“What?” Jaekyung asked as she blinked once. Twice. Thrice. But still, she couldn’t tell if she really heard him right. Maybe she has ear problems that’s why she’s hearing things.

Yes. That might be it. Jaekyung had heard him wrong. It was impossible for him to like her anyways.

Right?

Minseok smiled at her reaction. She looked so puzzled. And it amuses him to death. If only he could take a picture of her right now. Sadly, he couldn’t. He’s in the middle of a life and death situation wherein there’s no time for him to snap an adorable picture of her and set it as his phone’s wallpaper. “I said I love you. How many times do I have to say it before you finally get it?” he asked her with an amused smile.

Now, there’s no mistaking it. She definitely heard him right. But still, there’s this part of her which doesn’t believe him. Minseok hated her so much before didn’t he? So it’s impossible for him to say that he likes her now. Maybe he’s just kidding. Maybe he’s just playing a prank on her.

And Jaekyung, she doesn’t even know if she should even believe what she just heard. Minseok just told her that he likes her. And for her, It seemed impossible because if Minseok would create a list of persons that he really hates, Jaekyung was sure that she’s be atleast in the top 10.

She knew how much he had hated her before. So why is he saying these things now?

Jaekyung shook her head, too puzzled to think of why he’s saying these to her. “Stop playing games with me and go to sleep immediately. We still have to work tomorrow.” She told him as she tried to brush off the awkward topic.

“You’re not really going to believe me?” Minseok asked her with a small pout, slightly disappointed that she wouldn’t believe him. And whatever that he is saying.

“What you’re saying right now is impossible. How would I believe you?” Jaekyung explained to him. “You really hated me before didn’t you? You even told me to maintain a 10 meter distance from you remember? You—“

Jaekyung finally stopped talking when she felt something soft against her lips. Before she could finally realize that it was Minseok’s lips, he had already pulled away with a wide grin. “Do you believe me now? If not, I can kiss you again.” He offered politely.

Her eyes widened as she felt her blood rushing up to her cheeks. “You… you! Why did you kiss me?” she stuttered as she backed away from him while pointing her index finger at him.

Minseok smiled widely as he approached her. The more she stepped away from him, the more he walked towards her. “Don’t come any closer!” she exclaimed at him.

“Why?” Minseok asked her as he stopped walking and innocently blinked at her.

Jaekyung was beyond dumbfounded when Minseok asked her why. She just couldn’t think of any possible reasons why she should forbid him from coming closer to her. Her mind was still a big mess because of all the things that happened. First, his confession. Second, the kiss. And now, this.

“You ….you shouldn’t kiss people like that!” she suddenly blurted out of the blue. Her voice was cracking.

“Oh. Sorry I didn’t know you have standards for kissing.” Minseok told her. “How should I kiss you then?” he asked her with a playful smile

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Jaekyung exclaimed in embarrassment. “You should only kiss someone whom you really like. And you—“

“But I love you.” Miseok deadpanned.

What he had said only made things worse. “No! You should only kiss people who loves you!”

“But you kissed me before.” Minseok told her.

Jaekyung’s eyes widened at what he just said. What’s more surprising is he looked serious about it. “I’ve never kissed you before! Stop making up things.” She mumbled as she tried to rethink of their past interactions. And still, she couldn’t recall a memory wherein she kissed him like what he’s saying right now.

“You actually did. When we first met. You thought I was your ex-boyfriend. You kissed me.” Minseok told her with a small smile, remembering the first day they met.

It was the day wherein his boring, rusty life started to change all thanks to a drunk girl who mistook him as her boyfriend and as a chicken shop owner.

“I did?” Jaekyung asked again as she pointed to herself. “Are you sure that it’s me? Yoo Jaekyung?”

Minseok silently nodded at her.

Really? I kissed him when I was drunk? Jaekyung thought with a frown. Now it makes her wonder how many more people have she victimized before when she was drunk. “That’s.. that’s all in the past. Let’s forget about that. For now, we should probably sleep. We still have to work tomorrow.” Jaekyung tried to brush the topic off as she went back to the floor where they were eating at earlier. “I’ll just clean this up. I’ll go to sleep later.” She mumbled uneasily, unable to make eye contact with him since it’s just… too awkward.

She doesn’t know why either but she feels weird now. Maybe because of all the things this bun has told her earlier. But she feels weird being with him. She wants to distance herself from him. But she definitely doesn’t want him to go away. It’s complicated like that.

Minseok silently gazed at her. She seemed to be avoiding him. His eyebrows furrowed as he sighed. Was I wrong? Maybe I shouldn’t have confessed after all. She seems so to be bothered by the fact that I like her.

“About your confession earlier.” She started off as she placed the leftover chicken on a separate plate. “I think, it’s best for us to be just friends. Right? Besides, I’m still moving on—“

“I’m sorry but I’m going to do what I want to do.” Minseok told her without thinking twice.

Jaekyung gave him a look. “Stop being so hard headed. You should ask for my permission first. If I said no, then it’s a no.” she told him.

“What about you? When you took my heart, did you ask for my permission?” Minseok asked her.

Jaekyung blinked at him. Hard. “Your what?” Did she hear him wrong again? Seriously a lot of weird things are coming out of his mouth today.

“You didn’t even ask for my permission! You just took my heart! Isn’t that unfair?” Minseok mumbled as he walked towards her. “So, I’ve decided that I’ll just make you fall in love with me too.” He added as he smiled shyly at her, kind of embarrassed of the things he’s saying.

“You really…”

Minseok lightly patted her hair. “Be prepared. I’ll have you falling for me one day. But for now, you’re right, we have to sleep first. Goodnight Jaekyung. I hope tomorrow, you’ll start falling for me.”

