As soon as I took in the smell of fresh made food my stomach rumbled; I hadn’t noticed how hungry I’d been until Yongguk had led me directly up to the two elder women behind the food stand where they were cooking dukbokki, tokkebi hot dogs, egg toast, croquettes, and mayak gimbap. The smells would make anyone hungry.

“a large plate of dukbokki and-" he turned to me, tugging my hand to make me look up at him “do you want anything else?”

My eyes glanced over at the gimbap, but I wouldn’t let him spend anymore money on me; it was unnecessary “Anniyo”

He must’ve noticed my staring because he ordered another plate of gimbap before sending me a wink “Don’t be so shy about it; If you want it tell me”

My eyes narrowed “I don’t need anything from you”

“Such a strong willed girlfriend you have there” one of the ahjumma’s smiled

“I’m not his girlfriend” I mumbled as they turned back around; trying and failing once again at removing my hand from Yongguk’s grip I glared up at him “Can you let go of my hand?”

“Anniyo.” He turned away from me and laughed when I hit his shoulder

“Oh they’re having a little lovers spat” the older ahjumma smiled widely as she finished packing our food

“Aigoo” the other cooed at us “So cute” she gave me a wide smile and then turned to look at Yongguk and gave him the total.

“Wait, I’ll pay half” I held both my hands up to stop him once he’d let my hand go to pull out his wallet.

“It’s fine” he pulled out a few bills

My hand handed on his wrist and his eyes snapped to mine “I’ll pay for half”

“It’s fine” he handed the bills to the two women “Besides, you don’t have your purse”

I glared at him, watching as he took the bag of food “You annoy me”

“I’ve heard” he grinned and nodded towards a close by bench.

I followed behind him, rubbing at my suddenly cold hand before shoving it into my pockets “You want us to eat out here?” I sat on the other side of the food he’d just set down on the seat.

“Live a little” was his reply

“I don’t think that involves catching a cold” I shivered

He suddenly held up a piece of dukbokki and leaned over so it was right in front of me. On instinct I opened my mouth and let him feed me. The warmth of the fresh made food warming me instantly.

“I’ll nurse you back to health”

I rolled my eyes before leaning over and grabbing a toothpick to poke at the food. The delicious taste keeping us warm and filling our stomachs. We sat silently eating and I found myself watching him closely, he ate happily, his body relaxed against the bench, one arm thrown over the back of the seat. He looked as if he had no care. It was strange to me. Even as we sat here people walked by us and stared, hurrying away with urgent faces and yet here he was, not caring. I wonder how he could live like that? Had he gotten so use to it that he was immune to it? His eyes suddenly shot to me, making me freeze and blush at the realization that I’d been zoned out as I stared directly at him.

We finished up quickly after that and I internally groaned when he took my hand once more, lacing our fingers, before pulling me along again.

“I’m not a child” I chastised

“You’re definitely not” he smirked

I slapped his shoulder again at his obvious attempt at flirting.

“You’re so abusive today”

“You’re so greasy today” I shot back “You fail at flirting by the way”

“That wasn’t flirting” he defended and held the door to the ice cream shop open for me

“You seriously want ice cream?”  I thought he had been joking, it was seriously freezing, the dukbokki had warmed us, but still ice cream?

“I told you” he laid a hand on my back and led me over to the ice cream showcase; My eyes widened as I read the flavor of one of the ice creams “Oreo chip cookie?” I looked at the mix of vanilla and oreo filling up nearly half the tub of ice cream. How much would the whole tub be worth “OMO” slipped from my lips as I pressed my open hands on the display case.

Yongguk laughed loudly and pulled me away softly “I don’t think they like you leaning on the glass like that”

“B-but Oreo?” I ignored him

“Aigoo” he laughed at my unusual change. But he didn’t understand. It was Oreo! Who doesn’t get excited about that? “a serving of Oreo Chip Cookie and another one of watermelon” he ordered and soon enough I had an ice cream cone of my absolute favorite ice cream. I didn’t even mind that he led us back out of the shop to eat as we walk. Each bite of ice cream was amazing.

“Are you happy now?” he wondered

I took another bite of the desert as I tilting my head towards him. 

“Are you trying to do aegyo?” he teased and mocked my tilted head as he fluttered his eyelashes

my eyes widened “Anniya!” I blushed and pushed at his chest

“Yes you were!“ he laughed

“Don’t be delusional” I admonished

“Come on, do it again”

“Anniyo” I shook my head

“Come on, it was cute”

“It wasn’t aegyo” I denied, because technically it was, but it was completely unintentional “And you made fun of it anyway”

“Ahh” he sighed “Mianhe; are you mad at oppa?”

