“That’s it?” Baekhyun blurted out when Jongin was done summarizing his afternoon with Jinri last Saturday. It was Monday that day and the six boys were seated on the bleachers, killing time until the lunch bell rings its end. “No holding hands? Linking arms? Stuff like that?”

   “Yep, none, none, and none.” Jongin answered indifferently. There are also some things he didn’t mention to them like staying on the bus until Jinri got off safely. Who knows what they’ll comment about it? They might even and he doesn’t like the thought one bit.

   “But.. but that was practically your first date!” Baekhyun exclaimed as he flailed his arms.

   “Keep it down,” Jongin rolled his eyes. “And it was not a date. Even if it was, it doesn’t necessarily require skinship.”

   “I would have kept hugging her if it were me,” Chanyeol grinned.

   “You are too bold for anyone’s liking,” Jongin shook his head at Chanyeol’s statement. “Too much public display of affection please. Just no,”

   “Jinri could be so unlucky picking you over lots of the boys in school,” Joonmyeon admitted, lightly chuckling. “She could have picked Chanyeol instead, seeing as he likes her so much.”

   “I don’t like her that way!” Chanyeol whined.

   “I know,” Jongin answered Joonmyeon, ignoring Chanyeol. “I told her she’ll regret it.”

   “Look who’s being bold now,” the tallest of the six pouted as he childishly crossed his arms over his chest.

   Jongin rolled her eyes. “Stop being a kid.”

   “You mentioned that you two ate on a new restaurant,” said Kyungsoo. “Don’t tell me she was the one who paid for it?”

   Jongin fell quiet for awhile. After a few moments of silence, he spoke. “No,” he said. “Fortunately, the meals were free.”

   “Everything?” His friends raised their eyebrows in surprise.

   “Everything,” Jongin repeated.

   “You should take us there!” Baekhyun exclaimed. “I’ll order everything that catches my eye!”

   Jongin glared at him and said, “Their promo is over.”

▢ ▢ ▢

Jinri arrived school on a Thursday morning earlier than usual so the place was still almost deserted with just a few students strolling here and there. She went directly to her classroom, not missing Jongin’s in the process. He was there at his usual seat with two of his feet up on the desk, his hands in his pockets, and his attention outside the window. Jinri just smiled, contentment spreading across her heart, upon seeing the guy she’s been secretly loving for who knows how long.

   “Good morning, Luhan-ssi.” The girl greeted the only person inside their classroom with a big smile on her face.

   “Hey, Jinri.” Luhan greeted back, returning her smile. “You look happy today.”

   “I’m always happy.” Jinri grinned. She was about to skip towards her seat when something on it caught her eye. “Omo,” she slowly approached her table and touched the string of the pink balloon that was patiently waiting for her arrival. It was knotted around one of the legs of her chair for it to stay in place.

   On her desk, there was a note. She took it and read with her eyes; it says:

It’s yours for the day but you’ll have
to let it go later though; wouldn’t want
to freak your mom out if you brought it home.
— K J I

   Jinri bit her lower lip to stop the smile attempting to spread across her lips but she failed miserably. She took the balloon, hurried her way outside the classroom and back to Jongin’s. With a big smile, she called his name from the door.

   The boy turned his head to look at who was trying to get his attention and when he saw her, he knew exactly why she was there.

   “Thank you,” was all that she said.

   But on a corner, someone who saw this clenched a fist.

▢ ▢ ▢

“I’m going ahead,” said Jongin as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

   “Are you going to meet with Jinri?” Chanyeol asked, straightening up from his seat.

   Jongin just blankly stared at him and went on his way.

   The tallest just chuckled while the rest told him to take care.

   Instead of going for the stairs, Jongin turned to his right and went to Jinri’s classroom. Knowing how stubborn she was, the boy dreaded that she might bring the balloon home.

   “Bye, take care!” He heard her voice on the hallway.

   Expecting for her to come out, Jongin waited by the door but the person who went out wasn’t Jinri. He knew because Jinri’s hair only reached until her shoulders; the girl who went out, however, had long, wavy hair. Jongin knew exactly who she was despite her hair covering half of her face.

   “Annyeong—”

   Jongin was about to greet back but good thing, he didn’t because:

   “—Taemin-oppa, deh. It’s Soojung,”

   She was talking on the phone.

