Believe in fate | Lee Know

Chapter 4

"So, is this a date?"

The smile on Ahri's face morphed into a guilty one and Minho knew he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up.

"I'm not really ready to commit to anything yet. I'm... still going through a lot and.."

Ahri wasn't able to end the sentence, Minho noticing the guilt radiating off of her

"Hey, that's totally fine. We can just be friends?" Somehow that sentence held a tight grip on his heart but Ahri got her smile back so it was worth it.

"I would like that" She shyly answered but before Minho could say anything else they were interrupted by the waiter bringing their food.

Just after they finished eating, Ahri's phone rung. She accepted the VideoCall and was face to face with her siblings.

"Hey little ones, what's up with you? You just woke up, didn't you?"

"Yeah and we wanted to call you. Soori and Miga miss you" The oldest, Jonghun, said.

"You miss her too!" Soori scolded his brother and hit him on the arm.

"Well, I miss you too, little ones. Have the Choi's been bringing you too bed on time?"

Both Miga and Soori shook their head but Jonghun quickly turned the phone and reassured his sister that they had gone to bed early.

"Are you eating right now?" Soori asked, after Jonghun had turned the phone back.

"Yeah I just finished. I was eating with a new friend. His name is Minho" Ahri turned the camera to Minho who waved his hand, not really knowing what to do.

"Mr. Mio, are you and my sister on a date?" Soori asked, his voice and posture showing that he was proud of knowing what a date was.

Both Minho and Ahri blushed and the latter quickly took her phone back to spare Minho from having to give an answer.

"No, Soo, you can go eat with someone just as friends, like Minho and I."

"Good, I don't want a repeat of Jungwo" Jonghun said seriously and again Ahri was surprised of his maturity for his age.

"We go to Kindergarden now!" Miga yelled and sent a kiss to the camera.

Ahri sent one back and said goodbye before ending the call.

"Who is Jungwo, if I can ask?" Minho questioned, kinda curious after a seven year old spoke so negatively of him.

"He was my first boyfriend. Jonghun doesn't like him much because he knows how hurt I was by the break up I guess."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's not a problem. It's been years. He broke up with me because he couldn't handle me being sad all the time because of my parent's death and me having less time because of my siblings."

Minho never felt this angry at someone he didn't even know but right now he simply wanted to hit that Jungwo guy.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. This Jungwo seriously is an asshole. He didn't deserve you either way!"

Ahri laughed at that and Minho was happy for making her smile again. The need to be there for her as an important role in her life just got stronger the more he got to know her.
He was in a dilemma but being there for her as a friend was better than nothing.

"Is there anything else you have planned for your stay in the US? Except our concert of course" Minho asked, changing the subject.

"Not really, I might meet up with a friend of mine who lives around here"

"Can you speak English well?" Minho was curious if he needed to pull out his enormous English skills to pay the bill.

"Good enough to understand things but I always let Sora do the talking"

"Glad, I'm not the only one. I really want to be able to speak it also to communicate with Stays but I guess my brain just doesn't have enough capacity" Minho complained.

"I mean it is hard to learn a new language, that does not have anything to do with brain capacity or intelligence" Ahri scolded Minho for talking lowly about himself.

The latter only laughed but nodded either way.

When the waiter came with the bill, Minho quickly snatched it and, ignoring Ahri's protests, payed it.

"You didn't have to pay it for me too but thank you" The two were leaving the restaurant, deciding to take a stroll through the nearby park.

"I was the one who invited you here and I had a great time so, you're welcome" Minho really wanted to hold Ahri's hand but earlier she made it clear she wasn't looking for anything. And it would be too risky to be in public hand holding for him either way.

"I enjoyed it too and I am so excited for your concert tomorrow! That's like a dream come true."

"I'll be looking for you in the crowd" Minho smiled at her and bumped into her sideways. He knew how desperate for any kind of contact he was and a little shoulder bump seemed the most innocent to him.

Suddenly a biker came in their direction not looking ahead and going with immense speed.
Minho quickly pulled Ahri into his chest out of the biker's way.

He felt Ahri breathing heavily against his neck, still calming down from the shock.

"Jesus, thank you" Ahri looked up and stopped talking or breathing in general.
She just stared into Minho's eyes while the latter subconsciously pulled her even closer.

"Shit, this is going to be harder than I thought" She murmured and finally turned away.

"Sorry what was that?" Minho asked and caught up with the girl.

"Nothing, I was just still shocked" Ahri reassured but internally cursed at herself for being so pulled in by everything that was simply Minho.

Her plan of not falling for someone again and letting someone new in, already felt like failing.

Should she take a risk? And take the risk of being left again?

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~here we have a shorter chapter for today
~hope you still liked it

~until next chapter
~~June