[Y/n's POV]

I leaned against the bookshelf, watching Jungkook with a smirk plastered on my face. He looked so sure of himself, holding those bike keys like they were the golden ticket to my heart or something.

Typical.

I folded my arms and tilted my head, my tone dripping with sarcasm as I spoke.

"This is exactly why I told you to court me first, Kookoo," I said, a playful smile tugging at my lips. "What if I don’t even like bike rides? Huh? Ever think about that?"

His confident smile faltered for a second, and I couldn’t help but enjoy the small victory. But then, like the cocky little brat he was, he sighed and took a step closer to me.

Too close.

My breath hitched, heart pounding in my chest as he closed the space between us.

Was he about to kiss me?

I could feel the tension between us, the air suddenly thick as his face hovered near mine. My pulse raced, and I was sure my heart was going to burst out of my chest.

But then, he reached past me, his fingers brushing lightly against my hair as he grabbed something from the shelf behind me. I blinked in confusion as he pulled away, holding up a book.

"Seriously?" I huffed, trying to hide my flushed cheeks.

"Seriously," he repeated with that same cocky grin, pointing to the title of the book—The Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcycles: A Comprehensive Guide to Motorcycles, Super Bikes, and Scooters.

I blinked. I’d forgotten that I even had that book on my shelf.

"You’ve read the whole section on motorcycles, especially the one on bikes," he continued. "So don’t act like you wouldn’t want to ride one. You’re practically a walking encyclopedia yourself on bikes."

“What are you, Sherlock?” I shot back, trying to regain my composure.

I narrowed my eyes, pretending to be annoyed, though I was more embarrassed at being caught.

“Why do people have to notice such tiny details?” I muttered, pulling the book from his hands and placing it back on the shelf. “Ugh.”

He smirked. “Not people, my little one. Just one person. The one who loves you a lot.”

My heart did this stupid flip in my chest, and I hated how easily his words could throw me off balance. I avoided his gaze, trying to shrug it off, but the warmth that spread through me was impossible to ignore.

"Also, because it's not just people," he corrected, stepping closer again. "It's *me*. And I proposed to you because I already know you inside and out. I know you, my moon.”

I could barely breathe under his intense gaze. His words echoed in my mind—he knew me.

Inside and out?

It felt like my world had tipped off balance, like he was seeing parts of me I wasn’t ready for anyone to see. We stared at each other, a shared look of understanding and something more hanging in the air.

He held up the keys again, a soft grin playing on his lips. “So come with me.”

I raised an eyebrow, sarcasm slipping back into my voice to shield myself from the intensity of the moment.

“And what? This’ll be like one of those movie scenes, right? Either your bike will break down in the middle of nowhere or worse, you’ll damage it on purpose just to get an excuse to take advantage of me in the dark.”

Jungkook burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking as he tried to compose himself. “A movie scene, huh?” he said through his chuckles.

“We’re playing one already, aren’t we? But I give you my word, my darling. I won’t damage the bike just to take advantage of you.”

I gasped dramatically, holding a hand to my chest. “Oh, wow, how noble of you,” I teased. “But let’s say, hypothetically, we get stuck in a bad weather. We somehow make it to a hotel in the middle of nowhere, and—guess what—there’s only one room left. I’m telling you right now, I’m not sharing it with you.”

Jungkook grinned wider, leaning back a little as if pondering the situation. “Okay, fine. Don’t share the room with me. I’ll just sleep on my diva then.”

I blinked. “Diva? Who’s your diva?”

He rolled his eyes, clearly enjoying this far too much. “You. Obviously.”

My cheeks heated instantly, and I was about to yank his ear for teasing me when he burst out laughing, raising his hands in mock surrender. “No, no! Not you! I meant my Kawasaki, not you idiot.”

I scowled, smacking him lightly on the arm, though my lips were twitching up into a smile. “Jerk.”

He grinned. “I know.”

I crossed my arms again, still trying to look annoyed, but the truth was, I wasn’t mad. Not really. The banter, the teasing—it was what I had missed. What we had always been so good at. But I wasn’t going to let him off that easy.

“But still,” I said, my voice softening slightly, “you didn’t ask me properly. You didn’t woo me.”

Jungkook sighed dramatically, but then his expression shifted. His playful smirk melted away, replaced by something more serious. He dropped to one knee, a hand over his chest as he looked up at me, his eyes sparkling with mock sincerity.

