[fic] Someone to Love
Title: Someone to Love
Pairing: Kai/Krystal
Words: 2707
A/N: Partly for chungmah, mostly for me to spit out all of these Kaistal delusions I've collected in my mind. I am so sorry. I don't even know what this is.
Jung Soojung did not chase after boys. Boys chased after her.
Kim Jongin used to chase after girls. He stopped after he recognized a reoccurring pattern.
--
Soojung smiled at her phone before carefully placing it at the bottom of her bag beneath the clothes and towels.
"Who is it this time?" Amber laughed, tossing her head to move her boy-short locks out of her eyes. "Seriously, I don't understand how you never get caught with keeping your phone."
Soojung winked. Amber was the only one in the group of girls she was put in that she really liked; she always admired how down-to-earth she was. Luckily for Amber, the president of the agency and stylists seemed to have a concept in mind for her, so she was given full approval of her tomboy preferences. "I have my ways." She paused thoughtfully. "This one's actually not too shabby."
--
"I give up, I give up, I give up!" Jongin groaned, flopping down on the wood floors of the practice room.
Do Kyungsoo placed himself next to Jongin, cross-legged. He shot Jongin a look of sympathy. "What did she say?"
"She said she was sorry. That she didn't think she was able to stay by my side, that she couldn't compete for my heart." He ran a hand through his dark hair in exasperation. "Compete with who?! When I told her to stop and think about it, that it didn't make sense for us to break up when we still liked each other, she told me she'd find a guy who would have time to love her. They're always crying when they break up with me, Kyungsoo. I just don't get it."
Kyungsoo peered at him with big eyes. "Jongin, when was the last time you saw her before today?"
"I don't know." Jongin stared up. The ceiling was dirty and cracked. Practice rooms for trainees sucked. "I've been dancing like fourteen hours a day."
Kyungsoo made a clucking noise and stood up to help Sehun bring in lunch. "I don't know how you two lasted as long as you did."
--
"Yah, Sehun, send your own love letters."
"No way, hyung, it's too nerve-wracking. Please? Just give it to Soojung for me. Look! There she is!" The younger boy shoved the letter into Jongin's smooth hands and dashed away.
Jongin sighed and walked over to the girl. She was hunched over, her long black wavy hair curtaining around her. Jongin had never met her, but she was famous among the trainees for being Girls Generation's Jessica's little sister. Plenty of guys liked her, and it seemed like there were news of her being with a new guy every month. Jongin never really paid trainee girls any attention, though, since dancing and a girlfriend had taken up every moment of his time.
"Here. This is from Oh Sehun," he said, sliding next to her on the couch and tossing the envelope into her lap.
"Oh my god!" she screamed, jumping up a little. Something fell to ground. "Shit." In a flash, she retrieved the object and examined it to make sure it wasn't broken. "God, you almost gave me a heart attack. Obsidian eyes turned to him. "Who are you?"
"Kim Jongin. We're not allowed to have cell phones." It wasn't an accusation.
Soojung ignored his statement. She was pretty, Jongin mentally agreed, but he hoped that wasn't the only reason his dongsaeng liked her. He thought she looked like Yoona more than Jessica, and Jongin had always had a little crush on Yoona. "Sehunnie's cute, but I have a boyfriend." She handed him back the envelope, got up, and sauntered away.
--
The next day, he saw her again.
The practice room door was open, so he heard her little sniffles when he passed by (though, he'd probably still be able to make out the sounds even if the door was closed, through the thin walls). Again, she was hunched over, but this time she was huddled in a corner on the floor with her hands filling in the hole her curtain of hair left uncovered. She was still in the sweats and t-shirt she had probably worn to practice with the group she was going to debut with. It wasn't uncommon to see trainees crying, but for some reason, Jongin had a feeling that those tears weren't caused by the hardships of becoming a celebrity.
"Hey… uh… you ok? Soojung-ssi?"
Soojung's head snapped up, surprised. Her eyes and nose were red, her cheeks wet. She wiped them with the back of her hand embarrassedly. "Jongin. The second day in a row you caught me off-guard." She cringed like she didn't like to be seen in a weak state.
"Did something happen?" he asked gently.
