"So... where are we exactly headed to?" Jiwon strapped herself in and leaned back on the passenger seat, glancing sideways at Yoongi with brows raised.

After her encounter with Mrs. Min the other day, she had received a message from Yoongi, informing her about the vacation trip. The text being as simple as: My mother prepared a vacation trip for 3 days. I'll pick you up on Thursday, 8AM.

Other than the information on that text, however, she had no clue since Yoongi didn't respond to any of her queries thereafter.

"Myeongdong," Yoongi finally told her, eyes focused in front as the vehicle revved up. "She wanted us to go to Namiseom, but I managed to negotiate with her."

She nodded mindfully and hugged her arms on both sides. The reflection of her house on the wing mirror slowly faded into the horizon, then completely once they took a turn at the corner.

Jiwon recalled the last time she had travelled. The Kims had flown to Chicago two years ago because Mr. Kang's daughter had gotten married, and with her father being really close business partners with the Kangs, her parents just had to be the bride and groom's godparents.

The rest of the events floated in her head vaguely, but Jiwon would never forget the ride to the wedding reception, for it was at that moment when her father gained an interest in his own daughter's marriage.

"Perhaps you should get married soon, too," her father casually said.

And Jiwon could only think that her father was crazy.

She had long grasped that this idea was inevitable, but it crossed her path too early. She had just graduated from university by then, a thousand opportunities open and awaiting her.

And this is what he tells me?

Jiwon slumped her head on the window, brushing the memory away. The come and go of the view outside added weight on her eyelids with each passing second, complemented by the soft rhythms of the atmosphere. It didn't take long until she had fallen asleep.

Roughly an hour later, a knock on her side of the car woke her up, almost in a startling manner that there was a sharp intake of breath as if she had just resurfaced from water.

Languidly, she looked over her shoulder, following the noise of luggage being carried out as her consciousness set in. Then, she tipped her head to the right where she noticed Yoongi just outside the car door.

Jiwon kneaded her fingers on her temple and took off her seat belt. She unlocked the door and was about to push it open when Yoongi had done it himself.

Greeting her now awake self was Min Yoongi scrutinizing her face, head tilted a little causing the strands of his black hair cover a fraction of his eyes.

And she did the same, taking in his figure clad in black leather jacket, a white shirt underneath, and black jeans.

He looked so... casual.

Jiwon wondered how she had not regarded this earlier.

"Are you done studying me?" Yoongi chuckled, amused, snapping Jiwon out of her thoughts and glanced at the bellboy loading the luggage cart with their things.

She smiled wryly, mentally berating him as she climbed down the car.

Inside the elevator, the two of them each backed on opposite ends, the bellboy and his luggage cart doing a spectacular job at creating a barrier between them. But that same distance was soon discarded when they exited the elevator at the same time, and surprisingly, neither reacted. Not even a minuscule of a flinch at the faint touch of their arms.

When they had arrived at their room, there was no astonishment that, unquestionably, Min Hyo would book them a presidential suite. And exaggeratedly one where Jiwon and Yoongi could probably fit ten children and still have space for more.

"Your mother plans quite opulently," commented Jiwon, eyes wandering through the place.

An enormous LED TV in front of a commodious couch, an open-plan kitchen just a few steps away, ceiling to floor windows with dark gray curtains tucked to the sides complementing the white walls, a translucent white curtain to tame the afternoon sunlight, and a crystal chandelier at the center.

Definitely too much for a simple vacation trip.

"Not all the time," defended Yoongi, fishing his phone out of his pocket. "I assume it's because she's just really overwhelmed with the situation."

"And you didn't say no to this because...?"

"I know my parents better. They might blame it on me for not giving you my time when we break up in the future."

Jiwon snickered at the thought and nodded in agreement. "Point taken."

When Jiwon lifted her gaze, her attention locked in on him. The way Yoongi lazily stood steps away from her radiated an enigmatic wave of comfort amidst the silence, as if she was seeing him in a new light — both figuratively and literally due to the luster of sunlight against his profile.

