Addicted to you | Lee Know

2

Soonie, Doongi, and Dori were the sweetest creatures on earth, rivaled only by Elli, of course. They were angels incarnate — never a bite or scratch, always peacefully nestled beside me in bed, and ever eager for cuddles, both with me and with Elli. Throughout the week, I spammed Minho with a barrage of pictures, despite his insistence that I only text him in case of emergencies.

Yet, he seemed to welcome the flood of images, responding with emojis to each one. It wasn't until the final three days that his responses took on a more substantive tone. Two days ago, he inquired after the cats' well-being; yesterday, he repeated his inquiry about them but also asked after my own welfare. Today, he sent a selfie, his smile radiant, without a single word accompanying it. I found myself staring at the image for longer than intended, unable to deny the handsomeness he exuded.

Perhaps he wasn't as bad as I had initially judged. Could it be that he was merely shy or in need of time to open up to others? I knew that feeling all too well. Seizing Soonie, I snapped a selfie of us together and promptly sent it to him, feeling a twinge of nervousness. Despite sending him countless images of the cats, I had never shared one of myself.

Minho
You two look alike

He responded, eliciting a giggle from me.

Nuri
You think so?

Wait a minute. What was happening? Why was I giggling like a teenager? After all, he was just a stranger, and I was merely watching over his cats.

Minho
I need to see with my own eyes

Minho
I'm going to come back today

Minho
Want to come over for Dinner? As a thank you.

Nuri
I'd love to

***

I had gathered Soonie, Doongi, and Dori and returned them to the carrier, then made my way up to Minho's apartment. I felt a pang of sadness at the thought of parting with the cats, but I knew he must have missed them terribly. Knocking on his door, he promptly answered, looking a bit weary yet undeniably handsome in his white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. I, on the other hand, wore a cute summer dress and couldn't help but feel slightly overdressed.

I had wanted to look nice and pretty for him, though I couldn't quite explain why. Yet, it was clear that he was weary after two weeks of work and travel, so it was perfectly acceptable. "Come in. I'm making Tteokbokki. Do you like it?" he asked. "You didn't have to cook; you look tired. We could have ordered something," I protested. Minho accepted the carrier from me and released the cats, petting each one before they scampered off into the living room, playfully chasing one another.

"Thanks again for taking care of them," Minho said as he walked further into his apartment. I removed my shoes and followed him inside. "They were angels. I'll gladly do it again if you want," I replied, smiling. "Sounds perfect," he said. We found ourselves in the kitchen, where he stood stirring the food on the stove, and I leaned against the counter beside him.

"So, how was Japan?" I inquired. He looked up at me, studying me for a moment. "You actually look a bit like Soonie," he remarked, sidestepping my question. "Is that your strange way of complimenting me?" I joked. Mimicking my posture, he leaned against the counter, his gaze never leaving mine. "I think Soonie is cute," he said. Heat flooded my cheeks, prompting me to swiftly change the subject. "You didn't answer my question," I noted.

Our eyes met, and my heart skipped a beat. He had beautiful eyes; how had I not noticed before? He tilted his head, and my knees nearly buckled. He had done that once before, and then I had found it mildly attractive. Now, it felt downright irresistible. "It was nice spending time with my friends, but it was also exhausting. We had a tight schedule," he finally replied, turning his attention back to the stove.

"What do you do for work?" I asked, genuinely curious. He met my gaze once more. "Stripping," he deadpanned. I stared at him, momentarily taken aback. "Okay, no shame," I replied after a beat, unsure if he was being serious or not. "Just a joke. It's nothing special. Just boring stuff," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. I laughed. "You totally look like a stripper," I teased, then realized what I had said and felt my cheeks flush crimson.

He smirked before retrieving two plates. "Was that a compliment?" he quipped. "Depends," I retorted, accepting the full plate he offered and making my way to the kitchen table. "On what?" he asked, clearly amused. "If you want it to be," I replied, taking the chopsticks he held out to me. "Then it was a compliment," he declared, taking his seat opposite me.

We ate in comfortable silence, as though we understood each other without the need for words, occasionally stealing glances at each other. "Can I take you out for coffee as a thank you for taking care of my cats?" he suddenly blurted out. I raised an eyebrow. "I thought dinner was my thank you," I countered. "Maybe I want to thank you again," he joked. "Or perhaps you just want to go out with me?" I teased.

He reclined in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Do you want that?" he asked, his tone playful. "The idea that you're itching to take me on a date? Maybe," I replied, unsure why I suddenly felt so adept at flirting. Yet, it felt remarkably natural with him. "Do you think I'm eager to go on a date with you?" he inquired, amused. Leaning my head on my hands and resting my elbows on the table, I regarded him intently. "Don't you?" I countered, attempting to conceal the uncertainty he had sparked within me.

He once again tilted his head, that certain way. "I do," he confessed. "Well, then I'm down for coffee," I agreed, trying my best to maintain composure. "Are you free tomorrow?" he asked. "I have work, but I have an hour during my lunch break," I replied, still gazing at him. "Then let's meet at the cafe. Is there one near your workplace?" he inquired. "Actually, there's my favorite one. I'll text you the address later." "I'll be there," he affirmed.