(Y/N’s POV)
A few weeks later.
Seoul seems to have cast itself as a thick layer of grey today. It's been drizzling since last night making everything just wet enough to be inconvenient. The low hum of the engine filling the quiet of the car in between the sound of the wipers quietly cleaning the windshield. It was always a quiet drive home from the therapy sessions. I never went into them. I wasn't allowed but Mina always looked shell shocked coming out. I don’t know what they talk about but I know it doesn’t seem to be helping. For the past few weeks, her anxiety ebbed and flowed but the therapy days were the worst.
I look over to her as she watches the cars pass.
“Mina-san, how did your session go?”
“I guess it was fine,” she said, not moving her gaze.
I need to get working on Phase 2: Help Mina find her smile.
“I have an idea, do you mind if we make a detour?”
Her posture straightened slightly, “where do you want to go?”
“You’ll see,” I gave a small smile.
Driving for another 15 minutes I can finally see the local mall in view.
“Y/N, I can’t go in there, I’ll be noticed.”
You tossed her your favorite hoodie that was sitting in the back seat and bucket hat.
“There’s disposable masks in the glove box, let’s go."
She pulled the hoodie over her clothes. A small tint of pink on her ears as she finished the standard idol camouflage hat and mask.
I parked at the far end of the lot and ran around to get the door for her. The hoodie swallowed her athletic frame.
“Stay close to me,” I said and we walked through the mall
Mina was eyeing the different shops, still a little confused on where we were going.
“Here we are!”
We stood in front of the best store in the world! The Lego Store.
Mina’s eyes went wide with excitement.
“Y/N, can we get something?”
“Of course!, I want to get that bonsai tree set, what about you?”
“Maybe one of the technic sets? I can pay for them! I have a bunch at the apartment I can show you! I didn’t know you liked Lego! I’m so excited!”
I can’t see her face but her eyes tell me she’s smiling that signature smile of hers.
We walked out of the store with a couple of bags worth of sets. And head back to the apartment.
“Thank you Y/N, can we go build them together?” Mina says eyes sparkling
“Of course Mina-san,” she was almost vibrating with excitement all the way back to the apartment.
We spent the next few hours putting together the sets we just bought. I had ordered some sushi for dinner we devoured in between brick placements.
“Where do you want to display the bonsai tree Y/N?”
“Why don’t we leave it right here on the coffee table just while we have the place to ourselves.”
We sat there admiring our work while the sun set on Seoul in the background.
“Absolutely beautiful” I said in wonder
“Mina-san, do you mind if I pull out my sketchbook?”
“No not at all,” she said as she quietly watched me work.
For the next hour, I drew the beautiful scene, including the bonsai tree we made, with such focus that I was startled when I felt her head rest on my shoulder.
She watched my pencil scratch across paper, absorbing my presence.
My heart is beating hard against my rib cage.
“This is why I asked for you…” she whispered softly
“You are so genuine, so real, so grounded. You have a presence that calms me like no one has ever before. You see beauty in… everything…”
She gently wraps her arms around yours and she presses into you, snuggling you as you put your sketch pad down.
You realize how close you’ve been all night. You also are painfully aware of her short shorts and thin shirt. You grab a blanket from the arm of the couch and throw it over both of you and let her rest.
I’m in trouble…
Some time passes, maybe it’s a few minutes, maybe it’s a few hours.
“Mi-tan, it’s getting late. I should head back to my apartment. I move to de-tangle myself but she grabs my arm by the sleeve.
She looks at me with her eyes. Not the cold empty ones of the last few weeks but with Mina’s eyes. Pleading with me.
Every ounce of whatever professionalism I had left just evaporated there was no way I could resist this woman and she knew it.
“Mina I-“
“Please? I don’t want to be alone.”
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