“You do aegyo if you love it so much!” I shot at him, curious to see if he would break his manly composure.

He cleared his throat and adverted his eyes to his watch “It’s getting late” his steps quickened

“Anni,” I pulled at his arm “aegyo. go!” I tried to stop him to no avail “Yah!” I laughed

“Oppa is too manly for aegyo” he informed me seriously before biting at his ice cream cone.

I rolled my eyes “Says the man who owns a bakery”

“It’s a café”

“Where you sell pastries and cute Hello Kitty cupcakes”

“That was Daehyun’s idea” he defended himself

I laughed “I’m sure”

“It was!” he chuckled “Yah, stop teasing” he instructed playfully as we got to Mercy’s entrance

He nodded towards someone seated at one of the outside tables and only when I turned around did I realized it was CAP “Go get your stuff, I’ll drive you home” he instructed. Casting a curious glimpse at CAP, I turned to walk into the café where Himchan immediately glared at me as I walked around him to grab my purse. By the time I’d made it back outside CAP was gone and Yongguk was leaning against his car. He opened the passenger door for me and closed it once I’d slid in.

“You’re warming up to me” he stated suddenly after he’d driven a few blocks

“Mwo?” I gasped “No way” I denied

He chuckled “You can say whatever you want Kiyeon, but you and I both know you’re warming up to me”

“I am not”

“What was today then?”

“I treated you the same way I have any other day” hadn’t I?

He just smirked in return, not saying another word until he pulled up to the dorms. When  I turned to unbuckle my seatbelt his hand reached up to cup my cheek, my breath escaped me when I realized how close he was to me when I tilted my head up to look at him “Are you going to kiss me again?” I wondered out loud.

He brushed my hair back to tuck it behind my ear before pulling away from me “No.”

I didn’t know whether to be happy about that or feel insulted, but I stepped out of the car and hurried up to my room anyway. I only had an hour to meet HoWon.

After bathing and getting dressed I hurriedly made my way out of the dorms and towards the small restaurant five streets away from the dorms that HoWon and I had agreed to meet at. I’d spotted him as soon as I stepped in; he sat at one of the tables lined up along the wall of tacky overused pictures of skylines around the world that the owner had kept for more than a few years now. He subconsciously pushed his glasses up with a finger as he typed a text-message into his phone; he only looked up when I approached the table.

“KiYeon” he smiled and stood to exchange a bow

“HoWon-oppa” I greeted him, adding the honorific as an afterthought. The word felt strange on my lips. I hadn’t used it in a while…there weren’t many people I’d used it on to begin with. Just two. HoWon, who I had known for years, and my real oppa. I swallowed as sadness seeped into me, composing myself I sat in the empty seat across from him

“KiYeon-ah” he grinned widely “It’s been a while” he smiled kindly “How have you been?”

“I could be better” I admitted

He nodded and waited for the waiter to set down two menus before leaning forward on his elbows, making me lean back a little at the intrusion of my personal space “Sookyung told me what happened” he said lowly “what Bang Yongguk-“

“That’s- why would she-” I took a deep breath and shook my head “Let’s not talk about Yongguk” I stated

 “Arasso” he agreed “So, when do you have to be out by?”

“two days”

“Hmm” he nodded “Alright. We already talked about rent when we texted yesterday; You’ll pay it monthly, don’t worry about this month-“

“Oh, no I-” I started to protest his offer, but stopped when he raised his hand to interrupt me

“Just pay for your groceries and your spending for this month; you weren’t expecting this so I can give you a free pass this time” he laughed lightly

“Thank you”

“No problem” he patted my arm “I have a few rules though; Just basic, knock before you enter; clean what you dirty; and I really have a problem with people going into my room so please don’t do that” he stated seriously “Anything you want to add?”

“Those are pretty much the same for me”

“Cool” he nodded “So I guess the next question is when will you move in?”

I thought about it for a second before answering “I need to buy a mattress first”

“There’s one in there already”

“Kure?” I wondered “Then I just need to finish packing my things” I decided

“Is it much? Do you need help?”

I shook my head; sadly my stuff wasn’t much. It hadn’t consisted of more than my wardrobe and some invaluable things for years “I can get it packed by tomorrow, so I would be able to move in by the end of my grace period”

“ahhh” he nodded in understanding “So, soon?”

I nodded “Neh”

“Arasso, well then I can send some friends to help you move in”

“Oh, you don’t have to! It’s really not much” I refused his offer “I’ll just grab a cab”

“You sure?”

“Yes”

He tilted his head “You’d tell me if you needed help wouldn’t you?”