"it's funny how much can change in a day." She forced a smile on her face that almost seemed natural. She would do well as an idol, Jongin thought sadly. "My boyfriend? He broke up with me. Got a text after practice, and if the choreographer hadn't caught me, I'd show you." She let out a bitter laugh. "'Soojung-ah, I'm sorry. I can't be with you anymore. Take care.' What kind of bullshit is that? Last night he said he missed me so much he could die. Die, for all I care."
Jongin's face fell, reminded of his ex-girlfriend. It'd been three months since their breakup, and he didn't want to think about dating for a long time. He didn't think that sharing his experience would make her feel any better, though, so he kept quiet quiet.
"I've always been the one that ended things. I gave him my first kiss, that son of a bitch. I'll show him, once I debut and become famous. He'll regret it. No one dumps Jung Soojung!" Her face fell. "Except the president, my manager, and my family are going to be so pissed at me for being distracted this whole time."
He watched and listened to her go on, contributing a few comments here and there. Her voice was nice, he noted - not annoyingly high-pitched but smooth and animated. Her eyes stayed red and would fill with tears as she spoke, but she did not allow them to spill over any longer.
--
The next time she saw him was a week later.
"Oh, Jongin!" she called out to the figure crouched in front of the vending machine.
"Oh, hey, Soojung," he picked up his bottle of Vitamin Water, turned around, and smiled. "How… have you been?" he inquired cautiously and she fed the machine a few coins and pressed a button.
"Fine, actually. I'm on lockdown - you don't know how hard it was to convince them to let me buy Vitamin Water by myself," she rolled her eyes, "but we've been busy practicing so it's alright. There's one thing that's been pretty annoying, though…" she trailed off and sat down on a bench.
"What?"
"You're… not going to give me a love letter, too, are you Jongin? I've gotten so many this past week. It's really burdensome!" Her face was serious and tired.
Jongin laughed in half disbelief. "You really must be as popular as they say. And shameless. But nope, 'fraid not." He set down his drink and displayed his empty palms.
Had Soojung just been rejected? That was a first. She should have been relieved, but Kim Jongin always seemed to make her act differently. She looked at the tan boy beside her, who glowed like the setting sun behind them.
"Hey, when's your birthday?"
"January 14, '94," the glowing boy replied.
"Oh, we're the same age! I was born on October 24, though, so I'll still call you oppa!"
"Sure." He stood up, glad to know she was doing well. "See you around, Soojung. I have to get back to practice."
--
SM was throwing a end-of-summer party to showcase the groups that would be debuting within a year. As per anything SM, all of the stops were pulled out. The ballroom was decorated like a fancy nightclub and was teeming with artists and trainees. When f(x) was done performing, Soojung joined the crowd that was forming in the middle.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your resident maknae dancing machines, Lee Taemin and Kim Jongin!" Super Junior's Leeteuk announced before stepping aside.
Soojung knew Jongin was a good dancer. Even before she met him, he had made quite the commotion when he entered SM and she figured the company had special plans for him when she noted how much he practiced when he hadn't even been put into a group yet. She had never seen him perform, though, and she wasn't sure that the guy next to SHINee's Taemin was the same boy that had tried to deliver Oh Sehun's love letter.
The Kim Jongin she knew was very good-looking, yes, but he also had the same aloof indifference that Amber had said prevented Soojung from doubling the number of love letters she received. The Kim Jongin that stood in front of her was oozing with charisma and sex appeal as his limbs flowed perfectly with the music. When he caught her eye in the audience and wink-smirked, Soojung thought she was going to keel over.
The party began to pick up after they finished, and normally Soojung would have hung around and chat with people, but when she saw Jongin in the middle of a group of trainees, she automatically gravitated towards him.
"Oh, Soojung-ah! Congratulations! You were great up there."
"Back at'cha, Mr. Dancing Machine." She grabbed his wrist to dance with her.
He smiled adorably. "Thanks."
--
"Oppa, I don’t get this industry. Sunyoung-unnie’s voice is amazing, and so is Amber’s. Our dance routines are child’s play for Victoria-unnie, and Jinri… well, Jinri should have just stuck with acting.”
“And what about you?”
“Me? I’m mediocre. At everything. I’ll never be able to sing a ballad by myself, and I have no idea how to dance if you don’t give me a routine.” When it seemed like Jongin wasn’t going to reply, she explained. “I have the most lines in our songs, and they always put me in the center. Obviously they won’t say anything to my face, but who wouldn’t be pissed? There’s nothing special about me." Tears streamed down her face.
