"I still can't believe you won, I genuinely thought I'd win," Mari huffed as the two began to put on their shoes.
Slipping her feet into her docs and tying her shoelaces she listened to Jinyoung speak.
"Maybe I'm just that good," he chuckled and Mari scoffed, standing up and placing her hand on her hip.
"Or maybe I just went easy on you," she picked up the shoes and her handbag and began to make her way to the counter- Jinyoung following suit.
"If that was the case, rematch. After we get back from Jeju I challenge you to a rematch," he suggested, placing their shoes onto the counter and walking towards the door.
"Oh you're on," Mari laughed, the fresh night air hitting their skin as they enter the alley way. Stopping next to the front door.
"So," pushing her hair behind her ear as she looked around, seeing his car parked just a block away but not wanting to walk near it.
"The Han river is close by, we could take a walk if you wanted-"
"Yeah sure! I mean... I'd like that," looking down embarrassed at seeming too over excited about taking a walk with the boy- she went unknown to the smile that pulled at his lips.
"Great, I think it's this way," he nodded to behind the girl and the two began to walk past his car.
The two stayed silent as they crossed the main road, the beeping of the cross walk light intensifying as it singled that it was turning red.
"I can't believe we leave for Jeju this week," Jinyoung said as they made their way towards the river. The lights of one of the many bridges coming into view as they got closer.
Mari slightly dropped her head, the grip of her left hand on her hand bag tightening at the mention of her old home.
Letting out a hum in acknowledgment, Jinyoung looks down towards the girl.
"Will you be okay, you know, like going back," he spoke carefully, hopping not to trigger any unwanted memories.
"Yeah, I should be fine. I'll be distracted with the tourism assignment and hanging out with you and the others anyways, so it should be okay," she tried to trick herself.
She can't keep dismissing what had happened and being sad, but she knew that after two years that going back would bring those unwanted memories to light.
She wished that they wouldn't, that she could genuinely go back and not recall anything. But she knew that no matter how long she spent away from the island, the memories would only come back stronger.
"I think you're so brave Mari," Jinyoung said making Mari stop in her tracks, breath falling deep in her throat at those words.
She saw Jinyoungs feet come to a halt a step in front of her and she looked up to see him looking at her with gentle eyes.
"Genuinely Mari. I know you haven't told me exactly everything that has happened, all I know is that you're so brave. And I mean I know even brave people have their days, so if you do- have those days I mean, like when you're there- look for me, okay? Because I'll be there for you," his words made Mari's eye sting with emotions.
It had been a really long time since someone had said anything like that to her and she could feel the clench in her heart.
"Thank you," was all she could say, throat squeezed tight as her eyes flicked between his own. Kindness and sincerity coating his softened eyes.
"There's no need to thank me, I just want you to know that if you ever feel alone while you're there, you aren't," an immense feeling of warmth filled her body in the coldness of the night. But there was still that feeling of guilt crawling up her spin to grip at her heart.
"Here let's keep walking," he mentioned, slowly taking a step forward and watching as Mari followed after him.
Her mind plagued with thoughts that replaced that warmth with a bitter taste of guilt.
Gulping down the lump in her throat to help the articulation of the words she was about to say not turn out completely tongue-tied.
"I'm sorry," she began and he looked down at her with curious eyes but she kept staring forward, "for keeping you in the dark for so long. I wish I could talk about what happened but it still feels raw, if that makes sense? Like, what had happened had happened so fast that I didn't have time to comprehend and then moving to Seoul put distance between everything and just I don't know. My dad kept walking around me like I was a ticking time bomb and I never got to face my emotions. I don't know whether I will be able to fully talk about it and I'm sorry about that."
"There's no need to apologise Mari, you will tell me when the time is right," he said sincerely and Mari felt at peace.
It was nice talking to someone who wouldn't bombard her with 101 questions about what had happened.
There was no necessity to speak within that given moment to fill the silence that washed over them. A gentle breeze flowing past them effortlessly and the sound of the water hitting the concrete wall replaced their words as they walked near the water.
Their hands brushing past each other's every now and then and with every touch of skin contact a wave of tingling warmth journeyed and trailed it's way up from her hand to the rest of her body.
Her heart almost skipping a beat entirely as she felt his long fingers intertwine with her own. The pads of his fingers touching the back of her hand and she looked down at their locked hands.
