|12:23 pm
+ aera.
“oh, you're here.” sicheng, a friend of jaehyun, greets me in which i replied with a small smile, “nice timing. jaehyun's probably ending the meeting already.”
we chatted for a minute before taeyong joined us, offering me a drink and providing me company while they're on their break, even though they seemed silent, both of them knows how to keep the conversation going until the elevator door open, a tall-statured man steps out with a personal body guard tailing behind him, “that's jaehyun's father..” taeyong commented in a hushed voice as our eyes stays glued to the manㅡ he looks calm and kind but something about him is really making me nervous, maybe the way he walks with such pride and power, so intimidating.
both taeyong and sicheng greeted jaehyun's father politely when he's walking near our direction, bowing politely and i didnt want to come off as rude so i copied their action. the man stops on his track, sending a smile of acknowledgement to jaehyun's friends before his gaze drops to my figure, shit what do i do? “you're jaehyun's girlfriend.” he claims, not even bothering to ask and just straight up confirmed. i blink innocently, letting out a hesitant smile because i fucking dont even know what i really am to jaehyun. “i saw your pictures together.” he smiles, clarifying his statement when i didnt react to what he said, “oh.. really? haha.” i mentally kicked myself, what the fuck, aera?
Jaehyun's parents are divorced as what he had told me. he stayed with his father and maintained close contact with his mother at the same time. yet i have no idea how to act around his father since we barely talked about him unlike the closeness i developed with his mother over the couple of times she invited me to hung out with her since we met at the wedding.
“dad..” jaehyun's voiced popped out of nowhere and in seconds, he's already standing beside me, “jaehyun! see, i just met your girlfriend.” his father smiles over at me, “invite her over for a dinner some time, okay?” he cocks his head, shifting his gaze towards jaehyun as jaehyun smiles a little, “yeah, we'll make time for that.” jaehyun's father nodded in delight before excusing himself, saying he needs to be somewhere else.
after jaehyun's father exited, he turned to his friends who are still standing beside us, telling them to have lunch on their own as we too, would go out. “geez, the two of you are so inseparable.” taeyong commented, rolling his eyes as a way of teasing. “having lunch and dinner together. going on dates. not to mention sleeping over at each other's places. ugh ㅡway to really spell 'single' at my face.” sicheng mocked as he looks at us sarcastically. both jaehyun and i laugh at their actions as jaehyun pulled me beside him before craddling my face and squishing my cheeks, “i got lucky, didnt i?” pair of dents shows up beside his smile as his eyes turned to crescents. i roll my eyes at the cheesiness, swatting his hands away as both of his friends groan in annoyance, “ew get lost.”
deciding where to dine in for lunch is always jaehyun's decisions so i always get pushed to a classy, expensive restaurants because that's where his rich ass likes to eat. but not for today though, we played a heated game of rock-paper-and-scissors earlier in which whoever gets five wins first get to decide where to eatㅡ and i unbelievably won. so i asked him to drive to a nearby fastfood restaurant, because hell, that's where i freaking want to eat.
jaehyun's face turned indescribable, making me laugh out loudly, nearly falling on the floor, “are you sure about this?” he asks in a small tone, gaze wavering down to me. “yes! no backsies, you lose the game so we're doing what i want.” tugging on his arm, we marched inside the place. seeing jaehyun's reactions now only confirms that he didnt experience eating in this kind of place yet which made me excited and worried actually.
i told him to look for a vacant table the moment we stepped in but he refuse to do so, saying he'd help in bringing our ordersㅡ quite believable but i really think he's just curious as to how to get things done in this type of place so he's going to watch me, even if its just as simple as ordering on the counter and bringing our orders to the table. he let me order for the both of us, standing quietly beside me like a kid. he squinted his eyes at me when i payed for our order as he was just getting his wallet, “let me pay for it this time..” most of the times, we split for the payments over things including lunch but on some moments, jaehyun's sneaky ass would pay for mine too so i think its just right to do the same this time.
we sat across each other in a table for two, placing down our trays on the table. i laugh a little at his face, clearly curious and excited. “try it.” urging him, he looks at me with shining eyes and a wide smile on his lips. when he took his first bite, i feel like im a proud mother; supportive and nervous of his son's first bite. “see? not so bad, right? fastfood restaurants are not really healthy but its really good!” i started rambling as he just sit there, chewing on his food until his eyes rounded, a grin appearing again, “now i know why the guys always eats here.” he mumbles, taking a bite happily again. i smile at his actions, finding him really cute. “the guys? you mean taeyong? and the others?” asking him, he nodded with his mouth full of food, “dont they invite you?” he shakes his head this time, gulping down water before answering as he pouts, “they always invite me but like, they would also tease me, saying im too much of an aristocrat for a place like this.” reaching across, i pinched his puffed out cheeks, “aww, what a baby. they were probably just joking around.” jaehyun swats my hand away, picking up his fried chicken and taking an aggressive bite, making me laugh loudly.