   “Eung, deh. Deh, oppa. I’m on my way. See you later,”

   Soojung’s voice echoed along the hallway as she walked; she didn’t even notice Jongin standing there.

   The boy leaned on the wall near the door, clenching his fist. He felt so annoyed at the whole world right now, he had the urge to punch the wall.

   “I’ll get going too,” said Jinri.

   “Be careful with that balloon,” someone said.

   “Deh, Qian-unnie.”

   “If something happens to you, I swear—” Another voice, quite lower this time.

   “Chill, Amber-hyung. Trust me,” Jongin can imagine Jinri grinning as she said that.

   “Well, just take care, Jinri.”

   “Always, Sunyoung-unnie.”

   Then footsteps.

   Jongin straightened himself up and as if on cue, felt someone suddenly bumping into him.

   “Mianhae!” Jinri stepped back and bowed ninety degrees in reflex. The balloon was tied carefully around her right pinky finger.

   “What are you hurrying about?”

   “Jongin-ssi?” Jinri looked up at him as she straightened herself. “I was going to your classroom.” She answered. “What are you—did you come for me?” Her puzzled expression turned into an excited one.

   “No,” Jongin answered monotonously.

   “Oh,” a sudden frown and feeling of disappointment. “Soojung-ah..? She just left—”

   “I came to get the balloon back,” the boy interrupted. He was about to grab Jinri’s wrist—which pinky was tied with the balloon’s string—when she hid it behind her protectively.

   “This is mine,” she said. “You can only have it back if I give it to you, which’ll be never.” She grinned and passed by him.

   “Oh, so you’re walking away from me now?”

   Jinri bit her lower lip to stop herself from giggling like an idiot. She pretended to ignore him.

   Jongin twitched an eye. “Yah!” He jogged after the girl and together, they walked their way out of the campus.

▢ ▢ ▢

“How did you know where I was seated, Jongin-ssi?” Jinri asked as they waited for the bus at the bus stop.

   “I don’t,” Jongin answered. “I told Luhan to tie the balloon and place the note on your desk.”

   “Luhan-ssi?” Jinri raised her eyebrows. “Aigoo. Had I known, I would’ve thanked him as well for doing so.”

   “I told him not to tell you anything,” the boy shrugged.

   “Mean,”

   The bus pulled over and they boarded inside. When they found their seats, Jinri turned to Jongin.

   “Next time I fall asleep, wake me up when it’s your stop, alright?”

   “I’m not obliged to,”

   “It’s not an obligation; it’s merely just a request.” Jinri grinned in triumph.

   Jongin ignored her statement by asking: “What are you going to do with the balloon?”

   Jinri sighed as she held the balloon carefully in place. She caressed its surface and said, “I really want to keep it.”

   “But you can’t,” said the boy.

   “I know.”

   Jongin could feel the disappointment in Jinri’s voice. He watched her look at the balloon as if it were her favorite toy.

   After awhile, the bus reached Jongin’s original stop. He suddenly grabbed Jinri’s wrist, the one with the balloon’s string tied around the pinky finger, and pulled her out of the bus.

   Jinri was so surprised that she wasn’t able to say anything and couldn’t pull away because Jongin was strong so she just followed him obediently.

   “Jongin-ssi..?” Jinri spoke after awhile, breaking the silence as they walked.

   “I know a park not far from here,” Jongin answered her unspoken question. “You’ll like it.”

   True indeed, the park was beautiful. When the two reached it, the bright smile that Jongin thought fitted Jinri’s features best came out, her eyes turning into crescents. There were trees everywhere; big, green, and healthy. The grass was purely green as well, as if never been walked on by people. There were also park benches and gazebos around, and paths that lead in the middle of the park and in it, there was a big fountain. There were also several food stalls such as cotton candies, ice creams, and street food.

   “I wish we had something like this,” Jinri breathed. It was like she’s in a different place; everyone who was there, both kids and adults, looked so happy playing and strolling around. And even though it was past five in the afternoon, there still were people having their picnics. Then again, was there even a time limit when it comes to picnics?

   Jongin smiled as he watched Jinri take in the sight with awe then he quickly looked away to turn his blank façade on when Jinri turned to him.

