AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I'm aiming for 5000 privilege unlocks this month so that this book can receive a banner. Please support this book by unlocking as many privilege chapters as possible and support me for spirity!

I'll give 10 chapter mass release on 1st October if we reach 5000 privilege unlocks this month

....

"Taken away?" Yoonmin frowned at the stall keeper.

"Yeah," the stall keeper replied. "Some guy named Duho won the bear and took it away."

Duho?

Now that Yoonmin thought about it, Soobin was asked out by the guy for the Summer Festival but she was not hanging out with him. Did that mean she turned him down?

Shrugging the thoughts away, he went back to the spot where he left Soobin only to find Duho standing there with the teddy bear. He was gifting it to Soobin who took a step back. For the first time, Yoonmin saw that she was terrified.

"Soobin, you know how much I love you, right?" Duho was saying. "I'm popular and good looking! I also live alone so we'll have total privacy! Just go out with me!"

"No!" she exclaimed. "I already rejected you! Stop pestering me!"

She pushed the teddy bear away and turned to walk off but Duho held her wrist.

"Just one chance-"

Before Soobin could scream, Yoonmin grabbed Duho by the collar and pulled him away from her.

"Get the hell away from her!" Yoonmin warned in a cold tone. He was controlling his rage with great difficulty as he glared at the curly haired boy who was equally angry.

"This is between me and her!" Duho claimed. "I'll talk to my girlfriend-"

"I am not your girlfriend!" Soobin snapped. "Go away!"

"You heard her," Yoonmin said. "Go. Now!"

Duho looked from her to him, his crazy mind making up assumptions of its own. "I see what's going on here," he stated. "You two are dating, right? You're betraying me Soobin! Is that what you're doing?"

Before Soobin could tell him off, Yoonmin pushed Duho against a tree. With surprising strength, he held Duho up by the collar.

"Yes, she's my girlfriend!" he growled. "Whatcha gonna do about it? You really think a trashy nobody like you can match me, Hwang Yoonmin? You might be the star player in school but in the real world, people like you are hired to wipe my shoes! Don't ever come near my girlfriend ever again!"

With that, he let go of Duho, feeling disgusted. Yoonmin grabbed Soobin's wrist and whisked her away from the scum who was still glaring at them with envy.

"She's mine!" Duho whispered. "MINE!"

Soobin did not say anything but silently followed Yoonmin until they reached a secluded part of the lake. He took a few deep breaths, calming himself down.

"Are you okay?" Soobin asked softly. Yoonmin could only gape at her. She was the one who got harassed and yet, she was asking if he was okay?

"No, I'm not," he replied, feeling aghast. "Nor are you! Was he stalking you for a while?"

Soobin bit her lip and nodded. "That day when he asked me out," she began. "He mentioned how he had been watching me not only in school but also at my workplace and during the weekends when I go out with friends. It sort of creeped me out so I politely rejected him. But he wouldn't give up and kept on calling me at odd hours. Yesterday, he turned up at the restaurant and stayed there for hours, ordering endlessly but not leaving. It was as if he was waiting for me to get off work. So I called Doctor Kang if he could pick me up from work. Thankfully, he did and then, we went to the party at your place…"

Yoonmin was now annoyed at her too. Why would she hide this from him?

"You shouldn't hide this!" He scolded her. "What if he had hurt you? Or worse?"

Soobin looked down at her feet, feeling guilty. "I just didn't want anyone to worry about me," she mumbled.

But Yoonmin was not going to hear any of it.

"From now on, I'll have my secretary drop you off at work and home!" he declared. "I'll also tell Doctor Kang about this. He'll be really worried if something happens to you!"

"But-"

"No arguments!" he said. "As your boyfriend, I don't want a stalker on your tail! You'll do as I say until Duho stops pestering you, okay?"

"Yes, I under-Hey! Wait a minute!"

She was now frowning. Did he just call himself her boyfriend?

"Boyfriend?" she echoed. "Who? When did you become my boyfriend?"

"I just announced a while ago," Yoonmin blinked. "Didn't you hear it?"

"That was a bluff, right?"

"No. From now on, I'm your boyfriend."

Soobin gaped at him. Was he serious? She was happy but…

"You didn't even ask me out!" she protested, blushing hard. "You can't just declare yourself as my boyfriend. I mean...we didn't go on any dates! Nor did we kiss! How can you be my boyfriend?"

"We hung around alone at the fair," Yoonmin stated. "I did kind of declare myself as your boyfriend, so we can skip the usual asking. Unless you want to refuse."

"I...am not refusing," she admitted, still very confused. "But…"

"And as for the kiss," Yoonmin began. Soobin was about to scold him when he suddenly gave her a brief peck on the lips.

For a moment, she forgot how to breathe. It was simply a soft brushing of their lips but she felt butterflies in her stomach upon their peck. She looked up at him, nervous yet happy.

"Am I your boyfriend now?" Yoonmin asked, his ears turning scarlet. Even though he was bluffing back then with Duho, he realized that this was his only chance and he could not let it go.

"You're mean," she mumbled. Puffing her cheeks, she was now determined.

"Even if I become your girlfriend, I'll be Minmin's fan!" she pouted.

"Done."

"You can't do any...any funny business whenever I'll babysit Miyoo."

"Done."

"And don't you dare look at other girls!"

"Easy."

"And I'll get sixty percent discounts at Minmin's concerts!"

"Twenty percent without VAT."

"Fifty five with VAT!"

"Thirty percent with VAT."

"Fine!"

"It's official then," Yoonmin said. "We are dating."

Before Soobin could reply, he gave her another brief kiss before winking and walking away. Soobin ran after him, still negotiating her end of the deal.

"Do I get discounts on the merchandise too?"

"No."