Taemin's POV:
Naeun and I rested for a while on a nearby bench. People started to recognize us again as they passed. Girls came as usual and some were making aegyos at me. I looked over to Naeun. Her expression seemed to change. She was pretty annoyed by the looks of it.
Maybe she was jealous? I became uneasy as she heaved out a heavy sigh.
"Naeun-ah, are you okay?"- I asked, my whole attention fixed on her.
"I'm okay...
Its just that I can't feel my legs. They're numb from all the walking."- She said massaging her foot.
I knelt down, low enough to reach her foot and began to massage.I can't say I'm pretty good with massages but Minho taught me some things since he is pretty athletic.
I guess it was useful to be athletic.
"Taemin, get up.
You don't have to do that "- She said.
"No, just let me."- I said shrugging her off.
She didn't argue back but sat still as I finished massaging her.
"There is it okay?"- I asked as I stood up.
"Yes, it lessened a bit...
Thank you."
"Could you walk then?"- I asked.
"I'm okay, I could just walk slowly."
"Slowly?"- I exclaimed.
"No, walking slowly would take forever to get you home."
"There's no such thing as forever."
"Then there will be, if you will walk going home."- I teased.
"What do you want me to do then?
Float on air? Crawl?"- She said sarcastically.
I thought of carrying her but that would be too awkward. Maybe piggyback was more comfortable since we did that before. A piggyback would do.
The thought of another skinship just makes me smirk a little. A little not to obvious for Naeun to notice.
"No we can't walk. Hop on."
"Hop on? Where?"
The moment she asked I knelt down for her to climb up.
"Here on my back."
Whispers were now around as I knelt down for her. Some girls were gossiping. I wanted to leave the place before they will be able to say somethings that will hurt Naeun.
Naeun seemed to hesitate whether she should hop on or not.
"Naeun-ah,come on."
She came by me and hopped on silently. I had her on my back and I started to walk. The crowd gave way for me to pass. They parted into two as I passed by the middle.
"Are you okay up there?" - I asked.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"- She asked.
I felt that she was conscious of her being on my back. Maybe she was bothered bout her weight or what. She told me girls tend to do that.
"So far, I'm still okay. You seem lighter than before."
"Like how much do I weigh now?" - She asked.
"About sixty- four kilograms?"- I teased
"WHAT?!" Her tone seemed high as she flicked me on my ear.
"Hey you weighed less than before. From sixty- five, you're sixty four kilograms. Wow, you've improved."- I teased again.
"Hey, I am not sixty-four kilograms!"- She hissed at me and I soon laughed.
"I was just joking.
Seriously, you're just light. Just calm down there."
We had walked a few miles now. I was sweating and I hope she didn't feel my back.I don't know but I felt fine since this was Naeun I had on my back, if it was someone else I would have been muttering words.
Complaining actually.
"You can put me down now."- Naeun said.
"No, it's okay.I can still manage."
"Taemin, put me down. I can walk you know."
I put her down before she raised her tone at me. I was fine carrying her by my back, I liked it when she hugged me from the back even if it was just clinging to me for support.
"You sure you're okay?" - I asked again.
"I'm okay. It's not that I broke my leg, I was just tired. Look at you!?"
Was there something on me? She suddenly held me by my chin and moved my head from left to right.
"Why? What's with me?"
I touched my face trying to see if there was any dirt or what on it. Naeun suddenly pulled my hand away from my face. She tapped a white handkerchief on my face.
"You're just really sweaty. Your face seems tired."
She wiped off the sweat on my face gently. I couldn't help but be mesmerized by her drastic self. Looking at her I always thought she was sweet and thoughtful.I never thought she would fit "wife-materialism" just by her actions.
Naeun's POV:
Taemin had been carrying me for a while now. Looking back at where we had went to and where we were now seemed a long way. I felt the warmth and his sweat from behind. I felt sorry that I had him carrying me for some miles.
"You can put me down now."- I said.
"No, it's okay.I can still manage." - He said grunting.
"Taemin, put me down. I can walk you know."
My conscience was eating me up. Here I was a perfectly healthy girl on a man's back.
