"!" I spat angrily as the bus I usually take home drove past me.

Swearing under my breath, I stomped over to the bus schedule to see how long I would have to wait for the next one. An hour. ing 60 minutes. I just had to stay behind for an extra ten minutes to help Suho put away the copies of paintings he had been showing us. Now I wouldn't be home before dark.

"Mothering son of a bus driver couldn't wait another two seconds and now my mother is going to kill me!" I snarled at the back of the bus.

"Why would she do that?" a strange, amused voice sounded from behind me and I whipped about to see a handsome young man wearing a leather jacket and carrying a motorcycle helmet under his arm. Gulping when I saw the intricate tattoos that wound their way up his neck and down his arms, I stepped back slowly.

Yeah, see what happens when you yell swear words in public? You attract weirdos. Great job, Chinhae, really.

"Um....hi. She just doesn't want me back after dark, she worries all the time," I shakily explained.

He smiled a little, "That just shows you how much she cares about you"

"Yeah, I guess....."

There was silence as we both looked at the ground, unsure of what to say.

Well, this is awkward...

"Uh, well, I should probably get going, maybe I can get Suho to drive me, or something..." I started backing away towards the school.

"He already left"

"I-what?"

"I said, he alredy left," the stranger repeated.

"I heard you," I snapped, "I'll just see if anyone else is at the school. Maybe some students are still up there that can take me."

"I can take you ... What's your name?"

"Park Chinhae," my name automatically bubbled out. , , . Chinhae, you really have to stop telling absolute strangers your name.

"Pretty name. I, Kim Jongin, hereby volunteer as tribute! Oh wait, sorry, wrong line. Hang on...."

I giggled at his silly movie quote.

Jongin looked at me with cheesy fakeness written all over his face, "Okay I think this is it.... Will you, Park Chinhae accept- Nope not that either. Will you, Park Chinhae, allow me, Kim Jongin, to give you a ride home? That is, if you're not afraid of motorcycles..."

Even though he was really friendly, his tattoos were making an alarm go off in my head, so I hesitated.

He pouted, "I promise I won't kill you and hide your body in a warehouse just outside the city!"

Covering my mouth to stifle a laugh at his adorable and yet dorky expression, I finally nodded in consent. Jongin breathed a sigh of relief, "Good, I was about to do aegyo. I hate aegyo, even though I am undeniably awesome at it..."

"Really? You and good at aegyo? I can't really imagine that..." I smirked at his pretended offence at my suggestion.

"What? Of course I'm good at it! I'm the graetest aegyo-king after Luhan, but that dude is just naturally cute, so he has a distinct advantage!" Jongin boasted as he led me to his black Ducati.

"Black motorcycle, huh? How stereotypical, " I couldn't help but .

He smiled at me wistfully, "Yeah, I actually wanted to get the pink covertable, but the last one of those had been taken by some living barbie doll right before I got there, so I had to make do with this...."

I laughed again. God, this guy was just coaxing laughs out of me like a ticklish baby!

"Here," he fitted a motorcycle helmet over my head, gently brushing my brown hair out of the way, "I think your mother would turn her killer instinct towards me if I didn't make you wear this. Oh, and it gets pretty cold, so..." Jongin handed me a black jacket he had dug out of his bag. "Where do you live?"

"I live right by the park in front of the art history museum. Do you know what place I'm talking about?" I supplied obediantly.

Jongin's face lit up with a smile, his eyes glittering with happy memories, "I love that place! I go there almost every week!"

I smiled back, "Me, too! I think that's where I decided to study art!"

"When I was in high school, I would sit in there for hours on end, staring at the paintings.... I could have stayed there all day and night, but then the museum closed and I got kicked out."

"I know exactly what you mean, I would have stayed really long, too, but the statues always really freaked me out in the dark."

"That's adorable! Now I don't want to sound bossy, but it's getting darker and....if you want to get home before sundown, you might want to get on....."

I rolled my eyes while climbing onto the motorcycle behind him, "Saying 'Idon't want to sound bossy' before ordering somebody around doesn't make it any less bossy..."

"Forgive me if I am pushing it, but hold on to me, please," Jongin told me, guiding my arms around his slim waist. When he felt me trembling he looked back. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you, I haven't been in one accident with this thing."

"I'm not scared, it's just kind of exciting to finally break some rules..." I said quickly.

Jongin laughed this really heartwarming laugh, one that's impossible to fake, "I don't really want to be encouraging rule breaking, but I'm glad this brings you some kind of joy- wait, excited is good, right?"

"Yes, it's good, now go!"

He laughed again, "Now who's being bossy?"

As we zoomed along, all I could experience was the way the wind tore at my cheeks, the roar of the motor beneath me, and Jongin's tantalizing scent wreathing all around me as I hung on to him for dear life. I loved it and was dismayed when I forced my eyes open and saw the familiar sight of my house.

"Right here," I croaked in Jongin's ear and he stopped beside our mailbox.

I got off and handed his helmet back to him. The helmet he accepted, but when I try to return his jacket he waved it away, "Keep it. It was too small, anyway."

"Thank you, Jongin, that was...unbelievable," I finished, disappointed in myself for not finding a better asjective to describe that experience.

His eyes crinkled in a cute smile, "I'm happy that brought you pleasure, Chinhae"

"Park Chinhae! Get in here! How many times do I have to tell you not to talk to strangers?" my mother barked out the open kitchen window.

"Coming, Mom!" I yelled back and looked back at Jongin who was scuffing his burgundy converse high tops and staring at the ground. "'Bye, Jongin."

He looked up and straight into my eyes, "Goodbye, dove"