“Eunji-ah, wait!”

Onew’s footsteps sped up as he desperately tried to catch up with Eunji.

“Eunji-ah, let me explain.”

Maybe it was the plea in his voice, or the curiosity beneath her anger—but for some reason Eunji stopped walking and abruptly turned around.

“What?” she snapped, hands clenching into fists.

Onew winced, startled by the anger in her eyes. “Why are you so upset? I thought you’d be happy.”

Eunji ran a hand through her hair and took multiple deep breaths to calm herself down. “I don’t know,” she admitted finally. “I just feel really pissed off.”

Onew took a small step towards Eunji and wrapped both of his hands around hers. “Eunji-ah, there’s no reason for you to be upset, everything is solved now. We can be together now.”

A blush crept across Onew’s face as he muttered the last line, and he embarrassedly ducked his head and muttered, “How cheesy.”

Eunji stubbornly folded her arms over her chest, holding onto as much anger as she could. “How did you break your marriage off with Jihyun? Did your father get in trouble?”

Onew’s eyes rounded before softening like a heap of melted chocolate. “Don’t worry Eunji-ah, Dad didn’t get into any trouble in fact—”

Onew broke off and the cute smile on his face aroused suspicion in Eunji.

“What? What happened?”

Onew drew Eunji closer to him and whispered in her ear, “Jihyun’s father agreed to invest a large sum of his money in my father’s bakery.”

Eunji pulled back, startled. “What? He did that when you told him you weren’t going to marry his daughter?”

Onew laughed sheepishly, “Well you see Jihyun was the one who said that she wasn’t going to marry me, so her father apologized profusely to Dad; and that’ how they reached an agreement.”

Eunji reached out and steady herself on the wall.  “Jihyun said that?”

Onew’s eyes, which were filled with so much concern, held Eunji’s. “Yes, that’s why I disappeared off with her today; to talk with her family.”

“Wow, okay.” Eunji held her hand up, signalling for him not to say a single word until she’s processed everything.

After a couple of minutes Eunji straightened up and looked glassily at Onew. “Okay, I get it now.”

Onew peered cautiously at Eunji. “Are you still angry?”

Eunji waved her hand dismissively. “No, not anymore.”

Onew bit his lower lip, and in a softer voice, whispered, “Do you still like me?”

THAT brought a smile to Eunji’s face, and she pursed her lips in amusement. “Why would I stop liking you?”

“Well,” Onew unintentionally his lower lip. “Everything worked out in the end. There’s no more challenge for you. I thought that maybe you would have gotten bored with me.”

Eunji scoffed at him. “Is that how you view me? As a superficial monster?”

Onew frantically shook his head. “No! I was just worried that—”

“It’s nice to know how you see me Onew,” teased Eunji as she started walking towards the restaurant’s exit.

“Eunji-ah, where are you going?” Whined Onew, catching up with her.

“Home.”

Onew cocked his head, “Aren’t you going to talk to your dad first?”

Eunji cast a look towards her father, who seemed to be in a deep discussion with Jonghyun; about what? She really didn’t want to know. “Nah I’ll just talk to him tomorrow.”

“Okay, let’s go home.”

Eunji raised her eyebrow but didn’t comment on the plural in his sentence.  Instead she hid her smile and walked silently with him towards the bus stop.

“We should take bus 78, get a transfer and then go on bus 34, right?” Onew pulled out his phone and started going through the bus routes.

“How about we just take that one?” commented Eunji gesturing towards the incoming bus.

“Bus 156?” Onew wearily bit his lower lip. “I’ve never ridden that bus before.”

Eunji’s face lit up and she quickly grabbed hold of Onew’s hand, dragging him towards the bus. “Perfect.”

Onew distractedly started at their entwined hands and let Eunji drag him towards the bus. After paying a small fine, Eunji and Onew easily found a spot—near  the back— on the abandoned bus.

“Do you know where we’re going?” whispered Onew, pouting slightly when Eunji released his hand.

“Nope,” Eunji smiled mischievously.

Onew cocked his head to the side confused and then suddenly smiled. “We’re going on a date?”

A blush creeping onto Eunji’s cheeks as she glanced out the window. “Just enjoy the ride Onew.”

Onew laughed with giddy and adorably rested his head on her shoulders, causing her to stiffen.

“Y-Yah!”

“What?” Onew asked innocently. “My head hurts.”

Eunji sighed, and unable to shake him off, continued staring out the window.

“Eunji-ah?”

“Hmmm?”

“Saranghea.”

“I know.”

Onew abruptly pulled back, a pout on his face. “You’re supposed to say “I love you too,”

Eunji laughed aloud and flicked him on the forehead. “Pabo.”

“Y-Yah! Eunji-ah come on say it!”

“Shh! There are people coming on the bus.”

And sure enough three high school guys, all wearing the same checkered uniform, walked onto the bus.

Eunji rolled her eyes and stared out the window as Onew stubborn folded his arms over his chest. Onew’s annoyance faded and was quickly replaced with protectiveness when one of the guys slowly ran his eyes over Eunji.