“My lady,” he began, his voice taking on an exaggerated, posh accent that made me want to laugh, “it would be the greatest honor of my life if you would grant me the privilege of taking you on the finest steed in all the land. The great Kawasaki Ninja, fast and faithful, to whisk you away under the moonlight.”

I couldn’t help it—I burst out laughing at his ridiculous attempt at sounding like he’d stepped out of a Regency-era novel. He looked so serious, so over-the-top with his knee bent like some old-fashioned gentleman proposing to a queen.

“Oh my god, Kookoo, stop!” I laughed, covering my face with my hands as he stayed in position, his expression unwavering.

“I shall not rise until you have granted me your favor, my dearest,” he continued, eyes twinkling with amusement.

I sighed dramatically, placing a hand on my chest as I played along. “Oh, fine, Sir. You may rise and take me on this ride you so gallantly speak of.”

He grinned, standing up and brushing off his pants like he’d just completed some grand task. “Thank you, my lady. Your trust shall not be misplaced.”

I rolled my eyes, though the smile stayed on my face. “You’re such an idiot.”

“Yeah, but I’m your idiot.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

He really thought he had me wrapped around his little finger, didn’t he?

Before getting on the bike, I shot him a look, trying to appear as calm as I could. "You better drive slow, Kookoo."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Slow? Why?"

I crossed my arms, feeling the need to say it, even though I knew how ridiculous it sounded. "Because I know you. You’ll speed up on purpose just so I’ll have to wrap my arms around you. You’re sly like that.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning in mock frustration. “Exactly how many K-dramas do you watch in a day for your head to become that delulu, huh?”

I shrugged, not willing to give him the satisfaction of admitting he was right. But before I could say anything else, he stepped closer.

Too close.

His hands moved to my waist, pulling me against him, and my breath hitched at the sudden contact. My body stiffened for a second, but his warmth, the heat radiating off him, it was too much. He pressed himself into me, his lips hovering near my ear, his breath hot against my skin.

"If I wanted to," he whispered, his voice low, almost a growl, "I could have already done a lot of things with you."

The words sent a shiver down my spine, and my knees felt weak. There was something dangerous in the way he said it, something that made me feel electrified all over. I bit my lip, trying to suppress the gasp that was threatening to escape.

He didn’t move, just held me there, close, too close, his body pressed up against mine. I could feel everything—the strength of him, the way his muscles tensed as if he was holding back.

The moment felt like it stretched on forever, like we were caught in some kind of unspoken battle, neither of us wanting to break first. But then, just when I thought I couldn’t take the tension anymore, he stepped back.

His fingers, gentle but firm, gathered my hair into a ponytail, the sensation of his touch sending another jolt of electricity through me. I blinked, startled by the intimacy of it, but before I could say anything, he was sliding a helmet onto my head, carefully securing it.

“There,” he murmured, his eyes locking with mine for a brief second before he stepped back. "All set."

I swallowed hard, my heart still racing as I climbed onto the bike behind him. My hands hovered awkwardly near his waist before I finally wrapped them around him, my fingers gripping the leather of his jacket.

He revved the engine, and the sound sent a thrill through me. Before I knew it, we were speeding off into the night.

As the wind whipped past us, I couldn’t help myself. "You’re not even using the full power of this bike," I teased, trying to sound casual even though my heart was still pounding from our earlier interaction.

Jungkook glanced over his shoulder, his smirk evident even though I couldn’t see his face completely. “Oh really? You’re the expert now?”

I grinned, feeling a little more confident. “I mean, considering I’ve read more about bikes than you ever will, yeah. You’re barely pushing this thing to its limits.”

He scoffed, shaking his head. "Weren’t you the one who told me to drive slow? I’m only following your orders."

I leaned in closer, tightening my grip around him, my lips just inches from his ear as I spoke.

I felt him tense under my touch, his posture stiffening for just a moment before he responded.

I did exactly what I told him not to. I defied myself to give him the access.

“I’m letting go of that rule for now.”

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," I replied, my voice teasing, "let’s see what this thing can really do."

With that, Jungkook revved the engine harder, the bike speeding up as we tore through the streets. The wind rushed past us, the scenery blurring as he pushed the bike faster and faster.

My heart raced, adrenaline pumping through my veins as the thrill of the ride mixed with the thrill of being so close to him.

“So,” he called out over the roar of the engine, “does this mean your other rules are off too? Like that one about not staying in a hotel room together?”

I blushed furiously, but I wasn’t about to let him get away with that. I slid one of my hands lower, my fingers dangerously close to his crotch.

I could feel the sharp intake of his breath, the way his body tensed as I teased him, my fingers grazing him just enough to make him squirm.