"Is this okay?" He asked nervously in case she was uncomfortable.
At his question she abruptly looked up to him, eyes wide in surprise.
"Yeah this is great," she muttered out almost inaudible and the boy shun a boyish smitten grin, feeling her fingers encase over his too and he gave her hand a slight squeeze.
The two continued to walk, hand-in-hand, as friends and couples alike walked past them.
And in that moment Mari felt content, her hand warm in his as they walked close to each other. Mutual feelings between them... but was it bad that while Mari felt absolutely jubilated, she also had this unwavering feeling in her stomach.
It was faint, but it didn't go unknown and what it was she couldn't decipher. She was beyond elated in this moment so she decided to ignore that feeling and just enjoy Jinyoungs company.
"The water looks really pretty today," he mentioned and the girl looked over to beside her. The water rippling softly as the moon casted it's bright light down upon it.
"Yeah it is," she looked up to see the rainbow lights from the bridge reflecting onto the water on the distance. Her eyes trailing towards the path they were walking on where she saw a dog being walked.
"Look a dog!" She exclaimed, pointing towards the animal with rounded eyes and a wide smile.
As they neared it the dog walked closer to them, Mari's eyes sparkling at the fluffy animal as it got so close to them before walking past and back towards its owner.
Mari's eyes followed it behind her before looking up to Jinyoung with an excitement written on her face only to see him already staring at her.
"You're really pretty Mari," he spoke coming to a stop making the girls lips shut tight and eyes widen ever so slightly.
Heart thumping at the compliment, a shy smile pulling at her lips as she looks away embarrassed. Her cheeks starting to feel hot as they began to burn a light shade of red.
"Shut up," she muttered and Jinyoungs smile only grew more.
His free hand coming up to place her chin in between his thumb and pointer finger, directing her head back to face him as his eyes gazed into her own.
Her thick eyelashes fluttering as she licked her lips in nervousness. Heart beating erratically in her chest and she could feel her palms to become sweaty. Hoping the boy wouldn't notice.
"You really are so beautiful Mari," he said again, eyes flicking down to her lips briefly before he gulps and looks away.
"I really want to kiss you right now," he said in almost a whisper and Mari didn't know how her eyes could widen even more but they did.
She was also filled with a sprinkle of courage, "then why don't you?" Her words made the boy look back to her, this time he's in shock.
"Really?" He asked in disbelief and Mari nodded.
Jinyoung shifted his weight onto the other foot to prepare himself.
Her hear thumping and stomach fluttering and she could feels her knees start to become heavy under his gaze.
"Wait I have to do this right," he said, adjusting his foot positioning once more before looking back up to the girl.
"Mari, may I please kiss you?"
The girl tried to hide her smile that was pulling at her lips as she enthusiastically said "yes."
Jinyoung returning the same excited smile as his hand left hers and making their way to cup her face.
His thumb brushing against the high of her cheekbone as he began to lean in.
Her eyes shutting automatically as she tilted her head, body almost malfunctioning as she felt his lips on hers.
Her stomach doing somersaults as her heart beat sporadically and in that moment it was just them two.
The softness of his lips on hers almost euphoric as they basked in each other's presences.
And while this moment was so beautiful and natural and raw and amazing, that same guy feeling felt before made its way back into the midst.
Though it wasn't disturbing the moment, it lingered inside her as she felt the boy press his lips onto hers a little harder.
Pulling away from each other but staying close to each other with eyes closed, a sheepish grin pulled at their lips at what they had just done and euphoria filled their veins.
The taste of her peach lipgloss lingering on his lips as they opened their eyes to look at each other, pulling away with joint wide smiles and sparkling eyes.
Mari rubbed her lips together as she looked away once again, his stare on her never faulting as he watched her cheeks turn a deeper shade of red.
His finger coming up to push a loose piece of hair behind her ear making her look back to him.
She didn't know what to say, brain a complete jumble and she didn't know if she could form proper sentences.
"Common, I think I saw a cafe still open back there. We can go get a hot chocolate or something," he mentioned, grabbing her hand again and shaking it playfully before gently pulling her towards the cafe.
A smile on their lips as they joked and laughed the night away.
—————
Oop, a Jinyoung and Mari kiss 🤭
Jinyoung needs to stop before I catch feelings 😖