   “Jongin-ssi, let’s buy ice cream!”

   “Tch, what are you, a kid?” He asked.

   “Yah,” Jinri pouted. “Ice creams do not have age limits!”

   Jongin just rolled his eyes but lead her towards the ice cream stall anyway. “What flavor do you want?” He asked her as he looked at the small displays.

   “Um, hmm..” Jinri bit on her lower lip, thinking.

   “I can help you pick!” A boy who seemed to be in his early teens grinned up at them and said, “Noona! Hyung! Ask me what ice cream flavor you two would be if seen together!”

   Jinri looked at him and grinned back, “Alright, what ice cream flavor would we be if we’re seen together?”

   “Cookies n’ cream!” The boy squealed, throwing his hands up in the air. “You two should get it if you can’t pick. Otherwise, noona can go with vanilla while hyung can go with chocolate..” A pause. “Or mocha,” he nodded, proud at his statement.

   “Well, that isn’t bad!” Jinri smiled brightly.

   Jongin twitched an eye, getting the joke. The kid was pertaining to their skin color. Tch, racist. Jongin thought, wanting to knock the life out of the boy’s head but seeing as Jinri seemed to be oblivious about it, he let it slide. He narrowed his eyes at the boy. “Do you own this stall?” He asked.

   “Ani,” the boy shook his head. “Appa does but he left for awhile because he needed to pee.”

   Jongin mentally facepalmed himself. The boy was too honest for anyone’s liking.

   “Do you even know how to serve ice cream?” Jongin raised an eyebrow.

   The boy huffed, puffing his cheeks. “Of course, I know how! Chocolate!” He stuck his tongue out at him.

   “This kid,” Jongin took a step forward but Jinri stopped him by putting her hands around his arm.

   “He’s a kid,” Jinri laughed softly. “Don’t be so mean.”

   “He started it.” Jongin couldn’t help but whine a bit.

   “Vanilla-noona is really nice!” The boy clapped his hands.

   Jinri chuckled while Jongin scoffed.

   “Annyeonghasaeyo,” an older man greeted them, bowing.

   The two straightened and bowed back.

   “Has my son been pestering you all this time?” The man chuckled as he ruffled his son’s hair.

   “Gwenchana, ahjussi.” Jinri smiled then she looked at Jongin. “Jongin-ssi, what flavor do you want?”

   “Whatever,” he said. “Just order, will you?”

   Jinri laughed and turned to the ahjussi. “One vanilla and one mocha then, cone please.”

   The ahjussi nodded and began to scoop the said ice creams.

   “Not a bad choice, Vanilla-noona!” The boy grinned and whispered, though still enough for Jongin to hear. “I should have said dark chocolate for Chocolate-hyung,”

   A vein ticked on Jongin’s head and he pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself down. Apparently, his patience for this kid was running out.

   “Here you go,” said the ahjussi as he handed the ice creams to Jinri. She gave the mocha one for Jongin which he took, annoyed. “How much is it?”

   “940 won only,” the ahjussi smiled.

   Jinri was about to reach for her purse when Jongin already handed him the payment. He then walked away. Jinri blinked at his retreating back and turned to the ahjussi and the boy. “Thank you,” she smiled and bowed then she kept up with Jongin.

   “Jongin-ssi, are you mad?” Jinri asked when she reached him.

   Jongin ignored her. He just continued the ice cream.

   “Jongin-ssi,” the girl called again, lightly pouting. “Mianhae.”

   “What for?”

   “I don’t know. I just felt like I had to say that,”

   “Hn,”

   “Oh, why did you bring me here, by the way?” Jinri asked after her ice cream. She grinned.

   Jongin just shrugged. “The balloon,” he said but that wasn’t his original reason. “You’ll have to let go of it.”

   Jinri stopped on her tracks and so did he. She completely forgot about the balloon. “I really can’t keep it, can I?” She mumbled, looking up at the balloon.

   “I don’t want to be the cause of your mother’s freak out.”

   Jinri sighed. She was about to untie the knot when Jongin stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

   “Sooner or later,” he added. “You’ll have to let go of it sooner or later. You don’t have to do it now if you’re not ready but you’ll have to be sooner or later.”

