How - why - why is this happening to me?! Help...I need help!! Oh God - that was so embarrassing on so many different levels! And now it's becoming even more awkward than before! Things just keeps getting worse - why can't everything be as smooth as it was in my head??

Jungkook cursed internally for the umpteenth time over what Sana had said in the earlier call. None of them had said anything after - Lisa's probably guarding in her seat, judging him over Sana's invitation while he's too wrapped up in his own humiliating mess of a bubble to even think about what to say!

He had been cool before, hadn't he? He tried coming up with conversations and Lisa had been comfortable enough to go along with it. He's been trying to get to know this woman - and yes, maybe his flirting game was never present, but he's getting there! Now he can't even look at her in the eyes because she might take him as a loser who's always nervous about something...or worse - that he has a girlfriend and is easily being tricked into forgiving by simply saying that she has no clothes on -

Chill, Kook - she probably doesn't even care much about it! Why would she - it's not like you gave her any real impression before, she thought you were a weak pussy remember?? And why would it matter if she thinks you have a girlfriend? It's not like you have any chance with her anyways!

Jungkook sighed again. The unconscious bitings on his lower lip had now left it feeling swollen. 

"You can calm down, you know?" She finally spoke. Her voice is small, and it sounded like she's laughing at him. Jungkook glanced to his side and found her staring at his fingers - tapping mindlessly on the steering wheel. He stopped the action right away. 

"I uh...sorry about that,"

"Don't be. Like I said, I paid no attention to it," She smiled, but it looked more like a smirk from his angle. "But yeah...you should probably drive faster. You don't want her to catch a cold,"

Okay, definitely a smirk! 

"It's not -" He sighed. "I'm not gonna go there - she's not like my girlfriend or anything,"

Lisa hummed in her nods, the smirk is still there. 

Damn...she really likes to goad people huh?? Or maybe I'm making it way too easy for her -

"Are you hungry? I'm kinda hungry, let's go eat something!" He said, trying to lift his own spirits up...or maybe just buy more time to spend with her.

"We could...but you might not be able to see her again anytime soon," She cocked an eyebrow, looking hotter than the peak of summer. 

Fuck - if you could read my mind right now, you'd know how I really don't give a shit about that!

...

"Wait, why are we doing this again?" Lisa laughs, getting ready with the utensils in her hand and feeling slightly nervous about the game he suggested.

"So we won't be seen as one of those people who prefer to eat in silence,"

"And that's bad because..."

"Cus I've been told that I looked like a sad and lonely man whenever I eat in silence with my bodyguard,"

Lisa giggled, but she can't help but feel sorry at the guy. "Okay...so whoever's done chewing first gets to ask a question right?"

"Yes," He nodded simply and pursed his lips. She had to look down into her bowl to not mind those cute dimples on his cheeks. "You ready?"

"Yes!" She laughed because it feels like the most ridiculous game ever. "But wait - how do we determine the winner? And is there a prize to this?"

"Whoever got most questions wins. The prize...well, the winner can ask whatever they want as a prize," In this light, he looks like an excited young boy. So different than the serious and nervous man from before.

"Okay, let's do it! I must warn you though, I can be quite competitive -"

"Oh, don't worry - me too! So on 3?"

...

1. Jungkook: 

"What do you do for a living?" His proud smile never leaving his face.

Lisa tries to contain her laughter once she's done swallowing. "I um...I'm a photographer,"

"Oh, you are?" He seemed surprised. "For an agency?"

"No, no. I sell them by myself, so it's more like a freelance. Sometimes I'd get approached by clients and take pictures for their works, but I'm not tied with any companies,"

"I see...is that why you travel a lot?"

"That's 3 questions already!"

...

2. Lisa:

"Told you I'm competitive! What do you do for a living, Jungkook-ssi?"

"Really? You're gonna copy my question?" She laughs and although it sounded a bit high-pitched, Jungkook didn't mind it the slightest. He finds himself smiling - partly amazed that she has no idea who he is. "I own a software technology company. We develop software and engines to others - from gaming to multiplatforms...to data security, anything that requires our programs,"

"Wow...sounds...technical,"

He can't help his amused smile. "Most of it, yeah. But it's not as hard as people think,"

"Says the one who owns a freaking company doing just that,"

...

3. Lisa:

"Hah! One more point for me!" She claps her hand tightly, obviously enjoying being ahead in the game. Jungkook groaned internally and rolled his eyes. 

This is clearly not going in the direction I wanted it to! I have so many questions lined up already -

"So if she's not your girlfriend, who is she? Or is that too personal to ask?"

