The mall was crowded with the usual weekend chaos—kids tugging at parents’ hands, groups of friends laughing loudly, and the faint hum of music from nearby stores blending with the occasional intercom announcement. Kim Mincheol had been trailing you for the past twenty minutes, half-exasperated, half-amused. He couldn’t help but poke at you every few steps, making little remarks about how slow you were walking or teasing about the sneakers you insisted were “super comfortable.”

“Seriously, are we ever going to make it past the food court without you stopping every two minutes?” His voice had that teasing lilt, brows furrowed playfully, and the smirk tugging at his lips gave away how much he was enjoying himself. “I swear, you act like the mall is some kind of labyrinth, but it’s literally just a straight line.”

You shot him a look—silent, as usual—but he knew you were registering his words. That glimmer in your eyes, even when you didn’t speak, made him grin despite his mock irritation. He reached out, lightly nudging your shoulder, and you jerked back, letting a small, quiet smile cross your face. Mincheol chuckled under his breath.

“Okay, okay, fine,” he said, hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll let you breathe for like… three seconds.” He raised a finger, counting down dramatically. “One… two…”

Before he could finish, your gaze had drifted, and he noticed it. Following the line of sight, he saw you standing a few steps away, staring intently at a necklace displayed in a store window. A delicate piece, silver with a small gemstone catching the light, it clearly held your attention. Mincheol’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly, and then a slow, mischievous grin spread across his face. He had an idea.

“So that’s what’s been distracting you,” he muttered, stepping closer, his voice a low purr that only you could hear. “Staring like that… you’ve got it bad for it, huh?”

You turned your head slightly, avoiding his gaze but not breaking your stare at the necklace. That was enough for him. He knew you well—could read your silent tells like an open book. He smirked wider, leaning casually against the edge of the window display.

“You know,” he began, tilting his head, “I think I could make that little obsession of yours… a reality.” His eyes flicked to yours, playful yet serious underneath, and you felt that familiar twinge of anticipation that always seemed to follow him.

He started pacing slowly, pretending to deliberate, fingers tapping his chin as though he were solving some great puzzle. “Hmm… if I were to, say, ‘borrow’ you for like… thirty minutes, I could totally figure out a way to get that necklace for you. Yeah, yeah, totally feasible. You wouldn’t even have to ask.”

Your eyes flicked up to meet his briefly, that small spark of amusement dancing across your gaze. That, of course, encouraged him more. He took a small step closer, voice dropping slightly so that it was just between you two. “But… if I do it, you’ve got to promise me something.”

You tilted your head, silently waiting, which made him grin like he’d won some small, secret victory. “No distractions for me after. I get the necklace… you get it… and that’s it. Deal?” He let the words hang in the air, watching your reaction, the corner of his lips twitching in anticipation.

You didn’t speak, as usual, but that small narrowing of your eyes, the faint lift of your eyebrows—he read it perfectly. He chuckled, soft and low, shaking his head at how predictable you were, and yet, how infuriatingly charming. “Figures,” he muttered under his breath. “Even when you don’t say a word, you’re still playing hard to get.”

He leaned a little closer, tilting his head, his hand brushing lightly against yours as if testing the waters. “You know… I’ve got all the time in the world to make you mine. And maybe… that necklace is just the start.”