Tae and Jimin entered the Disney store in a rush. Jimin was getting anxious. He really, really wanted to find Eileen. Was she frantically looking for him, or had she given up on him and driven back to her apartment? His eyes scanned the store, but Eileen didn’t seem to be hiding behind any of the toys or shelves. He had missed her again. If she had even been here to begin with.
Suddenly concerned, he slipped his hand into his pocket. Whew. Her phone number was still there. At least there was that. If he couldn’t find her, he could at least call her later. He sighed.
“Tae, let’s just head back to the hotel. I don’t know where else to look.”
As they turned to go, three teenaged girls blocked their path.
“Oh, my God! It is you!”
Tae stood with a hard grin plastered to his face. Not again. And no, he wasn’t God. He definitely didn’t want that job. This one was hard enough most of the time. Especially moments like this when he wanted to blend into the wallpaper. He didn’t feel like being the world’s sweetheart right now. Or their big teddy bear. He just wanted to hang out with his best friend and make him feel better.
“JIMIN!” One girl was screaming. This could get out of hand very quickly.
“Je suis désolé,” Tae spoke firmly. “We must go.”
He smiled and bobbed his head at them as he reached out and grabbed Jimin’s arm and pulled him towards the door. The girls followed them. Once they reached the outside, Tae began to run, this time keeping a firm hold on Jimin’s wrist. He was not about to lose his best friend again. Run! was playing on a loop in both of their heads as they flew down the sidewalk. “Dashi, run, run, run!”
As they ran down the block, Tae suddenly collided with someone. His eyes grew wide as he let go of Jimin’s wrist and reached out to steady the person he had run into. Woong!? It was Woong! Her giant, amber eyes glowed into his own, and his heart lurched. Jimin was then forgotten as Tae stared into Woong’s mesmerizing flames.
What on earth? What were the chances that he would literally run into the girl he’d fallen in love with last night? He gazed down into her eyes, his fingers still wrapped tightly around her upper arms. His heart felt like it was exploding in his chest. He couldn’t catch his breath.
Miss Woong stared up at Tae in awe. Here he was again in front of her. Beautiful man. Her eyes slid across that sculpted face. He had the most perfect nose. It was straight and noble. And his lips were just…so…smooth and full. They were without description. She could find no words to describe their perfections. It would be paradise to kiss him, she was sure. His raven hair fell across his forehead in a beautiful waterfall that partially covered his magnificently knit, midnight eyebrows. They were arcing gracefully over his eyes. She glanced down and fell headlong into those intense, chocolate pools of his. She was drowning in them and reveling in doing so.
She had thought she’d never see him again. Yet here he was! Right before her. In all his delightful glory.
Suddenly, she grinned at him. And the sun rose in his heart. He’d been feeling down all morning, but now he was basking in the light of her rays. He smiled back at her, his lips curving to illuminate his own face. He wanted to bend his head and greet her with a kiss, but he restrained himself.
“Woong!” Her pet name exploded from his mouth.
“Tae!” She wanted to throw herself against his chest. Instead, she simply stared up at him, smiling.
—
Jimin lay on the sidewalk staring up at Eileen. Wha-?? Where had she come from? He closed his eyes for a moment. He must be imagining things. Tae had been dragging him along when suddenly they’d both hit a brick wall. Tae had instantly released his hold on Jimin’s wrist, and Jimin had bounced off someone and fallen onto his side. He opened his eyes to find Eileen squatting down next to him and bending over him, her auburn locks brushing his arm.
“Jimin? Jimin! It is you! I found you!” She was so happy that she wanted to throw herself into his arms, but she resisted the impulse. Instead, she stood up and held her hand out to him. He took it and let her pull him to his feet.
“Eireen! How on earth did I find you? I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“Me too! But you just ran right into me. Wait. Why were you running?”
“Tae and I were being chased by three girls.” Jimin looked behind him. It seemed that they had lost their enthusiastic fans. He sighed with relief. Thank God for impossible crowds. He tugged his hat farther down his head and pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose.
“You are positively making a habit of being chased by rabid fans, aren’t you?” She grinned at him, and he felt so good.
Wait. Where was Tae? Jimin looked to his left to see Tae with his fingers wrapped around some girl’s upper arms. He was just standing there, frozen, staring down into the girl’s eyes. Jimin considered her. She was quite lovely with long, chestnut locks and the most unusual eyes. They were a reddish brown with glowing golden lights, so they looked like flames leaping up within her irises.
Who was she? Did Tae know her? If he didn’t, then something strange was happening here. He had a foreign look on his face. But Jimin was familiar with that feeling. He’d experienced it for the first time last night and then every time he had looked at Eileen since. Then Jimin knew what it was.
Tae was in love.