When the heel of his boots had touched my doorstep, I still hadn’t believed what we were or going to be doing. Nor when we both were walking up the stairs, past my parents bedroom, whom was not home, and into my own. He was awfully open to his so-dearing neighbor, and that was not surprising.

But something struck me once Jongin closed the door behind me. He was actually in my room.

I guess I must have been thinking this whole thing was going to turn out to be a nightmare—when in reality, neither of us were going to wake up anytime soon. With my brain buzzing about these thoughts, I could almost make out Jongin saying something.

“I’m not going to eat you,” Jongin told me, legs crossed and leaning his palms on my bed. Someone was getting too comfortable. “Come,” he finished, patting a spot next to him. Grimacing from the offer, I sat right in the sofa chair next my bed, away from him. It’s comfy which is why I smirked at him in return, and the punk just sat with an expectant look in his eyes.

I leaned on the armchair, and rested my head on my hand. “You keep watching me. Do you need something?”

Jongin shook his head, without loosing eye contact or the curve of his lips. There was a moment of simply the two of us holding onto the contact, as if it were a competition, but soon, my nerves got the better of me when I looked off to the side. I heaved a breath as he lightly laughed at my demise.

“So? How’s it feel,” I shrugged, smoothly brushing past my sign of weakness. “you know, to finally see what’s on the other side of the window? I bet you’re a little more eagar than you should be.”

“You’re ego is bigger than mine, neighbor.”

That word. “Speaking of which,” I started off fairly calm. “This whole note thing going on between us, yeah, let’s stop.”

He snorted, “You make it seem like we’re—“

“Okay. Forget my smartass comment and I’ll forget yours, along with your blunt mouth.”

Jongin narrowed his eyes at me, but I knew he was being playful. Awfully well. “Sure. But show me your talking pet first and then maybe I’ll quit being so blunt.” Always with interior motives, I thought while getting up to my hamsters cage.

“I have to warn you. He doesn’t take well with strangers, Jongin.”

“You say my name weird.” he made a face.

I got tongue-tied for a second. It was slightly embarrassing to be told that. “Shut up! You pronounce my name weird too!”

“Yeah, but I do it on purpose.” he laughed, brushing his hands over my waist. My eyes went downward almost too immediately, because the warmth of his hands were beginning to be distracting. Guess it served its purpose. I felt bad that I had almost dropped my hamster, all because of Jongin. He successfully swooped in and took Momo from my shaking hands.

I felt my face heat up, watching him brush his cheeks against Momo’s little head. I didn’t want to say it was ‘cute’ to see, so my mouth remained closed. Jongin was a natural.

“Doesn’t take well?” he asked, mockingly.

I only huffed and looked off to the side, rubbing my forearms. Well, if it wasn’t enough to figure out my own hanster was terrified of me when I first got him that he actually pooped himself on my hand, this punk had to go and point out the fact that Momo actually liked Jongin.

“What did you name him?” he asked, again.

“Momo.” I stared at my carpet as I told him. “I got him last year.”

From thinking of last year, I guessed it’d shown on my face. Jongin chuckled, giving me a look. “Why the face?”

“Not important?” I tried keeping a tight smile but his grin wasn’t helping it go away.

“Who’s to say?”

I shoved him and his back met the wall. Grabbing under his shirt collar and pulling, my voice lowered. “Lemmie ask you a question. Would it be wrong to punch you in the face?”

Unfazed, Jongin pressed his forehead against mine and admittedly made me move backward towards my bed. “I...” he said slowly, a snall grin on his face. “..dare you, Audrey.”  I held onto the aggressive eyes and he stared back at my hostile ones. My grip on his carelessly ed shirt tightened as I shook my head. Jongin was letting me get to him, like the usual. Except this was in person and not behind a window. Except I could actually hurt him in person.

Instead, I loosened my fists and let him go, placing a hand on my hip. 

“Jongin?” he hummed ever so sweetly in response. “I wish I walked away that day.”