Seoul City

Ch. 17 - Gone with the Wind

Chaeyoung didn't know what she was thinking. In fact, that was the problem, she wasn't thinking. After Jungkook suggested they treat this date as their last chance to get to know each other, she decided to be impulsive and reckless. It's not like they would ever be allowed to see each other again after this, so there was no harm in enjoying the little time they had together. That being said, kissing Jungkook was never on her agenda and she had planned on keeping things strictly friendly; however, it seemed her heart had a mind of its own. Maybe they were both enchanted by the beauty of the moment or maybe it was the final release of all the built-up tension between them that caused her body to respond to his touch and kiss – before her mind could fully comprehend what was happening.

No one had ever kissed her the way Jungkook had – with so much depth and passion. It was slow and soft, yet fiery and electric all at the same time. It would've been impossible for anyone not to respond to that kind of kiss. Everything about him was just too damn attractive and smooth. Chaeyoung hated to admit it, but he had completely swept her off her feet.

After taking a couple minutes to recover from their heated moment, they continued walking and finally reached the end of their hike. Chaeyoung could see the red convertible she had rented parked a couple meters away and was so hungry that she practically skipped to it in excitement. Jungkook seemed almost as glad as she was.

They drove through the streets of Jeju with the top of the convertible down, enjoying the fresh weather and scenery. It was a busy season for travelling as many tourists roamed the streets and explored the island. Chaeyoung smiled to herself when she saw an older, foreign couple sitting on a bench with their arms linked. It was something she could easily picture Taehyung and herself doing in 30 years.

When they reached the restaurant, she was glad to see that it wasn't very busy because she was starving. The hike (and probably kissing Jungkook) had depleted her of all her energy.

When they were ready to order, a gorgeous, supermodel-like waitress with blonde hair walked over to them. Chaeyoung smiled at her but the waitress's gaze fell directly on Jungkook, who had visibly tensed upon her arrival.

"Oppa," she smiled widely and tucked a strand of her luscious hair behind her ear. Chaeyoung raised a brow. This should be interesting. She should've expected as much, given his playboy reputation. No wonder he was such a smooth-talker and skilled kisser.

Jungkook looked up at the girl and smiled, "hey.... Uh.... Sooyoung?" he seemed to be having a difficult time remembering her name.

"It's Sooyeon," the girl huffed, "I can't believe you don't remember my name after the night we had."

Chaeyoung coughed loudly, starting to get annoyed that she was being blatantly ignored. Jungkook looked at her warily, causing the girl to finally follow his gaze and regard Chaeyoung with a curious look.

"You don't seem like his type," the girl stated bluntly after quickly scanning Chaeyoung from head-to-toe.

Chaeyoung scoffed, "he's not my type either. You guys can continue your reunion at another table or something because I'm starving and ready to order. Now, are you going to do your job or should I take my business elsewhere?"

She noticed Jungkook's lips twitch as he suppressed a smile.

The girl's mouth dropped at her icy tone and cold expression before she regained her composure and plastered a smile on, "what can I get you?"

For a short while afterwards, Chaeyoung's mood had soured. As she ate her sizzling kimchi stew, she only gave short responses to Jungkook's questions and barely spared him a glance as she did. She had no idea why she was reacting this way. But, a nauseous feeling stirred in her stomach as she thought about how many other mouths Jungkook had kissed before her. It made her feel as if she was his new toy to play with. For the entire time she'd come to know Jungkook, she had tried to give him he benefit of the doubt and focus on his positive traits. She knew that there was goodness behind his rough exterior, but moments like this made that extremely hard to believe.

Eventually, though, she decided to look past it and enjoy the rest of their day. Everyone had a past – his was just messier than most. Something told her there was more to Jungkook's story, and she was curious to discover what made him this way. She didn't think it was right to judge someone based on a couple poor decisions. Plus, what Jungkook did in his spare time was none of her business. She just needed to get through this date that he'd paid for and then they could go their separate ways and live their lives.

After lunch – in which, Chaeyoung did not tip the waitress at all – they walked to the nearby paragliding area for the next portion of their date. Chaeyoung's mood instantly brightened when they reached the area where multiple instructors and tourists were gathered. They were standing on a large, pure-green hill that resembled the one Jungkook and Chaeyoung had just climbed, except this one was much higher and spacious – providing an even better view of all of Jeju island.

The wind had picked up speed and was blowing with such force that Chaeyoung would've lost her balance and toppled down if it hadn't been for Jungkook's hand on her waist, rooting her down.

"Have you ever paraglided?" Chaeyoung asked him, excitement shining in her eyes as she grabbed a flying suit from one of the large, black, duffel bags on the ground.

Jungkook smiled and took his wallet out of his back pocket, "let me show you something."

Chaeyoung leaned over to peak at his wallet, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw the little card he pulled out, "you're a certified paragliding instructor?"

He grinned proudly and took out another card, "and a skydiving instructor as well."

"How do you even have time for all that?" she gasped at him, impressed.

"I used to do it as a summer job in college," he explained, a sad smile spreading across his face, "it was one of the most beautiful times in my life."

Seeing him reminiscing about his past with such a woeful look tugged on Chaeyoung's heart. She'd never seen him talk so seriously and display such genuine emotions. It was a gentle reminder to her that she really didn't know him at all and that he had a depth she hadn't been able to dive into yet.

Unsure of how to react, she decided to lighten up the mood, "wow, so full-time businessman, part-time gangster, and casual extreme sport enthusiast?"

"You forgot part-time heartbreaker," he joked.

"More like full-time heartbreaker," she corrected, causing both of them to chuckle.

They helped each other into their flying suits and attached a parachute onto Jungkook's back. Because he was a certified instructor, they were given permission to fly together. One of the other instructors helped them buckle their suits together, with Chaeyoung's back against Jungkook's hard chest – looking very similar to how they were standing on top of the hill on the trail. Chaeyoung was surprised at how quickly this had become a familiar and comfortable position for them to be in.

As soon as a gust of wind began to build up, the two of them ran along the hill, allowing the parachute to shoot up and lift them through Jeju's clear skies. Chaeyoung squealed and laughed at the same time as the wind whipped them from one end of the sky to the other. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying the soothing feeling of the crisp, fresh, air against her face. Jungkook's warm chest against her back was like a blanket that protected her from the harsh wind. She could feel his biceps flexing against her upper arms as he held onto the parachute and guided them through the sky. Her smile grew wider when she opened her eyes and noticed the fluffy, cream-coloured clouds floating through the pale-blue sky. They seemed close enough to touch with her fingers.

When she turned her head to glance at Jungkook, she saw her emotions reflected in his features. He was smiling wider than she'd ever seen him smile before, with no hint of smugness or mischief – just genuine joy. His smile alone was a breathtaking sight that rivalled the landscapes of Jeju island. He just looked so unbelievably happy that Chaeyoung couldn't help smiling back, her heart filling with a warm feeling.