The Guardian's Gift

4

In terms of striking a relationship convenient enough for a guy to take some girl into his home directly after their first meeting, they were the worst choice possible. When he introduced himself as Kim Seokjin, offering his right hand to her, she looked at it like he was offering her a bag of living worms. She gulped as she moved her hand in ridiculously slow motion, shaking as she could barely feel her own body part. They were basically the modern version of caveman and woman.

     When their skin brushed, there was a pinch of electricity bursting inside her chest. Everything was happening a little too quick like it was moving in a speed of sound. In one moment she became his third eye, next she saw none of him, and then he was standing right in front of her eyes with no barrier between them except an understandable amount of personal space between acquaintances.

     Yongguk had done a terrible job being the one that knew them both. He had nudged Seokjin’s arm before raising his eyebrows at him, paired with a suggestive type of grin. He had told them he believed that a pair of innocent man and woman were more beloved to devils. Before bidding his farewell to his two friends, he had told them he would wait for their ‘good news’ first thing in the morning. Seokjin thought he meant Jisoo would have a good night’s dream, while her cheeks grew a subtle shade of red; for she knew exactly what he was talking about.

     She was trailing behind Seokjin as her eyes shifted between his back and his surroundings. She had to keep an eye out for possible dangers threatening him, which was practically almost everything. When she saw a small destruction on the ground where his foot would step on in a few seconds, she dashed to his front. Her movement was unruly that one of her shopping bags, ironically, hit his right arm. He had offered to bring her bags but she insisted it was her responsibility. She blocked his way like he was about to find out her worst secrets.

     “Is something wrong?” he asked her.

     “Yeah. There’s a small glitch on the road,” she answered. “Better safe than sorry.”

     He peeked at the road in front of them from behind her shoulder. “Ah, I see.”

     “I think we should walk like this instead.”

     It took a while for him to say something. “Uh, I would love to. But I have to lead you to my house,” he told her. “It’s getting late. I don’t want to waste your time.”

     She blinked. It was true, then, when mortals said that feelings could ruin the way someone was thinking. “Oh, right. Sorry,” she stepped aside. “We should walk together, side by side.”

     He nodded at her with a smile. So they walked together in silence. They would arrive soon, but his house seemed like it was on the other side of the town. Unspeakable awkwardness was the worst, indeed. Her heart had been thumping ever since she saw him on the flower shop’s door and it had not calmed itself down a bit.

     She wondered if talking to him would do the trick, but as soon as she opened her mouth, he beat her to it. “Forgive me for asking, but where are you from?”

     “O-Oh. I’m… I’m from Gangnam.”

     He glanced at her shopping bags. “My house will probably make you uncomfortable. You can tell me if there’s anything bothering you there.”

     “There’s no need to,” she replied instantly. “Anywhere is better than my house. I’m the one bothering you, so thank you and I’m sorry.”