Happy reading 🙂🙂

As slow as it seemed, things were going good. Meeting each other, definitely something that was impossible because of their amazingly hectic lifestyles. Talk about an idol and doctor dating. But definitely, there was a communication gap. She knew he needed it the most at the moment. She definitely was not the childish and cribbing type to not understand. She was childish, yes with him, but only when the mood was right.

It'd been six and a half months and no exchange of words. As much as she missed him, his smile, his annoying ass, his whining, his scoldings, his care, his everything, she was not going to bother him. She was going to give him all the time he needed to grieve, heal and recover.

Space, she called it.

To not cross personal boundaries, she called it.

She definitely did fear drifting apart, but if that was what was destined to happen, she was ready for it. Jaemin's grandma had passed a week after their concert. But, the old woman did try to fight. Her vitals seemed more than normal at her grandson's presence. She had seen it. He had shut off from everyone, refusing to talk, but still carried on with his schedules. He was out of Seoul now, shooting for his new movie.

"It was more of an outdoor shoot" her sister had said.

She had heard from Jeno that he didn't want to be in the city. That everything about it suffocated him.

................

"Where is Jaemin?" she asked.

"Can't find him" Jisung replied, pursing his lips.

They were all at the funeral hall, the atmosphere too black and gloomy. Everyone dressed in black. It definitely was, it was supposed to be. What and how else were funerals for?

"Jaemin isn't here?" she heard her sister from behind.

"I thought you weren't in town?" Chenle asked.

"Had to come back. She was a lovely person" Eunji shook her head, her eyes welling up a little.

"He was here" Jeno shook his head "like just two minutes ago" he sighed.

"She was his favourite person" she sighed.

"I'll go find him" Jieun said and ran out, leaving the others.

She searched a few floors before walking out of the building. She walked towards the memorial hall where the remains of people who had passed were kept and she didn't know why her feet pulled her there. She walked in to see Jaemin curled up in a corner, dressed in a black suit, his face buried in his knees. She walked to him, kneeling opposite to him, she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Jaemin" she whispered.

"I'm not coming" she heard him say. He didn't lift his head up to look at her.

"I don't think your grandma would like that" she said, her fingers still massaging his hair.

"I don't want to" he hissed, looking up.

She looked at his face that now looked stoic. He looked like a totally different person. His void eyes, not a single tear shed. She sighed, wanting to take a step back.

"I know, but stay. Just for a while" she said, pushing his hair aside that had grown a little, now covered his eyes off of his forehead.

"Just a little" she made him look up, cupping his cheeks.

With a sigh, he got up. Before she could take his hand, he walked out first, leaving her behind. As much as it made her take a step back, curling her fist, she couldn't blame his behaviour. He was not in his right mind. He wanted to grieve, but was holding back. She walked out with a sigh, but definitely the fear of drifting apart settling in her chest.

Everyone was ignored by him as he roamed around like an automatically operated robot zombie as he only did what was told with a blank face. It really did hurt the others, but what could they really do? What could they do to help him when he was not ready to accept helping hand? He was not ready to help himself. And when at time of grief, to give space was the right thing. Nobody had the right to interfere. There was no time span to define when a person can or cannot grieve. People had their ways. They took their time. To respect their choices and decision was the only way to let them know that you respected them. But also are close by and always there for them.
He walked away leaving them alone and that was when she decided, she was not going to talk to him until he did.

.............

Jieun looked up the ceiling with a sigh. She was done with her out patient appointments and had to now go to observe a surgery. This one was one of the complicated surgeries that she'd wanted to learn about. Talk about being totally packed on your birthday. She pulled out her phone in excitement when it vibrated.

"Jaemin" she smiled, expecting it to be him. But, it wasn't.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIEUN-IE! HAVE AN AMAZING DAY BABY SISTER!
DONT FOGET TO EAT, PLEASE!
ILL WHIP YOU UP AN AMAZING MEAL WHEN IM BACK.
LOVE YOU ♥️♥️" the message read.

