Fairy tales.

I've grown up with mom not reading me fairy tales due to the fact that as a kid, she was more focused with my older siblings and their studies. Dad was often the one with me, playing with me, but due to work almost all the time in my childhood I was left alone. At the age of four, I learned how to read books, and they had kept me company through the boring days. But only at the age of 6 had I attempted to read a fairy tale. I remember then, I even sneaked inside Mimi's room just to find one because I didn't even own any. To my delight at the new object, I went straight to my room and read it thoroughly. I can still reminisce how the random book was entitled, 'Cinderella'—It was about the girl who ended up with her beloved prince through the help of a glass slipper she had lost after the royal ball when the clock struck midnight.

Finishing the book, I grew fascinated with fairy tales. The cringes it gave me every time I would be able to read one, indulged my heart into the puddles of happiness. Since then, I've grown this certain fondness with happily ever after and love stories. But the way reality bit me hard, made me realize that no fairy tale could be true. All love stories has its own flaws. They are certainly not perfect. Above all, not all of them have their happily ever after.

As for me, my story is not obviously a fairy tale. But a part of reality.

"You're finally returning to your owner." I smiled as I fixed my gaze at the necklace I was holding. The same necklace Jongin gifted me.  The forget-me-not that never once failed to remind me of my love.

I gently placed it inside the fancy blue box where I had placed my letter for Jongin, and the recording of the song I made for him. I covered it back with its lid that had been garnished with a cute blue bow, and slipped it inside my backpack that I'll be carrying with me for our little getaway tonight.

I walked out of my room with my backpack whilst heaving one last look at the place that gave me the most comfort for 18 years. It was almost bare with traces of me, except for the basic furniture that still remained. My mom suggested for me to pack just my clothes since the dorm I'll be having in my new school is already fully furnished with stuff. I closed the door as I finally got over the surge of nostalgia, and climbed the stairs down. Mom was in the kitchen continuing the homemade supper I had begun making during the late afternoon. She was almost done packing when I decided to give her a back hug that she had stiffened from in the beginning and eventually returned with a gentle rub on the back of my hands that were clasped over her stomach.

"I'll miss you eomma." I mused as I inhaled the sweet scent of her locks.

She giggled heartily and pulled away to face me. "You're coming home after a month, right? So don't say that. And it's not like you're already leaving! We'll still see each other in the morning so don't think about missing me yet!" She uttered out and gave my forehead a soft kiss.

"Arasso." I uttered out softly and let out a faint smile at my mother.

She ruffled my hair, before straightening my outfit that she even bought right after I told her about the date I had set for Jongin and I. "You should make the most out of today with Jongin, alright? Forget about anything else & just spend some quality time with him—"

"And don't forget to go home before midnight." We heard dad say sternly as he entered the kitchen.

"Appa!" I ran to him and let myself be drowned in his embrace. He enclosed his arms around me and gave my temple a kiss.

"No funny business alright? Or else that boy won't ever get to step inside our house nor hold your hands." He threatens with a playful smile.

"Appaaaa!" I whined in protest as I wriggled in his hold, making the old man chuckle.

"I was just kidding. I know that he's a good boy." He uttered out with a calm tone, "but really, no funny business, alright?!"

The sharpness in his tone and the seriousness in his expression made me nod reassuringly. "Though I find that statement a bit unnecessary, no funny business it is, my lord." I uttered out with certainty and curtsied at him as I pretended to be a woman from the renaissance.

We both ended up laughing at our little drama, before mom even interrupted and told me that my picnic basket was already prepared. She handed it to me, at the same time that Mimi came into the kitchen and beamed an idiotic grin as she directed her gaze at me.

"Kai—I mean, Jongin's here!" She excitedly exclaimed and surveyed me when she saw that I was wearing a dress, which is very unusual. "You look very pretty little sis!"

My cheeks acted up and flushed at the sudden compliment that my feet anxiously shuffled as I felt panic at Mimi's abrupt announcement. My lips quivered as I was roaming my eyes around aimlessly, and my heartbeat fastened as Jongin's name repeated in my head over and over.

"Com'on sis, you have no time to panic right now because it's already 7!" Mimi uttered in exasperation as she tugged on my wrist and forcefully dragged me behind her.

I was reluctantly lagging behind my sister when my eyes were met by a pair of dark brown orbs that looked like they brightened the second we stopped before him. Jongin was clad in a simple white tee, jeans, sneakers, and a jacket to keep him warm. His hair was effortlessly styled into a messy dark array. And unlike me, who needed to dress up more and pretty myself a bit, he did a little work on himself, yet he looked like a model off from the runway. Somehow, I felt a bit insecure how this boy can look so gorgeous without even putting much effort. It made my features and futile attempt to look good inferior to his perfection.

"Are you two just going to stare at each other in awe until the night dies?!" Mimi interrupts, making the both of us blink our eyes in an attempt to shake off the embarrassment.

"G-good evening eommonim, abeonim, Mimi noona, and Minhyuk hyung." Jongin greeted anxiously as he bowed curtly in front of my smiling family who stood beside and behind me.

