I scan the area in disbelief. I cannot believe that, out of all places, Taehyung would take me to the freaking zoo. I am a jumbled mess of thoughts right now as he pulls me through the crowd to stare at the animals on display.

Firstly, though I am grateful that we are somewhere with large quantities of people I am insanely confused. The way that he is behaving doesn't help either.  It's just too adorable, the way he gets excited about every display. Not typical behavior for someone who might truly murder someone. In fact, as a whole, he seems too soft to hurt even a fly and it has me baffled.

Secondly, who takes someone on a date to the zoo? This guy apparently. Though I can't deny that some small, buried part of me is actually having fun.

Thirdly, how did he know I like animals? It seems too random of a choice for it to truly be a coincidence. Is it possible that he has been stalking me?

I scrutinize him from my seat as he orders food for the both of us. This would be the perfect time to make a break for it, but unfortunately, I have no way to get back home, especially since he has my wallet. It pains me greatly to admit to myself that even if I had a way to get home I still probably wouldn't be able to leave. He intrigues me far too much.

"Sorry, it seems like you're not having as much fun as I am. I'd hoped you'd like the zoo. I really like animals you see," he tells me as he sits, placing a tray of food before me.

Well, at least that answers my last question. He looks so sad though that I can't help myself. I throw him a bone. "Actually, I love animals too. And I'm having a surprising amount of fun considering I was basically blackmailed into this."

He gives me a sheepish look, clearly embarrassed, as I begin to devour my meal. "About that, I'm really sorry. Truly. But I was afraid you might not agree otherwise," he tells me. His voice softens as he continues, a trace of sadness lingering in his brown eyes. "Life is too short not to give it your all, you know? And I just really want to get to know you..."

I can't fault his logic. After all, I likely would have turned him down. A part of me is illogically flattered that he would go to such extremes just for the chance to get to know me. Even so, I cannot allow this to continue. After all, I have too much to lose to allow anyone to grow closer to me. I can't trust anyone. But what would it hurt to humor him for today?

"So," I ask between bites "what's next on the map?"

"Well," he says, opening the folded map we'd purchased from the ticket stand "it looks like we've looked at most of the animals. There is a garden and some rollercoasters though, even a petting zoo. What do you want to do?"

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little surprised. I was under the impression that this is his show after all, and not many people ask me what I want. I give it a fair amount of thought, mulling the options over in my head as I chew. Taehyung, to his credit, is perfectly patient as he awaits my response.

"Isn't the petting zoo more for children?" I ask.

"And?" He responds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can't seem to stop the laughter that bubbles forth from my lips as I watch my date. It's absolutely hilarious, the way that he is being outsmarted by a tiny rabbit. He chases him here, and there, determined to catch the poor, obviously terrified critter. All because I'd said I really wanted to hold him.

No sooner had the words left my mouth and Taehyung had become a man on a mission.

"If the lady wants to hold the rabbit, hold the rabbit she shall!" He'd proclaimed loudly, much to my initial embarrassment.

And now, covered in mud and still refusing to give up, he continues to pursue the furry little ball of fluff.

"Stop moving so I can catch you!" He yells in exasperation. My laughter only becomes increasingly louder in response.

"I'm glad someone is enjoying this!" He teases me playfully.

I can't help it, somehow this man brings out the child in me. I stick my tongue out at him, playfully mocking him only to yelp as a ball of mud goes flying past my face. It only narrowly misses the mark.

"Oh, it's on!" I yell gleefully. I know damn well that he was the one who threw that, his amused expression gives him away.

I bend over, grabbing my own handful of mud, and throw it at him. I don't miss my mark, so of course, I feel extremely satisfied when the conglomerate mixture of dirt and water hits him square in the face.

He wipes the mud away from his eyes and mouth, nothing short of shell-shocked for a few moments as he processes what it is that I've done. To be fair, I can't really believe what I've just done. But it's been so long since I've lived in the moment that I find it extremely hard to care. People all around are looking at us as if we are off our rockers, and perhaps we are. But none of that matters, because Taehyung is looking at me with the sort of gaze that promises vengeance. 

