It was almost 8PM when they finally departed from the restaurant. Chanyeol was on clouds the entire way down the street.
"They love you so much, Namjoo." Chanyeol proudly claimed. "I can tell by the way they look at you."
"Oh...you think?" she blubbered less energetically.
Streetlights had not come on. Sun was still up, but for evening business lights were now aglow in preparation for darkness. Namjoo watched the colors drift past picturing in her head a man and a woman racing down the sidewalk together. Headed somewhere private to spend the rest of the evening soaked in each other.
She wondered what Sehun was doing right now. If he was missing her. Hoping she had not had a good time. Praying she had just had the worst meal of her life. Thinking this brought a wicked grin to her lips.
Her attention swiveled when Chanyeol's big palm blanketed her hand. "Namjoo." His voice was super tender. She could imagine his hand caressing her heart, yearning.
Namjoo swallowed a bit. Able to predict what was coming next.
She waited for him to lay it out.
"Should we go to your place?" Chanyeol questioned.
Namjoo's lips went dry. "Why don't...why don't we go to yours?"
There was a shine in the depth of his pupils. Overjoyed, Chanyeol's mouth split open flashing his teeth. "Ok."
Gripping the steering wheel, he sped down the road. She was starting to sweat once he parked and they rode the elevator up to his three-bedroom studio. Only been here once in the entirety of their relationship. Namjoo had been awed. She'd really landed the lottery she thought that day.
Park Chanyeol, the ideal man, must make good money. In the future she wouldn't have to toil deliriously to help him support their children. She'd live a good life. She had found the perfect man to spend her life with. That was, if they took it easy, held on strong, and made it to the altar. Which she wasn't confident about now.
His studio was so private the elevator landed right on his flat. Meaning no worry about burglary or someone wanting to murder her in the middle of the night. Her life with Chanyeol would be the safest yet.
Slipping out of her shoes at the door, Namjoo followed him down the sleek toasted almond bamboo flooring. It led her around the corner right into the open kitchen. Two stools right under the hanging cream gray counter available at first sight. Beyond the counter was Chanyeol's magnificent kitchen decked with cooking tools and a double-door fridge.
She knew his bedroom was past the wide-spaced living room with a tufted wrap-around couch. To its left the wall-to-ceiling window. He had given her a tour the first time, but under constricting nerves she couldn't recall all the details right now.
Crossing into the kitchen Chanyeol pushed open a swiveling shelf hidden below the counter containing his coffee machine. "Wine?"
If he was nervous, Namjoo was even more unsure. How to tell him she didn't want to have sex with him without feeling like a villainess?
A bottle landed heavily on the countertop. Taking the time to find wine glasses, Namjoo scrambled through possibilities in her head. Standing on the other side of the kitchen Namjoo had an easy escape while Chanyeol remained busy. But...she did not move.
She just...felt really guilty.
"Here." Too late. Chanyeol had finished. She glanced up at Chanyeol who had rounded the space to her. "Don't drink too much."
Naturally grabbing the stem, Namjoo lifted the wine to her lips. Sweetness spread through her mouth instead of the determination she wanted the alcohol to gift her. She almost dropped the glass surprised when Chanyeol drew an intimate arm around her waist, sliding his hand across the low of her belly.
"Cha..."
"Shh..." he hushed her; mouth pressed to her ear. "I'm a little nervous."
An empty wine glass settled on the counter beside hers, still full.
"Another glass might help, but I don't want to be drunk." Chanyeol buried his face into her hair. Draping another arm around her he slid from her side to behind her. He sounded sleepy, "I'm so happy my parents like you. Everything is working out so nicely. Maybe by next year we can be engaged. We'll get married in the winter and start a family by the next summer."
She said nothing.
"Hm?" he pressed his lips to her neck. "You don't like the sound of that?" Pecking her jawline, he teased, "Or maybe you don't trust me."
"No. No, it's not that."
Chanyeol's mouth slid sensually down her neckline. Fingers sneakily went toward the middle of her legs. The motion sent tingling alarms invitingly through her body. Actually, it did feel really nice.
Accidentally making a noise, Chanyeol took that as his answer. His mouth sucked harder. He put pressure into her from behind, trapping her to the counter. Clamping her eyes shut she gripped onto the counter ledge.
Now...now she thought. She had to tell him now.
Her mouth opened prepared to admit she'd already had sex with Sehun, but Chanyeol's lips left her shoulder dewy. The heat of his breath pounced into her ear, "I have condoms, Namjoo."
Her boyfriend was rock hard and ready to go. Pivoting around she peered up into Chanyeol's face. His cheeks were flushed. Lips moist and swollen. A firelit expression in his eyes spoke of how much he wanted her in his bed tonight.
