Rin takes the bag from me with a curious look.

"Who was that?"

"The delivery man." I say, and she narrows her eyes at me. "Here's the food."

"I know that was the delivery guy." She exclaims, but her eyes are already fixed on the chicken as she opens the box flap. Hot steam rises from the inside, and she makes a noise as she takes a sniff.

"Oh my— Aeri, look at it. Just shut up and look at it."

I hide a smile as she describes the food to me in detail, slowly taking out a plump, sauce-covered shrimp with one hand and a crispy piece of chicken in the other.

My thoughts wander back to the delivery man.

Shin Baekhan.

Yeah.

I watch Rin chomp down a third drumstick, my fingers tapping against the table.

Maybe he could truly help me with this problem.

______________________________

The next day, I wake up in the worst mood.

I'd dreamt about him again. This time, when I had been younger. When he'd been in the shadows of that alley, smoke shrouding his face from the cigarette between his fingers.

My teeth grind together.

This was happening almost every night.

It's already ten in the morning. And Rin looks up at me, a cereal bowl in front of her with the television playing. I can feel her stare as I briskly grab my jacket and pull it over my shoulders.

"Aeri?"

"Where are you going?"

"Just somewhere real quick." I murmur back. "It'll be just a minute or two."

"Oke."

The door shuts behind me. And I recall the same place I'd called on the phone yesterday— the chicken restaurant barely five minutes away.

He's there, when I push through the door.

He looks shocked. And I quickly note a delivery bag in his hand, the helmet on his head.

"You have a delivery to get to?"

"...you came." He murmurs, still looking surprised. Then he nods shakily, blinking.

"Yeah."

"Okay, then. I'll make this quick." I say. Then I take another step closer, fully aware of the hot blush dusting his slightly tan skin. My hand lies gently on top of his.

"Date me."

________________________________

"Tae!"

Jimin rushes into the room, distracting me. And Jungkook smirks in victory as my paddle misses the ball, sending it crashing into the wall behind me.

"I win."

I scowl.

"What?" I murmur, turning to Jimin. He looks way too excited, and I blink as he waves his hands over his head.

"I saw your girl!"

"...Aeri? What about her?"

His brows wiggle. The moment his expression turns sly, I know that whatever he's about to say can't be good.

"I saw her with a guy."

The paddle slips from between my fingertips.

"What guy?"

"I don't know," Jimin shrugs. "I was coming back from the bar, and I saw her with a man in that chicken place across the street. But the guy looked good— handsome as hell. Maybe she ditched you and found a boyfriend, who knows?"

Aeri?

Aeri, dating someone in the Skygrounds?

I fall silent.

But why would she— why would she ever do that? She would never choose to date someone that quickly, unless she had a reason. And her love was not something a man could get in a day.

My blood runs hot.

Nobody could get it in a day like that.

"I need to go." I say, tossing the ball towards Jungkook. He catches it easily, glancing from me to Jimin.

There was no absolute way that she was dating someone purely out of her love.

My jaw flexes in anger. And I ignore Jimin's cackling behind me, my steps growing faster.

I needed to know from her.

_________________________________

"...what?"

"It's not too hard to understand." I say with a soft smirk, tilting my head to the side. "I'm asking if you want to go out with me."

He stutters. "I-I'm sorry, this is just all too sudden. You want to date me?"

I widen my eyes. "Why, is there a problem? How old are you?"

"E-Eighteen."

"So there isn't a problem." I smile again— my client smile. He's already charmed over, I can tell. This had been mine from the start.

His eyes anxiously glance back at the storeowner staring openly at the two of us. Then he suddenly grabs my hand, placing the delivery bag down on one of the tables. He calls to the owner.

"One second! I'll be right back!"

He tugs me outside the store.

"Sorry." He says shyly. "It's just a little bit awkward in there with my boss listening."

He's cute. Almost like Rin.

"Don't worry about it." I whisper silkily. Then I look down at his hand, still wrapped around mine. I wrap my fingers tighter around his.

"So."

"What do you say? I know you don't have too much time, Baekhan."

And I'm talking to him when my eyes wander over the line of his shoulder. My voice fades away when I see a familiar figure there, dark eyes fixed on me. I can tell, even when he's so far away.

His eyes are shadowed. As if he's trying to figure out what in the world was going on here.

My heart starts beating a little faster.

How is he...

Then a voice cuts me off.

"Yes."

Baekhan nods, flashing a smile at me. But I can barely focus on him, and I reply back with a distracted smile at his answer.

Actually.

This is good.

I reach up on my tiptoes. Then I press a kiss on his cheek, a light brush of my lips against his skin. He tenses, the blush nearly covering the curve of his ears now.

Then I whisper in his ear, words directed towards him but my eyes fixed on V.

He's frozen, too. He'd seen me kiss him.

Good.

"Meet me after work tonight, hm?"

"Sure." Baekhan whispers, completely charmed over. And I smile at him, one of my eyes folding in a subtle wink as I turn and walk towards the opposite direction.

I can feel V's stunned gaze on my back.

And I relish it. The pleasure is warm in my chest, and I don't look back, walking in even, measured footsteps back home.

I'd seen his expression.

Somehow, I even expect it a little when I hear him call for me. That voice, so deep and rich and full of pain.

I hate the way I can't stop the brief flutter of my stupid teenage heart.

"Aeri."

"Yeah?" I say, my eyes widening a little when he closes the distance between us within seconds. I almost stumble back, which I would've never forgiven myself for if I had actually done it.

"Who is he?"

I force out a laugh, jerking my head to his side.

"Are you sure you're fine walking around like this, V? Two days ago you could barely even stand—"

"Answer my question."

He is so different from usual. There is not even a trace of the warmth left behind. His voice leaves no room for joking around.

But the corner of my lips still pull upwards.

"Why? Are you jealous?"

"I offered you a kiss last time, too." I say, shrugging my shoulders. My tone is frivolous— teasing. "You should've accepted it if you were going to be like this.

"Aeri."

"Don't use him."

I freeze. And I slowly feel it, the balance breaking. It's shifting from my side to his. It had always been his. Always.

Anger flushes my cheeks a dark scarlet.

"You don't love him." V whispers, gently. "He's just a kid. Let him go, Aeri. I don't know why you're doing this, and for what reason, but—"

"Shut up."

I shove him back. But with all my strength I had pushed him with, he stumbles back a single step. That's all I'd ever been able to move him— a damn step.

While he had always had me, in the palm of his hand.

I'm growing violent. I can feel it, yet I can't stop it. When it came to him, it felt like I could never act the way I had become. I was always thrown back to being that small, emotional little girl, not being able to press back a single word.

I'm growing violent.

"So what if I'm using him?" I hiss, voice low.

"What if I am? You have no right to stop me, do you? I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want to that boy, and you're not going to stop me. You're not going to do a single thing."

I spit.

"Killer."