-Chapter II-

Yong Hye eventually made it back to the apartment she shared with Taemin. After her run in, she walked around a little more, almost laughing at how she easily went back to her business as though nothing had happened.

She still kept her eyes open for anyone running by, but she didn’t see anything odder than some of the clothing that passed by her as she walked.

When she got home, Taemin was already there, reading through one of his textbooks. When he heard the door open, he looked up, and watched Yong Hye take her shoes off. Leaving his textbook, he walked across the living room and into the entryway, giving his fiancée a light kiss as she finished placing her shoes on the floor.

This happened every day. Whoever got home first met the other at the door to welcome the other home, meeting in the entryway.

“How was your day?” Yong Hye asked, as they both walked into the apartment. Both she and Taemin’s parents were paying for the apartment, and that meant that they had the nicest possible place that was close to the university Yong Hye and Taemin attended. They had a lot of space, even though it was only the two of them living there, and really, Yong Hye and Taemin would have preferred to be living on campus in a dorm, but their parents wouldn’t have it.

“It was fine,” Taemin sighed. “Class was boring, but it’s necessary, so…” He sat back at the dining table, surrounded by his schoolwork.

“Aw, no dissecting today?” Yong Hye teased as she walked into the kitchen, going to find some dinner.

“Don’t make fun of me!” Taemin told her, laughing. “Besides,” he said, as Yong Hye sat down next to him with a bowl of fruit. “Dissecting is a lot more fun than sitting around researching all day for some boring article.”

“Hey!” Yong Hye cried, slapping her fiancé’s arm. “It’s fascinating! I love what I do!”

Taemin sighed. “I know, I know.” He looked up from his books and at Yong Hye. “Though why anyone, especially the heir to one of the country’s largest retail store empires, would want to spend their days reporting on gang activity, I will never know.”

Yong Hye took a bite of melon, looking at Taemin looking at her. She didn’t say anything until after she swallowed. “I want to do good in the world, just like you. It just so happened that your family are all surgeons or doctors. Maybe if my family were all reporters, no one would think this is weird.”

Taemin chuckled. “No, they still would. Could you imagine your mom on the streets, getting the beat?”

Yong Hye threw her head back and laughed. Taemin was right. Even if her family were reporters, there was no way her appearance-conscious mother would ever report on gang activity. She had always wanted to be a reporter, but it wasn’t until her sophomore year of high school that she read an article in the paper about the gang activity in the city, and it moved her to want to write the same kind of reports.

“But how was your day?” Taemin asked, turning back to his book.

“It was fine,” Yong Hye said, getting up and going into the kitchen. “I went for a walk,” Yong Hye said. “And had a really weird run in,” she said, slightly afraid to bring up what had happened earlier. It wasn’t that Taemin was overprotective. In fact, Taemin would probably let her do anything, as long as it didn’t undermine their relationship or was illegal.

“With who?” Taemin called back, still focused on his schoolwork.

Yong Hye smiled guiltily. “Uh, I’m not really sure.”

“What do you mean?” Taemin asked, looking up and into the kitchen.

Yong Hye explained what had happened to her earlier, keeping the details as light as possible.

By the time she had finished, Taemin had gotten up and was standing in the kitchen entrance, watching her.

“Are you okay?” he asked when she was done.

Yong Hye scoffed, and turned to him, arms out, so he could see her. “Obviously.”

Taemin rolled his eyes, but smiled. “I know physically you’re okay, but emotionally? Mentally? Are you okay?”

Yong Hye giggled and walked towards Taemin. “I’m fine,” she said, bringing her face up to his for a light kiss. “I promise. After it happened I went shopping.”

Taemin wrapped his arms around her waist. “Just don’t go looking for trouble, okay?”

“Hey,” Yong Hye said, looking up at him. “I was just shopping. It’s not like I saw someone chasing someone and said, ‘Hey that looks like a lot of fun.’”

Taemin let her go, and she stepped away, a small smile on her lips. “You know,” Taemin sighed, “Sometimes, you drive me crazy.”

Yong Hye laughed. “Sometimes?!” she asked.

Taemin nodded, smiling at how happy she was. Remembering something, he asked, “Do you work tonight?”

Yong Hye nodded. “I close at midnight.” She leaned against the counter directly across the room from Taemin, watching him. “So don’t wait up. I know that you have a class early tomorrow morning.”

“Fine,” Taemin sighed.

Yong Hye went to move past him so she could leave, but Taemin caught her arm. “But be careful. I know your little encounter was only the first time it’s happened, but I don’t want it to happen again. I’ll have my phone on at least, so call if you need anything or get into any trouble.”

“I will,” Yong Hye consented, kissing him lightly one more time. She walked to the doorway and started pulling on her shoes. “And I’ll text you when I’m leaving.”

“Thank you!” Taemin called after her as she walked out the door.

Once the door shut, he went back to the dining room table to pour over his books.

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