“Darling, seriously,” he muttered, his voice strained. “Move your hand. That’s... sensitive.”

I smirked, feeling a wicked sense of satisfaction at how flustered he sounded. “What’s the matter, Jungkook? Can’t handle a little teasing? Weren't you so eager just now to share a room with me?”

He fumbled for words, trying to regain control of the situation, but I could hear the strain in his voice. “This isn’t safe—”

“Oh, so you can speed up the bike and push it to the limit, but you can’t handle this?” I teased, my fingers brushing against him again. I could practically hear his heart racing, could feel the way he was trying to hold himself together.

“Moon—” he started, but before he could finish, he abruptly pulled the bike to a stop, the sudden halt causing me to lurch forward. I barely had time to react before he reached back, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me off the bike.

In one swift movement, he placed me in front of him, my back pressed against the bike as he leaned over me, his eyes dark and intense.

“You want to play this game?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. His breath was hot against my skin, his body so close that I could feel every inch of him.

I could feel the heat of his touch even through the thick fabric of my jacket, his fingers slowly moving up, inching closer to dangerous territory. I squirmed, trying to wriggle away, but it only made him chuckle low in his throat.

"Jungkook," I giggled, half-heartedly trying to push his hands away. "Stop it."

He smirked, his fingers just hovering, teasingly close but not moving any higher. “What’s wrong? I’m not even doing anything.”

I rolled my eyes, still trying to contain the laughter that was bubbling up inside me. “Yeah, sure. And I’m not ticklish at all.”

“Oh, really?” he asked, one eyebrow raising in challenge. His hands slid just a little higher, and I felt my whole body tense in response. “You’re telling me that if I keep going, you won’t lose it?”

“Kookoo!” I slapped his hands away, laughing. “Stop, I swear—”

The moment I said it, his hands retreated, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. “Fine, fine. You said stop, so I stopped. See? I’m a gentleman.”

“Yeah, sure,” I scoffed, trying to catch my breath. “More like you’re scared I’ll tickle you back.”

He grinned, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Please. If you tickled me, you’d be the one in trouble.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. "Oh, yeah? What’re you going to do about it?"

His expression darkened slightly, but in that playful way that always made my heart race. "Behave, or I’ll have no choice but to punish you."

"Punish me?" I teased, sticking my tongue out. "You wouldn’t dare."

He leaned in close, his lips hovering near my ear. "Try me."

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe. But then he pulled back in, his smirk widening as if he knew exactly what effect he was having on me.

"Looks like I gotta show you."

My breath caught in my throat, and for a second, I didn’t know what to say. The teasing, the playful banter—it had all escalated into something far more serious, far more charged than I had anticipated. His eyes bore into mine, daring me to make the next move, but I was frozen, caught in the intensity of the moment.

He didn’t move, didn’t say anything else, just held me there, his hands gripping my waist firmly as if he was waiting for me to either push him away or pull him closer. My heart was pounding so loudly in my chest that I was sure he could hear it.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice a low rumble. “You were teasing me just a second ago. What happened?”

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “I...”

But before I could finish, he leaned in even closer, his lips just inches from mine. My mind was spinning, my body trembling under his touch. This was too much, too intense, too—

And then, just as quickly as it had started, he pulled back, a smirk playing on his lips as if he had won some kind of unspoken battle. “That’s what I thought.”

I blinked, still trying to catch my breath as he swung his leg over the bike and sat back down, his posture relaxed like nothing had happened. “Get on,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at me.

I hesitated for a moment, my mind still reeling from what had just happened. But then, with a deep breath, I climbed back onto the bike, wrapping my arms around him as he revved the engine again.

“Next time,” he said, his voice teasing but still holding that edge of seriousness, “be careful what you start, darling.”

I tightened my grip around him, my heart still racing as we sped off into the night.

We drove for what felt like ages, the wind whipping through my hair as I clung to him, the steady hum of the bike beneath us. I was still a little jittery from the way his hands had lingered on my waist, the way he leaned in close like he was about to do something… dangerous.

Eventually, we pulled into a small roadside diner. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a hole-in-the-wall kind of place with a neon sign flickering in the night, but I knew exactly what we were here for. Chicken nuggets. Jungkook’s guilty pleasure.

He parked the bike and hopped off, turning to offer me a hand. I took it, though mostly to keep my balance after that crazy ride. "You know," I started, trying to sound casual, "for someone who’s been riding bikes for years, you’re really not that great of a driver."