He stiffened but quickly gathered himself back. Practice...practice makes perfect! "No, it's not. Another rule - no questions can be considered 'personal'," He said, just to put it out there. He might have a few personal ones as well, and he didn't want her to hold back! "She's uh...how should I put it...we see each other but like...not exclusive or anything. She's just there,"

"Where?" 

Damn it - she's so cute!!

"Anywhere. Whenever or wherever it's convenient to us both. I never put much thought into it...into girlfriends, I mean,"

"So what happened that made her said 'sorry'?" 

She did pay attention! Jungkook's not sure whether it's a good or a bad thing, but he can't hide his smile.

"I went to meet an associate a few days ago at this bar. Saw her making out with a guy. Her friend saw me so she thought I was affected by it -"

"You weren't?"

"Not so much, no. I ignored her calls, yes. But it wasn't cus I was jealous. I just had that time to think about...more things,"

"Like what?"

"Like my choices...the people I let into my life and what I thought they are might not be the person they actually is. You know how people can act a certain way just to benefit from you?"

She looks around, thinking.

"Well, I'm now aware of those people. Before, I hardly thought about it. I keep to myself most of the times and figured I don't have to worry about these sort of things -"

"What sort of things?"

"Like...power...or the future - marriage or love - those things," She frowned, as if she couldn't quite comprehend what he was talking about.

"So you thought she was benefitting from you? Did you gave her the idea that she could benefit from you?"

He thought about it. Yes, he allowed Sana to be in his life for longer than she probably should. Did he ever mentioned that he will, one day, marry her? No, he didn't think he had...

"So you guys are basically friends with benefits? She gets to be with you whenever she wants and you get to - cough - take her whenever you want?" She smiled cheekily. 

God, I'd give anything to know what she thinks of me right now!

...

4. Jungkook:

"Do you have a boyfriend, Lisa-ssi?" 

Lisa rolled her eyes at the defeat. "No, I don't,"

"Oh..." Does he really need to act that surprised to hear it? "Why not?"

"That's 2 questions -"

"But I let you get away with tons before!"

"Your choice," Lisa smirked before getting ready for the next round.

...

5. Jungkook:

"Tell me about your last boyfriend," 

Damn it - I just wanna wipe that proud smile and twinkling, cheeky eyes off your handsome face right now!

"He died,"

Lisa said simply to the gaping guy in front of her. She wasn't going to get into details about it, but for some reason...right this second...she really wanted to.

"I um...we met when I was in my last year in high school. He was a year older than me so he was just deciding what to do next when we got together. I didn't know him before then," She smiled to herself, remembering the sharp face and delinquent smile she used to see.

"I met him at a party. He had this bad boy vibe...I was into that back then. He almost always knew what he was doing or what he's getting himself into. I was always worried if he'd get caught or get into any sorts of trouble. I was more quiet back then - I think that was why he liked me. He always said I have this innocent look on my face and it's like I don't know half of the things he'd done," She laughed a little.

"It was puppy love really. I was always pissed at him about something, but he always knew how to come back. It's like he had this grip on me, like he knew he was my first boyfriend and he used that to somehow get me back to him. We were only together for a few months but it felt like the longest roller-coaster ever!"

"So I just graduated and he brought me to this party - as a way to celebrate. He got drunk and I found him making out with this girl outside. We argued a bit but I gave up cus I knew he was too drunk to even be civil about things and I hardly know what to say. But I was so mad inside...I was just so mad that I forgot to tell him that he's too drunk to drive us home. I was scared too - there were many times when I was in that car...so many signs for me to ask him to stop - but I didn't. Cus I didn't know how to or if I can,"

"We crashed into the metal barriers, splitting the car by almost half. My half stopped immediately cus it fell into a ditch. His kept going for about 300metres forward before it stopped on the opposite lane. He didn't make it out,"

"Lisa-ssi, I'm sorry. You don't have to -"

"The police...doctors...they said I was lucky cus I had my seatbelt on. I believed them, for a while," She lets out a chuckle. "The town I lived in was big, but not big enough. Words got around - from the kids at the party to their parents, and who then told his parents and family - about the state we were in when we left. I hadn't gotten out for close to a month but when I finally did, all I saw were the judging looks and I'd get curses from his family whenever I bumped into them. His mom came up to my mom once - telling her that I killed her son. That I could've said something - stop him from getting into the car and - and that it was my fault that we were even in the car to begin with -"

"What - it's not your fault, why would -"

"If I wasn't upset at the party, he wouldn't have to drive me back. They said he would have enough time to sober up. His brother said he always went out drinking but still managed to come back home safely. He would've known not to drive in that state so there must be a reason for him to abandon that thought,"

"But it's not -"

"People always look for a reason to blame when they lose something. At that point, the reason was me. It was easier for them to move on if they put the blame on me. I understood that. Partly, I kinda realized that they were quite right. I mean...like I said, I could've said - done something, but I didn't. But there I was...nothing but small cuts that you can't even see after a year or two, while he's no longer around,"