I can feel it, the moment that adrenaline is released into my bloodstream. But I barely even have time to register the fact that it's the good sort of adrenaline, the kind that makes you feel giddy and alive, because my body immediately goes into autopilot. I am running, and for once it isn't for my life.

The two of us chase each other all around the pen, even upsetting a few of the calmer animals. It would seem that goats in Korea still faint much the same as goats from America, and of course, I can't help but laugh as the poor animal goes rigid, spooked by my incessant screeching as I attempt to avoid Taehyung. But the laughter slows me down, and as a result Taehyung easily tackles me to the ground, both of us laughing the entire time.

As Taehyung's surprisingly well built frame settles over my own the laughter dies, replaced instead with a sort of sombre atmosphere. My hair, along with my arms, are splayed out above me in the mud while his own hold him mere centimeters above my face. Our legs are tangled up together, and nearly every part of our bodies are touching causing me to blush furiously. The attraction is there, I realize, simmering just beneath the surface as we gaze into each others eyes. For a moment I think he might kiss me but even more disturbing is the fact that I actually want him to.

Instead, the moment is broken as he sits up, now straddling my prone form, and begins to tickle me. I squirm and scream, racious laughter forcing itself from my lips as I attempt to free myself from his tortuous grasp. I can't even remember when the last time was that I was tickled. Maybe before mom and dad... died.

Suddenly, I find myself no longer in the mood for this. And of course, it is at this moment that the staff choose to say something about our rowdy behavior.

"Excuse me, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're upsetting the animals and the other guests." The petting zoo's attendant tells us.

The both of us look up at her rather sheepishly, I'm quite certain that Taehyung feels as thoroughly chastised as I do. He swings his leg around, freeing me in the process, and stands before offering me his hand to help me up. In short order the both of us are standing and regarding the poor lady with rather apologetic countenances.

She looks nervous, as if she doesn't really like confrontation, and I immediately feel bad for her. "No hard feelings ma'am, don't worry. You're just doing your job right?" Taehyung tells her before I can even open my mouth to apologize. The small woman smiles in response.

"Thank you for your understanding." She tells us.

Though I can't be certain, I think I see a hint of envy on her face as we walk away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure I cant convince you to join me for dinner?" Taehyung asks as we pull into my apartments parking lot.

"Believe me, I'm sure," I tell him "I had a great time today but I really can't let it go any further than this."

He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly and chuckles. It is a rather unenthusiastic chuckle. The sort one might give when they are about to deliver particularly unpleasant news.

"I thought you'd say that," he begins "which is why I've decided that I'm only going to be giving you an item from your wallet per date..."

My mouth hangs wide open as I gape at him in shock. "You are aware that this is illegal right? I could easily have called the cops on you for withholding it from me at all!"

Pesky little organ, the heart. I cannot believe that it dares to clench at the sad face that he gives me in response. I refuse to give in, however, and so I hold my hand out hoping against all odds that he will cave and give me my wallet and all of the things contained within. To be honest, I'd really rather not get the police involved, the more anonymously I can live the better.

"I'm going to have to demand that you return all of it this instant!" I tell him forcefully. Taehyung seems like the sort of man who cares little for confrontation and hopefully that will work to my advantage.

It's a shame really. In another life, I could easily see myself falling for him. Wallet situation aside, he seems like a genuinely good person. No, I'm almost positive that he is a good person. But that is honestly all the more reason to keep him away from myself and my situation. Jacob isn't the kind of man who would hesitate to kill those who deem to touch what is his. This much already has put Taehyung in more danger than I'd like to be responsible for.

"I'm truly sorry," he says "but even if I wanted to I simply can't. I only brought one item with me today."

He places my license in my outstretched palm, and I curl my fingers around it with a dejected sigh. Good person yes. Devious? Most definitely. And yet somehow I find that I am not nearly as angry as I feel I have a right to be.