Unconsciously, Jiwon's shoulders relaxed, a breath of relief leaving her lungs. She was not even aware of the tension she had been holding in. It truly made her wonder how he always managed to do this.

Jiwon cleared her throat and composed herself. "If I were to be honest, you're not half bad."

"Don't tell me you've changed your mind and decided to just marry me," Yoongi nonchalantly replied, eyes still on his phone, fingers tapping continuously on the screen.

"Oh don't be too modest." Still inside her thoughts, an impassive smile curved on her lips as she pulled her luggage. And then the words slipped out of her mouth in a soft, soft whisper.

"But I'm glad it's with you, Min Yoongi."

The male lifted his head from his phone and shot her a quizzical look. "Did you say something?"

She shook her head, smile unfaltering.

Jiwon was aware of the influence the Kims had over the industry. Could it have been another person, the possibility of them taking advantage of the situation was most likely to happen.

With Yoongi, that air of safety always lingered. Or at least she could feel it whenever she was civil with him.

Amusing was it, how she had always felt safe with him, even from the beginning despite how they seem to get into an argument every now and then. It didn't really make sense, but Jiwon turned a blind eye over it.

Some things just defy logic and reasoning, and lately, stupidity had been following her around. What difference would this one consideration make?

"You know," Yoongi began, locking his eyes with hers. "I don't really mind how small your smiles are or even if you don't, just don't feel the need to force them and give me those fake ones. Especially not when you're around me."

Then he added, "It's annoying."

Jiwon's brows perked up, but Yoongi had already walked away from her, heading into a room.

But it didn't change how Jiwon was taken aback, how her vulnerability in his eyes alarmed her. And how that tiny throb made its way to her chest. All of which Jiwon was clearly aware of.

She stood there, blinking to herself. Perhaps a little too long that when Yoongi came back, he had to wave a hand in front of her to reel her senses back and get her attention.

"Kim Jiwon, did you hear me?"

"I'm sorry, what?" She could barely hear her voice from the blood pounding on her ears.

Yoongi clicked his tongue, a withering expression painted on her face. He placed the back of his hand on her forehead, knocking all her nerves into haywire.

"That's weird, you're not sick. Do you really space out often?"

It took a quarter of a second to find her voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to— I was just—"

"It's fine. Just try not to space out often when you're with me," he requested and she nodded discreetly.

"S-So... you were saying?" This time, she didn't bother to put on any expression on her face.

"There's only one room. I should've known my mother would do this." He pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Should we book for another room then?" she suggested.

"Just let it be. My mother might be suspicious about it if she finds out," said Yoongi. "I'll just sleep on the couch. It's not a problem."

Jiwon parted her mouth, about to suggest she'd take the couch instead, but closed it back when she concluded he probably wouldn't agree unless she'd provide a good reason. A reason which she wouldn't so casually share.

"I got to bargain her out of setting us up an itinerary, so you can take a rest or whatever to kill time." Yoongi pulled out his laptop from his luggage and laid it on the kitchen counter before taking a seat.

"You're working?" Jiwon asked incredulously and he turned to her as if the answer was very obvious. "No wonder your mother's incessant with having you take a break."

"She worries a lot."

"At least you have her." This time, the smile on Jiwon's lips possessed honesty. "Your father hasn't stepped down yet, right?"

"He hasn't," Yoongi replied, a sour look hovering his face. He scratched the back of his neck. "He keeps saying something I never understood."

Jiwon chuckled, shaking her head and started ambling towards the room, pulling her luggage behind her.

"What a caring family," she mused to herself. "Well, if you keep that up, he certainly wouldn't step down."

There was a pause.

"Y-Yah! What do you mean?"

Even with her back facing him, she could imagine Yoongi with a perplexed and accusing frown. She simply shrugged, glancing at him over her shoulder. She stuck her tongue out.

"Go figure it yourself."