"It was too much for me to live with, but there's nothing I could do. My parents...they were one of the most polite, well-mannered people but even they slipped when the curses got a bit too much. Then they asked me if we could move away. I felt so bad...like it had gotten to that point when we had to run away from these people who were once our friendly neighbors,"

"My mom got in touch with Bam-ie's mom. By then, they've already moved here so his mom suggested for all of us to come here as well, so we did. My dad tried, but he wasn't happy. One of our old neighbors had moved to Australia shortly after, so he set up a culinary school there and they moved there. I loved it here - no one knew me and what happened except for Bam-ie and his mom. Even so, I trust them. So I stayed. I'd do anything to turn back the time but I can't. I promised myself that whatever it is, I'll be more vocal about things - call something out when it doesn't feel right. That's my way of redemption, I guess..."

She looks up and forced a smile. His eyes are mixed with emotions - but she can't tell what it was. Is it pity?

"Anyways, thanks for asking, Jungkook-ssi! That wasn't personal at all!" She claps her hands once more and he smiles down to his food. 

...

6. Lisa:

"At this rate, I think we'll be finishing our bowls by tomorrow morning!" She laughs, looking even more beautiful after that last confession. How is that even possible? "Are your parents in Seoul too?"

"No, they're in Busan,"

"Oh, I love Busan!"

Jungkook felt his cheeks flush with excitement. "You do?"

"Yeah, I went a couple of times to shoot some pictures. It's so scenic...like everywhere I turn, I'll always find something worth capturing,"

That's...so nice to hear! "I'm glad my hometown provides you well,"

"Oh, Busan's your hometown?"

He nods down shyly. "It wasn't always like that. I grew up there. Now there's more colors to it, but back then, it was just a simple...grey...struggling state,"

"Struggling?" She giggled. "That's a bit dramatic - a lot of places are struggling,"

He nods. "That's what I remember. My parents, my neighbors...they struggled a lot. So I worked really hard to get them a nice home...get my parents anything they wanted,"

"That's nice,"

"It feels nice, yeah. I also um...donated some to turn the city around. A few developments...add some colors -"

"Ahh...so you're the one I should thank for all my pretty pictures?"

"No, no! That wasn't what I -"

"Thank you, Jungkook-ssi," She dipped her head a little and he could see the suppressed laughter she held. "I'm so humbled to be in your presence,"

Aishh...this girl!!

...

7. Lisa:

"I think we should just call a winner at this point. You've been zoning out a lot," She giggled and smirked.

"Y - yeah...you win,"

"Really?? That easy??" Her eyes got wider and her cheeks got puffier. It took all of his might not to reach out and squeeze them!

She was right. He's been zoning out a lot, thinking of a way to somehow make her feel better after that story about her ex-boyfriend. A lot of questions ran through his mind too!

Does she still feel guilty? Did she love him - and does she still love him? He was her first boyfriend, and her last - was that the reason why she hadn't gotten another? Is it because she still love the guy and no other could replace him? 

"What's the wildest thing you've ever done?"

"You mean, aside from punching a robber?"

She laughs. It's a good feeling...to be able to make her laugh like this.

"Yes, aside from that,"

"Unfortunately...I can't think of anything,"

"Oh...come on! When you were a teenager?" He shakes his head. "Really? Nothing at all?? You go to a party...smoke with your friends...get wasted in college?"

"Did you do all those things?"

"No..." She pouts. "But I didn't go to college,"

Now it's his turn to laugh. She's just too adorable! "I don't have anything, believe me. I know being friends with Bam might've contributed to you, thinking that I have. But I'm always up doing work when he comes back to the room. I don't know...I just...I hadn't really done anything aside from working,"

"What kind of work were you doing in college?"

"I sold a few software, even then. I figured I could make money to help my parents, so I focused on doing that,"

"Wow...you're so..."

"Boring?"

"Focused. And don't take it the wrong way, please,"

It made him smile. Not a lot of people could make him smile like this and the realization makes him nervous. 

"Is that why you didn't stay for the after-party?"

He scratches his non-itchy neck, feeling slightly afraid of the outcome of this night. He's already filled with so much unfamiliar emotions - what's going to happen tomorrow?

"Yeah...that...and I have some work to do,"

"You do? Oh, let's finish up quickly then!" 

"No!" She looks back up. "I mean...I don't have to do it right away...I'm still waiting for my staff to send the documents to me so...I have time,"

She squints her eyes and slowly, a smile curves up on her plump lips. "You just wanna spend more time with me, don't you?" 

"What if I am?" Damn...is that the soju talking??

...