Jungkook shot me a look, his mouth falling open in mock offense. "Excuse me? Did you not feel how smooth that ride was? It was like riding on clouds."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "More like riding through a hurricane. I swear, you nearly hit a pothole back there. Twice."

His eyes narrowed playfully. "Okay, so if you think you can do better, why don’t you try driving next time?"

I gasped dramatically, placing a hand on my chest. "Are you really asking me to drive that monster of a bike?"

Jungkook crossed his arms over his chest, nodding seriously. "Yep. You’ve got a lot to say about my driving, so let’s see what you’ve got, Miss Critic."

I glanced over at the bike, the shiny Kawasaki gleaming under the diner’s lights. "Fine. I will. But don’t cry when you realize how much better I am than you."

He snickered, grabbing my wrist and pulling me inside the diner. "I’ll be crying tears of joy if you don’t crash it."

We slid into one of the booths, and Jungkook immediately ordered an absurd amount of chicken nuggets, like he hadn’t eaten in days. As soon as the food arrived, he dove in, popping a nugget into his mouth with a satisfied hum.

"You know," I said, reaching for one of the nuggets, "you eat like you’re in some kind of survival movie. Are you always this dramatic, or is it just when there’s chicken involved?"

He shrugged, smirking. "When you spend years away at Oxford with terrible food, you learn to appreciate the finer things in life."

I rolled my eyes, dipping a nugget into some sauce. "Right. Because chicken nuggets are the height of fine dining."

Jungkook raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. "Hey, don’t knock it. These nuggets? They’re life-changing."

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. "Life-changing, huh? Well, then I guess I better savor every bite."

He grinned, shoving another nugget into his mouth, chewing slowly and thoughtfully. "You know, I think this place should be our spot. You and me, chicken nuggets, talking about life. Very romantic."

I snorted. "Romantic? You think eating greasy chicken in a rundown diner is romantic?"

He leaned back in the booth, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "What? You don’t think this is better than some fancy five-star restaurant?"

"Sure," I said sarcastically, popping another nugget into my mouth. "Because nothing says romance like grease and neon lights."

Jungkook shrugged. "Hey, it’s the company that matters."

I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Are you flirting with me again, Kookoo?"

He pretended to think about it for a second, then nodded. "Yeah. I guess I am."

I felt my cheeks heat up again, but I tried to hide it by focusing on my food. "Well, you’re doing a terrible job at it."

He chuckled, leaning in a little closer. "Oh? You think you can do better?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but then he suddenly leaned in even closer, so close that I could feel his breath on my lips. My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

His eyes flickered to my lips, and my breath hitched. Was this it? Was he finally going to kiss me?

I closed my eyes, my pulse racing, waiting for that moment when his lips would finally meet mine.

But instead of a kiss, I felt the sudden absence of warmth as he pulled back, and when I opened my eyes, I saw him smirking at me… with the last chicken nugget in his hand.

"You thought I was gonna kiss you, didn’t you?" he teased, popping the nugget into his mouth.

I blinked, stunned for a second, before my face turned bright red. "Y-you—" I stammered, flustered beyond belief.

He grinned, leaning back in his seat with a triumphant look on his face. "I just wanted the last nugget. That’s all."

"You jerk!" I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared at him. "You totally tricked me!"

Jungkook chuckled, shaking his head. "You’re too easy, little one. Way too easy."

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to regain some semblance of dignity. "Well, I hope that nugget was worth it because that’s the last time I’m ever sharing food with you."

"Come on," he said, nudging my foot under the table. "You can’t stay mad at me forever."

"Watch me," I muttered, still feeling the heat of embarrassment on my cheeks.

Just as the words "Watch me" left my lips, Jungkook grinned mischievously and, before I could even blink, he pulled me closer.

I yelped in surprise, my hands instinctively gripping his jacket as he brought us chest to chest, his warmth immediately enveloping me.

“What now?” I asked, breathless from the sudden move.

He didn’t say anything at first. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, crinkly wrapper. My eyes widened when I saw what it was—two candies, and a bar of Dairy Milk, because of course, it was Jungkook.

He always knew how to get on my good side, even when I was pretending to be mad.

"Peace offering," he said, holding the candy up like it was the answer to all our problems. His eyes sparkled with that boyish charm that always got to me, no matter how much I tried to resist.

I huffed, crossing my arms but taking the candy anyway, because I’m weak. “You think bribing me with sweets is going to make me share food with you?”

His grin only widened as he unwrapped his own candy, popping it into his mouth with a shrug. “Worked last time, didn’t it?”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “You’re impossible.”