Ugh couldn’t she wear something less revealing? Onew quickly shrugged out of his blazer, and to Eunji’s complete surprise, wrapped it around her shoulders.

“But I’m not col—”

“Honey you don’t want to catch a cold,” cooed Onew pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Eunji raised her eyebrows. “What’s up with your voice? And I’m not col—”

“Oh look, that’s our stop!” Interrupted Onew, entwining his hands with Eunji, and yanking her out of her seat.

“Aish,” Eunji rolled her eyes, and for once, let herself be dragged out of the bus by Onew.

“So you desperately wanted to go to a funeral home?” Mused Eunji, staring at the large building in front of her. “Is there something you want to tell me Onew?”

“I was going to strangle those guys,” grumbled Onew.

“What guys?”

Onew sighed, and for the first time since we got off the bus, he glanced round him. “I think the Han River is close by.”

Eunji cringed. “That place is too romantic.”

Onew tightened his hold on Eunji’s hand and stared adoringly at her. “But I want to go.”

“Fine honey,” teased Eunji, letting him lead the way.

“What’s wrong with romantic?” asked Onew after a moment of silent walking.

“Hmm,” Eunji thoughtfully pursed her lips. “It’s just very emotional and lovey dovey— it seems almost fake.”

Onew blinked and slowly nodded his head. “So you don’t like candlelight dinners?”

Eunji shuddered. “Those are awful. I prefer something like—”

Eunji smiled slowly, “—a messy, unorganized home cooked meal. With dirty pots in the sink, and laundry all over the place. Something comfortable.”

Onew eyes were dazed, hanging closely to every word Eunji said. “No flowers and chocolate?”

Eunji laughed, “You can give me as much chocolate as you like; just no flowers.”

As the stopped in front of an intersection, Onew absentmindedly started rubbing his thumb along the inside of Eunji’s palm.

“It’s going to be tough, not being romantic; right Onew?”

Onew snapped out of his daze as the green light signalled for them to go. “What? No, I can be very unromantic.”

Eunji chuckled, “Yeah that’s why you took me to the Han River.”

“N-No,” Onew flushed red, before clearing his voice. “I’ll have you know, the Han river is a very dark place. Not at all suitable for dates.”

Eunji bit the inside of her cheeks, trying not to laugh. “Oh really? Care to educate me?”

Onew, putting on a serious façade, dragged Eunji to the railing by the river, and gestured towards the river. “It has been said that long ago, getting a divorce from your wife was extremely hard, so men would come here with their wives—pretending it was a romantic walk—and then BAM, they would throw them into the river.”

A laugh escaped Eunji’s lips.

Onew’s eyebrows rose, “You think it’s funny? It gets scarier.”

“Does it now?”

“Yes.” Onew suddenly wrapped his arms around Eunji, from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulders. “But don’t worry, I’m here in case you get scared.”

Eunji rolled her eyes. “So what else happened?”

“Well,” Onew’s breath softly brushed against Eunji’s ear. “The souls of these wives wouldn’t rest in peace, and together they vowed to haunt all the couples that visited the river.”

“Aigoo how creepy.” Mumbled Eunji, staring blankly at the river.

“Very unromantic.” Whispered Onew, pressing a kiss to Eunji’s ear, before pulling back and entwining their hands.

“Do you think they’ll haunt us?” Asked Eunji, an amused smile on her face.

“No,” Onew firmly shook his head. “Because we have amulets that will protect us.”

Eunji raised her eyebrows. “We do?”

“Umm,” Onew blinked twice and furiously started looking around him; before settling his gaze on the ground, “Or we’ll have amulets that will protect us.”

Eunji watched in amusement as Onew bent down and picked a piece of grass from the ground.

“Watch and be amazed.” Onew’s eyes twinkled as he picked Eunji’s hand and gently wrapped the delicate piece of grass around her finger.

Eunji withdrew her hand and stared silently at her hand as Onew wrapped another piece of grass around his finger.

“There, now we’ll both be protected.” Onew smiled in satisfaction at their grass rings.

Eunji snorted, “Are you serious? So if I remove it—”

“You can’t!” Interrupted Onew, his eyes wide. “If you do, they’ll haunt you.”

“Fine,” Eunji eyed the piece of grass on her finger wearily before rolling her eyes and pointing to a hot cake stand. “I’m hungry, let’s eat something.”

Onew’s face lit up and he quickly glanced at his watch, “Sure, but we can’t stay out too late. The graduation is tomorrow.”

Eunji groaned, “Fine, but if I get indigestion from eat too fast, it’s your responsibility.”

Onew smile cheekily, “I promise to rub your tummy if you do.”

GYAAAAAAAAAAH, that chapter was sooo much fun to write >///< I WANT A GRASS RING <333 I WANT TO EAT HOT CAKES WITH ONEW, I WANT TO RIDE THE BUS WITH ONEW, I WANT ONEW ^.^

Okay so I came up with the "curse" of the Han River randomly and it just CLICKED. (It was 3AM and I've had too many cups of green tea). BUT it worked out, and the grass rings too >< That just perfectly fits his image O///O 

The next chapter is intense. It killed me. Hated it. This helped take my mind off it. *sigh* All good things must come to an end...