   Jinri smiled widely. “Just a few more minutes then,”

   Jongin nodded and they resumed walking around the park as they their ice creams.

▢ ▢ ▢

“I’ll have to go soon,” Jinri sighed, playing with the grass beneath her. It was almost six-thirty yet they were still at the park, seated on the grass. “Don’t you?” She looked at Jongin who was seated beside her.

   “Ani,” he answered. “I can go home any time I want.”

   Jinri just puffed her cheeks. She then played with the balloon’s string. “Sooner is fast approaching,”

   Jongin just shrugged and lied down on his back. He looked up at the sky, the stars starting to be visible, and said. “You can keep it all you want but you wouldn’t be able to go home though,”

   Jinri laughed. “Yeah,” she lied down as well but she used Jongin’s stomach as a pillow. “Well, I can’t be selfish now since it’s getting late. I’ll be in trouble if umma finds out I’m still not home.”

   “What time does she go home anyway?” Jongin kept both his hands under his head.

   “Around eight,”

   “That’s late.”

   “Eight is late,” Jinri chuckled. “But that’s how hardworking my mom is. The least thing I can do for her is obey.”

   “Your dad?”

   Jinri stayed quiet for awhile and looked up at the sky. “Up there,”

   “I’m sorry.”

   “Don’t be,” Jinri smiled. “Oh, I should just give this balloon to him instead!” She giggled and unknotted the string on her pinky. She gripped it by the hand and said, “Appa, Jongin-ssi gave this balloon to me but umma is scared so here, keep this for me, alright?” Jinri loosened her hold on the string and the two watched as the balloon floated up in the sky. “Bogoshipeo,” she whispered.

   Jongin pulled his left hand out and brought it on Jinri’s head. He couldn’t resist it anymore, he just felt the need to do it. He ran his fingers through her hair and Jinri smiled. She turned to her side to look at Jongin.

   “My dad used to always do that to me,” she grinned, pertaining to what he was doing. “But don’t do it too much, I tend to fall asleep.”

   “Psh,” Jongin lightly messed her hair.

   “Jongin-ssi?”

   “Hm?”

   “Have you ever thought of the things you wanted to do before you die?”

   Jongin blinked and shifted a bit to look at Jinri. “Wae?”

   Jinri shook her head a little. “Curious,”

   The boy was quiet for awhile, his hand still unconsciously combing her hair. “I’ve never thought about it,” he finally answered.

   “I have,” Jinri announced proudly. “Owning a balloon was one of them so I should slash it off my simple bucket list.” Jongin felt her nod against his stomach.

   “Simple?”

   “Deh,” said Jinri.

   “But aren’t bucket lists supposed to contain challenging and all?”

   “Eung,” the girl answered. “But if I were to do challenging stuff, I’d write it when I have the assurance of living longer. Or like, on my second life, something like that. But for now, I want to do simple things; they make me happy the most.”

   “Figured,” Jongin muttered. “But why are you telling me these?”

   “Because when I was doing my list, I was thinking of doing them with you.” Jinri whispered her answer, her eyes casted down on her fiddling fingers, but Jongin was able to catch every word she said.

   He fell quiet.

   “Just like the balloon, I can’t keep you forever.” She continued, “Like you said, sooner or later, I’ll have to let go. Sooner or later, I’ll have to let you go. I guess I just wanted to tell you about it now while I still have you.”

   Jongin just watched her play with her fingers while his hand was busy with her hair. Under the night sky, she looked like an angel glowing. “I’ll bring you home,” he softly said.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: All them Sesul feels. I can’t believe you feel that spark. /shot. Aha - Anyway. Guys, let’s make a deal, banana peel. Just to spice things up a bit and at least have some author-reader interaction. /slapped. I mean - If you guys want, that is. You’re not obliged to but it’ll really make me happy if you do it. ;) So here it is: why don’t you all . . . you know, comment your favorite line or favorite part/scenario/whatever from the chapter and the following chapters. That’s it; I just want to know is all. ^ ^ Yeah. Anyway, sorry if this chapter is a bit long and boring for you. ; ; Byeee!

REPLIES:
   lalalululovesyou ; Yes, honey. I’m a Filipino. #booyeah. \m/