“Yeah, but you love me for it,” he shot back cheekily, before handing me the Dairy Milk.

“Fine, fine,” I said, taking the chocolate and opening it. “But if you steal the last nugget again, I swear—”

“I won’t,” he interrupted quickly, holding his hands up in surrender. “I promise.”

Satisfied, I unwrapped the candy and popped it into my mouth, savoring the sweetness as we ordered another round of chicken nuggets.

We ate in silence for a while, the comfortable kind, where neither of us felt the need to fill the space with words. But then, out of nowhere, Jungkook spoke up.

“You know,” he started, leaning back in his seat, “just last night, my butler told me I shouldn’t be seeing a lady late at night.”

I snorted mid-bite, nearly choking on my nugget. “Seeing a lady? Oh please! You’re not just seeing a lady. You’ve successfully eloped with her, touched her, grabbed her—” I raised an eyebrow at him, “—and what not. Where are those famous English manners, huh?”

Jungkook chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, about that…” He sighed dramatically, putting a hand over his heart.

“I sold my manners back in Britain before coming to you, my love. Now, I’m just a man. Unfiltered. Free.”

“I’ve had enough of the royal life—always proper, always polite. I don’t want that for us. I want to be real with you.”

"Royal life, huh?" I mused aloud, thinking back to when we were kids. "There was always something... regal about you, even back then. I wonder how I missed it."

He looked at me, curiosity flickering in his dark eyes. “What do you mean?”

I tapped my chin thoughtfully, pretending to be deep in thought. “Oh, I don’t know… you always behaved so entitled. Like that one time you insisted on getting ice cream and disrupted the entire queue just because you couldn’t wait.”

Jungkook groaned, covering his face with his hands. “Don’t remind me. That was so embarrassing.”

“And don’t forget how the other kids at school and even the teachers were scared of you! I swear, I saw them scatter every time you walked into a room.”

He shrugged, still hiding behind his hands. “That wasn’t my fault. They just knew who I was, I guess.”

I smirked, leaning forward. “Oh, and let’s not forget the time a whole mall magically appeared out of nowhere. What was that about?”

He nodded sheepishly now having no way out.

“Yeah. And then there were the planes.”

He chuckled softly, his fingers tracing patterns on the table. “When I was a kid, my grandma had me travel a lot. To keep me safe, you know? But I always had this thought… why didn’t I have a plane bigger than the commercial ones? And why didn’t my name get printed on those planes?”

I burst out laughing at that, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable. So what, you wanted your name on a bigger plane just because?”

He shrugged, his lips quirking up into a sheepish smile. “Pretty much. But you know what’s funny?”

“What?”

“I thought you had a bigger plane than mine.”

I stared at him for a moment, trying to gauge if he was serious. “What?”

He laughed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I thought you had some secret, massive plane with your name plastered all over it. I mean, you humbled me so much back then, I figured you had to be hiding something.”

I couldn’t stop laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. “Oh my god, Jungkook. You’re such a brat!”

He grinned, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Well, you were the only one who ever put me in my place. I guess I just couldn’t accept that.”

I rolled my eyes, still giggling. “So that’s why you were always so busted. It all makes sense now.”

“Yup,” he said, popping another nugget into his mouth. “You bruised my royal ego, Y/n.”

I smirked, leaning back in my seat. “Well, someone had to.”

There was something so surreal about sitting here with him, talking about our childhood like it hadn’t been years since we’d been carefree kids, completely unaware of the responsibilities that came with his title.

“I miss those days sometimes,” I admitted softly, breaking the silence.

Jungkook looked up at me, his gaze soft. “Me too.”

For a moment, we just sat there, lost in our own memories. It felt like we were the only two people in the world, the rest of the diner fading into the background.

“So,” he said after a while, his tone lighter again, “are you going to make fun of me for my planes and malls, or can I finally enjoy my chicken nuggets in peace?”

I grinned, reaching for another nugget. “Oh, I’m definitely going to make fun of you. But I’ll let you enjoy your nuggets for now.”

“Gee, thanks,” he muttered sarcastically, but I could see the smile tugging at his lips.

---

[Jungkook's POV]

I glanced at the clock on my phone as we sat there in the dimly lit diner. The digital numbers blinked back at me—11:48 PM. Almost midnight. Time had slipped through our fingers, but I didn't mind. Being with Y/n had that effect on me; she made everything else fade into the background.

