AMIN

It's the first time that I really kiss him.

His lips feel soft, perfect against mine. Then I break away, my hand still pressed against his chest as I shift down the side of his neck.

His arm tightens around my waist.

When I finally look up at his face, I see his eyes are shut tightly together. And it makes me laugh, to see his cheeks blushed fiercely.

"Why so shy, Tae?"

His blush deepens. Then he opens his eyes, and the smile fades away in awe when I see that they're lightly glazed over.

When had he ever grown this beautiful.

"It's just you."

"What's just me?"

"I-It...I can't explain it." He murmurs, his eyes flickering only once to look back at mine. "You just make me shy, Noona. You just do."

I trace his jawline with a fingertip.

"I make you shy?"

"Where's the boy that asked me to marry him?"

He flushes.

"That boy's gone."

Oh?

I stop kissing him. The corners of my lips fall down a little as I sit up on the bed, shifting back on the mattress.

"Earlier." I murmur, catching his attention. "Why didn't you just tell me at the bench when I asked you?"

I had a few guesses.

"Was I pressing you too much?"

"No." He breathes, shaking his head. "It wasn't anything you said. I just..."

Taehyung suddenly grips my shoulders, turning me around so my back leans into his front. It's the position I'd used to put him in when I read to him, fifteen years ago.

He leans into the crook of my shoulder, soft hair touching my neck.

"I was scared you'd be angry."

"Why would you think that?" I say, brushing the sheets with my palm. "I want you to be comfortable talking to me."

"And I am." He murmurs. "I was just not really sure about this one."

Taehyung starts to play with my hair. I can feel his fingertips, trying to twist the long locks into braids.

But I'm only thinking one thing.

"So you wouldn't marry me now?"

He drops my hair in surprise. "What?"

Then he realizes, and laughs brightly.

"Noona, you're still the only one I'd marry."

"Then?"

"I'm just..." He hesitates, voice fading. "I'm just not the boy I was back then. I've changed a lot."

"Of course you have." I say, but he must hear the amusement in my voice, because the corners of his mouth crinkle.

Taehyung frowns.

"I'm serious."

And when I don't say anything for the next minute, he moves his lips. It's like he wants to say something, but can't bring himself to.

I laugh when he turns his face to my pillow.

"What is it?"

"Noona, are we together?"

I blink. Then I burst into laughter, turning around on his lap to wrap my arms around his shoulders.

He flushes. "It's because— I just wanted to know..."

"Do you want to?"

Taehyung falls quiet. And I keep my eyes on his face, trying not to smile as I touch the line of his jaw.

"Baby. Do you want to?"

________________________

TAEHYUNG

"Jungkook, I'm with her now."

"Finally." He says lowly. "I was wondering when you'd get up the courage to ask her."

There she is.

I look out the wide window of my office. Noona's with her friend, coming back from lunch break.

She really was so beautiful with her hair up like that.

And when I turn back, I catch Jungkook's eyes fixed where I'd been looking a second ago.

I bite down on my smile.

"Kook."

His expression freezes a little as he looks back at me. I lean against my desk, brushing back my hair.

"You like her, don't you?"

"Who."

"Min Shilla. Don't act like you don't know it yourself." I say lightly, touching down my pen.

Jungkook frowns.

"She's my colleague, Tae."

"Noona's my colleague." I say, raising an eyebrow. "And besides, coworkers don't look at other coworkers like that."

For the first time, I see Jungkook blush.

But he shakes his head before I can really see it, walking out of the door. He was always telling me not to shy away from things, and now he was the one doing that.

Then someone knocks on my door.

Noona?

But she never knocked.

"Come in." I say, my features turning cold when it really isn't her. It's one of the workers— I couldn't remember her name.

She smiles awkwardly.

"Mr. Kim. I just wanted to report..."

"Yes, the conference." I cut her off. "I don't need a report. You can put the transcripts there on the table, I'll go through it."

She frowns slightly.

"You don't want a summary, sir?"