Jongin gave her a look that she didn't know how to react to. "Are you kidding me? Look, it's great that you recognize their talents, but don't put down yourself in the process. The company may be cruel, but it isn't dumb. You're not 'mediocre' by any means - you're just damn good at everything you do, so one talent doesn't stand out more than the rest. Hell, I wish my voice sounded half as good as yours does onstage. And," he paused to wipe her cheek with his thumb and smirk, "you're not bad at all to look at, Soojung-ah."
She blushed 'cuz damn he was hot. She couldn't shake the image of him dancing since she saw him perform for the first time a month ago. She was used to being called pretty, but the offhanded compliment made her feel so coy. "It's Krystal now," she mumbled.
--
f(x) debuted successfully, and that meant Jongin saw a lot less of Soojung. Not that he noticed, of course. Or did he? Like how he noticed Soojung's efforts to sneak out and see him for a few moments despite her sleepless schedule.
He liked Soojung as a person - they were alike in a lot of ways, but he didn't know if he liked her. He still wasn't sure if he was ready for another relationship. After he realized how little time he gave up for his exes, he was devastated. But he loved dancing. And he would only get busier.
Until one day Krystal came to him for help with ice skating.
"Look, I know your group just got formed and you must be really busy, but ballet is just like ice skating, right? You could help me. I really want to do well, but it's too awkward with my partner right now to get the kind of practice I need."
It was true, though. Jongin hadn't had as much ballet practice since he'd joined the company, but he was sure he'd be able to lift her. So he helped her with her jumps and lifts, and even though they weren't on the ice, he was stunned by her grace. Despite her thin figure, she wasn't weak. Jongin could feel her strength and determination with each movement of her body, and yet again he was amazed by how inspiring she really was.
Jongin became consciously aware of his feelings when he attended the recording of Kiss & Cry and saw her skate. She wore a fiery red and black outfit with fringes - it was irksome that she was latched onto her partner the same way she had been with Jongin the week before, but truthfully he was just an anchor - Krystal was the star of the show. She was mesmerizing and majestic, and it wasn't until she bowed to the cheering audience and blew a kiss to Jongin that the spell broke and everything was clear.
--
Another year passed, and Jongin was revealed to the world as Kai. Soojung watched as everything the boy she had come to known had been preparing for was unfolded. If Soojung had felt burdened by her central role in f(x), she didn't even want to think about how Jongin felt being Kai - the boy literally became the face of EXO in the months before the group's debut. Regardless of how the pressure affected him, though, he was still the same.
Soojung never exactly missed Kai in his absence from her life - she could go days without even thinking about him. But every time they were together, it was as if they were never apart. Every meeting was a fresh reminder of how much she liked him.
Jongin felt it too. Sure, he was busy, but what if the other person in question was just as busy?
One day, when she asked him how he handled the unrelenting pressure and practice that went along with being a "dancing machine," he just shrugged. "It's all I've ever known. I love dancing. Don't think I could get through a day without it."
She probably should have been sad; girls never wanted to feel like they were secondary to someone, but this was who Kim Jongin was, and she was in love with Kim Jongin.
Sometimes it's better to love, rather than rely on someone.
--
SMTown was coming to a close, and Jongin was high off the screams and dancing.
"C'mon, Kai, let's go to the font!" Chanyeol declared and pushed him from behind. Kai smiled widely as they got closer to the fans. The idol business was whatever, but performing and seeing his fans was the best feeling in the world. He took Chanyeol's hand to prepare for the bowing.
He didn't even notice when Krystal took a spot to his left.
"Kai-oppa!" She tapped his shoulder before grabbing his hand. "It was fun, right?" They raised their hands together.
He nodded and grinned. "One of the best nights of my life."
Fans clapped and cheered, waving their neon light sticks and flashing thousands of cameras. Two years ago, Soojung had transformed from the chase-ee to the chaser, and now she was ready to end it. "Jongin-oppa," she said as they came up from a bow and put her lips close to his ear. "I like you. I've liked you for a long time. Will you go out with me?"
Jongin always thought that when he was ready to have a relationship again, he would experience some sort of dramatic epiphany. But no, his reaction was almost immediate, and he had no doubts. It was as if he had made the unconscious decision long ago, as if he had always been waiting. "I'll break your heart," he warned and squeezed her hand as they went down again.
She laughed and shook his arm when they came up. "Maybe I'll break yours."