Touching his arm, she angled her elbow back. She had to be the world's worst girlfriend about to abandon him, leaving him desperately needy. To deal with the aftermath alone.
Knocking down the wine glass Namjoo yelped listening to the glass shatter. Shoving away, she peeked at the mess then at Chanyeol wide-eyed. Shocked at the accident.
The surprise lingered over his failing expression. His gaze jot toward the spilled liquid on the counter. Debating whether to clean or continue.
"S...sorry." She purposefully stammered. "I should...I should go."
Then she hightailed it out of there.
ĒĒĒĒĒ
Time had to be human's enemy. A stupid social construct. A manmade creation. Whomever had invented it Sehun needed to wring his neck.
The hours stretched so horribly slow. No news of Namjoo. He was left wondering how her evening was going. Chanyeol's parents must be ecstatic. Eagerly waiting for their son to tie the knot, but on the bright side smart and mature Chanyeol was not a person to rush immaturely into marriage, the biggest responsibility a man was to take on.
Namjoo, too. She had taken all preventative measures to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. He'd seen her stash of plan b's. She'd also shared that she was meeting a doctor regularly. Just to take extra measures. Since, of course, they were sleeping together so often now.
Groaning, Sehun slid down the wingback chair. The sun was setting. The sky a hazy pinkish-blue. He abhorred the thought Chanyeol had taken her back to his place to complete the deed. Shaking his head Sehun refused to go there. It just upset him. He did not want to feel like punching Chanyeol's balls when they saw each other next.
Covering his face he shut his eyes, inhaled, and exhaled. Namjoo would call. She'd promised on their way out when he hugged her five times in front of the door.
Doing that wasn't helping. Groaning, Sehun removed his hand and stared at the television. Leaving the volume on mute, because he needed some sort of noise, but in the end, it had bugged the hell out of him. For a minute he watched the moving humans on the screen, their voices unheard.
Then his mind traveled backwards through a strip of memories. To complete an assignment for an art class he had two options: watch a piano recital or campus play. Sehun chose the latter. Foreseeing he'd fall asleep at the recital bored, but may make it alive through a play. If quizzed on it during class he'd not have to mull over failing.
Sehun hated using personal time on campus to complete assignments, but this was a requirement in order to get credit for graduation. He'd joined the clutter of students; a mix of eager and there for the hell of it kinds. Purposely choosing a seat closest to the aisle so that when the show ended, he could leave the fastest. Ten minutes in and a lean girl appeared on stage. Egg-shaped face. The sun for her eyes. Elegant poise, body built just right. Long legs, perhaps, hidden beneath a long white dress.
Twenty yards away and Sehun had felt a bull-strong attraction. Like hell, it'd been as if Namjoo was performing right in front of him and no one else was there. They were alone in a shadowed room and she'd not done a thing, but he was captured.
After the play he'd been the slowest to leave. His stare kept magnetically pulling toward the stage hoping she might appear again. Perhaps poke her head out to peek into the audience, find him. But Namjoo never appeared and he went home daydreaming about the way she slid across the stage with ease, delivered her lines energetically.
It had been an urge to attend the next show. The one following and the next always hoping he'd see her on stage. The admiration grown into fondness then into some kind of infatuation.
But Sehun wasn't infatuated. He was a grown man. Maybe he was in love.
Maybe...
Jerking he straightened in the chair. The phone was ringing. Snatching it off the nearby table, he held it to his ear. Waiting all day had worn him out. Now he needed to be replenished.
"Hey." He sunk into the chair at the soothing voice. Closing his eyes, he breathed out, relieved.
"Are you home?" He needed to know she was no longer with Chanyeol.
"I just showered." Namjoo informed.
"How was dinner?" he probed.
"Well...you know..." she didn't finish. The silence lingered, then at last she told, "I ran away, Sehun."
"What do you mean?" he asked concerned. "Are you ok? You sound kind of sad."
"No, no. I'm fine."
Getting up he began rummaging around for his wallet in an oak drawer. "If I come, will you open the door for me?"
"No, don't come. It's late."
"It's Saturday." He huffed. "What kind of plans would I have on Sunday? I'm coming."
Hanging up he hurried out the door. Dashing through the lobby he raced outside. The streets were clogged with traffic. Many out on a late evening to enjoy the thrill of the night. Like he used to. Difference was, he had a destination needed getting to. And it was more important than grooving into a random woman inside a bar drunkenly.
A cab finally yielded for him. Climbing in before someone stole it from him, he directed the driver toward Namjoo's. He arrived in a flash.