She was chewing on the last nugget, completely unaware of my thoughts. My mind wandered back to something Hyunsik had told me a while ago. Y/n didn’t usually go out late at night. In fact, she was known to be pretty strict about it, staying home, reading, or doing whatever it was that kept her out of the city’s chaos after dark.

So why tonight? Why did she suddenly agree to a late-night bike ride with me?

“Hey,” I started, breaking the comfortable silence between us. “Can I ask you something?”

She glanced up, surprised by the serious tone in my voice. “Sure, what’s up?”

I tilted my head, watching her closely. “Why did you agree to go out with me tonight? I mean, last time I talked to Hyunsik, he mentioned you never go out this late. So... what changed?”

I saw her eyes widen slightly, the nugget halfway to her mouth as she froze. For a moment, I thought I had hit a nerve, but then she quickly recovered, shrugging her shoulders in a way that looked a little too casual.

“No reason,” she said, brushing it off like it was nothing. “Just felt like it, I guess.”

I couldn’t help but smirk at her weak attempt to play it cool. Y/n wasn’t exactly the best at hiding things from me. She never was. I leaned in closer, resting my elbows on the table, my voice dropping lower.

“Really? So you’ve developed a habit of keeping things from me now, huh?”

Her cheeks flushed a little, and she looked away, clearly flustered by my words. “No! I’m not hiding anything.”

“Uh-huh,” I teased, chuckling softly. “Sure you’re not.”

Before she could protest again, I stoo

d up from the booth and extended my hand toward her. “Come with me.”

She raised an eyebrow, her expression confused. “Where?”

I didn’t answer, just grinned at her in that way I knew always got her curious. “You’ll see.”

She hesitated for a moment, probably wondering what the hell I was up to, but she eventually took my hand. I pulled her up gently, guiding her outside where the bike waited for us. As we strapped on our helmets, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement bubbling inside me. Tonight wasn’t over yet.

We hopped onto the bike, and I revved the engine, feeling the familiar vibration beneath us. This time, I didn’t hold back.

I sped through the quiet streets, weaving in and out of the shadows, Y/n’s arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I could feel her holding on a bit tighter than before, her warmth seeping into my back.

It wasn’t long before we reached our destination. I slowed down, the bike coming to a smooth halt in front of Hyunsik’s house. Y/n removed her helmet, her face full of confusion as she glanced around.

“Why are we here?” she asked, her voice hesitant.

I smiled, taking off my own helmet and running a hand through my hair. I stepped off the bike and turned to her, my eyes softening as I cupped her cheek gently. “You always wanted the three of us to be best friends, right?”

She blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. “Yeah... I did.”

“Then how could we not celebrate our friend’s birthday at midnight?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her eyes widened in shock, and for a second, I thought she might cry. I could see the realization dawning on her face. She had probably forgotten what day it was, but I didn’t. I remembered.

“You... remember?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

I chuckled softly, nodding. “Of course, I remember. I mean, how could I forget something like that?"

And in that moment, I realized that maybe she thought Hyunsik and I were borderline enemies. Maybe she thought there was some unspoken tension between us.

But I wasn’t about to let her be uncomfortable with anything of mine.

I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I found the number I was looking for. With a quick tap, I called Tzuyu.

“Hey, Tzuyu,” I said, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Yeah, we’re outside Hyunsik’s place. I think he’ll be really happy... especially because I finally got Y/n out of her den.”

Y/n’s cheeks flushed a deep pink as she stood there, clearly embarrassed. She never really went out late at night, even if it was Hyunsik’s birthday. But tonight? Tonight, she had crossed that line. And I had been the one to pull her over.

I hung up the phone and turned back to her, giving her a playful wink. “See? I’m grounded enough to be with our friends, just like you always wanted.”

Her expression softened at that, her eyes searching mine. I could tell she was thinking about everything—about me, about the fact that I was here, doing this for her. And then she asked, in that quiet voice of hers, “Why do you love me so much?”

I felt my heart skip a beat at the question. It wasn’t something I could easily put into words, but I had to try. I stepped closer to her, my hand gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

“Because you found parts of me that no one else ever has,” I said softly, my voice thick with emotion. “You saw me when no one else did.”

“I still don’t get why you’re doing this,” she said quietly after a while. “I mean, you and Hyunsik…”

I shrugged, smiling at her. “I did it for you.”

Her eyes softened at that, and for a second, I thought she might kiss me. But instead, she just squeezed my hand, her fingers warm against mine.

“You’re such an idiot,” she whispered, but there was no malice in her voice. Just affection.

“I know,” I said, chuckling softly. “But I’m your idiot."