Pairing: Kai/Krystal
Words: 2707
A/N: Partly for chungmah, mostly for me to spit out all of these Kaistal delusions I've collected in my mind. I am so sorry. I don't even know what this is.
Jung Soojung did not chase after boys. Boys chased after her.
Kim Jongin used to chase after girls. He stopped after he recognized a reoccurring pattern.
--
Soojung smiled at her phone before carefully placing it at the bottom of her bag beneath the clothes and towels.
"Who is it this time?" Amber laughed, tossing her head to move her boy-short locks out of her eyes. "Seriously, I don't understand how you never get caught with keeping your phone."
Soojung winked. Amber was the only one in the group of girls she was put in that she really liked; she always admired how down-to-earth she was. Luckily for Amber, the president of the agency and stylists seemed to have a concept in mind for her, so she was given full approval of her tomboy preferences. "I have my ways." She paused thoughtfully. "This one's actually not too shabby."
--
"I give up, I give up, I give up!" Jongin groaned, flopping down on the wood floors of the practice room.
Do Kyungsoo placed himself next to Jongin, cross-legged. He shot Jongin a look of sympathy. "What did she say?"
"She said she was sorry. That she didn't think she was able to stay by my side, that she couldn't compete for my heart." He ran a hand through his dark hair in exasperation. "Compete with who?! When I told her to stop and think about it, that it didn't make sense for us to break up when we still liked each other, she told me she'd find a guy who would have time to love her. They're always crying when they break up with me, Kyungsoo. I just don't get it."
Kyungsoo peered at him with big eyes. "Jongin, when was the last time you saw her before today?"
"I don't know." Jongin stared up. The ceiling was dirty and cracked. Practice rooms for trainees sucked. "I've been dancing like fourteen hours a day."
Kyungsoo made a clucking noise and stood up to help Sehun bring in lunch. "I don't know how you two lasted as long as you did."
--
"Yah, Sehun, send your own love letters."
"No way, hyung, it's too nerve-wracking. Please? Just give it to Soojung for me. Look! There she is!" The younger boy shoved the letter into Jongin's smooth hands and dashed away.
Jongin sighed and walked over to the girl. She was hunched over, her long black wavy hair curtaining around her. Jongin had never met her, but she was famous among the trainees for being Girls Generation's Jessica's little sister. Plenty of guys liked her, and it seemed like there were news of her being with a new guy every month. Jongin never really paid trainee girls any attention, though, since dancing and a girlfriend had taken up every moment of his time.
"Here. This is from Oh Sehun," he said, sliding next to her on the couch and tossing the envelope into her lap.
"Oh my god!" she screamed, jumping up a little. Something fell to ground. "Shit." In a flash, she retrieved the object and examined it to make sure it wasn't broken. "God, you almost gave me a heart attack. Obsidian eyes turned to him. "Who are you?"
"Kim Jongin. We're not allowed to have cell phones." It wasn't an accusation.
Soojung ignored his statement. She was pretty, Jongin mentally agreed, but he hoped that wasn't the only reason his dongsaeng liked her. He thought she looked like Yoona more than Jessica, and Jongin had always had a little crush on Yoona. "Sehunnie's cute, but I have a boyfriend." She handed him back the envelope, got up, and sauntered away.
--
The next day, he saw her again.
The practice room door was open, so he heard her little sniffles when he passed by (though, he'd probably still be able to make out the sounds even if the door was closed, through the thin walls). Again, she was hunched over, but this time she was huddled in a corner on the floor with her hands filling in the hole her curtain of hair left uncovered. She was still in the sweats and t-shirt she had probably worn to practice with the group she was going to debut with. It wasn't uncommon to see trainees crying, but for some reason, Jongin had a feeling that those tears weren't caused by the hardships of becoming a celebrity.
"Hey… uh… you ok? Soojung-ssi?"
Soojung's head snapped up, surprised. Her eyes and nose were red, her cheeks wet. She wiped them with the back of her hand embarrassedly. "Jongin. The second day in a row you caught me off-guard." She cringed like she didn't like to be seen in a weak state.
"Did something happen?" he asked gently.