It was her sister. Well, at least someone wished her. Even Dami hadn't and it made her even more upset.

"THANKS" she punched back a reply.

"Screw you for expecting it to be him" she scolded herself.

She looked down at her phone and without a hesitation searched for his contact. She gave it another thought as she stared at his name in her phone screen.

"Nope. Not gonna" she huffed, slipping it into her pocket.

"Jieun-ie, happy birthday!" Dami ran into her room and hugged her tight.

"Thanks, where were you?" she chuckled at her best friend's messed up state. The anger and upsetting long forgotten.

"My boyfriend proposed out of the blue yesterday and we stayed up late watching movies to celebrate. So, I woke up late" Dami replied.

"Congratulations!" she walked back and forward again to pull her in for a hug "my best friend's engaged!" she cheered, looking down at her now ring loaded finger.

"I am so happy!" Dami squealed "anything?" she asked, a little quietly.

"No" Jieun whispered, shaking her head.

"Imma smack his head when he comes back! How dare he?!" she hissed.

"You can" Jieun laughed "now relax" she laughed.

"Where are you going?" Dami asked.

"Surgery. Observing" she smiled and walked out.

It was a long C-Section and she definitely was tired. It was just observing, not even assisting. She huffed walking to her room, wanting to just go home. She walked into the quiet room, confused. Dami was supposed to be there.

"Dami?" she called out. Dami sometimes had the habit of hiding and sneaking in behind her.

Arms looped around her waist and she turned around to punch the person in the face, but sadly the person dodged it.
Jaemin smiled down at her as he held her fist in his hand. Her panic was now replaced with anger. She brought up her other hand to hit him, which he gladly caught again with a smile.

"Wow, is this how you're going to greet me? No 'hi'? No 'how are you?'? No 'I missed you'? No hug? Nothing?" he asked, letting go of her hands.

"Do you even deserve it?" she snapped.

"So sexy" he grinned, wiggling his brows at his angry girlfriend.

She coughed and had to bite in on her cheeks hard to stop herself from giving in and smiling. She was going to stay angry.

Okay, try.

Try to stay angry.

To try is a good attempt. Some effort worth appreciating.

"Let go!" she backed away, pushing him off.

"Happy birthday!" he sang.

"No thanks" she snapped again.

"Jieun-ah, I'm sorry" he sighed, walking to her.

"Sorry? That is all you can say? Six and a half months Jaemin" she whisper-hissed.

"I know. I'm sorry" he sighed, cupping her cheeks.

"Why did you stop texting me?" he asked.

"You read?" she asked.

"Yeah" he smiled, the pad of his thumb stroking her cheek.

"Why didn't you reply?" she asked.

"I wanted to meet you in person" he smiled.

"How are you now?" she asked.

"I'm okay" he smiled.

"I'm glad" she smiled.

"How long has it been since you washed your hair?" he asked, looking at her greasy scalp.

"I hate you" she snapped "seven months and this is what you see and tell?" she snapped again.

"Six and a half" he corrected her.

"The nerve you got" she scowled.

He pulled her cheeks "my bunny looks cuter when she's angry" he chuckled tapping her nose.

"I will drown you in all the strawberries in the world" she hissed, pointing a finger at him.

"And for your kind information, I've oiled my hair" she shook her head with a sigh.

He cringed in disgust "if that's what makes you happy" he shrugged.

"You always wear a bun, it's confusing" he pouted.

"Why do you give up so easily?" she sighed.

"It's called energy saving" he explained in his kid voice.

"So, I exhaust you?" she asked in disbelief.

"No. I just don't like arguing or fighting with you" he smiled "definitely can't be like Eunji nuna and Johnny hyung" he shook his head.

"She's giving him the cold shoulder now" she laughed "but I feel bad for him though" she pouted.

"They'll be okay. They'll figure it out" he smiled, playing with her coat collar.

