Chapter 26

Jinhee POV

I held the little puppy close to me, holding a bottle of milk for him to drink.

He's only three weeks old, and got separated from his mother when he was born.

Seowon saw him sitting alone in a filthy cage in a miserable-looking pet shop, and sent a picture to Jimin oppa.

Apparently, he thought I would love a dog for my birthday and he immediately made arrangements for the little puppy to be shipped over on my special day.

I placed the documents about my puppy's birth and history on my bedside table and walked out of my room again, trying to coax the energetic little bundle to go to sleep.

He licked my finger and nibbled playfully, slowly drifting off with his little wolfdog mouth still clamped over my pinky.

The others melted when they saw him asleep in my arms, looking as cute as a button.

"Whatcha gonna name him Unnie?"

Seowon peered over my shoulder and rubbed the top of the puppy's head with her thumb.

I'd been thinking about it, but I hadn't yet thought of a good name.

Should I give it an English name?

I stayed silent for a few minutes, deep in thought.

"Hey sunshine, you there? You look a little spaced out." I heard Jungkook say.

"Should we go for an English name?" I asked as I held up my new adorable pet, who was still fast asleep even as I propped him up to take a good look at his fur.

Streaks of gold and silver mixed with the reddish brown of his coat.

His fur colour is going to be magnificent.

Hmm...

"How about Riptide? You know, the sword from those Greek myths? It's very powerful." Namjoon oppa suggested.

"Riptide..." I mumbled incoherently before snuggling the little puppy into the crook of my neck, "Welcome to the family."

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"Bye everyone! See you tomorrow at school!" I called out, distracted by Jungkook back hugging me and putting his chin on my left shoulder.

I shut the door and turned around, giving my boyfriend a pointed look.

"What?"

I shook my head.

This boy.

"Come on, let's go to my room."

"And do what exactly? It's past midnight already."

"We're going to sleep."

Jungkook choked on his saliva, "Together?!"

I smiled cheekily, back facing him, "Yeah, together. Something wrong?"

"Hahaha...okay." came his nervous answer.

I dragged him upstairs, peeked in Appa and Omma's room to check if they were asleep, and flopped down onto my comfy bed after entering my room.

"Come on Kook, lie down next to me." I said, patting the sheets around me.

"Nah I think I'm g-good here."

"Sure?"

I wigged my eyebrows at him suggestively.

He rolled his eyes but complied, a small smile adorning his cute baby expression, all anxious and jittery.

He laid down next to me, not saying anything, and just closed his eyes.

I closed mine as well, enjoying the peaceful quiet.

Slowly, a hand inched across my open palm, sliding into place to hold my hand.

I opened my eyes, rolled over to the side slightly, and faced Jungkook fully for the first time since he asked me to be his girlfriend.

His eyes, a deep, dark brown, like a doe, were staring right back at me, tracing over my features, an admiring grin on his face.

I flushed, taking in his handsome face and silky soft hair.

I reached out my free hand, and stroked his smooth cheek slowly, "I can't believe it."

"Can't believe what?" he asked.

I smiled shyly before whispering, "That you're mine."

His eyebrows disappeared into his hair, his pink lips curled into a smirk.

"Don't let that get to your big ego."

"Too late, already did."

"You're such a Jungkook."

He giggled slightly at that, gripping onto my hand tighter.

Jungkook POV

"I have something for you." I said, watching as she made a face.

"You shouldn't have, your confession was more than enough."

I chuckled, getting off the bed and kneeling down on both knees in front of her sitting form.

"You're not gonna propose to me or something right? That's would be way too soon. We just got together."

"No, not yet." I blurted out.

Her cheeks turned pink and she looked away.

I held on to her cute cheeks, and turned her head back to face mine.

I gave her a peck on the lips, smirking slightly when she blushed harder.

I know she didn't expect anything more from me, but I just felt like I wanted to give her something to celebrate this special occasion.

Well, in this case two special occasions.

Her birthday, and the start of our relationship.

I reached into my backpocket and retrieved a small rectangular box.

Still kneeling, I opened it for Jinhee to see.

She gasped, and I smiled.

"Jungkook, w-what even?!"

A set of intertwined rings sat on a soft cushioning of silk.

"I got you something princess. It'll symbolise us, just like these two interlocked rings."

One, a plain silver band with Jinhee's name carved on the inside, and a more intricate reddish-gold one, with my name on the inside as well.

There were two sets.

One for each of us.

I took out the smaller set of rings, and waited for Jinhee to give me her hand.

She looked at me with adoration shining in her eyes, her glasses framing her beautiful face and giving her a cute look.

She smiled a little.

"Okay, but I wanna tell you something afterwards."

My grin wobbled a bit.

Tell me something?

What is it?

I pushed the thought out of my mind and held her hand gently, sliding the intertwined rings onto her left middle finger.

She helped me put the other set of rings onto my own finger.

She took a deep breath and pulled me along with her until we were both seated comfortably on the queen-size bed.

"It's nothing to worry about, I think. I just want you to know the truth."

"About what?"

"I'm not a nerd."

Silence.

"I know that, you're not a nerd, you're just really smart, why?"

"I mean, I don't usually look like this."

"Like what? With your glasses and braces on?" I joked, trying to get rid of the suddenly suffocating atmosphere.

"Yes."

I stopped fooling around.

"What do you mean?"

"I---"

She stopped, hesitating, her pretty eyes darting away from mine.

