The day I rescued you and everything changed (TxT's Soobin Fanfiction)

Chapter 5: And there you were again

The doorbell rang. I opened and found myself in front of Ari. I didn't know how she did that, but I felt like a little boy every time she looked at me like that. "Did you get the flowers?", I asked with a shy smile. I knew she did, Kasumi had called me personally. She nodded. "Don't think flowers could make up for that so easily", she said and pushed me aside to enter. I furrowed my brows, but then followed her into the living room. She had already sat down on the couch. "However, I do have an idea how you could redeem yourself", she said with a smile. It wasn't warm like Kasumi's, but not mean either. Something was off ever since I ran into the latter one. I shook my head and sat down next to her.

"Remember that restaurant I had told you about? The one I wanted to go to for so long already? You could ask me out", she announced. My eyes widened for a second. "Ari... It's really expensive...", I muttered quietly. "So what? Am I not worth it?", she shrugged and leaned closer, gently pecking my cheek. "And every once in a while... You are allowed to treat yourself to something good", she whispered into my ear. Her voice sent shivers down my spine and before her enchanting perfume could make my mind crazy, I leaned back a bit. "Isn't there another idea you have?", I asked shyly, "It's... I don't know. I don't earn that much money yet and I still have to pay rent and buy groceries and all. I mean-" I stopped as she jolted up, glaring at me. "Do it or leave it, Choi Soobin! I just really thought you would like me!", she exclaimed furiously and grabbed her bag. "I do", I reassured her and rushed after Ari who already made her way out, grabbing her arm.

She spun around, still angry expression, but suddenly softening upon seeing me. She took my hand in hers and leaned over to kiss me, slowly and in a way that made all my circuits have a shortcut. Her tongue ran over my lips and just as I was about to do the same, she pulled back, looking at me seductively. "I know. But you know me – I am so insecure, I need proof", she said almost apologetically, shrugged and turned around, closing the door behind her. I stared at it. And then I quickly grabbed my wallet, keys and jacket and headed out.

•••••••

I sat in the bar right around the corner and stared into my glass, not sure what to do as someone sat down next to me suddenly. I didn't pay attention to that someone until I heard the voice. "You're hard to shake off, Soobin", she said. My head jolted up and I met Kasumi's gentle eyes. "Same goes for you", I grinned. All the exhaustion from the day seemed to be gone as soon as she laughed. She definitely had an aura that made others relaxed. "I guess", she winked at me and then told the waiting barkeeper her order before turning back to me. "What brings you here? Did they flowers not work?", she asked with soft voice. Almost everyone else would have made me feel weird for confessing to it. Not her. Her eyes told me she already knew. It was strange to realize that we mostly communicated over our eyes. She could read everything in me through looking in my eyes, I was almost certain of it. Yet, she only allowed me to read as much in hers as she wanted me to.

"I'm so sorry", she sighed. "Whatever. I know what to do to make it even", I answered with a weak smile. She tilted her head. "And will you do it?", she wanted to know. Not something like "That's good" or even a "Then it will be settled soon, I reckon" or anything like that. Just this one simple question. "I don't know", I confessed. She nodded knowingly. I was waiting for her to ask why, but she didn't. Instead, she stopped the barkeeper who put her drink in front of her now. "Excuse me, but could you bring both of us a glass of whisky?", she asked and the barkeeper nodded before I could say anything. She grinned at me mischievous. "I don't even like whisky", I said. "There are better drinks out there", she agreed, "But one glass of whisky with good company is quite enjoyable. You'd be surprised. And between the two of us – I think we both need one now." For some reason I found myself agreeing.

I grimaced after my first sip and she laughed. Her laugh was clear and bright, infectious and melodic. "Take it slow and wait for the cubes to melt if it's too strong for now", she gave me advice. I nodded obediently while watching her pay for the whisky. "Thanks for inviting me", I said shyly. She shrugged it off and took a sip from her glass. "So", she went on, "Let's not talk about all the decisions waiting for us – What was your day like?" I blinked confused, earning another smile and a nod. "You heard me. Let's put our decisions aside for now and just talk about anything else. That's the best way to solve it sometimes", she added. "Well...", I began thoughtfully, "I basically didn't really do that much today."

And then I began to tell her what had happened, luckily attentive enough to not mention that I had worked from home today. When I ended, she took over, telling me stories of her work today. How her colleagues had teased her about a sleepless night, how the customers had looked at her cluelessly whenever she started to get dragged into rambling over flowers and how she had to explain someone that it was perfectly normal that flowers withered. In all this, she seemed so cheerful that I had to smile, even laugh every now and then. It was so different from yesterday. I haven't felt so free and happy for quite some time and all my worries somehow dissolved into nothingness as I listened to her.

We didn't realize how fast the time went by until she checked her phone. In disbelief she stared at it and then back at me. "It's midnight already and I don't even feel tired yet", she chuckled, emptying the last bit of her whisky that was watery by now. "I guess I have to go", she announced and got up a bit too fast. Feeling dizzy, she grabbed my shoulder, holding on to me for a second while shaking her head to get rid of the feeling. I supported her smiling until she let go off me again. "Get back home safe", she told me with her warm voice and gave me one of those lovely smiles, "It was nice to see you again." I got up as well and offered her my arm. "Allow me to accompany you", I said in my best gentleman-tone. She chuckled and shook her head, hitting my arm away gently. "You should offer this your girlfriend", she scolded me softly, "And don't worry, I'll just get a taxi." With this, she set off. I was stunned by her gracefulness once again before getting my mind back together and rushing after her. "I'll at least wait with you until you got a taxi", I said stubbornly. "I'll accept that", she grinned at me.

She laughed as I looked into the taxi suspiciously. "Okay. This one looks better", I announced. I felt drunk even though the whisky was the only thing I had this evening and I knew that I couldn't be feeling it still. I had insisted that she didn't took the first cab standing on the sideway but instead discreetly checked every driver until I found one I was content with. "I'll take this then", she smiled at me and opened the door. "Good night, Soobin", she said softly and for the blink of an eye, so short that I almost missed it, I saw something new in her eyes, slipping past her defence. I didn't know what it was, but it made my heart skip a beat. "And I'm sure that you decide right about your girlfriend. True love might want the other one's benefits but you can't go all in if you don't receive anything back after all. So don't forget to listen to what you want too sometimes", she told me and before I could utter another word, she closed the taxi's door. I tilted my head. What was it with her understanding me on another level? Shaking my head, I turned to go back home.