Infinite

Chapter Six

Once Na-ri was back in her room she rushed to her bed and quickly got under the blanket. Before closing her eyes, she checked the clock to see she had a few more hours to sleep before she wanted to wake up to go for a run. Even though it was going to be the team's day off, she still planned on going for a run.

After getting some more sleep Na-ri woke up and changed into some running gear. She picked up a hat and was putting it on as she walked out of her room and down the stairs to the kitchen. She was grabbing a banana and drinking some water when Jisu eonnie walked in. Na-ri bowed while greeting her.

"You're up early," Jisu said as she opened the fridge for a banana milk, "What brings you up this early?" Na-ri had just finished the banana and was washing her water glass when Jisu had asked her that.

"I wanted to get my run in before it got too crowded out," she replied to her, "It's easier when there isn't a lot of people around." Jisu nodded in understanding.

"It's your day off though," she said leaning against the counter, "Try to relax a little at least." She gently encouraged, "Don't overwork yourself too much, you're a valuable part of this team too." Na-ri smiled at her eonnie's kind words.

"Araso," Na-ri said smiling "I will, gamsahamnida eonnie." She bowed and excused herself. As she walked out she started on stretching her arms and then once she was outside she started her full stretch and warm up. What Na-ri did not notice was Jihun watching her from above. He was debating joining her but was conflicted on whether she would want the company. By the time he had come to a decision he noticed she had put in her air pods and had started to run off.

Na-ri started off her jog with a light warm-up around the park nearby. At that time of day, it was not very crowded, and anyone else in the park were those running like her. She had stopped along the Han river when a few people stopped and recognized her. It was not until then that she realized she had forgotten her mask, something she did not often do. As always, she bowed politely and took photos when they asked. She had started to run another route towards Namsan when she heard voices calling her name. She stopped running, took out her air pods, and turned to see her former captain and a few other teammates jogging towards her. She groaned inwardly and put on a believable smile as they stopped in front of her.

"Ah, annyeonghaseyo," she said bowing to them all, the younger ones bowed back politely.

"Na-ri," her former captain Kim Hyeon, said with a slight whine, one she found slightly annoying, "Why so formal? We are family." Na-ri did not want to answer that as that was in no way how she felt.

"Mianhe," she said dropping the honorifics, "Are you on an errand?" she asked looking around, they had never done exercises as a team- at least when she was with them. She doubted that had changed.

"We thought we would go for a walk before training," he replied to her, "You're not wearing a mask, have you gotten braver?" Na-ri had to fight the urge to roll her eyes.

"Ah," she said with a sigh, "I seemed to have forgotten it today." The other younger boys with the Kim Hyeon seemed to not be able to take their eyes off her- something she had noted since they had stopped to talk.  "Well, I should get back." she said as she backed away with a bow. She politely bowed again and said her goodbye before turning away. As she had started to walk away, she felt a hand grab her wrist to stop her. She looked back in surprised to see her Kim Hyeon holding her wrist- rather tightly too.

"Why are you leaving so soon?" he asked her with a smile that instantly made her uncomfortable, "We missed seeing your pretty face." At that she rudely snatched her wrist out of his grasp.

"I just really need to get back," she said as she started to back away, she was not liking how this was turning out. She tried again to leave, but again Hyeon grasped her wrist. "Apha!" she said louder than intended, this was really starting to scare her.

Suddenly she felt hands on her shoulder, and another grab her wrist from Kim Hyeon's grasp.

"Is this how Ace treats women?" she heard Jihun's familiar voice say angrily. She turned to see him looking very angry. As he spoke to Hyeon he had gently pushed Na-ri behind him slightly.

"Ah hyung," Hyeon said waving his hands in from of himself "It's not like that!" the younger boys behind him looked very uncomfortable. Na-ri gently tugged at his arm

"Oppa gaja," she said quietly "We have training." Hyeon and the boys looked at her in surprise, she not only had spoken informally to Jihun but Jihun did not seem surprised at all that she had. Never had she called her former captain oppa either.

"She joined Infinite?" Hyeon asked in disbelief.

"Nae," Jihun replied, and turned to Na-ri "Gaja." And as he turned to leave, he grabbed her hand and walked away with her hand in his. If either of them had looked behind them they would have seen Kim Hyeon's mouth wide open in disbelief, and the other boys blushing at the sudden and bold skin ship that Jihun had displayed.

Jihun did not speak for a few minutes after taking Na-ri away from the captain of Ace. He was too heated as he thought about what he had seen before he caught up to Na-ri. He had finally found and caught up to her when he saw Kim Hyeon grab her not once but twice. As soon as he heard her should in pain, he felt like he saw red, and next thing he new he was in from of them with Na-ri behind him. As they walked Na-ri did not say a word, she was feeling bashful and shy thinking about her hand in Jihun's. This was the first time that a man, other than her father, had held her hand like this, outside a work setting. It was when they were approaching a café that Na-ri finally plucked up her courage to speak.

"Where are we going?" she asked him. It was then that he realized that he was still holding her hand, he gently let go as he spoke

"I thought some coffee or tea would help make you feel better." He said somewhat shyly. Touched that he thought of such a thing she nodded as they sat down. "What would you like?" she said an iced coffee would be fine and thanked him. He nodded and excused himself to go get them their drinks. After a few minutes he came back with two coffees and some creamers and sugar packets.

"I wasn't sure how you liked it, so I asked for these," he said sitting down and putting down the creamers and sugars.

"Gamsahamnida," she said smiling, "I just like it as is." Jihun's heart fluttered a little when she smiled. He also liked that she drank coffee just like he did. Jihun hid his goofy grin behind the coffee he was sipping.

"You should run with someone," he decided to say after a minute of silence "It's nicer with a partner." She chuckled a little, understanding what he was really trying to convey to her.

"Ah Jinjjayo?" she said slightly teasing him, "I wonder who would want to so early." As she said it, she looked away pretending to think. Jihun initially thought she did not understand what he had tried to say until she started to laugh little behind her coffee.

"Ahh aigo," he said leaning back in his chair smiling "You are teasing me." She started to openly laugh a little more while nodding her head.

"Gomawoyo," she said after she had calmed herself down from laughing, "I know you were doing this to cheer me up from what just happened."

"We are a family," he said emphasizing the we, "This is what we do." Nevertheless, she thanked him anyway.

They were leaving the café and starting to run back to the rest of the team when they passed by someone who had been watching them from when they entered the café. They did not know it at the time, but they had also been taking pictures.

Chapter Six Words/ Phrases:

It will only be listed if it is the first time it has shown up in the story.

·         Araso- I understand

·         Mianhe- informal way of saying I'm sorry

·         Apha - it hurts; usually also used in the context of exclaiming pain

·         Nae- informal way of saying yes

·         Jinjjayo- really?

·         Gomawoyo- an informal/standard way of saying thank you to someone who is close to you in age