84 Two Unsuspecting Souls Pt.2

What the heck is Chim Chim doing...?

As inconspicuously as she could manage, Gyuri peeped at Jimin, who had approached Mayu, from the other side of the storage house. She arched her brow as a nervous Jimin fidgeted with his imperial uniform, occasionally darting his eyes up at the ceiling as he struggled to form coherent sentences.

"Hi, pretty lady."

Gyuri turned to her side and found Zeren smiling at her. "Oh, hey, Zeren." She peered at him curiously when she saw how far away he was. "What are you doing all the way over there? Come closer" she beckoned.

Zeren laughed nervously. "Er, I caught a cold, so I shouldn't." He feigned a cough while covering his mouth. "Unless..." he wiggled his eyebrows playfully, "you really want me to pass it on to you?" He blew her a flirtatious kiss which she dodged. "That would be sinfully scandalous" he purred.

Gyuri grimaced. "You know what, you stay there." She chuckled slightly when she spotted his disappointment. "I don't want to catch whatever disease you're carrying. I might turn into a lech like you."

"You like my attention really" he huffed. "And" he added, "I'm not a lech."

Gyuri scoffed.

"I thought we already discussed this?"

"Yeah," Gyuri affirmed. "But you're still lecherous."

Zeren looked like he was about to protest but Gyuri beat him to it. With a sharp tilt of the head, she gestured to Jimin and Mayu. "What's going on over there?" Gyuri whispered.

Zeren followed her gaze and smirked at the sight of a flustered Jimin. "What does it look like?"

Gyuri glanced at the pair again. Currently, Jimin was starting to sweat profusely from his nerves. While Mayu, on the other hand, was gaping at him uncertainly. She seemed to be concerned with the way Jimin was struggling to speak.

"He looks like a fish out of water" Gyuri observed. She turned to Zeren who was chuckling under his breath, mirth exuding from his mischievous eyes. "What's really going on, Zeren? Poor Chim Chim looks like he's about to faint!"

"He's a tough nut," Zeren told her without looking away. "He's really going all out."

"What do you mean?"

Zeren tossed her a lopsided grin. "That's classified information, pretty lady."

Gyuri pouted. She turned her attention back to the pair who were still awkwardly conversing with each other. "Well, whatever it is, Mayu and I need to return now so—"

Suddenly, Zeren grabbed her wrist. "Wait" he hissed. He pointed at the pair and Gyuri's eyes widened when she noticed Mayu giggling. Jimin too was bashfully laughing.

What the—?

"Well, what do you know" Zeren uttered as he loosened his grip on Gyuri. "He actually managed to do it."

"Do what?" Gyuri eagerly asked. "What did Chim Chim just do?"

"Make Mayu laugh."

Gyuri looked at him, puzzled. She glanced back at the pair and took note of the harmonious ambience that was blossoming between them. Something about the way Jimin acted around Mayu reminded her of the way shy guys in her class used to look at her friends when they...

Ohhhh, Gyuri had a eureka moment. Now I get it! "Does Chim Chim like Mayu?"

"W-what?" Zeren was taken aback.

"He does, doesn't he?" Gyuri insisted, taking a step closer. "No wonder he was so shy!"

"Shh!" Zeren hissed while gesturing for Gyuri to lower her voice. He surveyed his surroundings warily. "Try not to be so loud."

"Sorry" Gyuri whispered apologetically. "But did I get it right? Does Chim Chim like Mayu?"

Zeren had a conflicted look about him. "Hmm... I guess you can call it that."

"OMG!" Gyuri squealed.

Once again, Zeren urged her to be quiet by pressing his forefinger against his lips.

"This is such juicy gossip!" Gyuri snickered. "I can't wait to tell Pho about this! Mayu's got a secret admirer~" she sang.

"You can't tell anyone else about this" Zeren immediately instructed. "You weren't even supposed to know."

"I can keep a secret" Gyuri replied enthusiastically. "And besides, I think that Mayu and Chim Chim might actually make a cute couple."

At this, Zeren grew interested. "Why do you say that?"

Gyuri snuck a look at Mayu and Jimin enjoying each other's company. "You see, Mayu's a nice, quiet girl and she's kinda shy too. Apart from Master Namjoon, she doesn't speak to any other guys in the household—not even the male staff."

Zeren was thoughtful. "I see..."

"So, if Chim Chim's single... then, I think they'll make a great pairing!"

"But the thing is, His Maj—I mean Chim is afraid of women."

"Huh?" Gyuri was astounded. "Chim Chim's afraid? Why?"

Zeren vaguely responded, "It's a long story." He attempted to leave his answer at that but with Gyuri's unrelenting stare, Zeren eventually divulged, "Chim and I, we grew up in the temple which was devoid of female interaction."

"You grew up in a temple?" Gyuri repeated. "What? Like a Buddhist temple?"

Zeren nodded.

"Wow" she replied in amazement. But then she looked at him sceptically. "For some reason, I can't picture you as a monk."

"That's because I'm not."

Gyuri gave him a quizzical look.

"Chim and I may have grown up amongst the monks but once we reach a certain age, we can decide whether or not to pursue that way of life."

"I see..."

"And anyway," he added, "I don't think you and I have the same image of monks."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"The monks that raised us... they were warrior monks."

Gyuri's eyes rounded. "Oh."

"So, life with them wasn't exactly peaceful." He laughed softly. "They taught us many things but the one thing they didn't was how to interact with the opposite sex."

"But you seem pretty used to it" Gyuri pointed out.

Zeren grinned. "Only because I didn't stay at the temple for as long as Chim." Gyuri was about to ask him to explain further but Zeren quickly interjected, "So, now I worry about his future. Chim chose not to live as a monk," he lied, "but he doesn't have the skills to deal with women. At this rate, he might end up a shrivelled bachelor."

A worried expression riddled Zeren's features as he cast his gaze towards Jimin. Seeing him so concerned for his friend touched Gyuri's soft side. The last thing she expected was for Zeren to be so caring.

"You know, there is a way we can help him."

Zeren turned to her.

"Why don't we try and get those two together?"

"Huh? You mean—?"

Gyuri nodded.

A small smile started curling up at the corners of Zeren's lips. "I like how you think, pretty lady."

Gyuri couldn't help but share Zeren's wily grin. "By getting those two together hopefully, Chim Chim can overcome his shyness towards women and Mayu will find herself a nice guy."

"How do you know he's a nice guy?"

"Oh... erm..." Gyuri twiddled with her thumbs as she recalled how Jimin had helped her out when she had 'fainted' a while ago. "He just seems like a nice guy. I mean, when I spoke to him, he was pretty reasonable so..."

Zeren, content with her answer, didn't question her further.

"And I think it's kinda cute that he's a little awkward."

"Oh?" Zeren eyed her quizzically.

"It's quirky" Gyuri mentioned. A sudden image of Jungkook smiling flashed before Gyuri's eyes and she shook her head to be rid of it. "Chim Chim's like a quirky awkward potato."

"Potato?" Zeren repeated, confused. "He's not a vegetable."

Gyuri sniggered. "Ah, never mind." She beckoned at the pair, who were now comfortably talking with each other. "So, what do you say, shall we try and set these two up?"

Zeren grinned.

Gyuri needn't hear his answer for his face said it all. With a firm nod, Gyuri and Zeren sealed a pact to bring two unsuspecting souls together.