"it's funny how much can change in a day." She forced a smile on her face that almost seemed natural. She would do well as an idol, Jongin thought sadly. "My boyfriend? He broke up with me. Got a text after practice, and if the choreographer hadn't caught me, I'd show you." She let out a bitter laugh. "'Soojung-ah, I'm sorry. I can't be with you anymore. Take care.' What kind of bullshit is that? Last night he said he missed me so much he could die. Die, for all I care."
Jongin's face fell, reminded of his ex-girlfriend. It'd been three months since their breakup, and he didn't want to think about dating for a long time. He didn't think that sharing his experience would make her feel any better, though, so he kept quiet quiet.
"I've always been the one that ended things. I gave him my first kiss, that son of a bitch. I'll show him, once I debut and become famous. He'll regret it. No one dumps Jung Soojung!" Her face fell. "Except the president, my manager, and my family are going to be so pissed at me for being distracted this whole time."
He watched and listened to her go on, contributing a few comments here and there. Her voice was nice, he noted - not annoyingly high-pitched but smooth and animated. Her eyes stayed red and would fill with tears as she spoke, but she did not allow them to spill over any longer.
--
The next time she saw him was a week later.
"Oh, Jongin!" she called out to the figure crouched in front of the vending machine.
"Oh, hey, Soojung," he picked up his bottle of Vitamin Water, turned around, and smiled. "How… have you been?" he inquired cautiously and she fed the machine a few coins and pressed a button.
"Fine, actually. I'm on lockdown - you don't know how hard it was to convince them to let me buy Vitamin Water by myself," she rolled her eyes, "but we've been busy practicing so it's alright. There's one thing that's been pretty annoying, though…" she trailed off and sat down on a bench.
"What?"
"You're… not going to give me a love letter, too, are you Jongin? I've gotten so many this past week. It's really burdensome!" Her face was serious and tired.
Jongin laughed in half disbelief. "You really must be as popular as they say. And shameless. But nope, 'fraid not." He set down his drink and displayed his empty palms.
Had Soojung just been rejected? That was a first. She should have been relieved, but Kim Jongin always seemed to make her act differently. She looked at the tan boy beside her, who glowed like the setting sun behind them.
"Hey, when's your birthday?"
"January 14, '94," the glowing boy replied.
"Oh, we're the same age! I was born on October 24, though, so I'll still call you oppa!"
"Sure." He stood up, glad to know she was doing well. "See you around, Soojung. I have to get back to practice."
--
SM was throwing a end-of-summer party to showcase the groups that would be debuting within a year. As per anything SM, all of the stops were pulled out. The ballroom was decorated like a fancy nightclub and was teeming with artists and trainees. When f(x) was done performing, Soojung joined the crowd that was forming in the middle.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your resident maknae dancing machines, Lee Taemin and Kim Jongin!" Super Junior's Leeteuk announced before stepping aside.
Soojung knew Jongin was a good dancer. Even before she met him, he had made quite the commotion when he entered SM and she figured the company had special plans for him when she noted how much he practiced when he hadn't even been put into a group yet. She had never seen him perform, though, and she wasn't sure that the guy next to SHINee's Taemin was the same boy that had tried to deliver Oh Sehun's love letter.
The Kim Jongin she knew was very good-looking, yes, but he also had the same aloof indifference that Amber had said prevented Soojung from doubling the number of love letters she received. The Kim Jongin that stood in front of her was oozing with charisma and sex appeal as his limbs flowed perfectly with the music. When he caught her eye in the audience and wink-smirked, Soojung thought she was going to keel over.
The party began to pick up after they finished, and normally Soojung would have hung around and chat with people, but when she saw Jongin in the middle of a group of trainees, she automatically gravitated towards him.
"Oh, Soojung-ah! Congratulations! You were great up there."
"Back at'cha, Mr. Dancing Machine." She grabbed his wrist to dance with her.
He smiled adorably. "Thanks."
--
"Oppa, I don’t get this industry. Sunyoung-unnie’s voice is amazing, and so is Amber’s. Our dance routines are child’s play for Victoria-unnie, and Jinri… well, Jinri should have just stuck with acting.”
“And what about you?”
“Me? I’m mediocre. At everything. I’ll never be able to sing a ballad by myself, and I have no idea how to dance if you don’t give me a routine.” When it seemed like Jongin wasn’t going to reply, she explained. “I have the most lines in our songs, and they always put me in the center. Obviously they won’t say anything to my face, but who wouldn’t be pissed? There’s nothing special about me." Tears streamed down her face.
