off limits ✧ zb1 applyfic

✧ fifty six

Summer break was great! No waking up at six in the morning, no homework to take care of, no subpar cafeteria food. To be frank, Irang had been looking forward to it since the last break, eager to simply live her life, indulge in her hobbies, spend time with her family. School was hardly a fun time, and as much as she liked to see her classmates, she certainly was happy to be far, far away from lectures and exams.

But... No school meant no Yujin, and that almost made her want to skip through summer break. So when she'd heard of a local snack bar having summer sales, she'd immediately invited Yujin to come with her, happy for any excuse to see him. They hadn’t been able to meet since the beach trip, and though that had only been about a week ago, that time apart had been a lot harder than she’d expected. It was weird, because through their longtime friendship, they'd been apart for longer than that. But now that he was officially her boyfriend, it was difficult not to want to be by his side every minute of every day.

Maybe she’d prepared a little too much for their date. Well, they hadn’t exactly called it a date, but that was what it obviously was. And so, she'd wanted to look pretty for him. Irang didn’t usually dress up too much, but today she'd worn her prettiest dress, pink and flowery and perfect for a walk under the heavy summer sun. Still, she'd thought as she'd looked at herself in the mirror before leaving her home, maybe Yujin would find her a little ridiculous for dressing up for a simple snack.

As soon as she arrived to their meeting spot and Yujin turned his head to look at her, Irang held her breath. They greeted each other shyly, and she noticed as he eyed her outfit, her neatly braided hair, her very light makeup. A hint of redness bled through his cheeks.

"Ah, you..." he murmured, looking at his feet. "You look... Cute."

It was the most hesitant compliment, the smallest whisper of affection, but it somehow stabbed right through her heart like an arrow through a target. Sure, she'd dressed up because she wanted him to find her pretty, but she hadn't expected him to say out loud, what with his rather shy disposition. It seemed that, as time went by, the two of them became more and more like a couple. That simple thought brought a soft smile to her face.

"Thank you," she replied warmly, unable to suppress the joy flooding her body.

Trying to pull her own weight in this awkward exchange, Irang attempted to negotiate with her nerves and tell him that he looked handsome too, but a crashing sound nearby jolted her out of her hesitation. Both Yujin and Irang sharply turned to the side, only for their gazes to be drawn to an old lady on the sidewalk. Her bag of groceries, seemingly gigantic against her frail silhouette, had spilled all over the pavement, apples and oranges threatening to roll down the road. Eyes wide, they watched as she struggled to bend over to pick her fruits up, a hand on her obviously painful back.

"Oh no, poor grandma," Irang exclaimed, a crease between her brows.

Before she could even make the suggestion, Yujin had already disappeared from her side, walking in great strides towards the elderly woman. For a second, she found herself puzzled, but quickly followed after him. Without a word, he crouched down to pick up all of the renegade fruits on the sidewalk, and placed them right back into her bag. The old lady smiled through deep wrinkles and fine lines.

"Thank you, young man," she said, her gaze soft.

He shook his head as nonchalantly as he could muster, and Irang noticed the slight tremble in his hands. "No problem."

Irang wasn’t certain what came over her, but a sudden warmth had flooded her chest, and she was pretty sure her heart was starting to melt. Yujin had always been rather reserved, not one to make himself stand out to get all of the attention. It wasn't rare for people to interpret him as distant at best, uncaring at worst. But Irang knew why she had fallen in love with Yujin, and this was a sight she wished she could share with those who didn't understand him. He was an attentionate boy, always trying his hardest to help those around him. Granted, he never liked to boast about his good deeds. But that was what made him so inherently kind-hearted. He didn’t do any of it for recognition. He was just that good.