22 • Kim Jongin

Chapter 5

I moaned when the smell of dog food reached my nose and woke me up. Standing on my belly and heckeling down on me was Monggu. I sighed. "Monggu, go down. I want to sleep five more minutes." I groaned and tried to push the dog down from me. But now Monggu started licking my face and I giggled at the feel of the animals tongue on my cheeks.

Suddenly I heard a whistle and the poodle let go off me and jumped towards the sound. Now I was awake. With one last yawn I stood up and did the bed before walking downstairs where Jongin was standing - all dressed - infront of the door putting the leashes on his three dogs.

"If you want to join us, you gotta be quick." He laughed his remarkable laugh and pointed towards my pyjamas. "We can have breakfast on the go." He added and I nodded. I would never say no to a breakfast invite.

I got dressed in the speed of light and grabbed my purse before following Jongin through the front door and taking Jianggu's leash. The sun was shining and we decided to take the dogs to the Han river.

"How do you like Seoul?" Jongin asked while the dogs were running freely through the shore of the river. "It's huge. But pretty. The palaces are impressive." I said with a grin and looked towards the river where Monggu and Jianggu were playing with a stick. "I think Seoul is one of the prettiest places in the whole wide world." Jongin said and I nodded.

"Do you know?" He continued and stopped walking. I turned around and looked at him. "We actually don't know anything about one another except our childhood promise." He said and scratched his neck. "We haven't talked for ages but we married." He laughed but it sounded off. I gulped. He was right. "All I know about you, is what the magazines are writing."

Jongin laughed about my comment. "Who knows if that's even true." He joked but turned serious when he looked at me with a face he never showed me before. It was like a shy half grin that still reached up to his eyes. He turned away quickly and I looked down - embarassed.

"How was life after I went and got a Trainee?" He asked and looked at the ground. I looked at the dogs. "I finished school and worked in a pet shob." I answered truthfully. "Weren't you able to study?" He asked surprised about my answer. "Studying?" I asked and he nodded. "I never thought about going to University, even if my grades would allow it. It wasn't important to me." I answered and Jongin looked at me confused. "Why?"

We sat down on a bench and watched the dogs, both to shy to look at each other. What a random married couple we were...

"It wasn't necessary to study. My Eomma didn't study either." I answered and bit the insides of my cheeks. I looked obver to Jongin who moved his hands through his hair, while the early morning wind blowed them back in his handsome face.

"Studying is a great opportunity that you shouldn't miss!" He said and petted Monggu who ran towards us. I turned away. "You didn't study either!" I scoffed, feeling angry. "I made my major at the School of Performing Arts." He said. "While I was a Trainee, just so you know." He said. I scoffed. I didn't like his smartass tone.

I knew that Jongin worked hard for his success but why should I change my thoughts about studying only because he thought it would be fun and interesting?

"I'm hungry." I said to change the topic. I wasn't in the mood to discuss with Jongin, because I knew none of us would change our mind. He was like that when he was a child too. "Okay, let's go. There's a nice coffee shop around the corner." He explained and called the dogs. We put them on their leashes and walked over to a small wodden house that was painted in a bright red and a clean white and it smelled after freshly brued coffee.

The waitress greeted us happily and took us to our table. The three dogs laid down under the table while I read the menu. Suddenly I realised that Jongin already ordered for the both of us. I closed the menu and looked at him.

"That wasn't necessary." I said and Jongin laughed. "I know but the pancakes here are the best. And pancakes are allowed on the breakfast plan as well. Not only traditional fish, rice and toast." He said and I blushed. "Don't you have to look after your food?" I asked and Jongin knitted his eyebrows together.

"My contract isn't saying what I am allowed to eat or not. They don't own me, Hyuna." He said and looked out of the window. A sign that this talk was over.

The waitress came back after a while bringing a bowl of water for the three dozing dogs under the table before coming back with Jongins coffee and my hot chocolate. The waitress made a heart out of cocoa powder on top of his cappuchino while she powdered cocoa poweder over mine like she couldn't care less. I crossed my hands infront of my chest and looked at Jongin - offended.

Jongin grinned. "Seems like you have a rival, Hyuna." He giggled and hold his hands infront of his mouth. "No, she's not my rival because you're not available." I said pouting and he grinned. "Maybe she's just a fan. Forget about her." He said looking into my eyes before taking a sip of his coffee.

After we ate our pancakes we walked back home. "It's weird that no Paparazzis had caught us yet." I said and Jongin shook his shoulders. "Sometimes it's calmer, sometimes it gets wild. You're going to get used to it. Don't worry." He said fishing the keys out of his pocket and unlocking the door. The dogs ran inside the house and laid down on the living room floor.

I entered our house and took of my coat, waiting for Jongin to give me his. He looked tired, while he was slipping out of his coat. I hope he wouldn't get ill. I brought the coats into the cloak room when the phone rang and Jongin answered it. "Yes, she's here. A second." He walked over to me and handed me the phone. "Eomma." He whispered and walked into the living room while I walked into the kitchen.

"Ne?" I asked and my mother was surely happy to hear my voice. "It's good to hear you, Hyuna!" She laughed. "How are you two?" She was curious. I leaned on the counter. "Very good. Jongin is very busy with work but it's lovely." I answered and started emptying the dishwasher. "That's good to hear. Jonging has a lot of work. Poor boy. Take good care of him, like a real wife. Like I taught you." She said and I nodded even if she couldn't see that.

"How are you and Appa?" I asked to change the topic. It was still weird to talk about me and Jongin as if we were one. "We're fine. We got ourselves a cat because it was very quiet after you moved out." My Eomma laughed and I shook my head. "A cat. That's something for you." I giggled and imagined my mother playing with a little kitten.

"It is surely funny to take care of a cat." I said and my mother laughed. "It is. I just wanted to hear your voice again, Hyuna. I don't want to disturb you and Jongin. We love you and talk to you another time, Hyuna." She said.

"I love you too, Eomma. Greet Appa from me!" I said before hanging up and putting the phone in the station. I folded my hands infront of my chest. It was kind of nice knowing that my parents missed me.