Jongin gave her a look that she didn't know how to react to. "Are you kidding me? Look, it's great that you recognize their talents, but don't put down yourself in the process. The company may be cruel, but it isn't dumb. You're not 'mediocre' by any means - you're just damn good at everything you do, so one talent doesn't stand out more than the rest. Hell, I wish my voice sounded half as good as yours does onstage. And," he paused to wipe her cheek with his thumb and smirk, "you're not bad at all to look at, Soojung-ah."
She blushed 'cuz damn he was hot. She couldn't shake the image of him dancing since she saw him perform for the first time a month ago. She was used to being called pretty, but the offhanded compliment made her feel so coy. "It's Krystal now," she mumbled.
--
f(x) debuted successfully, and that meant Jongin saw a lot less of Soojung. Not that he noticed, of course. Or did he? Like how he noticed Soojung's efforts to sneak out and see him for a few moments despite her sleepless schedule.
He liked Soojung as a person - they were alike in a lot of ways, but he didn't know if he liked her. He still wasn't sure if he was ready for another relationship. After he realized how little time he gave up for his exes, he was devastated. But he loved dancing. And he would only get busier.
Until one day Krystal came to him for help with ice skating.
"Look, I know your group just got formed and you must be really busy, but ballet is just like ice skating, right? You could help me. I really want to do well, but it's too awkward with my partner right now to get the kind of practice I need."
It was true, though. Jongin hadn't had as much ballet practice since he'd joined the company, but he was sure he'd be able to lift her. So he helped her with her jumps and lifts, and even though they weren't on the ice, he was stunned by her grace. Despite her thin figure, she wasn't weak. Jongin could feel her strength and determination with each movement of her body, and yet again he was amazed by how inspiring she really was.
Jongin became consciously aware of his feelings when he attended the recording of Kiss & Cry and saw her skate. She wore a fiery red and black outfit with fringes - it was irksome that she was latched onto her partner the same way she had been with Jongin the week before, but truthfully he was just an anchor - Krystal was the star of the show. She was mesmerizing and majestic, and it wasn't until she bowed to the cheering audience and blew a kiss to Jongin that the spell broke and everything was clear.
--
Another year passed, and Jongin was revealed to the world as Kai. Soojung watched as everything the boy she had come to known had been preparing for was unfolded. If Soojung had felt burdened by her central role in f(x), she didn't even want to think about how Jongin felt being Kai - the boy literally became the face of EXO in the months before the group's debut. Regardless of how the pressure affected him, though, he was still the same.
Soojung never exactly missed Kai in his absence from her life - she could go days without even thinking about him. But every time they were together, it was as if they were never apart. Every meeting was a fresh reminder of how much she liked him.
Jongin felt it too. Sure, he was busy, but what if the other person in question was just as busy?
One day, when she asked him how he handled the unrelenting pressure and practice that went along with being a "dancing machine," he just shrugged. "It's all I've ever known. I love dancing. Don't think I could get through a day without it."
She probably should have been sad; girls never wanted to feel like they were secondary to someone, but this was who Kim Jongin was, and she was in love with Kim Jongin.
Sometimes it's better to love, rather than rely on someone.
--
SMTown was coming to a close, and Jongin was high off the screams and dancing.
"C'mon, Kai, let's go to the font!" Chanyeol declared and pushed him from behind. Kai smiled widely as they got closer to the fans. The idol business was whatever, but performing and seeing his fans was the best feeling in the world. He took Chanyeol's hand to prepare for the bowing.
He didn't even notice when Krystal took a spot to his left.
"Kai-oppa!" She tapped his shoulder before grabbing his hand. "It was fun, right?" They raised their hands together.
He nodded and grinned. "One of the best nights of my life."
Fans clapped and cheered, waving their neon light sticks and flashing thousands of cameras. Two years ago, Soojung had transformed from the chase-ee to the chaser, and now she was ready to end it. "Jongin-oppa," she said as they came up from a bow and put her lips close to his ear. "I like you. I've liked you for a long time. Will you go out with me?"
Jongin always thought that when he was ready to have a relationship again, he would experience some sort of dramatic epiphany. But no, his reaction was almost immediate, and he had no doubts. It was as if he had made the unconscious decision long ago, as if he had always been waiting. "I'll break your heart," he warned and squeezed her hand as they went down again.
She laughed and shook his arm when they came up. "Maybe I'll break yours."