“The mall is full of hearts!” Jinri cheered, looking around as she and Jongin walked inside the mall.

   “Because it was Valentine’s Day yesterday, idiot.” Jongin answered. “They can’t put out all these decorations overnight.”

   Jinri looked at him, puffing her cheeks. “I knew that.”

   “Where are we going to eat? I’m hungry,”

   “I’m craving for ramyeon.” Jinri answered. “Let’s go to the ramyeon house!” She smiled widely, held his wrist and pulled Jongin with her.

   Not only were there hearts everywhere, there were also couples; may they be teenage couples, married couples, and even those elderly couples who are just there, sitting together on the benches.

   “I wanna make you smile whenever you’re sad; carry you around when you’re arthritis is bad. All I wanna do is grow old with you~” Jinri sang to herself upon seeing one pair. The two elderly couple looked at her and returned the bright smile she’s given them.

   Jongin tsked to himself and when Jinri heard it, she gave him a “what?” look.

   “They looked adorable,” she defended. “They’re proof that forever lasts.” She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling and looked ahead.

   After awhile, they spotted the ramyeon house and immediately went inside.

   “Go ahead and look for a place to sit,” said Jongin. “I’ll order.”

   Jinri nodded and obliged. She found a vacant table in the corner near the window and took a seat. She looked outside the window and watched the people walking around the mall as she swung her feet back and forth. Another day with Jongin-ssi, she thought, smiling. Aigoo, I just hope time stops so I can enjoy his company much longer.

   It wasn’t long enough before Jongin came back with their orders: two bowls of ramyeon and cans of soda.

   Jinri smiled, her eyes turning into crescents. “Kamsahamnida,” she said as she took her bowl and a pair of chopsticks.

   Jongin just nodded and took his before setting the tray aside.

   “Let’s eat well!” Jinri cheered and they started digging in.

   The clanking of chopsticks and utensils, murmurs of people, and hollers of the orders were the sounds that are mostly heard inside the ramyeon house whereas Jongin and Jinri stayed in their quiet corner, savoring the ramyeon, savoring the moment; savoring each other’s company.

   “Hey,” Jongin called out after looking at his wristwatch. It said 2:30 in the afternoon which meant they’re having late lunch.

   Jinri looked up at him, her lips. “Hm?”

   “Your curfew’s around six, isn’t it?”

   The girl blinked and nodded, answering. “Deh,”

   Jongin kept quiet for awhile, pondering if whether or not he should ask. But if it weren’t for his dance mates, they would have left and ate lunch earlier than two-thirty. Saturday’s the only day that he and Jinri can decently hang out and there’s only three hours and thirty minutes left until she has to go. Then again, if he did ask, wouldn’t that make him a bad influence or something; for Jinri to break her own curfew?

   Just ask; not like you’re going to lose anything. Jongin thought and went straight to the point. “Can you extend it? At least even for just an hour or two?”

   Jinri felt her cheeks heat up. Does he want to spend more time with me?

   “It’s just—” Jongin added, clearing his throat. “We lost two hours earlier because of my friends, so yeah.” He muttered the last two words.

   “I-I can ask my mom,” Jinri answered rather quickly. It didn’t matter to her if that was Jongin’s reason or not. What matters is that she wanted to spend more time with him.

   “She might freak out.”

   “I just have to ask for her permission, h-hold on.” Jinri took her phone out to text her mom if she can stay out until at least eight and for some reason, Jongin, for the first time in his life, felt nervous about it when he knew he shouldn’t be.

   Jinri lightly jumped when she felt her phone vibrate then it rung. “Omo—it’s umma.”

   Jongin froze but he didn’t let the girl notice it.

   “Umma,” Jinri greeted when she answered. “Annyeong.”

   “Wae? Is he with you?” Mrs. Choi immediately asked.

   Jinri glanced at Jongin and looked down, chewing on her bottom lip. “D-Deh,”

   “Aigoo,” she can imagine her mom shaking her head on the other line.