"I hope so" she said.

"Let's go" he said.

"Where? I can't go anywhere" she shook her head "I have work" she said.

"I've spoken to Dami, let's go" he said, tugging at her arm.

"Dami is not my superior mister Na" she shook her head, pursing her lips.

"Mister Na? Did you just call me mister Na?" he threw in a dramatic expression and she burst out laughing.

"Oh I did" she nodded, still laughing.

"You're mean" he pouted.

"Thank you for the compliment" she grinned.

"Now, come" he pulled her out.

He waved at Dami as they walked out and Dami grinned, giving them both a double thumbs up. Jieun glared at her best friend who waved at her. The woman knew and she kept quiet. Ugh, who's side was she on now?

"How was it?" she asked, breaking the deadly silence in the car as Jaemin drove.

"What?" he asked.

"Shooting abroad" she said "were there beautiful women there?" she asked.

"Yes, there were. Now, shut up. It's not like I was going to date them when I had you" he shook his head at her stupidity "it was okay. Quite lonely" he said.

"We were dating for just a month Jaemin" she said.

"So? That still makes you my girlfriend" he said, turning to see her.

"Okay, then" she shrugged.

"And you didn't even give me a hug" he complained.

"Dumbass, it's supposed to be the other way around. You have no place to whine and complain here" she countered.

"Sorry, my baby" he baby voiced.

"Don't baby me" she hissed "not the baby voice please" she cringed.

"Can't help it and you're stuck with me" he baby voiced again.

"I give up" she sighed, surrendering.

It only made him smile and he patted her head. He drove towards her grandparents house that she lived in and and she looked confused.

"My house?" she asked as they got off the car and walked towards the entrance.

"Go and change into your robe" he pushed her in after they entered.

"Huh?" she looked confused.

"Change into your robe and go to the bathroom" he said calmly.

"I am not going to take a shower with you!" she said loudly.

"Did I ever say that?" he smirked "dirty mind dirty mind, d-d-d-d-dirty mind" he tsked.

"Ugh" she groaned, stomping her foot and ran to her room.

He pulled out a few ingredients from the fridge and walked to her room. He saw her playing with the small plant on the marble counter and pulled her to the stool that was there at the washbasin.

"What?" she asked.

"Just relax" he said, pushing her further down by shoulders so that her neck could rest at the curve and her head into the basin.

"Okay" she breathed out in a whoosh.

"And stay quiet" he said.

"Yes sir" she saluted and it had them both laughing.

She shuddered when she felt warm water on her scalp. She smiled to herself when she felt the sound of shampoo being squirted and when he began to work his magical fingers gently through her scalp. He massaged it with patience as she relaxed further more with a hum. He lathered her hair with shampoo another time before he moved on to the conditioner to deep condition. He detangled her hair and covered it.

"Half an hour. Don't touch it. Stay here, and here's your phone" he said, handing her phone to her.

"Thank you" she smiled.

"There's still hair mask, so we still not done baby" he said, making the baby part look like a voice crack. Perks of being a rapper.

"Jaemin" she whined.

"Now now now. You don't get this pampering everyday" he said, wagging his finger.

"I am not a dog" she spoke through gritted teeth.

"You're not. You're my bunny babe" he smiled, pulling her cheeks and walked out, leaving her alone in the bathroom.

"Ugh, I hate him" she pouted, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"You love me" she heard his voice echo.

"Was I too loud?" she asked herself.

Jaemin walked into the kitchen, all the staffs dismissed to their quarters. He was going to be making her jeyukbokkeum, tteokbokki and cheonggukjang-jiage. Nothing could be better and relaxing than a home cooked meal. Especially for extremely busy people like the both of them. Sitting together for a meal, not rushing, to talk about anything and everything was something that was precious to him.