I breathe, tapping my finger against the edge of the desk in impatience.

"No. I'll read the papers instead."

"But it's—"

I catch the nametag on her chest.

Lee Jaeah.

"Thank you, Miss Lee."

"You can leave."

I sigh softly when she almost rushes out of the door. My voice was too cold just now, I hadn't meant that.

I had to stop this.

I couldn't treat every women I met this way.

"Tae."

"Noona." I say, my tone lighter. But she won't come closer, just staring at me with her arms loosely crossed over her chest.

I blink in confusion.

I don't understand.

But then she breaks the silence, voice amused.

"Care to explain why someone just came out of here looking like she was about to cry?"

She raises an eyebrow when my eyes widen.

"Taehyung, you need to fix this habit."

I know.

"Don't tell me, please. I already know." I say quietly, scrunching up my features. And she comes closer, bringing the faint scent of vanilla with her.

Noona never liked to keep her hands still.

And now she's taken a spot next to me, her hand on my thigh. It's the first time she's so close— she usually just played with my hair or my shirt.

I'm flustered, again.

"Not everyone is like her."

"I know that." I mumble, my lips curving into a childish pout without realizing. She doesn't say anything, and I peek up at her curiously.

Noona's smirking.

"There's something I noticed, Tae."

My cheeks get warmer when I feel her hand shift up my thigh, to my chest.

"All these women. You make them think you're so untouchable— so cold."

I gasp when she suddenly tugs me forward, so closely to her that the tips of our noses brush.

"A-Amin."

She tilts her head, just the slightest angle. Her pretty eyes soften.

"When you're really just a sweet little angel for me, no?"

_________________________

AMIN

"Amin!"

I blink back awake. Shilla's looking at me, eyes curious. The movie's still playing on the television.

"Sorry." I mumble. "Did I miss anything? What happened?"

"You fell asleep." She says, tapping at her chin. "Actually, you should just go back to sleep. You look so tired lately."

"Is it the work?"

I rub at my eyes, nodding.

It had been fine when I'd first come. But now that the season had changed, the workload had increased to almost twice.

"Let's just go to sleep. I feel like you'll need it."

I look at her gratefully.

"Thanks, Shilla."

She searches for the remote, clicking the television off when she finds it.

"Well, I can't have you looking like a panda tomorrow with dark circles, can I?"

__________________________

Dammit.

I put down my pen the moment a drop of red stains the sheet of paper. Tilting back my head, I rush up from my chair with my hand pressed against my nose.

This was the third time in the past week.

Wincing, I quickly pass by the glass of Taehyung's office. I hope that he hasn't seen me as I hurry inside the women's bathroom, cursing softly.

With a ball of tissue, I lean against the sinks. My eyes drift towards the mirror, and my reflection shows shadows under my eyes.

And I wait, until the blood stops.

Finally.

I'd lost so much time.

Frowning, I walk out of the restroom. I'd spent ten minutes in there. When during those ten minutes, I could've been doing—

"Noona."

"Tae." I say in surprise. "Why are you here?"

But the moment his features darken in worry, I realize he'd seen me through that glass.

"I was waiting for you. Were you bleeding? I..."

He chews on his heart lips.

"I can bring down the workload for you. It's really hard at first, Noona. And you've only been here for—"

"Bring down the workload? By putting it on yourself?"

I shake my head. "I can handle it, Taehyung."

His brows furrow.

"I know the seasonal changes. And I've been doing this for years. I can help a little so you don't look so tired."

I stiffen my voice.

"I'm not tired."

Taehyung's voice deepens in frustration.

"Noona. I'm trying to help."

Didn't he understand he was CEO? As a higher position, he had so much work to do than I did.

His voice softens.

"Just let me."

"No."

And I can tell I've startled him with my tone. But I couldn't have him taking on things that I needed to do myself.

"You have a meeting in ten." I say, checking my watch. "You shouldn't be here with me. I'll see you after."

I brush my lips across his.

But it doesn't feel like I've kissed him at all as I leave him behind in the hallway.