I wasn't injured but look, here I was clinging to Taemin.
"You sure you're okay?" - He asked.
"I'm okay. It's not that I broke my leg, I was just tired."
I looked at him closely. His face was dripping with sweat. Oh my. He looks haggard.
"Look at you!?"
"Why, what's with me?" - He said as he kept touching his face.
I checked my pockets for some tissue but there was none. I looked over to my bag and found my handkerchief.
I went over him and pulled his hand away from his face. He looked surprised as I wiped his sweat off his face.He stayed still for a moment.
I was nearly done wiping his face when he suddenly stopped me from finishing and he just held my hand.
"Why? Is there something wrong?" - I asked him.
"Nothing's wrong actually but thank you, Naeun- ah."
Where did all that come from? I mean why a sudden gratitude for me? He did all the hardwork today.
"No Taemin, Thank you."
"For what?" -Taemin smiled at me.
"For everything, thank you.
Just thank you."- I said.
"You know I'd do anything for you."- He replied.
Taemin gave me a sweet smile. He held my hand so suddenly and brought my hand closer to his lips. He pecked a small kiss on it.
My nerves went awake as he gently planted a kiss on my hand. I felt electricity running over me.
I can't help but look at him as he kissed my hand. How I hope that we would be able to hold onto our promises, that we would be able to make it, that we would always be like this.
My phone started ringing. What a nice way to ruin the moment.I wonder who this person was. She definitely doesn't know about perfect timings. I felt embarrassed by this.
Taemin smiled at me brightly as he let go of my hand. The moment he let go, I answered my phone.
"Naeun-ah, where are you now?" - It was Mom. We soon started walking the streets back to my house.
"We're on our way home, actually."
"Oh, is that so? Well then, hurry. Dinner's already prepared."
"Ok umma, I'll hang up now."
I hung up and put my phone back to my pocket.
"So who was that? Was that Mother -in- Law? - Taemin asked.
Did I hear him right? Did he just say mother-in-law?
"What did you say?"
"I said was that mother-in-law?"
"Mother-In-Law? "- I repeated it. He really is pranking me.
"Why, what's wrong with it?" - he asked.
"Umma called not your Mother-In- Law."
"Your mom is my Mother- In-Law."
"No she's not. What gives you the idea that you can call her that?" I asked.
Let's see if he can give a good reason.
"Well, first I got married to you and second she calls me " Lee Suh bang" which means Lee Husband.
In other words, son-in-law." - He said sternly as he made faces and some aegyo.
I scoffed to his reasons.
"Taemin, first of all we aren't married anymore and if we were before it was virtually so...
all the reasons that follow are very much INVALID."
"Then I guess I have to marry you for real,if that's the case."- He said as he gave me a serious look.
I stopped walking as he said those words. Marry him for real? Woah. Slow down. My mind just had its own mental breakdown.
"Naeun- ah, you okay?"- He asked as he tapped on my back.
"Yes, of course I am.C'mon let's go."
"You seemed shocked about what I said."- He laughed.
"Well, who wouldn't be?"- I replied back at him. I sensed he was chuckling by himself.
We walked and walked and walked. It was getting dark now, streetlights have lighten up the streets. Some neighbors passed by us and greeted me.
"Naeun!" A group of girls shouted.
Taemin and I looked back to see who shouted. My thoughts were racing. If the girls were my neighbors or friends then that would be good but what if they were Taemin's fangirls who were waiting to attack or what.
Ugh. I am so dead.
As the girls came running towards Taemin and I, their faces now became clear. They were my friends way back then: So Eun, Jing-ah and Kim.
"Naeun-ah! We're so glad to see you!" So Eun said as she dashed to hug me really hard. I looked at Taemin and he was laughing silently as he stood to watch us.
"It's been a while since you were here."- Jing- ah said.
"We haven't heard much from you, the next thing we knew you were married to..." - Kim's words drown as she realized that Taemin was there.
Jing-ah couldn't help but squeal really hard. So Eun covered Jing-ah's mouth before she would scream to the whole street that Taemin was there.