   “It’s fine if—”

   “Be home by nine,” Mrs. Choi finalized. “But he has to bring you home. I don’t care if he gets in trouble.”

   “Ummaaaaa~” Jinri facepalmed, lightly whining.

   “What?” Mrs. Choi chuckled on the other line, “I told you I wanted to meet him too. It’s triple purpose: he gets to bring you home, you get to be home safer, and I get to meet him. See?”

   Jinri shrunk on her seat, feeling embarrassed even though she’s the only one who can hear their conversation.

   Jongin couldn’t help but feel a little worried at how Jinri was acting because Mrs. Choi might have been scolding her on the phone. Okay, he was worried. A lot.

   “See you—and him—at nine, love.”

   Jinri bit her lower lip to stop herself from smiling. “Thanks, Umma.”

   “You’re welcome. Love you, take care.”

   “Always, love you too. Take care as well,”

   “At all times, annyeong.”

   “Annyeong,”

   Then they ended the call.

   Jongin watched Jinri as she slumped on her seat, blowing some of her hair away from her face.

   “You can’t stay for two hours more, can you?”

   Jinri shook her head.

   “I see,” Jongin played with his ramyeon, trying not to sound disappointed.

   Jinri leaned forward, placing her crossed arms on top of the table and eyesmiled, “I should be home by nine, that’s three hours more.”

   Jongin looked up at her, hope passing through his eyes.

   “And..” She looked down at her bowl.

   By nine? He couldn’t believe she can stay until nine. “And?” Jongin blinked.

   “Umma said you have to bring me home,” Jinri’s eyebrows furrowed. “She.. She wants to meet you.”

▢ ▢ ▢

Meeting Jinri’s mother was one of the things Jongin never thought would happen. Jinri explained that her mom said she’s changed and asked whose doing it was. She can tell if it’s a guy or not so either way, the daughter can’t lie. She also told him that when her mom called, she immediately asked if she was with him so she just said the truth.

   “But she doesn’t know your name though,” Jinri had defended, afraid that Jongin will get mad. “S-She just knows there’s someone..”

   Jongin didn’t know how to respond so he just kept quiet. So many unknown emotions were mixing inside him but what overpowers them most is that nervous feeling he couldn’t even describe.

   Bring her home, he thought. When he brought her home that Thursday night after they went to the park, he really wasn’t able to see Jinri’s house. Jinri insisted that she can take care of herself and that he needed to catch a bus soon so she didn’t leave the bus stop until Jongin was able to ride one back.

   “J-Jongin-ssi..” Jinri chewed on her lower lip and he knew she was about to cry. “M-Mianhae..”

   She needed to get a response from him soon so he just looked Jinri in the eye as he stretched his arm to ruffle her hair. “Ppali,” he said, referring to the ramyeon they were eating. “We’re going to Central Seoul.”

   And there they were, sitting side by side on the bus, already on their way to the said destination.

   Jinri couldn’t help but feel happy and relieved at the same time. She was so scared earlier because she thought Jongin’s mad but thankfully, he wasn’t. Or he was just really good at hiding it. She also felt excited because they will be going to the Central Seoul; that place has a lot of beautiful spots to visit to but she still wondered why Jongin wanted to take her there. Whatever his reason was though, Jinri’s contented to not know. After all, for her, what matters most is that she’s with him.

▢ ▢ ▢

“Whoaaaaa!”

   Jongin caught Jinri by her shoulders upon seeing that she was going to fall. He brought her to the famous Namsan Tower and because she kept looking up at it, Jinri felt her body being pulled down.

   “Yah,” Jongin said.

   “Mianhae,” the girl lightly giggled, her gaze still up at the tower. “It’s just—it’s beautiful.”

   Jongin squeezed her shoulders. “Let’s walk around.”

   “Eung!” Jinri nodded.

   They started walking around, checking out accessories and souvenirs here and there. There were more couples strolling around than at the mall. Everywhere they look, people are laughing and smiling and eating and seem to be enjoying themselves.

