No Strings Attached

three

Jennie sat in the car she had asked her mother to send her as the chauffeur drove them uptown to Gangnam. There was no way she would have her manager drive her to a date feeling it was way too early to involve the company.

She had been contemplating throughout the ride and as the car pulled up infront of the restaurant she realized what a big mistake she was making.

By agreeing to go out with Taeyong, she was unintentionally using him as rebound to get over Jongin much like he had used her as one. That didn't make her any different from him. She was being very selfish and he didn't deserve that.

But by the time she had this epiphany they had already reached the restaurant and she decided she would come clean to Taeyong instead of chickening out last minute and just sending him a hasty text message saying that she can't make it. Then it would be up toTaeyong, whether he still wanted to associate himself with her knowing her selfish reasons or cut himself off which was expected and completely understandable.

So Jennie got out of the car and made her way into the restaurant, keeping her eyes on the ground and most of her hair covering her face as the hostess led her to a secluded balcony with only one table set that offered a splendid night view of Seoul city. The view almost distracted her from the man himself who was waiting for her at the table, blissfully unaware of the impending heartbreak he was going to suffer at her hands. A lump rose up her chest as she began making her way towards him.

Lee Taeyong was as dashing up close as he was on television. She had never paid much attention to male idols close to her age always being either too busy or preoccupied by an obsidian eyed devil. But now that she really looked at Taeyong she could understand why he was so popular among female idols. She had seen and heard countless female idols crushing over him and eyeing him from afar backstage and she used to find it funny. Now she really saw the reason for their actions.

Taeyong had, in simple terms, an extremely perfect face. He had the type of face that you'd see plastered on the walls of plastic surgeons' clinics. A face that everyone wanted with his symmetrical features. Accompanied by his well-balanced proportions and his lean build, neither too slim nor too thick, he was Kpop's poster boy for visuals.

When he saw her arrive, his eyes lit up immediately and he offered her a radiant but shy smile, getting up from his seat to greet her.

Although she was on a date Jennie still felt weird not greeting him respectfully like she usually did backstage and bowed to him before introducing herself.

"Hello Taeyong-sshi, we haven't been formally introduced before, I'm Kim Jennie." She tried to sound as polite as possible.

With Kai there had never been the need for awkward introductions because of how their relationship had turned out. All it took was a drunk encounter and there was no shyness between them after literally baring themselves naked to each other the first time they properly interacted. Following that it was comfortable process much like a routine and no silences were ever awkward with him.

Taeyong bowed back to her before saying, "there's no need to be so formal with me, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable."

He then proceeded to make his way towards her and pulled her chair out for her and then walked back to his seat after she had settled in comfortably.

Jennie didn't know what to say or how to begin. She had agreed with Sehun in a spur of the moment decision but now she felt absolutely clueless.

Taeyong broke the silence by telling her she looked beautiful which caused Jennie to blush and thank him.