He knew she loved pork. He poked at the pork shoulder that had defrosted to room temperature and was now soft and went on to clean and marinate them. He then took out a pot and added zucchini, onion, and garlic. He put the anchovies into a soup pouch and added kimchi brine along with water. After it boiled, he added the fermented bean paste and removed the pouches after adding a few more ingredients and seasonings to the stew. He walked back to the bathroom to see her dancing to one of his solos and he definitely found it cute. He recorded her, it definitely was going to be used as blackmail and expose material.

"Bravo bravo!" ha clapped, walking further in.

"Why did you have to come in?" she pouted.

"It's called destiny" he spoke with so much intensity, he cringed himself.

"Cute" she clapped "actor Jaemin in the house" she giggled.

"Shut up" he facepalmed himself.

"Cutie" she called out, making grabby hands at him.

"Now, let's get your hair washed and put on that hair mask" he smiled.

He washed her hair and put on the hair mask, massaged her head and put on the cap again. He began to massage her neck, shoulders and back and all Jieun could do was to nod in appreciation.

"Why do you have so many knots?" he sighed, adding pressure to some points.

"I can ask you the same" she said "and it's called being busy and on toes" she said.

"You definitely hit the spot there" she heaved a sigh of relief when he ran his fingers down her neck from the lower part of her head.

"Why you doing this for me?" she asked.

"You deserve all the pampering" he smiled, bending forward to peck her cheek.

He smiled when she pouted and saw her cheeks turn into a light tinge of red. He massaged her forehead and face gently and put on a face mask after cleaning her face with a warm towel.

"Half an hour more. Take a shower and then come down for dinner" he said.

"Half an hour more?" she groaned.

"Want more?" he asked.

"No" she shook her head.

"Then stay" he said.

"Okay" was all she could say.

He smiled placing a packet on her bed and walked back into the kitchen. The stew was ready and the pork was marinated. He walked into the living after grabbing himself a granola bar, flipping over channels and settled on one of the cartoon channels. It was going to take another half an hour. He would heat the stew again once the tteotbokki and pork were close to being finished. He walked to the kitchen when his alarm rang, annoying the existence out of him. He took out another pot to make the tteotbokki. He was halfway through when he heard Jieun's room door slam and lock click. He kept rice in the rice cooker and let out an exasperated sigh stretching.

"Let's get grilling" he said to himself.

Jieun looked confused at the packet on her bed. She gasped at the cute white dress and laughed at it's length. It was below knee length and it only made her remember her first date with him.

"God, this man!" she almost screamed, hugging the dress to her chest.

She wore it and the accessories he had gifted her. After drying and styling her hair a little, she put on some makeup and smiled a satisfied one at her own reflection on the mirror.

"Na Jaemin, the things you make me do" she chuckled to herself.

After preheating the skillet, Jaemin added the marinated meat and kept watching it as it grilled. He occasionally kept an eye on the tteotbokki as well. He added loads of cheese on the top of the tteotbokki. He definitely was tired by the time he was done and also had re-heated the stew. The table was set and he plopped on the chair. He didn't even notice he was asleep until he felt fingers gently running through his hair.

"Hey" he heard her whisper.

"Hey love" he smiled, opening his eyes "you look beautiful" he smiled, awarding her a fly kiss and it had her in a blushing mess again.

"We could've ordered take out, why did you cook all this? You're so tired now and you've to drive back home. You also have practice tomorrow" she sighed, looking the items he had cooked.

"It's for the seven months. It's for ignoring you and for totally not checking up on you. And for being a bad boyfriend" he said "and I also wanted to cook these for the woman of my dreams. Since it's your birthday, it's the best occasion to cook it" he smiled.

"You're so nice, it hurts. Right here" she pouted, pointing at her chest.

"Come here you" he walked to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Finally, a hug after seven months" she whispered, holding him tighter.

"I'm so sorry" he whispered, patting her head.

"Forgiven" she smiled, going on tiptoes to peck his cheek.

"Here" he said, handing her a box.

"How much more will you pamper me with gifts?" she almost sobbed.

"How much ever I can" he smiled.