   Jongin watched as Jinri was being fascinated with everything she sees; it was as though she’s never seen anything she’s currently seeing. She looked like a kid, he surprisingly found it cute.

   A familiar song blasted on one of the streets and someone started to dance in the middle. He was wearing a hoodie over his head, as if hiding, that’s why his face couldn’t be seen clearly.

   “I know that song,” Jongin muttered to himself.

   “Maxstep, maxstep. Come on, come on!”

   “Jongin-ssi, let’s go see and watch!” Jinri took him by the wrist and pulled him with her towards the forming crowd.

   When they could clearly see him, Jongin watched as the dancer moved and he started to tap his foot on the ground because he knew the steps to that song as well. Later on, he started to lightly move his arms to the choreography.

   Jinri clapped her hands as she, together with the crowd, watched the mysterious dancer dance to the beat of the blasting music. It was the first time she’s seen someone dance in the middle of the street and found it really cool.

   “Oppa~” Both Jongin and Jinri heard the girl behind them. “You should do that for me too.”

   “Wae?” The boy asked.

   “Didn’t you hear him earlier? He said it’s for his girlfriend.” The girl giggled. “That’s really sweet,”

   Jinri bit her lower lip. For his girlfriend, huh? She thought as she turned her attention back to the mysterious dancer. She must be really lucky.

   Jongin gazed at the girl beside him and knew she was trying to stop herself from smiling. He looked back at the dancer and as if on cue, the two locked eyes.

   The dancer cocked his head to the side, inviting him to take the space beside him and dance.

   Jongin smirked, thinking. Don’t mind if I do, then he pulled his hoodie over his head.

   Jinri widened her eyes when she saw Jongin walking towards the mysterious dancer. “Jongin-ssi—” She stopped abruptly when he started dancing, his moves the same as the other’s.

   The crowd grew louder when the song reached the bridge, the dubstep part. The mysterious dancer’s and Jongin’s moves were so synchronized, it was almost unbelievable! To the crowd, it even looked like all was planned.

   Just for their girlfriends.

   “Giiiiirl,” the girl from behind started again as she took Jongin’s spot beside Jinri’s. “I am like so jealous!”

   Jinri scratched her head shyly, her eyes still on Jongin. “Yeah..?” She smiled. She knew dancing has always been Jongin’s passion that’s why she can tell that he was enjoying himself.

▢ ▢ ▢

When the song has ended, everyone clapped and cheered for their job well done. Not only were they entertained, some of them even got motivated to do something special for the people they love. If those boys can do something like that then why can’t they?

   Jongin and the mysterious dancer bowed their gratitude several times to the crowd. After a few moments, they straightened themselves and looked at each other. They gripped each other’s palm and did the shoulder-to-shoulder bump.

   “Nice,” the mysterious dancer commented as he took his hoodie off.

   The crowd who stayed and saw this squealed.

   Jongin was almost caught off-guard because the dancer somewhat looked a lot like him but he quickly composed himself, smirked and said, “You’re not bad yourself.”

   “Thanks, got a name?”

   Jongin removed his hoodie as well, cocking his head to the side which caused the crowd of girls to squeal louder.

   “They look like each other! Must be twins!”

   “Could be but they look different in some ways,”

   “They look hot nonetheless!”

   Comments were heard everywhere and some others are even taking their pictures but the two didn’t bother to care.

   “Jongin,” he answered. “Kim Jongin.”

   “Nice to meet you,” the mysterious dancer flashed a smile, causing the girls around to giggle. “I’m—”

   “Taemin-oppa!”

AUTHOR’S NOTE: /moment of silence. Dun dun dun! Last update for now! Hope you enjoyed the double updates! Don’t forget to comment your thoughts and whatnots, alright? ;) Oh, and please do prepare yourself for the upcoming chapters because I’m telling you in advance—the next two chapters are going to be really quite intense. Names are going to be mentioned which will spark your curiosity bigger and form more questions in your mind so yeah. Love love, byeeeee!