"how scary can it get?" jiseo tests his words.

"i prefer not to explain, i don't want to lose a friend," he grins.

the girl decides to shrug it off this time, but she plans to ask the question again in the future. a thick silence soon caresses the inky night that shines with moonlight and a few stars that twinkle in the sky. jiseo concludes that this night is not like any other night she had experienced, this night is rather frenetic instead, filled with adrenaline rush in the beginning. yet, it ends with a calmness and warmth provided by the odd stranger in front of her. it ends with cute bunny smiles and sweet honey-like giggles that sound like music to her ears.

the rustling of leaves and sound of vehicles passing by are heard for a few minutes before one of them says something. "so," he starts, "do i get your name or not?"

"do you really think i'm giving it to you?"

"hey, it's our fifth meeting, and i still don't know your name," jungkook snorts, letting out a small laugh as well.

"you've been counting?" jiseo tilts her head.

"what if i have?" he grins merrily at her and jiseo can't seem to look away from the smile that seems so genuine and sweet, with the small touch of shyness.

"jiseo," she returns, holding out a hand for a handshake. jungkook follows her actions and accepts the hand, shaking it. his hand is warm and soft, the dainty slender fingers with pretty spear-shaped fingernails. jiseo suddenly doesn't really want to let go of the hold.

but she does anyway, "so jiseo, care to tell me about yourself?" he says once they let go of each other's hand.

"and why do you want to know me?" jiseo chuckles, and jungkook smiles back.

"i'm curious," he replies, "you can ask me stuff too, to make it fair."

a question immediately reaches jiseo's mind. "i have a question that's been on my
mind since earlier," she says.

"huh?" he urges, signaling her to continue.

"why did you help me back there? like, i was almost mugged," she asks, seriousness in the tone of her voice.

"maybe.. maybe i thought you were worth the effort," jungkook says.

"was i?"

"yeah," he smiles.

he's been so smiley, jiseo thinks. but it's not in an annoying or smug way, it's not one that jiseo wants to wipe away from his face. it's a smile that jiseo doesn't want to disappear. a smile that reaches places the bright shining sun can't, and the unexpected warmth that rushes through her every time those eyes wrinkle, those lips curve upwards and how the dimple on his left cheek appears.

"what are you thinking about?"

"you," she says in response without thinking ahead.

"o-oh," he stutters and looks away, blooding creeping up his neck, producing faint pink cheeks. and jiseo regrets saying that. shit shit shit, no, not you, definitely not you, that's not what i meant—

"that's, uhm, nice to know," he says, flustered and jiseo wants throw herself off the cliff most likely from embarrassment.

"yeah?" she replies awkwardly.

"i've been thinking about you too."

"i'm— i'm going to go home," jiseo says, changing the topic because she does not want this conversation to get intimate between the two of them. "it's late, i have class tomorrow, college and all that stuff."

"oh—" jungkook responds. "yeah, i'll walk you back."

"you— you want to walk me back to my apartment?"

"uh, yeah."

"so.. you're not doing this just to kill me in my sleep," jiseo raises one of her eyebrows, "right..?"

jungkook laughs, "good list, jiseo." the sound of her name on his lips sounds nice, she concludes.

"just— to make sure you don't get mugged," he explains, but that is only half of the truth, the other half of the truth is because he doesn't want to leave just yet.

"you know what?"

"what?"

"sure, walk me back home," she says. "i don't want to get mugged."

"gladly," his eyes crinkle, a smile on his lips.