Chapter Twenty Four

"What's that happy look for?" Jiho asked as he fixed the tie around his neck, it was early in the morning and he was already dead tired and dreading the meeting that was going to take place.

Mina paused from brushing her hair and glanced at him, he didn't forget already did he?

"It's a very important day today..." She muttered as she continued to brush through her long locks.

"I wasn't informed about this ... Are you secretly dating someone else?" Jiho asked jokingly as he took one last look in the mirror before grabbing his jacket.

Mina couldn't even believe her ears right now, she literally told him about this two days ago. The double date, it was something important to her and he managed to forget all about it? Anger started to boil through her, she glared up at him as he flashed a smile in the mirror to himself; maybe nothing changed at all-- he was still that arrogant bastard that she encountered the first time they met.

Fine, there's no need for Jiho to be there. She'll just go as an awkward third wheel, since she still really wanted to meet U-Kwon's newest girlfriend. Or maybe she could ask Jay to accompany her instead, he was probably a better listener than Jiho anyway. She huffed out a breath as she got up to grab her little supply of make-up.

"Mina, can you re-do this tie for me? It seems that it's still crooked." Jiho asked as he turned towards her. Mina turned around and gave him an icy glare, it seemed that he didn't notice because he flashed back a smile.

Mina walked towards him and re-did his tie, making sure to push it up tightly; almost to the point of choking him. Jiho let out a cough as he quickly loosened the tie around his neck, was she trying to kill him?

Mina gave him a smirk as she walked away from him, she needed to hurry up and get to work or else the boss is going to not let her out early tonight. Before she could open the closet door Jiho called her name, she ignored it but he continued to call it five times after. She finally gave up and turned around to see him mere inches from her face, Mina flushed red as she took a step back. Even if she was mad at him he still had the ability to make butterflies bloom in her stomach, she tried to avert her eyes elsewhere.

"No kiss goodbye?" Jiho asked completely oblivious that Mina was in a sour mood, all thanks to him.

"No." Mina said before cooly turning around and continuing to look throug her closet to find her uniform. She almost had her hand around the white T-shirt but was abruptly yanked away from it and a pair of lips were on hers. He was so warm and she wanted to stay there forever but then she remembered that she was mad at him and pushed him off.

"Yah! I said no." Mina said wiping the tingling feeling on her lips off.

"Too late for that now. Smile love, you look more beautiful that way. But don't smile too much because I don't need any competition." Jiho chuckled as he walked out the room with a little wave.

Mina blushed again, scolding herself for how rapid her heart was beating. She was mad at him, he had no right to make her feel flustered. Mina let out a sigh as she got ready for work then went downstairs to see Jay reading the newspaper.

"I'm ready." Mina said as she walked out the door, Jay looked up at her and noticed her usual cheery mood was gone. Slamming the car door they both settled into their seats, Jay turning on the stereo so that maybe the soft melodies would calm Mina down. It was probably something that had to do with Jiho since he saw him leaving with that usual smirk on his face.

"Are you okay?" Jay asked glimpsing at her for a second before focusing back on the road.

"I'm dandy." Mina said flatly as she stared out the window, the city's buildings rushing passed her.

"Doesn't sound like it. What's wrong? What did idiot Jiho do this time?" Jay asked his hand reaching out about to pat hers but realized what was happening so he pulled them back quickly.

"Stupid, moronic, incredibility dense Jiho forgot about the double date that I told him about two days ago. Two days ago! How can he forget so easily?" Mina confessed as she crossed her arms, remembering it now got her more furious.

"Ah, I understand. He must be really busy these days but that doesn't give him the right to forget about it... Did you tell him that you had a double date tonight?" Jay asked as his heart clenched at hearing the word 'date', he imagined Jiho and Mina with another couple drinking wine and having the time of their life.

"No I didn't. Forget about him! I have oppa to go with, which reminds me ... will you go with me tonight? I don't want to be an awkward third wheel..." Mina said as she played with her fingers, "I know it's a lot to ask but just think of it as meeting friends."

Jay lips pulled into a smile as he patted her head, "Of course I'll be your date."

Mina grinned back at Jay as she settled back into her seat, "Thanks, you're always the best, Oppa! Looks like this is my stop, thanks again. Pick me up at 7 tonight. I'll be getting off early today to prepare!"

"Alright, have a good day at work." Jay smiled as he waved a goodbye to her before driving off into the distance.

