pondering about during these silent minutes is up to your imagination XD

...

*very carefully peeks around the corner, then tentatively steps forward and bows ninety degrees*

My dear dear readers (to those of you who are still here, i don't even know what to say), I am so, SO sorry!!!
I can't believe it's been ONE AND A HALF YEAR since I last updated this fic...! I don't even know if I'm still entitled to continue this story...

However, it was actually never my intention to put this story on hiatus (let alone give it up!) but somehow it just happened that way. It started with a serious writers block, especially with all the couple scenes... I guess I should get a boyfriend so I'd have some research material... lol (when will Sam Maek Jong aka Ji Dwi Rang stop wasting his time on Ah Ro and realise that he needs to timetravel first in order to meet his soulmate?!)
Then I had to finish my Bachelor's degree. Next was a six month internship in another town - which meant living on my own for the first time, which means so much to do every day...
And then I went to Asia for almost five months! That was A.MA.ZING. though! I can even speak a bit of Korean and Chinese now, because I went to language schools, heheh *^^* And the food! God, the FOOD! Anyone who's been there probably know's what I'm talking about... How I miss those jiaozi and baozi and zha jang mian and samgyeopsal and bibimbab and and the fruits in Taiwan and and and...! Dang, now I'm hungry again... ><''

Yeah, so then I came back this fall again just about one week before I started my Master's... during which I went to Egypt for two weeks, from where I returned with minor food poisoning. Meaning I missed three weeks of lectures in total, meaning I had no life for the rest of the semester. Then was Christmas and New Year - oh yes, belated Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! ^^'' And then it was already today... I'll have to make a trip to the men in grey someday and ask for my time to be returned...! lol

Anyway, I had actually been writing on this one chapter ever since the last update, to be honest. But it just somehow took until now to bring it into a postable form... >.< (Maybe I can make it into the Guiness Book of Records? For taking the longest time ever to write a single chaper...? just kidding... ;) )
Well, to be precise, it would have to be two chapers, actually... ^^'' Because I wanted to make my comback with a double update at least.

Therefore, click the button and please enjoy! XD

And I'm so sorry, once more! *bows ninety degees*