Bitterly, Sweetly

Phase One

Sehun jumped into the shower. Dressed. Dabbed cologne on. Some on his wrist. On his neck. If they were going to kiss, he wanted to smell good.

Slicking on some pomade, he brushed his hair. Tugged on his button-down. A brisk white shirt manufactured from Italy, his good luck charm. He'd worn it the night he met Namjoo. He wanted to see if she remembered. Maybe if he could spend the night again.

Coyly grinning he snatched the keys off the table and left the hotel.

Parking at a nearby boulevard, a popular hangout for tourists, couples, and young adults Sehun crossed the round granite fountain freshly potted with flowers. Chatter resounded around him. A flush of bodies walked past, shopping bags dangling from their arms. Fashionable men taking off their sunglasses as they entered the giant glass doors, a woman clinging their arms.

Far past the doors he finally found Namjoo. Wearing nothing but a flowy pink dress, a black leather purse hanging off her shoulder. Simply dressed for an outing comfortably like the night he saw her.

Sehun's heart thundered. Checking her out again. Feeling himself fall in love even more.

ĒĒĒĒĒ

Namjoo's head swiveled to see Sehun stepping onto the curb, make his way toward her. She was used to Chanyeol's stature, but hadn't put much recognition into Sehun's towering size. His build was lean and fit. Tall that her neck craned back just to take in the whole of him. Cursing herself for not wearing pumps today. Instead, she'd gone with flats, because she didn't think dressing up was fitting.

This was a date, but not really that kind of date. This was a getting to know him sort of phase. Map him out. Decide who he was. Being attracted was ok, but jumping aboard a vessel without knowing if its engines were rotting was amateur.

At this stage in life, Namjoo couldn't act without some sense of wisdom.

"Hi." She greeted.

It had taken a hoard of thinking through a jumble of guilty blocks. Bright side, she had no legal commitment to Chanyeol. Even if they broke up, she could lay on that.

Correction: even if she broke up with said current boyfriend for Sehun.

That didn't make her such a good person, but bright side; she wasn't married.

"Hi." The sound of his voice made her nerves tingle if not including the way he was looking at her. "You're pretty."

Her cheeks flushed a teeny bit. She felt like a young teenage girl on a day out with a crush.

"Should we go in?" she asked.

His hand brushed her back as he angled left to first let her in. Life was bursting as they joined the rush inside. A lobby filled with restaurants opened up for them. Dozens of tables occupied with the hungry, fast food, and trays littered the tables.

"I thought we could watch a movie." Namjoo said.

"Ok."

He remained close at her arm as they eased through the crowd. Along the way their fingers lightly brushed. The feather-like touch teasing and urging but she didn't hold his hand. It tickled her nerves sensually, and she may have held his hand under the mood of temptation if they hadn't arrived at the escalator so fast.

Again, Sehun let her go first. Screens advertising movies surrounded them when they arrived on the carpeted arena. Interest dazzled his eyes as they stepped up to the menu selection board.

"My favorite actress voiced this character." He pointed to an animated board.

"Suddenly, you don't seem like a movie friendly person." She remarked.