ENCHANTED, kim namjoon

v. palm reading

V. PALM READING

"You look like a lovely couple."

"We are. We are a lovely couple. She's my girlfriend."

The kind man behind the counter looked at him weirdly but masked it with a polite smile that turned his eyes into crescents. Namjoon returned it with a grin, awkwardly wrapping his arm around Baram's shoulders. She pursed her lips into a stiff smile and placed her head on his shoulder.

Money makes the world go 'round, and that was something Baram and Namjoon didn't have much of even when combined. They weren't totally broke, but the prices in the nice restaurant, with a whole band outside, they were supposed to eat in made them feel like they could be spending on things that were more worth it. To put it simply, that restaurant was outrageously expensive.

But by some miracle, their eyes caught sight of an ice cream store not far from the restaurant that had a large 'buy one get one for couples!' sign up front. It was their angels saving them from going broke, that much was a no-brainer.

So they decided to put their acting skills to the test by acting as a lovey-dovey couple, to which they ultimately almost failed to accomplish if not for an employee seeing them slow dancing on the street.

Baram was physically incapable of acting like a sickly sweet girlfriend, her affection meter became low when she hugged her companion like an excited child just a few moments before. Namjoon didn't have the capacity to lie without unnecessarily barfing words that made it seem obvious that he was lying.

The kind employees seemed to have bought their bullshit and cooed over them being such a sweet couple.

"So, what brings you two to Vienna?" the kind man with the pretty smile asked as one of the other employees scooped their ice cream.

"We're planning to elope," Namjoon blurted out without thinking.

Baram had to grip the fabric of her jumpsuit to keep herself from smacking a hand on her forehead. How Namjoon managed to come up with such things will probably be a wonder forever. She just wanted some ice cream and now he was coming up with all these ideas that would make drama writers line up at his doorstep.

The man gaped at them, his voice going higher than it already was, "You're planning to elope?"

Realizing how ridiculous he was sounding but also realizing that he was already too far gone to take it back, he nodded. "Yes. Our parents are against our relationship and are forcing us to go our separate ways by relocating us to different countries to ensure that we won't try anything to go back together."

He looked at them in pity, "Oh, you poor thing!" He turned back to the one scooping up the ice cream, "Give them two bags of our famous chocolate chip cookies with the ice cream. For free. These kids need it after all they've been through."

Namjoon squeezed Baram's shoulder lightly, giving her a small smile. He felt guilty for lying to the kind cashier, but it was free food. The thought of benefitting from the lies he was spewing made the guilt lighten.

"You must come from rich families, huh? Rich people are always making their kids go through such ridiculous things." He outstretched his hand in Baram's direction. The girl smiled and held the man's hand. "Don't worry. Just remember that there will always be someone in Vienna who will support your love for each other."

If his words weren't based on a bunch of bullshit, Baram would have bawled right then and there. It was people like him who made her have a little bit more faith in reality. She squeezed the man's hand before letting go.