Jaekyung grumpily got up thanks to her cellphone’s irritating alarm. It was already 8. She stood up from the bed and went straight to the kitchen where Minseok was. And from the looks of it, he was making coffee.

“Good morning babe.” Was the first ever greeting she heard today from Kim Minseok.

Jaekyung sent him a look. “What did you say bun?”

“Good morning babe.” Minseok gladly repeated what he just said earlier.

“What a way to ruin my morning.” Jaekyung rolled her eyes at him as she went straight to the sink to wash her face and brush her teeth.

“Why do you prefer something else? Tell me.” He asked her as he grabbed two cups from the cupboard and placed them near him. He was just finished brewing the coffee.

Jaekyung chose to ignore his remarks as she wiped away the water from her face. “Did you have breakfast already?” she asked him as she grabbed her toothbrush and applied toothpaste on it.

“No. I didn’t have breakfast yet.” Minseok answered her with a huge grin while he poured the coffee into the cups. Jaekyung just shook her head as she started brushing her teeth. “I was waiting for you to wake up. But, you woke up so late—”

“How can I possibly sleep last night with all the things you told me? I was really disturbed and I couldn’t even close my eyes last night because I was thinking about it.” She said, not caring if she was brushing her teeth or not. She didn’t care anymore if he could see the bubbles in or whatever that was. She just wanted him to know how hard it had been for her last night.

“So you were thinking of me last night?”

Dammit. Jaekyung just continued brushing her teeth as if she didn’t hear what she just said. She just didn’t want to admit that she was definitely thinking about him last night. Well, who wouldn’t? After his confession and the sudden kiss and everything, who wouldn’t think about the person who caused all the mess right?

Minseok smiled in response, happy enough to hear that she’s been thinking of him. “It seems that you’re starting to fall for me already Jaekyungie.” He walked towards her and handed her the coffee.

“I’m not! And stop calling me Jaekyungie or babe or whatever.” She told him as she washed with the water to remove the excess foam in the corners of .

“But since you have your nickname of affection for me, I should have one for you too.” Minseok told her with a grin, which he know would irritate her more.

“Nickname of what? Seriously Kim Minseok you’ve changed.” Jaekyung said as she took the coffee from him and started drinking it. She was still thinking about how Minseok suddenly changed from the shy and formal Kim Minseok to someone who’s mischievous and … weird?

“Of course I should change. I’m in the process of making you fall in love with me after all.”

Jaekyung turned to him and suddenly placed her soft hands against his forehead, trying to feel his temperature. “You’re not sick aren’t you?”

Minseok cupped her face with his hands. “Listen carefully Yoo Jaekyung. I’m not sick. I’m not drunk. And I’m not doing this for fun. I love you. Is that so hard to believe?”

Jaekyung just looked away, not able to come up with an answer.

“Sangdo will love this."

"He’s okay with a place as long as there’s an air-conditioner."

"Trust me. I’ve known him for years."

"He doesn’t care about the scenery and all.” Minseok tried to convince her. He was afraid they’ll spend the whole day looking for possible locations where their conferences would be held. Of course he’d like to spend some time with Jaekyung too.

Yes they were together but it was not like they were actually together.

And it annoys him.

But Jaekyung is Jaekyung. She'd get the work done first before anything else. And when I say anything else, it includes him.

“I’ll just talk to the manager and ask about the costs and everything. Wait for me here. Okay?” Jaekyung told him before finally running off to see the manager, leaving Minseok alone  and slightly upset  in the lobby room.

“So did it work?”

“I think things only became worse because I did what you told me to. Luhan she’s avoiding me! And it’s all your fault.” Minseok mumbled with irritation as he made a face even though Luhan couldn’t see him.

Apparently, he asked for some advice from the oh-so great Luhan because Jongdae is so busy with his married life. And the result was just as what he thought it would be, a big failure.

Luhan told him to be extremely cheesy since girls likes those and be aggressive that’s why he kissed her before. And Luhan assured him that if he did those, he’ll have Jaekyung falling for him.

But it wasn’t happening.

And the exact opposite of it might even happen if things contnue as they are.

“It’s all your fault! If she avoids me for all of my life I’m definitely suing you.” Minseo threatened him.

“Calm down bun. If she’s avoiding you, then that’s a good thing!”

“GOOD THING? ARE YOU INSANE? SHE’S ING AVOIDING ME. HOW IS THAT A GOOD THING?” Minseok’s eyes turned wide with alarm. “You’re definitely ruining my love life. Do you hate me huh? Is this---”

“If she’s avoiding you then that only means one thing. She’s affected. She’s affected because there’s this possibility of her liking you. Isn’t that a good sign?” Luhan asked him, irritation was present in his tiny voice.

Slowly, Minseok smiled. Luhan was right. Maybe she’s affected. Maybe there’s a chance of her liking him. Now he couldn't stop himself from smiling happily.

“Do you get it now huh? You ungrateful bun?” Luhan asked him.

Minseok smiled as if the corner of his lips would be torn out. “You’re the best Lu. Do you want me to buy you mooncakes next time?”

Luhan ended the phonecall just like that. He didn't even respond. Sometimes he can really be moody. But that’s not the most important thing right now.

The most important thing is that, there’s actually a chance, a possibility of Jaekyung liking him.

And he's not going to let go of that chance.

Not now. Not ever.

Sooooo it's been a looooong time. Hehe. Sorry I've been busy with school and all. There's so many deadlines and things to do. :( But I'll still try to update from time to time not because I need to but because I want to. ^^

I'll announce this here, 87STKJ will end in the next chapter (I'm working on it) BUTTTTT I'll write an angst oneshot sequel for it. Hehe.I'll publish it on December...hopefully.

See you guys next update! :))))