Dad smiled at his politeness, and gave the young man a light ruffle on his soft locks. "Get my daughter home safe, arasso?" He beamed at him, though he was already narrowing his eyes at Jongin in an attempt to at least look even the slightest bit intimidating.

The said boy replied with a curt nod and a sheepish smile that expanded till his ears. "Of course, I will do that abeonim. I will bring your beautiful daughter back to you in one piece." He beamed confidently, and my father gave him a pat on the shoulder to show him his trust.

"Just have fun and enjoy the night kids!" Mother exclaimed as she winked at us and clapped her hands over as she giggles.

"Mmmm." I mumbled affirmatively as I stood next to Jongin, and the latter held the picnic basket for me.

They waved us goodbye before we finally took off and got out of the house. Jongin instantly clasped his free hand around mine, making me feel somewhat warm through the cold night. I didn't expect it to be this cold, that I carelessly dolled myself up with a knee length sleeveless dress which made me a tad vulnerable to the harsh chilly fall breeze. This is all for him, and even if I have to freeze to death, I will not regret dressing up like this.

"Your hand is already freezing." He uttered out as we are trudging the long street going to our destination.

I sniffed and rubbed my nose as I tried not to shiver. "I'm just fine." I told him, but my runny nose failed me, as it made my voice sound different than the usual.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks, with a worried look plastered on his face as he blew warm air on his palms and let heat spread on my body as he rubbed his hands against my exposed arms in an up and down motion.

"Do you feel better now?" He asked worriedly, and although I nodded in response, it didn't stop him to notice my trembling lips and my impeccably freezing hands.

"Right." He sighed, "That’s how you feel better..." He says as he rolls his eyes at me, and suddenly orders me to hold the picnic basket for him for a while. Jongin removed the jacket he was wearing and placed it around my shoulders to cover me at least from the cold that was starting to get unbearable. He also fished out his scarf from his sling bag I had not noticed before when he came and wrapped it around my neck to keep me warmer. And not ending it with just that, he placed a blue colored bonnet around my head, making sure that it was properly secured before putting his cold palms on my cheeks while staring at me with his warm, dark brown orbs.

"This is better, right?" He inquired as he showed me a content smirk, but I only shook my head, making him look a tad bit confused.

"No," I teased as I gazed back at him with a suppressed smile forming on my lips, "your hands are so cold that I'm freezing." I lied, even if his touch already warmed up my cheeks, enough to make it look red.

"Aish!" He removed his hands away from my face and scratched his head in annoyance. And instead of asking me politely for the picnic basket, he snatched the thing forcefully from me and started walking without even waiting for me, intentionally.

I lagged behind him whilst stifling a laugh that made his head turn back to me and heaved me a temporary glare that disappeared as soon as it had appeared. I caught up to him when he purposely started slowing down, and without further ado, I fished out the matching scarf I owned and looped it around his neck. He stopped in his tracks and idly watched me as I fixed the scarf on him and patted his shirt as if I was puffing dust off from the spotless fabric.

"That's better right? Now, we're both warm with our matching scarves." I beamed at him, but he only shyly nodded while letting half of his face sink in the warmth of the scarf.

"It's getting late." He uttered out with his deep voice, "Let's hurry up to the date place you wanted to bring me to." He insisted before tugging on my hand and eventually fitting his fingers in between mine. Our fingers connected as if the spaces in between them were designed perfectly to be filled with the other’s.

"Hmmm." I hummed as I adjust the scarf around me that it almost covered half of my face and his unique sweet scent wafted to my nose. He smells so nice. It was so distinct that I came to memorize his scent.

"Where are we going, anyway?" He asked me as he heaved a brief glance at me as we started walking again the barren street of our neighborhood.

"To my favorite place in the neighborhood." I told him with a content smile on my lips.

Jongin stifled a chuckle and looked back at me with crinkling eyes that were already crescents. "Favorite place huh? Is it that so special to you that we're travelling towards it with our feet, in a cold autumn night, and with a picnic basket full with treats?" He asked, sounding amused, though there was a hint of undertone mockery in his voice.

Despite the blatant sarcasm in his voice, I bobbed my head in response and smiled. "It's that special... that I'm only showing it to you." I honestly told him.

His beautiful dark brown orbs glistened magnificently under the moonlight, as his slits calmed back to his ordinary round ones. At that moment, I realized how he figured out how serious I was about the place, that he bit his lip in regret of secretly mocking me for the night date out.

"I've always loved the night more than the day." I uttered out, trying to relieve the tension and explain to him the meaning of my choices for our first date.

"Why?" He asked, finally getting on my boat.

I smiled as I looked far ahead, trying to pick words that aren't too cryptic for him to easily understand what I mean. "Because, as people, we always take the day for granted, knowing that it is long, and that there is plenty of time. We often don't take each long hours as precious time unlike as how we do for the remaining hours before the day ends... that is, when darkness falls. As much as the cold breeze comforts us through the night, the fact that there's so much calm and signs that the day is ending makes me realize how precious those remaining hours are. The last moments would always be the most memorable. Knowing that, waking up the next day would be much bearable all because of the beautiful memory one creates from the previous night. Memories you can never create in the glory of the morning, but only in the brief deafening solitude of the night. Something that makes you want to wish for the night not to end at all."

"Well... you're in too deep with