She opened the box and there was a beautiful thin rose gold bracelet that sat in the middle. In the middle of the bracelet, there was a white and yellow gold loop with a small pink diamond in the middle.

"You did not!" she gasped "a teddy bear would've been enough" she pouted.

"This must've been expensive" she sighed "whoops it's Cartier, definitely expensive" she said, looking at the box in disbelief.

"It's your birthday and my first ever gift to you. So, sshhhh okay" he said, taking the box away from her and secured the bracelet around her wrist.

"Looks pretty though" she pouted, looking down at her wrist "thank you!" she smiled.

"It sure does" he smiled, holding her hand.

"Are you hungry? I for a fact am. These look so delicious" she squealed in excitement.

"Thank you so much!" she smiled, this time jumping a little to peck his other cheek.

"Let's eat" he chuckled, motioning her to take a seat.

"They smell so good!" she clapped in excitement and served herself some.

"Man, what can you not do?" she asked, her mouthful with the stew.

"Be a surgeon" he answered after a few seconds of thinking.

"True" she chuckled "but if you'd have been a doctor, you for sure would've been the most handsome one in the medical field and you'd have already been taken" she pouted.

"So, I'm glad you're actually not one" she grinned "and this stew tastes so good! Thank you so much!" she smiled.

"Thanks back" he smiled.

They ate happily and Jieun couldn't stop staring the bracelet. Jaemin smiled at the small smile that ghosted over her lips.

"I'm so full and that makes me happy. And sleepy" she said cracking her knuckles and yawned.

"Nuna's not in town?" he asked.

"A shoot abroad with Johnny" she frowned "she wished me" she shrugged.

"Oh" he nodded "let's get you to bed" he smiled.

"I'm not going to sleep" she shook her head, afraid that he'd not be there in town.

"I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry" he said in a reassuring tone.

"Promise?" she asked, helping him put the dishes in the dishwasher.

"Promise" he nodded, shutting the dishwasher.

She didn't look convinced "how about I put you to sleep?" he asked.

"Sounds okay" she nodded, pursing her lips.

They were in bed and Jieun had now changed into her pajamas, her makeup off.

"Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story?" he asked.

"You're supposed to be telling that to your child" she said cocking up a brow.

"Our children" he corrected her to which he was awarded with a light punch.

"Just hold me, I'll fall asleep" she sighed, scooting towards him.

"Okay, come here" he took her in his arms, her head resting on his chest.

"Thank you so much! This was the best birthday ever" she said, yawning.

He smiled patting her head and in the next few minutes he heard soft snores that made him smile. He continued to pat her head for a few more minutes and then pulled himself away from her. He hated it, but he had to leave.

"Sleep tight my love" he whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

He walked out her room and saw an exhausted Eunji at the end of the staircase. The moment she looked up to see him, she glared and to be scared was an understatement.

"Jaemin" she nodded, her hard expression unwavered.

"Nuna" he tried to put on a grin.

"Pull that stunt one more time, I'll nail you to the wall" she scowled.

"Nuna, I'm not Jesus" he chuckled, trying to crack a joke, to lighten up, but he knew he had failed when she looked the same.

"Okay, sorry" he sighed.

"You better be" she said, walking past him.

She turned around "thank you so for coming back and helping her celebrate her birthday" she said.

He turned around, facing her "I love her nuna. Anything for her. Good night" he bowed and walked down the stairs and was out of the mansion.

He was never going to be doing stupidities like these. There were a lot of people to whom he owed an apology.

WOOH! WOOH!

BOO!

HI!

HELLO!

I AM BACK! AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF I GUESS.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIMAYI RenikaSiyaSharma ! SO HERE YOU GO A BIRTHDAY UPDATE! HOPE THIS WAS OKAY! HAVE AN AMAZING DAY BABY! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

I WILL TRY TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE UPDATES.

BYE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ONCW AGAIN.

LOADS OF LOVE,
🤍♥️