Chapter 17

Jinhee POV

"What kind of ice cream flavour would you like handsome?"

Seriously, they let people like this work here? Don't they drive away all the customers with their fake attitudes and 9-pound makeup?

My heart clenched and I felt angry all of a sudden, who does she think she is?!

And what's this strange feeling bubbling up from the darkest depths of my heart?

Jungkook totally ignored her attempt at flirting with him and replied in a monotonous voice, "One chocolate and...Jinhee what do you want?"

The cashier glared at me but put on a big smile and said, "There's our most popular ice cream flavour, caramel, which I'm sure would suit your friend most because it's sweet yet sticky like glue."

As she said the last part, she eyed my form, standing fairly close to Jungkook's and a look of pure digust flitted across her features.

Basically calling me a slut.

Wow.

I'm going to break her pretty litt---

"Is caramel okay with you Jinhee?" Jungkook asked me.

I put on my most plastic looking grin and replied sweetly, "Sweetheart! Can I have the strawberry flavoured one instead?"

I pouted my lips and did aegyo. Just to irritate that stupid cashier.

The poor boy's eyes widened and his neck turned red.

Awwwwww...

He's blushing!!! Shit, he's so adorable.

To step up my game further, I squished his cheeks and said, "So cute!!!"

I could see the girl behind the counter clenching her teeth and struggling to maintain her smile.

I grinned in pure satisfaction and let go of his cheeks.

He stared at me with widened eyes and an open mouth, the look in his eyes foreign and unreadable.

I turned back to the jealous-looking cashier and spoke for the both of us sweetly, "We'll have one large chocolate and one large strawberry then, since caramel is so sticky."

She looked downright murderous.

I paid for the ice creams and took one in each hand, heading for the door.

Jungkook followed me like a lost puppy, holding onto the back of my shirt.

I led him to a nearby park that I knew of and brought him to a shady spot under a giant oak tree.

"Here's your ice cream as thanks for taking such good care of me yesterday."

He dumbly nodded and took the treat from my outstretched hands.

We ate in comfortable silence for a while, before he broke it.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Touch my face like that."

"Wanted to piss off that annoying girl behind the counter. What, you didn't like that? I saw you blushing."

"N-No, I wasn't..." he stuttered cutely, his ears scarlet.

"Oh really?" I cocked an eyebrow, challenging him.

He turned even redder than humanely possible and I took the opportunity to tease him, "Awwwwww is the bwig bwad boy bwushing?"

"Shut up..." the embarrassed bunny muttered.

Silence for another few minutes before he spoke up again.

"Were you jealous?"

I was startled.

Was I? I mean I don't know, I suddenly felt angry and there was this monster in me that just wanted to kill that girl for flirting with Jungkook.

I tried to act nonchalant and shrugged. "No, should I?"

"N-No..." he sounded a little disappointed.

Maybe I am jealous.

"Come on, let's climb."

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused, now climb."

The brown-haired boy groaned and I helped him up.

I put my foot on the lowest branch I could find and hauled myself up. One branch at a time, I told myself.

I made my way to the top of the enormous tree and seated myself on a comfortable-looking branch.

It was long and broad, perfect for sitting on and chatting.

Jungkook's head popped up a second later. I'm not surprised, since he's also very athletic.

I patted the spot next to me and he lied down.

"Ahhhhhhh..." I sighed.

"Why are we up here again?"

"Pabo, we're here to know each other better. We've only scratched the surface of what could be a beautiful friendship you know."

"Oh."

"Anything you want to tell me about yourself that I don't already know?"

"Of course. A lot, actually."

"We have time, it's only," I checked my watch, "-ten in the morning. Maybe we could grab some lunch later too."

He nodded.

"For starters, I have a passion for singing, not just dancing."

"Ohhh I wanna hear you sing."

He smiled cheekily and said, "How about another time?"

"Fine. You may continue."

"Well, I want to be a singer when I grow up."

"Hey, don't forget about little old me when you become a superstar yeah?"

"I could never forget you even if I wanted to."

My poor heart, that was so sweet.

I felt flustered, so I buried my face in his sleeve and mumbled, "Stop...your cheesiness is turning me into a puddle of mush."

He laughed, a bright, clear sound that touched my heart.

Do I really like him?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had a lot of fun exchanging stories, until...

"Your mum is nice, I like her."

"She is isn't she? I love her a lot."

"What about your father? I've never seen him before."

He stiffened instantly when he heard my question, anger obvious in his expression.

"Something wrong?"

"He's dead." he replied flatly.

I recoiled with shock.

"What?!"

"Yeah, he was murdered. But the police didn't have the evidence to prove it, so the murderer got away." the boy was shaking with anger and grief, vengeance evident in his dark eyes.

I stayed silent, the truth burning into my mind.

"I'll get that bitch even if it's the last thing I do." he spat, as I sat there marvelling at his determination.

Placing my hand on his shoulder, I said with newfound determination, "And I'll help you. I'm sure your father didn't deserve to die."

His eyes shone with gratitude and hope, "Yeah, he really didn't."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lunch came much too soon.

We'd been talking for over two hours, and we were currently playing 20 questions, which I had suggested to take his mind off the stressful topic of his father.

"I swear this is the last question."

I chuckled, "We still have to eat you know, and I'm getting hungry."

"I'll be quick. Okay okay. When was the last time...you wet your own bed?"

I snorted in a very unlady-like manner and laughed like a dying mammal.

"Seriously that's the best you can come up with?" I mocked.

Jungkook looked at me sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck, which I've noticed he does a lot when he's feeling embarrassed or shy.

"Four years old." I answered his question.

"Time to go, Kook!" I called him.

"I'm too comfortable to move."

"Come onnnnn... I'm hungryyyyyy..."

"Ugh, fine."

I climbed down the tree carefully, while Jungkook, being the athlete he was, shimmied down like a monkey.

"Hurry up, Jinhee! You were the one who said you were hungry."

"I'm coming!" I yelled back.

In my haste to get back down to solid ground, I missed the branch that my foot was aiming for and I found myself falling from several metres above the ground.

A squeal of fear erupted from my lips as I saw the ground rushing up to meet me.

I closed my eyes, ready for impact and accepting the possibility of broken bones.

A sickening crunch was heard as I crash-landed on a soft surface.

"Owwww..."

My eyes snapped open and I found myself face to face with a pair of dark brown eyes.

Shit.