Day 5 - 07:18 PM
POV: Jaehee Mode
Zen had come to pick her up a little after six, and currently, they were sitting in a fancy restaurant that had been recommended to them by both Seven and Jumin. Needless to say, the atmosphere was a little tense.
"Oh wow! Is that Zen?" "Zen! Can I have your autograph?" This was the eighth time that the two of them had been interrupted in less than an hour, and it was starting to grate on Jaehee's nerves.
"Of course, ladies! Anything for my deserving fans~" The girls swooned and Zen penned his name onto their napkins, or phone sleeves, or in one case, someone's cheek. Jaehee had no less than four glasses of wine and she was about to wave over their waiter for a fifth. If it was any sort of consolation, Zen looked like he was getting tired of it too.
"Man, if I had known that this place was going to be packed with my fans, I would've picked somewhere else to celebrate." His face was still pressed into a neat- if not slightly strained -smile. But his voice was weary, as though the very thought of having to sign another autograph would force his soul out of his body. Looking at Jaehee's stiff posture, he reached over and tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. Jaehee jolted but quickly looked up to flash him what she hoped was a reassuring look.
"Jaehee...? Are you feeling well? We can leave if you're not hungry." In truth, she was starving. She'd skipped lunch to make sure all her work was done on time before leaving early, but the atmosphere of the establishment was stifling.
"I'm fine. Please, this evening is about your success. Don't let me interfere with your celebration." He gave her a confused expression after hearing that.
"What are you talking about? You're acting like you're not included in this. I invited you along. If you're not having fun, I'd rather you tell me." He leaned forward on the table and Jaehee subconsciously shifted at his movement. Zen narrowed his eyes at her before leaning back in his chair and assuming a blank air around himself.
"You know...I'm not really feeling it. We should just go. Unless you want to stay?" To an outsider, his posture and expression seemed nonchalant, but Jaehee could hear the discomfort in his voice. Neither of them was having a particularly good time. The silence was deafening, and Jaehee held on for as long as she could before she decided that enough was enough.
Downing the rest of her wine in one go, she stood up to pay for the bill before grabbing Zen's hand and pulling him along behind her. Several people were gaping as they witnessed Jaehee in all her short-statured glory dragging a much taller Zen out of the building, with a completely lovestruck expression on his face.
Once they were a respectable distance away from the restaurant, a near breathless Jaehee finally turned around to face Zen, who was looking at her with pure adoration. Taking a deep breath, she said the words that had been in her head all night.
"Would you like to get coffee with me?"
Even at night, His smile was blinding.
Day 5 - 08:36 PM
POV: ZEN Mode
It was half past eight, but Zen had never felt more alive. As soon as they ditched the stuffy restaurant and his (overbearing) fans, Jaehee had pulled him back to his motorcycle and the two of them rode to the cafe where she and Zai had met for the first time. They apparently closed late, and Zen had never been happier about having a place almost all to himself. He and Jaehee ordered coffee before sitting at the same table Jaehee had sat at four days prior, and just talked.
They both traded stories about everything they could think about, from Jumin 'Mr. Trust Fund Kid' Han, to Elizabeth the 3rd and the horrors of C-hair, as well as their dreams for the future.
"I know your career is just starting out, but what do you think your life will be like when you retire?" Jaehee was absentmindedly stirring her mocha (with three shots of espresso) while Zen took quick sips of his flat white.
"After I retire? I don't know. I always assumed I'd be acting and stuff forever." He set his coffee down and thought for a moment. "I guess I'd settle down with some cute girls, maybe adopt a couple kids and some dogs..."
He didn't notice Jaehee's pause until he looked up and saw her eyes boring a hole through her coffee mug.
"Jaehee..?" She lowered her head for a mere second before raising it suddenly. Her expression was so intense that he felt like his very soul was being scrutinized to the most minute detail.
"You and Zai have the most bizarre ways of thinking."
"W-why do you say that?" She bowed her head once more and removed her glasses, sliding them into the pocket of the formal business jacket she was wearing over the classy and simple blue dress that Zai had helped her pick out earlier that evening.
"The two of you...you think that things can work out between more than two people. As though three people can be happy together without any problems in life."
"So that's what this is about."
"Pardon?" Her expression was a confused one, and Zen would rather have that adorably flushed look from racing out of the fancy establishment together back on her face.
"I think that any number of people, not just two, can be happy together. As long as everyone is in agreement of course." He tried to flash a reassuring look at her but it only seemed to make her withdraw more.
"Thinking like that is selfish. There are people with a duty to others, and not just themselves." Even though he could feel the conviction in her words as she spoke, he could also sense that she was saying this mostly for herself as opposed to anyone else.
"Oh, Jaehee... Wouldn't it be more selfish to withhold myself from others? What if I could help someone by loving them? Would you call that selfish?"
