It was a bright day around spring, the weather was still a bit chilly. But it was just right enough for everyone to go out during the break. Other students hanged out near the basketball court benches while the boys played a soccer game. But Jihyo wanted to sit alone on a bench under that Three flowered maple tree just at the back of school. No one was around, and it was a perfect time to listen to music. Dong Bang Shin Ki just released their new album Tri-angle last fall. So she bought the whole album and listened to all their songs. Even till then, she never got tired of listening to their songs. The song ‘Hug’ started to play, a smile crept on her face while she held her Walkman. She closed her eyes and relaxed for a moment to listen to Hero sing his part on the song. Just right about then, she felt herself leaning on something. It was Jongkook sitting beside her, he gently places her head on his shoulder as he took the other side of the headphones to listen along with her. Jihyo felt excited as soon as she she smelled the scent of his cologne. She knew right away it was her Jongkook oppa. She snuggled closer clinging on to his arm. She felt him caress her hair to the back, “Yah, did you drink again?” It surely didn’t sound right. It wasn’t her oppa’s voice that she heard, she looks up to see Jaejoong starring down at her with a disappointed look.  

She gasped as soon as she woke up from her dream, she found herself sitting inside the back of her car. She was asleep the whole time and she realized she was supposed to be on her way to work. “Mam, are you alright?” her driver asked.

“Yeah, just keep driving.” She said remembering what she dreamed of. She noticed that the song on the radio was the same song that she listened to. Why did I dream of that? Then she smelled a disturbing scent coming from her driver. “Did you spray cologne?” she asked irritably. Her driver suddenly felt uneasy as soon as he saw her deep glare at the reflection of the front mirror.

“Yes mam…”

“I’m warning you, I hate strong scents.” Jihyo crossed her arms, “If you wear cologne again, you’re fired.”

The driver swallows his saliva after being terrified of Jihyo’s threat.

-

It had been a week since the big news about Jaejoong and Jihyo’s fake relationship started. Jaejoong’s agency highly insisted that they show more public appearance to make their relationship publicized because they had the idea of a prince and princess relationship. Although, they still do have anti fans, people started to like the image of their relationship. The more they pretended to like each other, the more it became awkward for them to look at one another.

-

“Hyung”

“Yeah?”

“What is it that you like about her?”

That was the first night that Jongkook brought home beer after work. Also Jaejoong had just turned 20, and is at his last year of high school. At that time Jongkook had stopped going to college to pursue his singing career, he also left home because he didn’t want to follow his parent’s footsteps. Ever since then he had been living at a rooftop apartment to afford the cheapest living expenses.  Although their family has all these complicated matters, the brothers still stick together.

“She’s pretty, that’s why.”

Jaejoong paused for a moment, he place his drink down and stares at his older brother. “Even if she has a bad personality?”

His older brother snickered, “Yeah, she also reminds me of umma. She gets angry a lot and sometimes gets bothersome, but in the end I still like her.”

“Corny overload!” Jaejoong shivered, but he agreed with his hyung. He also thought Jihyo was pretty the first time he saw her at his older brother’s high school graduation. “Hyung, after I graduate, I’m going to the United States to study.” He continued while he took a sip on the beer.

Jongkook turns to look at his younger brother, he was shocked, he didn’t know what to say. “Really?”

Jaejoong nodded his head, “Yeah, I’m going to meet a pretty American girl and marry her.” He joked.

“Yah, just study well.”

-

Jihyo was on her way to her office and for some reason she thought it was too quiet. Usually she’d hear her employees especially Kwangsoo being loud. She’d always tell him to shut up but he just does not listen. She slowly walked through the hallway until popping sounds and sparkly party poppers flew above her. “Happy Birthday, Sajjangnim!” everyone says out loud.

Jihyo was still dumbfounded, she saw everyone gathering around her. “Birthday?” she thought about the day and month until she realized it really is her birthday. Kwangsoo coming towards her with a birthday cake and candles lit up. Everyone started to sing the birthday song while Jihyo still stood there flustered about everything going on. Kwangsoo was already in front of her with the cake.

“Make a wish.”

There was a moment of silence while Jihyo thought about her wish, after that she blew her candles. Everyone clapped until Kwangsoo’s finger with icing come towards her face. “Do you want to die?” she warned him.

Kwangsoo stepped back the icing on his finger. “She’s so insensitive.”

-

Later that afternoon, Jaejoong was walking around inside the mall looking for something that he could buy. “It’s Jihyo’s birthday, make sure you get something for her.” He remembered what his mother told him. He didn’t feel the need to buy her something because obviously, she could get anything she wanted. He thought thoroughly about a good present he could get her, then the feeling of regret came after not really know much about what she likes. He only thought of her as a workaholic woman who drinks alcohol when she’s stressed.

While looking endlessly through shops, he an idea finally came into his mind remembering that Jihyo loves to travel. He went right away to a camera shop. As soon as he got there, he thought about just getting her the most expensive camera there is. But then something caught his eyes on the display. He saw a Polariod Z2300, it was interesting, it also looked very convenient to carry around. “Can I see that camera?” he pointed towards it.

The lady passes him the camera while he was enthused with the item. He was able to take a photograph and looked at how it came out. It was great. “Please get me two of these, a black and white color.” He says. He thought about giving the white to Jihyo while he gets the black one.

“Sorry sir, we only have a white colors.” The lady says.

“Then just the those colors then.” He says.

As soon as they were wrapped ready to be given as a gift, Jaejoong hurriedly went to his car so that he could give the present to Jihyo. “I feel like a little kid all of a sudden.” He said while looking at the present beside him.

-

It is supposed to be Jihyo’s lunch break. Jaejoong was on his way to her office. It took him a while to get there after seeing fans gathering around him to take photographs and his signatures. He securely held the present on his right hand. He did his best to get past through the crowd until accidently he knocks someone on the shoulder. He had to turn back around to apologize to the person, and there it was the person he least expected to see. “Yoona-ah…”

The two exchanged looks feeling intense through the situation. As soon as the news about Jaejoong and Jihyo’s relationship became publicized, Jaejoong was unable to see her for a while.

Yoona was silent, but she had a disappointed look on her face. Meanwhile, Jihyo just came down the elevator. As soon as the doors opened the first thing she saw in front of her were Jaejoong and Yoona staring at one another. 

-

A/N

It was Jihyo's birthday on august 15! :D 

Thank you for reading though. <3