Seeing how difficult it was for her to say whatever was on her mind, I tried reassuring her,

"Whatever it is, I'll be here, hmm? You don't have to worry."

She sighed, and said softly, "I guess you're right, I just don't know where to start."

I waited for her to speak, all the while holding her hand.

"Idon'tneedtheglassesandbracesIonlyputthemonbecauseIhatedtheattentionIwasgetting."

What?

"Could you say that a little slower, I didn't catch it."

"I said, I don't actually need the glasses and the braces, I only put them on because I hated the attention I was getting in middle school."

I sat there, pondering over what she just said, a little confused.

"So...you can live without those two things?" 

"Yes."

"You hated the attention you were getting when you were younger?"

"Yes." she repeated, nervously twisting her ring.

Jinhee POV

"You're...not mad?" I asked cautiously.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" he asked.

I breathed out a huge sigh of relief, "Well...I thought you'd be angry after I lied to you all this time..."

"I wouldn't do that Jinhee, I love everything about you. I love you."

"I know...I feel the same way."

"Can you tell me what happened exactly, that made you want to do this?" he requested, ebony eyes boring into mine in a way that made me want to kiss him so badly.

I swallowed my desire and talked.

"When I started the last year of middle school, a lot of people would go up to me and ask me out, even though I told them I wasn't interested."

"What kind of people exactly?" Jungkook interjected, a hint of jealousy in his voice.

I chuckled, smoothing his silky locks and saying, "Mostly guys, but there were a few girls. They would literally just go up to me and flirt like a boy. It was weird."

Jungkook scrunched up his face like a cute baby seal at the word girls.

"I have too much competition. I want you all to myself." he said, rendering me speechless and a little flustered.

"A-Anyways, I just got sick of it you know? So when I started high school I put on glasses and braces in hopes that people won't bother me anymore. I mean it's better now, but the stares continue. I hate it." I said.

Jungkook nodded eagerly, "I know how you feel, but I think you look beautiful whether you dress up like a nerd or not."

I bit my lower lip shyly.

Usually, when other boys try to sweet talk me, I do a pretty good job of ignoring them.

They're all the same, but with Jungkook, I can't even look him in the eye when he kisses my cheek, back hugs me or tells me I'm cute.

"...braces?"

"Huh? Sorry I didn't hear that."

"Can you take off your braces and glasses now then? I want to see if you look any different." Jungkook says, with a strange look in his eyes.

But the moment I tried to figure out why he was looking at me like I've just grown three heads, it's gone.

"Sure, why not?" I replied with a shrug.

I took off my braces first, unhooking the rubber bands and easing it out of my mouth carefully so I don't injure my lips.

My nose wrinkled when I grinded my teeth together, glad to be rid of the uncomfort.

Then I took off my slightly round-rimmed spectacles, and put them on my bedside table.

When I turned back around, Jungkook was staring at my features with a blank face, and with that look slowly coming back into his eyes.

It was an almost predatory gaze.

I averted my eyes to the side, feeling self-conscious, and played with the hem of my sleeve.

The bed creaked, and I looked up again.

I gasped.

His face was SO close to mine that I instinctively held my breath.

I stared into his black doe eyes, getting lost in them.

His eyes were darker than usual, with a hint of playfulness swimming around inside.

"I want to kiss you." he whispered.

And my heart spontaneously combusted on the spot.

"Uh..." was all I could manage before he crashed his lips against mine, sending a thousand sparks coursing through my veins.

His hand ran up my spine, sending shivers throughout my body, and everywhere his bare skin touched mine, a trail of heat was left.

I kissed him back, my hands snaking into his hair, pulling a little, earning a sinful groan from his pink lips.

He growled against my lips, sucking viciously, and eventually, the kiss turned into a make out session.

Jungkook guided my head onto one of my pillows, moving down to leave open-mouthed kisses on my jaw, making me hum in satisfaction.

I panted from the lack of oxygen and let my hands cling onto his broad shoulders.

"J-Jungkook..."

"Hmm..." he replied, still intent on sucking at my neck.

"Maybe we should s-stop."

He pulled back to look at me, a gentle smile grazing his perfect face.

He leaned down close to my ear and said sweetly, "You look even more beautiful without your glasses and braces. We'll be doing a lot of this in the future, princess."

And my whole body was lit on fire.

Just like that.

My cheeks turned an unattractive shade of red and my chest heaved up and down from my heavy breaths.

My hands pulled away from his shoulders and settled awkwardly onto my tummy, not knowing where to place them anymore.

My boyfriend chuckled and sat back on his haunches, taking his shirt off in the process.

I stared at him, unabashed that I was checking him out right in front of his eyes.

My eyes travelled down his muscular chest to his defined abs.

Boy do I feel like jumping him right now, he's not the only one who's obsessed.

He took my hands and placed them just above the edge of his pants where his bare skin disappeared into.

My breath caught in my throat when he moved my hands up his body, over his abdominal muscles and up his chest, where he stopped.

"You can put them here. Don't worry, I won't pressure you into anything you don't want to do. I can wait."

I swallowed, almost choking on my saliva.

"Okay." I squeaked, and he laughed. Suddenly, it was as if a switch was flipped off, and that the thick atmosphere never existed.

It was back to warm and cuddly.

I watched Jungkook pulling his shirt on, thinking the whole time to myself: What the hell just happened?