"Kwooonnnieee!" Mina exclaimed as she bursted through the bakery's door, everyone turned their head towards her and she blushed in apology.

"Pabo, why are you so loud this morning?" U-Kwon asked knocking his knuckle on the back of her head.

"Ow Oppa!" Mina pouted, clutching to the pain on her head.

"Sorry little baby I didn't know you were that sensitive." U-Kwon chuckled as he rubbed the spot he just hit Mina.

"Anyway, Kwonnie. Plans have changed! Jay is accompanying me tonight instead of Jiho..." Mina said trying to pull a smile, she was disappointed that Jiho wasn't the one accompanying her but still felt grateful that Jay agreed to go with her.

U-Kwon was surprised by the change of plans but nodded his head, the last time he remembered was that Jiho was just as excited about this date...

"Get to work you kids!" The boss shouted making both U-Kwon and Mina whip their head towards him, they both flashed him their signature smile and yelled out a greeting.

"Even if my date has changed I'm still super excited nonetheless. I'm looking forward to meeting Junhee!" Mina grinned from ear to ear before she started to walk towards the counter.

"And she's excited to meet you as well." U-Kwon replied as he pulled his apron over him and double checking if he was missing anything before he got to work.

 

"Thank you boss!" Mina said pulling him into a hug, he was always the sweetest man to her.

"No problem, we're not that busy so it'll be okay. Make sure to look beautiful tonight my dear, but you always do." He chuckled as he patted her on the back and sent her out on her way, he felt as if he was watching his own child grow up.

"I made you guys something and left it in the oven, enjoy it~" Mina said sweetly as she waved goodbye and entered the city's night.

Opening the door she nodded at Jay, she was super tired and really needed a nice warm bath right now, on top of that Jiho never called or texted her saying that he remembered that the double date was today which made her feel even worst. Whatever, it's his lost anyway; she'll make sure to look stunning tonight and he'll miss out on all of that. She quickly pushed the annoying Jiho out of her head and looked over at Jay who was concentrating on driving.

"Aren't you excited for tonight? U-Kwon said he reserved a really nice restaurant tonight for the four of us." Mina said smiling widely despite of how she really felt inside.

"I bet we'll have a wonderful time." Jay smiled back at her, "Do you know what you're wearing tonight?"

"I do. It's a dress that I haven't worn even though I saved up so much money to get it. It was supposed to be for a dinner party but due to some troubles I never got to go and thus never wore it yet." Mina sighed as she stretched out her joints in the car, she really needed a back message.

"Then I'll be honored to see you wearing it. Long day today?" Jay asked noticing the way her face was drained due to tiredness.

"Yeah, it was hot and busy. The way I like it." Mina sighed, blowing out a breath of exhaustion as she rested her head back into the seat.

Jay blushed a little hearing those words as lewd thoughts entered his mind, he quickly looked away from her so she wouldn't notice. Why was he even thinking of that sort of thing when it was such an innocent sentence? He scolded himself quietly as he pulled up to the house.

"I'll be done around ... maybe two hours. I think I need a really long bath to wash all of this exhaustion out before we go to the date." Mina said as she got out of the car and started to walk towards the house.

 

Mina let out a breath of relief as she sunk into the hot bath water, it's been a while since she's really enjoyed a relaxing time in the bath like this.

Turning up the soft music from the speakers she closed her eyes and tried to get rid of her stressful thoughts. The candles were softly illuminating room and it was the perfect atmosphere to make all the knots in her body disappear, Mina hummed along with the tunes on the loud speakers before her phone rang loudly-- breaking her out of her relaxation mode.

Looking at the caller ID she saw it was Jiho, puffing out a breath of anger she ignored the call. Why was he calling her anyway, she wasn't important enough to him for him to remember the date today.

The ringing stopped and Mina's smile resumed back on her face before her phone ranged again, glaring up at the ceiling she let the call go to voicemail again. She let out a sigh of relief since the ringing had stopped, she really didn't want to talk to him right now.

But, not a second later her phone rings again, anger boiled through her as she picked up the phone and barked out a, "What do you want?!"

"Mina? Is everything okay? I was just calling to tell you the location I picked changed." U-Kwon's voice said on the other line, Mina blushed as she mistakenly thought it was Jiho.

"Awh! Sorry U-Kwon, I thought it was s