KIM JONGIN "I'm jealous."   MARK TUAN "Cute. She's cute."   YOUR POV   “Isn’t it weird if we are seen drinking coffee in a public place like this?” I turned back and asked Mark who seemed to be humming to café music. He didn’t answer me, still engrossed on whatever he was doing on his phone when I sighed, reaching to touch his hand with my finger. Like lightning, his hand that was turned down flipped and he grabbed my finger. I frowned at him, looking up to his face just to see him smiling at me. “Were you listening to me?” I asked and he lifted his eyebrows as if he didn’t hear my question. I tugged my hand back, tapping my fingers on the table instead, repeating the question. “Isn’t it weird for us to be drinking coffee in public?  I thought your manager told you to be careful.” “What is there to be careful about?” Mark asked back, shrugging. “It’s not like we don’t know each other. If another scandal comes up, I’ll just tell them the same thing. Drinking coffee isn’t a crime.” “I might get bashed by your fans.” “Break my heart and you will.” Mark answered, flashing me a wicked grin and I blinked at him. For a minute there I thought he was serious until he shook his head at my reaction. “For someone seen as cold and mysterious, you’re really naïve.”   “Dammnit, Mark Tuan.” “Cute.” He said those words, his eyes running over my features and I could not help but feel my heart lurch at how… engrossed he looked. What was he engrossed with though? Me? I cleared my throat but when he did not move, I snapped my fingers in front of his face. “Anyway, let’s take a picture and post it on social media. So they won’t think we’re hiding anything.” Mark opened the camera app and I leaned forward to take a picture with him but for some reason, I could not fit into the frame. He tilted it to the side but kept sighing, shaking his head at the picture he took. “Come sit here beside me.” I told him, moving to the side and patting the seat on my right. When I turned, I saw Kai at the corner of my eye. A whoosh went over my body when I saw him looking straight at us, his hands placed together on the table. With a cough, I narrowed my eyes at him when Mark sat beside him, blocking my view. I felt Mark come closer and his perfume filled my nostrils.   They smelled more feminine than Kai’s, the soft smell of men after they put on aftershave in the shower. Kai smelled huskier, more dominant, more… Just why was I thinking of this? I shook my head and Mark lean in, focusing the camera on both our faces. “Smile.” I gave a small smile and he snapped a picture. Then things happened pretty fast, Mark took a look around to make sure no one was staring (to which no one really was, the café wasn’t filled with much people.) and he swooped in, planting a kiss on my cheek just in time for his phone to take a picture.   I jerked my body backwards so fast that the table shook. I felt my cheeks become red, and I slapped him on the arm. “What if someone saw? What the hell was that about?” I grumbled at him, my eyes turning to slits at the blonde hair boy. He laughed, standing up and going to his seat as I was about to hit him one more time. “That is so not okay. If I was a conservative Korean Lady I would have bashed you and made a scene.” “Cute.” “What do you mean cute?” I glared at Mark, rolling my eyes so hard at him I felt like it could escape my sockets anytime soon. “I mean you. You’re cute. I didn’t take you as the violent type.” “Mark Tuan!” “Alright, I’m sorry. I just… couldn’t help myself.” Mark winked at me, his eyes then going to his watch. “Darn. I have to go. I’ll have to get some rest before broadcast.”   I nodded, letting it go. I was worried if anyone saw that, taking a look around just to see Kai staring at me when I stood up. I stared back at him, noticing that Bang Minah wasn’t there and the camera’s were starting to move. They must be on their way to their next location. Our eyes did not break from each other until Mark placed a hand on my shoulder and nudged me out of the door.   __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   She spoke a little bit too much, she was a little bit too cheerful and she was a little bit too annoying. That was what Jongin thought as he pasted a smile on his face, looking at the girl in front of him. He knew that if he kept looking at Minah, CG’s and subtitles will be added. Such things as “Stares intently” and “focus focus”, the norm for Korean shows. They would make him seem so smitten with her, falling head over heels for her when deep down he could not help but wish that she would stop talking and the desire to go home was never this strong. “Noona…” He started, laughing dryly at the joke she made and she shook her head. “Don’t call me Noona!” She almost yelled out and he bit his lip. “What shall we call each other?” “Uh…” Jongin began, his mind going blank. “Dear? Sweetheart? But Noona is older than me though.”   “But I don’t want to be called Noona!” She said followed by a small giggle that made Jongin try his best not to wince at how it penetrated his eardrums. “What would be a good name then? Wife is okay. I want the world to know you’re my wife.” He said, smiling at her as charmingly as possible and she blushed, giggling again. This was when he saw Mark stand up and sit next to _____. The hands that he had placed on the table turned into fists. “I’ll go to the bathroom first.” Minah said and Jongin looked at her. “A-Ah…” His brain was scattered everywhere and he tried to think of what to say. “D-Do you want e to come with you?” “I’m fine, you don’t have too. You’re so cute.” Minah cooed back and Jongin gave her a smile. “It’s dangerous. I don’t want my wife to get kidnapped because she’s so pretty.”   So cheesy.   “Aww.” She blushed again and told him she’ll be back in a few minutes and he told her to keep her phone with her. She beamed and said she would and just when she walked away, he saw Mark swoop down to kiss ____ on the cheek. Jongin, this time, felt his stomach lurch and his eyes turn hot at the sight before him. With a glance around, he was thankful for her sake that there was no one around at all. All the fans were sent away and only a few people were in the café.   “What the hell are they doing?” He hissed under his breath and as he was staring at them, they both stood up like they were going to leave. She stood up, grabbing her bag and when he turned their eyes met. He stared at her and for a moment the eye contact was an invisible connection between them. He refused to look away and so did she but it was all gone when Mark caught up with her, his hand on her shoulder to guide her out of the door.   When they left the door, he checked his clock to see that Minah was gone was 5 minutes. Jongin swallowed his saliva, deciding to open his phone. With a click, the newest entertainment news was posted. There was nothing about Mark and ____ meeting up just yet. Jongin refreshed the page and the page changed, the link to Mark Tuan’s Weibo posted. Jongin pressed on it out of curiosity and when it loaded he saw that it was a photo of both of them, the caption saying “Thank you for today! You made me smile. #talkingovercoffee #friendshipgoalaccomplished”   Just like magic, he saw Sehun’s comment just as fan comments started to flood in. Sehun: WHERE DID YOU TAKE MY WIFE?! Mark: kkkkk I borrowed her for awhile! I might have to borrow you next time too. Sehun: Get married and we’ll go for a double date! See you around Hyung!   Jongin closed his eyes, the image of Mark kissing her cheek appearing in his mind making him feel even more frustrated. Was this jealousy? Because if this was, he was not that good in handling it.   ______________________________________________________