"Well, no-"
"Then I'm doing the right thing, aren't I?" He grinned at the stunned expression on her face as he leaned back to take a slow sip of his coffee.
"Still...Wouldn't it be self-centered of someone to want more than one person for themselves? Shouldn't it make more sense to simply be happy with one?" Zen sighed. Jaehee was obvious, but also oblivious, if that made any sense.
"Jaehee, if you're worried about liking both me and Zai, there's no reason to be." At that statement, she jerked in her seat so harshly that her mug would have tipped over had Zen not steadied it first. "Careful..." His warning went unheard, as Jaehee was too busy trying to come up with a way to refute his claim.
After watching her flounder for a while, Zen decided to make his move. Reaching over and entwining his hands with hers, he stood up and leaned forward so he could press the gentlest of kisses to Jaehee's forehead. She stopped moving immediately and he took a moment to breathe in her scent of coffee beans and ink, before sitting back in his seat. He withdrew one of his hands so that he could pick up his cup, but left the other connected with hers as he gave an encouraging squeeze. Jaehee could only stare at their connected hands while she stuttered for words.
"Z-Zen.."
"Jaehee."
The two of them locked eyes for several seconds until Jaehee managed to formulate a reply.
"Is...is this really okay?" Zen hummed and set his coffee down before giving her the most loving look he could muster.
"With me? Yes! Totally. I can't speak for Zai, though from all the hints she's been dropping, I'd say she's more than okay with it. I guess we've just been waiting for you to realize that it's okay too." He watched as Jaehee took a few deep breaths to steady herself before she squeezed his hand as well.
"Then I suppose...I could give it a try. If you're both truly willing to be with me in that way." Her expression was hopeful, and Zen couldn't help but smile back at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the whole world.
Day 5 - 10:14 PM
Zai was already in bed when the chat started filling up with messages. But she hadn't been asleep for long, and it was her natural response to pick up the phone and open the RFA app even at this hour. So when her vision had ceased its blurriness and she could properly read the texts, she screamed.
ZEN has joined the chat room.
/ ZEN: So guess who finally convinced Jaehee to accept the fact that not just one, but TWO people want to date her at the same time? /
/ ZEN: This guy! /
/ 707: lolololol there's no way she's too much of a fangirl lololol /
/ ZEN: Don't believe me? Just wait until Zai gets on! /
/ 707: Whaat? She shouldn't be up this late! Our party planner needs her rest! /
/ ZEN: Yeah but this is important! We gotta make it official before she changes her mind! /
Zai has joined the chat room.
/ Zai: OMG ZEN PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE NOT JOKING /
/ ZEN: I'M NOT! /
/ Zai: WHERE IS SHE? /
/ ZEN: I just dropped her off at home a little while ago. Maybe she went to sleep? /
/ Zai: Aww, I'll just have to catch her tomorrow. /
/ ZEN: You should've seen her! She was so cute the whole time. /
/ Zai: Now you're making me jealous! I wish I got to go too;; /
/ ZEN: Next time we'll go out again with the three of us! /
/ 707: I still think you're faking it! There's no way Jaehee would break fan rankings to hit it up with Zen! /
/ Zai: Maybe she's finally learned that she can have good things too! /
/ ZEN: It's about time... /
After a while, Zai's cheeks began to hurt from smiling at Zen's recollection of their exit from the restaurant that Jumin and Seven had set them up with.
/ ZEN: Then she literally pulled me right out of there! It was so hot I thought I was going to die on the spot. /
/ Zai: Possessive Jaehee sounds like so much fun;; /
/ Zai: Do you think she'll ever act like that over me? /
/ 707: I'm sure if you flirt with enough people that aren't Zen, you'll get her to act out eventually. /
/ Zai: I'd never do that to Jaehee! /
/ Zai: At least, not without her permission first ^^ /
/ ZEN: What about me!? Do you want me to act like that too? /
/ Zai: A possessive Zen? I don't know. You might be too wild for me! /
Their playful banter extended long into the night, and before she knew it, Zai was feeling drowsy.
/ ZEN: Zai keeps replying later and later, I think she's finally getting tired out. /
/ 707: Good! She should get some sleep! /
/ ZEN: Says the hypocrite. /
/ 707: Well at least I don't smoke! /
/ ZEN: Hey! I quit those. Mostly. /
/ 707: lolololol /
/ ZEN: At least my diet isn't completely made of Soda and Chips! /
Zai has left the chat room.
/ ZEN: Oh, I guess she fell asleep. /
/ 707: A shining example for us all. /
/ ZEN: Yeah yeah I get it. Night, Seven. /
/ 707: Bye! Don't let the bed-cats bite! /
ZEN has left the chat room.
707 has left the chat room.