The Secret Admirer

Part 18

"Don't worry. I'll drive slow," Namjoon assured you, flashing a happy smile.
You smiled back, softly, gazing back into his eyes, unknowingly initiating a staring competition.

"Weren't you the one who wanted to reach home in time?" Hoseok said.
"Y/n? Y/n-ssssiiiiii! I'm talking to you!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, making you flinch and break eye contact with Namjoon.
"Ah, yes!! W-we need to go home. Sorry," you apologized and hurriedly sat behind Namjoon- on the bicycle's carrier, glad that the two were not able to see your tinted pink cheeks.

Namjoon pushed on the paddle with utmost care; not wanting to give you even the slightest jerk and so, set the bike moving forward. Hoseok, too, started riding the bicycle once he saw Namjoon commence his riding.
Meanwhile, with whatever courage you could muster, you gently wrapped your arms around Namjoon's warm waist and you could feel his tummy tense up and his breathing become heavy and raspy, making your cheeks go into a deep shade of crimson; which of course he couldn't see.

The cold wind barely brushed against your delicate skin because Namjoon and his clumsiness rode the bicycle painfully slowly. So slow that even Hoseok, whose back was aching, could overtake you and after every 10 minutes, had to stop at a distance and wait for the two of you to catch up. He once even attempted to provoke Namjoon, expecting that at least that would get him going fast. But nope. Namjoon was just...lost. Lost in his own world, where only you seemed to exist, because despite Hoseok's rantings, he would make sure from time to time that you were comfortable and not scared of his driving skills.

You, on the contrary, were completely enjoying the loads of attention you were getting, as well as the euphoric feeling of being with Namjoon which was making your heart skip some beats. It was such a beautiful and cozy memory, despite it being winter. But only until all of a sudden it started snowing heavily.

"Oh shit!" Namjoon cursed and you wasted no time in getting off of the bicycle carrier.
"There! There's a convenience store!" you pointed at the faint glow emanating from the store at a distance. Without any further delay, he picked up the bicycle with one hand and locked the other one in yours.
"Let's go!" he squinted at you amidst the heavily falling snow and dashed into a sprint, pulling you alongside him.
I might die if he keeps acting so sweet!
You blushed during the entire run whereas Namjoon was busy leading the way.

On reaching, Namjoon and you quickly parked the bicycle outside the convenience store and headed in, grateful that you had spotted it just in time.
You both quickly brushed off the snow over your clothes and just stood next to each other for a minute or two, in complete silence.
"Ah, we're stuck pretty bad," he looked at the sky and then at you, apologetically, for he knew had he ridden faster you would've reached home by now.
"No Namjoon, it's-" you were interrupted when you heard Namjoon's phone ring.
"Just a sec," Namjoon said and received the call.
"Yes? Oh. But you could've waited. Okay, it's alright it's our fault. No, no I understand what you mean. You're always..hello? Hello?" Namjoon looked at his phone whose battery had gone dead while you looked at him, patiently waiting for an explanation.
"No battery. Do you have yours?"
"No, I forgot mine at home. But who was on the call?"
"Ah, it was Hoseok. He had already reached our neighborhood when it started snowing, so he went home," Namjoon felt betrayed for some reason, while you were floating up to the ninth cloud. Ah, alone at last.
"Oh, that's sad," you lied, smiling to yourself.
Only if you knew: It's not sad at all.

Since your legs were tired from all that standing, you took a look inside the store to look for a good seat, through which you could look through the glass pane- outside the store. And you found the perfect one, for the two of you.
You took that seat and sat gazing at the snow which was pouring down the sky while Namjoon did the same; although standing near the glass door.