Opening the door, Namjoo sighed, "Sehun..."
Stepping inside he waited for her to close the door, pivoted on a foot, and hugged her knowing, at last, they were alone.
"I missed you."
She kind of rolled her eyes when he released her. "It hasn't been a day."
Lightly pinching her cheek, he grinned, "Don't be a booger."
Swatting his hand, she stepped away. "Have you eaten?"
"I'm full now that I've seen you."
Shuddering she complained, "Don't ever say that again."
Chuckling he plopped right down on her couch. Patting the area next to him, he invited as if she was in his home, "Come sit."
Stretching an arm out he waited for her then wrapped it around her shoulders. Namjoo snuggled right up to him. At first, they didn't talk. Merely sinking into the quiet, the fact they were together, enjoying the closeness, the security.
"I went to Chanyeol's house." Namjoo sullenly shared.
"Did he touch you?" he wondered.
Namjoo didn't answer and he knew. He tried not to be pissed off. Now was not time for that.
"I broke a wine glass."
Backing up, he arched a brow. "I did not know you had a violent streak."
Kind of laughing she hit him in the chest. The air transitioned calmly again. "He hasn't called me. I think he's upset."
"Well, I don't feel sorry, but the poor guy." Sehun took joy in Chanyeol's suffering. "Then, how about dinner?"
"I don't have anything to say about dinner." Namjoo expressed. "But..."
"Yea?" he waited expectantly for her to trod on an evening supposed to be good in Chanyeol's dictionary.
"It's burdening." Namjoo confessed. "I didn't know Chanyeol was that well off. At least not at the beginning of our relationship. I just thought, wow, he has a good job, but then I met his parents and went to his house."
"And you don't like that?" Sehun asked. "Any girl would."
She played with his hand. Feeling, fondling, and it made his heart hike up.
"I would have to be honest." It was as he expected. "But then I met you."
"Yea?" he smiled pacified.
"I didn't grow up on a chicken farm, but my upbringing wasn't that bad." Namjoo said. "My dad is a manager in steel construction and my mom is a kindergarten teacher."
"They sound nice."
"Yea?" It was her turn. Her head lifted a fraction causing her hair to brush into his chin. "Want to meet them someday?"
His heart really picked up. "You mean it?"
Nodding, "Yes, of course."
Trying to hold his excitement at bay, he had to ask, "Has Chanyeol met them?"
"No. We never had the date because of his business trip."
Now he was even happier. Eagerly confirming, "I want to meet them. Someday, I mean. I'd like to."
He heard the low of her laugh. Curling her legs up she fully leaned into him. "This is nice. Thanks for coming, Sehun."
ĒĒĒĒĒ
Sehun slept over. She asked him to. He wholeheartedly agreed. They snuggled in her bed a big half of the night. This morning he was on his back kind of turned away from her, but knowing he was still here made it even better.
Namjoo lay there watching him happily before deciding to get up. After brushing her teeth, she stalked into the kitchen to start on coffee. A pan was heating up on the stove. Eggs sounded like a deal. She didn't have bacon sadly.
Midway through cooking Sehun finally woke up. Walking into the kitchen with, "That yellow toothbrush is still here."
"I use it to scrub my shoe."
"Liar." Wrapping arms around her he squeezed her into a tight hug. Smacking his lips against her neck he said, "Sleep well?"
Reaching back to cup his face she slightly twisted around to give him a morning peck. "I slept well."
Handsomely grinning he locked eyes with her. "Want to go on a date today?"
"Where's good?"
"Any place is." He nuzzled into her hair. "Just go anywhere with me."
She could taste the romance popping in scores of bubbles over them. Switching the stove off she set the pan aside to cool. Swiveling around she hooked her arms around his neck. Enticed, Sehun stared down at her. She saw the height of his feelings for her brimming in his deep brown irises.
He was so real about her.
Was it possible for this thing between them to become even more serious than she expected?
"I'll go anywhere," she kissed him, "with," another kiss, "you."
His mouth parted to take her so gently her insides went weak. Namjoo clung onto him in case her knees buckled.
"Toothpaste." She lightly cackled. Fingering his jawline she asked, "Are you sure you washed it all away?"
"I was in a hurry. Are you going to nitpick?"
Merrily giggling, Namjoo's whole body curled inwards. Wrapping her arms even more firmly around him in order not to slip away, she brushed lips with him. "You're so clumsy."
"You're ruining the mood."
She couldn't stop laughing.
The moment dispelled when the bell rang, and then her phone. They turned toward the table where her phone was sitting. Chanyeol's name was flashing on the screen.