Your Past is My Future ✓

➻Sixteen

"Are you okay?" I sat on my bed and gazed at Jin as he wearily took off his shoes.

He'd gone to the staff again to further talk about what really occurred at the store and how to resolve this new situation.

"Just tired," Jin replied shortly. "Kind of wish to get a spatula and hit this world off the map."

I had no idea what he said. He truly must be tired to be talking so strangely. I saw him struggling to take off his jacket and I quickly got off the bed and hopped over to him, helping him.

"Thanks," Jin sighed. "Ready for tomorrow?"

"No," I laid Jin's jacket neatly over a nearby chair and leaned against the desk where the chair sat. "But it seems like I'm going to need to get used to hiding and running about through airports."

The comment reminded me of the time Jin had secretly grabbed my hand back at the South Korean airport to prevent me from being crushed by the crowds.

"I never got to thank you for helping me that day," I said slowly. "When all the girls were crowding around you with cameras. You really helped me by pulling me along."

Jin gave a weary smile. "You looked pretty pathetic. I couldn't just stand by and watch."

"One usually replies with 'you're welcome,'" I mumbled.

"You're welcome."

I just laughed a little and shook my head.

"Abby, have you ever dated anyone?"

My brow furrowed. "Dated? Like, written a date on them or something? No."

"Ah, I forget you're still not familiar with all our words," Jin laughed and shook his head a little. "Dated meaning going out. In a romantic way."

"Oh, I see. No. I've never courted anyone before, but with an arranged marriage, I'll probably never get the chance," I sighed.

I wouldn't call myself head over heels for boys like some of my friends. But I did wish to find one suitable man, court him for a little while, and then marry him. The man I hoped would be kind, patient, and a good father for any children we might have.

"Why don't we go on a date, then?"

My eyes widened and I stared at Jin who was sitting on the bed. "Are we still talking about the romantic way?"

Jin lifted a shoulder. "I'm not going to force myself on you or anything. But why not, you know?"

I tripped over my words. "B-but... you're under restriction. You've been caught in scandals because of me. Wh-why would..."

I trailed off as Jin made his way over to me an then placed two hands on either side of me against the desk so I was trapped between him and the table edge.

He leaned super close to my face, almost making our noses brush, never breaking gaze from me.

"J-Jin oppa!" I yelped in shock. "What you are doing i-is very i-improper!"

"You have really pretty eyes, you know that?" He smiled a little.

"Please take a few steps back," my voice was breathless with him so close to me.

"How old are you, Abby?"

"It really isn't...." I shook my head.

"Sixteen? Eighteen?"

"Seventeen," I said softly under my breath.

"Ah," Jin's devilish smile tugged at his lips before he abruptly straightened up from me and walking away. "I'm going to take a shower," he said over his shoulder before grabbing some clothes and entering the bathroom.

I realized I'd been holding my breath and my heart was pounding heavily in my chest. What the hell just happened??

Yes, I did use the word hell. These young men's influence plus my wild emotions caused that word to form in my head.

I sank on the ground, gripping the edge of the desk with my hands. I could still feel Jin's soft breath tickling my face and the smell of soap and something very fresh coming off of him like apples or something.

What had just happened?

I lost track of time of how long I'd been sitting on the floor, but then I realized that the shower had been turned off, signaling Jin was done and was about to come out.

Panicking, I leapt into my bed and buried into the covers, squeezing my eyes shut and praying that Jin would think I was sleeping.

Through the darkness of my closed eyes, I heard Jin moving around, aware of every rustle and every soft footfall. Would he try to make a move on me if I was pretending to sleep? What would I do then?

But in the end, Jin did nothing other than switch off the room lights and soon I heard him getting into bed himself.

Soon, silence blanketed the room and I opened my eyes.

The room was pretty dark, but a small sliver of pale moonlight came in from the slightly parted window curtains entered the room, illuminating it just enough I could make out the figure in the bed next to mine.

Oh dear, what would I do tomorrow morning? How would I bear to look at Jin without blushing?

I closed my eyes again, and after a few more minutes, a fitful sleep took over.

In the morning I awoke with the memory of Jin pinning me the table and asking me informally for a little courtship echoing inside my brain. I jerked up when I heard footfalls coming to my bed.

It was only Taehyung, yawning and carrying a pillow in his arms.

"The members sent me to wake you up since we have to leave soon," he said between large yawns.

And then he plopped onto Jin's bed across from mine and fell fast asleep.