Probably not “Of course”

Whatever he was going to say next was interrupted by the waiter taking our orders

“I have your key” he patted his pocket  after the waiter left “You’ll get it when we’re done…wouldn’t want you to leave before we’ve had our dinner” he stated, gazing at me in the strangest manner; he had always had the habit of not realizing the strength his raven eyes had when he would stare at people.

“Oppa?” I interrupted him after a shiver ran down my spine “Are you alright?”

His teeth showed once he cracked a smile “Yes” he pushed his dark rimmed glasses up again, breaking his intense look away from me, something I was thankful for “of course” he laughed lightly.

Dinner was spent catching up, the awkwardness I’d always felt with him dissipating only slightly despite our familiarities with each other. We’d split the bill as soon as it arrived and moved to leave the restaurant soon after.

“Would you like a ride?” he wondered curiously

“I’d rather walk, it’s nice out” The night was still cold, but the stars were out.

He patted his pocket and then took a couple of keys out to present to me “Top” he held up the bigger of the two keys “Bottom” he held the second key up and then dropped them into my open palm.

“Oppa, I really can’t thank you enough for this”

He inclined his head “Really KiYeon, It’s alright. I’ve known you since we were kids, you’re practically like another SooKyung. Only less annoying and prettier” he chuckled

“Still, I appreciate it” taking a step back I waved “I should leave quickly”

“Annyeong!” he waved “Text me”

“arasso” I turned and started making my way back to the dorms. I walked down a couple of blocks mindlessly before something slowed me down.

“You look good”

I cringed when I heard the familiar voice that accompanied the sentence, words that had always been followed by-

“Beautiful, as always”

I moved away sharply, before his hand could caress my cheek; it used to be our own little ritual; something that had made me smile, that use to make my heart race, that simple action, those simple words that had once made me feel beautiful…but that was long ago “I told you not to touch me, didn’t I?” I threw over my shoulder rhetorically

“Are you going back to the dorms?” he wondered slyly, ignoring my previous comment.

“Don’t worry” I spat “I’ll be out within the grace period” turning my head slightly to peek behind me “That’s what you want isn’t it?”

There was silence for a few more seconds, but I didn’t need to turn around to know he was still following me “I don’t know what you’re talking about” he stated

Finally turning around, I glared at him “Don’t play dumb Taekwoon” I hissed with a glare

He raised a dark eyebrow “I didn’t do anything” he defended himself

I scoffed at his lie “VIXX connections aren’t as secretive as you believe them to be Taekwoon”

“Stop using that name” he ordered, his temper visibly flaring

“Leo” I hissed “you honestly think I don’t know you got me kicked out of the dorms?”

“You got yourself kicked out; don’t blame others for your stupidity”

I shouldn’t be surprised at his words, but the memory of a sweet boy still haunted me “Why did you do it?” I wondered “Why are you doing this?”

“You must learn that your actions have consequences”

I could feel the anger trying to find its way out of me “What gives you the right to do this? Is my life some kind of game to you? Am I someone you can control?” I snapped

“You’re mine KiYeon” he stepped closer “I may do whatever I want with your life because it belongs to me” The intensity behind his gaze made me step back once he’s stepped closer.

“I don’t belong to anyone Taekwoon; I’m not an object; I’m not a pet and you are not my master; You can’t just mess with someone’s life!”

“I can” he said simply “and I will until your mind is in its right place”

“I’ll never understand your thinking” I scoffed “is this some sort of plan you’ve plotted out? What did you expect? That I’d run to you and ask for forgiveness?” I ask sarcastically “Do you honestly believe I’d ever be with you again?”

“You will”

“I won’t”

“You will!” he yelled “In fact there is no doubt in my mind that you will because you belong to me; not to Bang Yongguk”

“You’re delusional” I stepped further away from him “And your idiotic plan will never work; I’ll never go back to you Taekwoon and I won’t ask for anything from you if that’s what you were hoping for; I can find another place to live-

“What?” he smirked suddenly “with Lee HoWon?” he laughed “SooKyung’s brother?” he chuckled “what a wise choice” his tone mocked me

“Leo!” someone called from behind him making him turn towards the voice; it was none other than N, VIXX’s leader, and RyuHa who stood beside him as she looked towards us with narrowed eyes. Leo turned back to me and nodded towards the dorms behind me.

“Enjoy the rest of your stay at the dorms” he mocked “if you change your mind-” his fingers trailed down my jaw before I could pull away “You know what to do”

I seethed and turned around, heading straight towards the dorms where I could find some sort of comfort…at least for now.

-

A/N:

I told you I'd update by Friday ^.^ lol So here it is. Thank you all for reading and commenting and subscribing!!!!

-Kyute19