to say he liked the food is an understatement, he fell for it. i literally had to tug on his arms as we walked out from the place as he whines behind me because he wants another serving of chicken nuggets and burger after his second order, “but aera...” jaehyun pouted, his doe eyes piercing through my soul as he plays with my hand. “you're going to be late, idiot. we can come back later, hm?” i blurted out and jaehyun jumps in delight, giggling to himself as he put on his seatbelt, “you cant take that back since you already said that. we'll come back later, okay?” jaehyun asks with such excitement and i have no choice but to agree, earning a small yelp of happiness from him.
exactly a minute after my duty, jaehyun sent a message. actually, he didnt stop texting me since earlier about his food and i actually muted my phone because of it, just checking it again now that my work's done and im headed down the building. my phone buzzed a couple of times due to his messages,
From: Jaehyun (04:02 pm)
the sudden meeting is such a hassle :(( i cant pick you up so how abt you come pick me up instead?
From: Jaehyun
pretty please :))
From: Jaehyun
i miss youuu
From: Jaehyun
not the point.
From: Jaehyun
i miss fries actually. and burger. oohhh can we get sundae too? also chicken nuggets❤
From: Jaehyun
jk. ily but like??? can we get those?? pls??
i shake my head at his texts, the stupid grin on my lips never wavering as i head to his workplace, even skipping on my tracks and humming. wow this is so Not Cool. like the other times, i waited for jaehyun at the lobby. taking a sit on one of the comfortable couches as i informed him that im already at the place through message. one of the girls working on the reception area even approached me and offered me a drink which i politely refused since i felt shy and wasnt feeling thirsty. after almost half an hour, i got bored playing on my phone and scrolling through instagram so i decided to go to the restoom for a touch up.
i was combing my hair using my fingers when my phone buzzed on the counter next to my pouch, a text from jaehyun telling me that he's already heading down. quickly putting my things inside the pouch, i take a look on my reflection on the mirror once again just when the door swung open, someone really familiar stepping inside the restroom.
“oh hey..” mira smiled at me, acknowledging my presence as she stood beside me in the sink. smiling back at her, i muttered a small hello. “so, what brings you here?” she asks as she pulled out her lipstick, reapplying it on her lips while waiting for my answer, “um, jaehyun?” i dont even know why i sounded so unsure about my answer. she stops her actions, blinking a couple of times before nodding slowly, “ah, i see..”
silence engulfed the room as she stood there just staring at me through the mirror and i did the same. i mean, it would be rude to just leave her here while she's in the middle of looking at me like she's assessing my soul.
“so he hasnt told you yet.”
my brows quirked up at her statement. he? jaehyun? he hasnt told me about what? “about what?”
she suddenly smiles, shaking her head, “nothing. it's just.. its not my secret to tell.” i cant decide whether my eyes are playing with me or she actually just smirked at me, “see you around.” she waves at me before turning around on her stilletos and exiting the restroom. what was that?
jaehyun hasnt told me about what?
secret? what secret?
do i suppose to know it?
she could be joking but something in me was triggered and curious about what she said and its making me restless.
what if she wasnt joking?
what if jaehyun's really hiding something? not telling something?
a grip on my arm snapped me out of my trance. i look up slowly and realized that im already outside the restroom, walking across the lobby and jaehyun's holding me by the arm, “i cant believe you didnt noticed me. you should be careful next time, hm?” he mutters, his hand sliding down from my arm to slip between my fingers, “what got you spacing out while walking? didnt you know that could be dangerous?” jaehyun continues to ramble but his voice got drained as im hearing it and i found myself just staring at his worried faceㅡ “you werent listening, were you? tsk. what's up with you? you keep on spacing out.” he holds his other hand up, tucking my hair behind my ear as i shake my head as a reply, “nothing.”
“nothing? psh. do you have something to say to me? did anything happened at work? is something wrong?” he sighs as he looks at me intently, “you know you can tell me anything right?” jaehyun asks, gently squeezing my hand. i nodded at him as a reply, smiling a little as a sudden thought came up to me, i should be the one telling you that though. i should be the one asking if there's something you're not telling me. “aera! see? you're spacing out again.”
“didnt you say you want to eat burger?” pushing the loud thoughts aside, i smiled at him as i tug on his hand, walking outside the building. jaehyun's eyes lit up at the mention of his newly-found heaven, nodding excitedly. i mirrored his wide grin, “lets get you a burger then. and fries. sundae. and chicken nuggets.”