When afternoon struck, Jiwon and Yoongi had ended up grabbing late lunch alfresco.
They found a restaurant blocks away from the hotel, seemingly amiable enough, and settled with it after minutes of 'How about here?' or 'What do you think?' and 'I'm fine with whatever,' accompanied by banters and sarcastic remarks at every stop.
"That's it! We're eating at the next restaurant we see," was what a famished Jiwon had said, and dragged herself towards the next establishment.
Now at the patio sat the two, chewing on their food in peace. Plants of different kinds adorned the restaurant, each thoughtfully arranged in an elegant manner and gave off a natural ambience. Their dishes didn't disappoint either, and there being only a few diners added comfort to the place.
At least their tramp hadn't been for nothing.
"Noona, did you know that apples are cousins with roses?"
Jiwon snapped her head to the left and blinked at the kid, probably around the age of four. He had squishy cheeks and a bowl cut hair reaching his eyebrows.
A curious smile broke onto her lips and Jiwon tilted her head. "Really?"
The kid nodded. "Apples belong to the rose family. And so do pears and plums."
"And where did you get that?" Jiwon leaned forward, eyes flashing with interest.
"Hyung always tells me stuff when he gets home from work."
Jiwon observed the child as he rambled on. Across the table, Yoongi scrutinized how she paid attention and how the kid seemed comfortably speaking with her despite some of his words and phrases being choppy.
"Ah!" He exclaimed, eyes beaming. "He also said they float in water because they're made up of air."
"Minhyuk, I told you to stay at the counter with Hyungwon." A female server appeared. Distress covered her face as she approached the kid. Immediately, she bent her upper body. "I'm really sorry for the trouble my son had caused you."
"No, it's okay." Jiwon waved her hand in the air dismissively. "He didn't cause us any trouble at all."
Cause if you call this trouble, then what more could my current predicament be then?
She paused, and then slowly asked with concern, "Is there any problem?"
Minhyuk's mother let out a soft sigh. "My husband's sick and I can't leave Minhyuk with him so I had to bring him here today. I really apologize you have to get involved with this." She looked down at her son and whispered, "Come on, lets go back."
"Actually," Jiwon said, "If you don't mind, he can stay with us until we finish."
The mother whipped her head at Jiwon, reluctance hanging on her facade with a hint of pondering. She glanced over her shoulder, surveying the tables still awaiting for her assistance.
"It's really alright. We could use some company anyway," assured Jiwon.
Worry fading away, appreciation brimmed on the mother's lips. "Thank you. I'll leave my son to your care."
Once the mother had gone back to her duties, Jiwon noticed Yoongi giving her a blank look. She shrugged him off with a smile.
"Noona, is he your friend?" The child pointed at Yoongi and an amused grin slipped on Jiwon's lips.
"Does he look friendly?" asked Jiwon.
The child climbed up on the empty seat beside Jiwon and used his small hand as a cover when he whispered to her ear, "He looks nice. But he also looks scary."
And children being themselves, Yoongi heard him. A sour look painted his face, eyes squinted, and a disapproving frown on his lips. Jiwon giggled.
Click.
"Hey kid, come here," Yoongi beckoned the child to his side of the table.
Minhyuk turned to Jiwon with hesitant eyes, mouth shaped into a small 'o' as if he had been caught — which technically speaking, was true — so she gave him an encouraging smile and raised her brows as she tapped him lightly on the back.
"Don't worry, he doesn't bite."
Giggling, Minhyuk climbed down the chair and sat beside Yoongi. Not a second later, Yoongi covered the kid's mouth with a cabbage leaf and shoved a piece of meat inside it.
"Y-Yah, Min Yoongi!" Jiwon almost sprung out of her seat. Her face betrayed her dumbfounded state.
"He talks too much." Yoongi made a face.
Meanwhile, Minhyuk silently chewed and bobbed his head up and down a little as if he were enjoying himself.
"Look, he's safe."
"I cannot believe you." Jiwon shook her head.
"Hey Mister," the child called for his attention and tugged on Yoongi's arm. "Can I eat this too?"
Click.
"This one?" Yoongi asked as Minhyuk knelt on his seat and pointed at the dish the on table.
Jiwon scratched on her eyebrows and reclined back on her seat. Her eyes oscillated between Yoongi and Minhyuk, wondering how their closeness had formed in such a short span of time.
For the rest of lunch, the two carried on with their meal, also whilst Yoongi fed Minhyuk from time to time.
After so, Jiwon and Yoongi brought Minhyuk back to her mother. This time, the child promised his new found friends that he will be a good boy and stay with Hyungwon at the counter.
"Hyung!" Minhyuk called, tugging at Yoongi's shirt, just before he and Jiwon could exit the restaurant.
The corners of Jiwon's lip curved up at this. Since when did mister turn into hyung? She glanced at Yoongi knowingly.
Yoongi raised his brows at the child.
"Will you visit again?" asked Minhyuk.
Yoongi gave it a thought. He crouched down close to Minhyuk and told him something only the two of them could hear.
"If I do, will you promise me that you'll visit again?"
As a response, Yoongi smiled at him and nodded. Minhyuk jumped on his feet, fists balled in excitement like the little child he was. He waved his hand enthusiastically at the two then ran off back to the counter.
"The kid absolutely likes you," Jiwon told Yoongi as the two of them descended the staircase.
Yoongi wrinkled his face, but the silly smile on his lips failed to conceal his delight.
Taking a step closer, Jiwon locked her arms with Yoongi. He flicked his head at her direction, and she nudged him faintly.
"You've noticed it too, right?"
Yoongi caught on what she was talking about.
"He's been following us since we left the hotel."
"Huh? I only noticed during lunch. And— hey!" Jiwon hissed. "What are you doing?"
"Giving myself privacy," he replied as he put on his sunglasses, face mask and a baseball cap which Jiwon hadn't even noticed he had with him earlier.
"I know I'm not famous, but wow, you could have informed me that you were prepared for this," she ranted.
"It's either my mom sent him or he's someone from an information agency trying to get a scoop."
"If that's your mother's doing, isn't she supposed to do that only when you've decided to fake date some random person so they can prove you're bluffing?"
"My mother enjoys these things. Just go with the flow." Yoongi brought his cap down, face now completely covered.
"Well if that's actually her, then how about we pretend to argue or something."
"It's too soon. At least show them we know much about each other before we decide that we won't get along in the future."
"But what if it's actually someone from an information agency?" Jiwon asked, and Yoongi slowed down his steps until their aimless walk halted by a rental shop.
"I have an idea."
As Yoongi entered the shop and approached the man, who he had assumed were in charge, Jiwon grew uncertain. Her eyes wandered around, searching.
"We could just ride around the area and split apart to confuse him. I'm sure he wouldn't be able to catch on," Yoongi said and handed Jiwon a helmet.
"Are you serious about this?" Jiwon's eyes were full of wary as he watched him replace his cap with his own helmet. "I mean... well... I think your plan is really effective, but I think I forgot to tell you something..."
Yoongi squinted at Jiwon, not exactly getting her point at first. And then it clicked.
"Don't tell me you don't know how to ride a bike?"
Jiwon didn't answer. Instead, she simply gave him an innocent lip-tight smile, followed by an apologetic chuckle slipping out of her mouth.