JANS was supposed to be celebrating. She should be screaming, “Gotcha!” at Sungmin right now. Isn't kissing a sign that he was falling for her. She never did it before, she never deliberately went after a guy before and tried to get him to love her, or to even like her.
I can't kiss you because I don't feel like it. You should kiss someone who loves you or whom you love. Not just because you feel like getting your first kiss. The bitter memory of that voice made her open her eyes and push Sungmin away. She pressed her clenched fists on her lips, wanting to rub her first kiss away.
“That wasn't for you!” She was about to turn around when he caught her with two arms and pressed her back to him. “Let me goooooo!”
It was her fault. It was her fault for getting herself into this situation. I have to quit work. She didn't want to. But she couldn't go on with this. Her first kiss was gone. She was the classic Josie Geller. She had wanted her first kiss with someone once and he turned her down. He had broken her heart and now she had given it away without meaning to.
He wasn't supposed to like me yet! She thought she was in control. She thought she would get the best of him. She would make a fool of him. She didn't expect him to do something the other Juniors would be more likely to do. Sungmin was the innocent pink prince.
But that prince had taken her gift. She wondered why his arms didn't feel like they were keeping her from moving. It was just keeping her, moving her closer to him. It was an embrace so intimate yet not stifling. She never thought a hug can also come with a feeling of comfort. She always thought hugs had to be tight and breath-taking. Sungmin was holding him like he was giving her a chance to breathe but not to leave. She wanted to escape it but the feeling of being close to him calmed her.
“Your kisses belong to me now,” Sungmin said in a husky uncharacteristic voice. “I won't let you give them to someone else...from now on.” she faced him with misty eyes. Sungmin took her glasses off. “You are a witch. Do you know that?”He wiped her cheek with the back of that hand. “Two days ago my world was moving in the right, smooth and calm direction. I was okay...but now I can't stop the pain here,” he put one of her hands in the middle of his chest. “When I hold you close to me, the pain all goes away. When I kiss you, everything fades away...” he looked at her lips then lowered his face again.
Jans hiccuped. Sungmin was surprised then looked at the ground. Jans saw his shoulders shake. Is he crying? He looked up and was snickering. Jans' eyes narrowed and he flicked him on the forehead. He made a cute awww face then rubbed his forehead. He slowly let her go and she felt her body tighten from the feeling of being released.
“Looks like I lose.” He put the muffler around her neck. “Souvenir.”
Donghae and Eunhyuk chose that time to come out with the Janes. Sungmin was still holding the ends of the muffler and smiling at Jans. Jen cleared her throat that made Jans turn around suddenly.
“It's not what you think.” was all she was able to say.
Jen looked at Sungmin who endured her stare. “The other guys decided to come with you.”
Sugmin felt like she was shoo-ing him away. He sighed and then bowed. “Thanks for today. I had a great time...big sister.” Jen looked at Jans who blushed. Jen wiped the smile off her face when Sungmin faced her again.
“We called a cab for you guys. It should be here shortly.” Ninz noticed that Jans was uncharacteristically quiet. She also noticed the muffler and smiled. That would be an interesting story, I am sure.
“Uhm...can...can I ask Jans to come along?” Jans was able to say no to Sungmin's request when he continued. “We need someone who can tell the driver where we need to go.”
“I can write down the name of the hotel. It wouldn't be a problem. Our cab drivers are pretty good at English.” Jen said then wrote something down on a piece of paper. She gave it Sungmin who took it half-heartedly.
“But...” he was trying to think of another reason to take Jans out on their own. At least in the hotel, they could find time to talk and do...other things.
“I go where my sister goes. We are opening up later. She just has this month off from work. I want to use as much of her time for the bar as possible.”
“You are taking a month from work?” Sungmin asked Jans.
“It's a long story. Basically, my boss gave me time so I can spend it with my fiancee.” she winked at him. Sungmin realized that she worked for his father's English online company.
“So you knew about my parents and me even before this. That is how my father knew you?” he knew something was odd. He thought she was a musician and that is how his father decided to choose her. But now things are getting more interesting, just when he's already over the edge.
“We'll be back later for the real party. We promise not to make a frenzy.” Eunhyuk smiled at the ladies.
“Don't worry. We won't open up to the public tonight. We'd invite some of our friends and just have a welcome party for you guys.” Jen smiled at him and Eunhae whooped again in delight.
“You are an angel, noona. We love you now.” the two guys were basically hugging Jans' sister. “We are gonna parteeeey all night looooong!” then Donghae started dancing in place.
“Boys.” Jen laughed and gave them another card. “Call me when you guys are arriving so I can tell the ladies to hold on to their underpants.”
Donghae and Eunhyuk high-fived. The cab arrived and the other said goodbye to each other. Jans stood in front of Sungmin and he pulled her to him using the muffler, slowly this time, into an embrace. The guys heckled him to get a move on since the cab's meter was already running. The ladies were melting while watching the silent exchange between the lovebirds.
When Sungmin finally let Jans go her head was too light for her to even say anything. He kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes. She must be imagining it but he whispered something no one else could hear. Naega jyeoss-eo, ne sarang.
He waved at her after getting into the passenger seat. Ninz told the cab driver where the guys needed to go in Filipino.
When the cab was out of sight the other Janes grabbed Jans and started to jump up and down while shrieking.
She was petrified, with a smile on her face and the pink muffler that smelled like a prince.
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