"Aniyong." - Taemin said giving them a small wave.
The girls fell silent when Taemin greeted them.They bowed really low to him.The moment they were done Jing- ah was mouthing something
"Naeun-ah, introduce us to him." - Jing-ah mouthed at me.
"Oppa, these are my fr-"
"Oppa?!" - they all squealed.
"Shhhhh!" I hushed at them.
"As I was saying, these are my friends : this is So Eun, Kim and of course Jing-ah."
I introduced him to my friends. The people who knew me from way back then. It's like he was really entering my world now. I felt that I was sharing my world to him.
Taemin's POV:
As we were walking to Naeun's house her friends suddenly appeared. I was pretty nervous meeting them for it was a first for me to greet my wife's friends.
Good thing, they knew me at least I won't have to do much introduction.
Naeun introduced me to them and did the other way around.I thought shaking hands would be good so I went near and reached my hand for them. Jing-ah suddenly grabbed my hand and shook it the whole time.
"I'm Jing-ah, Naeun's close friend. I really am a huge fan of SHINee."
I just shook hands with her the whole time but she won't let go.I guess Jing-ah was a huge fan.I just smiled at her, nodding to everything she says.
"Okay,okay Jing-ah! I think you've had enough." Naeun said parting my hands from Jing-ah.
I quietly laughed. Naeun seemed stern about me holding others hands.
"So..." Kim started. " are you two dating?"
Naeun hissed at them.
I looked at her, hoping to see what her expression would say. She looked at me and by that we just looked at each other.
I don't know what to say. Dates are usually planned but today wasn't like that.It was fate who brought us together.
"Okay. Silence means yes right?" - So Eun asked.
Naeun nudged her hard on her elbow. I laughed at their actions. They acted like little girls.
So this was how it looks like when you have friends?
"It was nice seeing you guys but we really have to go." Naeun said.
Jing-ah's expression became glum as Naeun said that.
"Naeun-ah, could we at least have a selfie with Taemin?"
Naeun looked at me.
"Taemin, is it okay if we have a selfie with them?"
"Sure,sure. That would be fine."
Soon enough we took photos. Jing-ah had some solo photos taken with me. I gave in because she was Naeun's friend.
Naeun's friends bid us goodbye. They all hugged her one by one.
So Eun suddenly approached me out of the blue. I wonder what she'll say.
"Taemin, can I have a word?"
I nodded at her.
"Well, I just wanted to tell you to take care of Naeun.Seeing how you two are, I guess you aren't just friends. I'd be blind if I couldn't see that.
As much as we want her to be happy, we don't want her to get hurt so please don't do anything that would hurt her feelings.I hope you get what I mean because we entrust her to you."
I didn't expect the things she would say but I felt grateful that they trusted me.
"Thank you for that. I promise I won't do anything to hurt her.
I'll take care of her don't worry."
Naeun approached us even before So Eun had replied.
"We should get going." - I told Naeun.
Naeun's face couldn't be drawn. I'm sure she wondered what we talked about.
"Of course, we should go."
We all walked in opposite ways. We waved goodbye at them and soon they were nowhere to be seen.
"You're friends sure are fun."-
"Yes they are. I missed them so much. It's been a while that I get to see them."
"At least you have friends, you know I don't have much."
"Many would give anything just to be your friend. Look at Jing-ah, she would have probably broke your hand if I didn't stop her."
We both laughed at that.
"And besides Taemin, you have me so why feel so bad?."- she said suddenly linking her arms with me.
I blushed as she did that. I couldn't stop myself from smiling already.I'm sure my cheekbones would hurt later.
Soon enough we reached her house now. Naeun took her arm from mine and reached for the doorbell.
It now rang and suddenly it was opened by her mom.
"Finally, you're here."
I guess by her stern look at Naeun she was a bit stressed waiting for us. Maybe her hunger strikes.
Naeun and I just followed inside and sat right next to our Mothers.
This was pretty awkward. Sitting here in a dining area with your "Virtual Wife's Family."
How nice if it were for real. Having dinner with my "in-laws."