Teenager
After a horrible divorce Jaebum is left as a single father, life has taken its toll on him and sometimes he just wants to feel like young again. Love is hard to find, and when he does find it will it make him feel like a teenager again?
Jaebum looked down at his daughter’s soft curls and sighed. At 1.5 she was a picky little thing, and she was finally asleep after three books, something that his wife was supposed to be doing tonight. Not that he really cared, he felt like he was getting too old to be going out with the rest of the guys anyway. He was a married man with a daughter now. However; he kissed her little brown face and turned on her unicorn night light as he left the door cracked.
Taking his cell phone out of his pocket, Jaebum texted his wife.
Where are you?
It took a minute for her to respond, and he almost hit the call button before she answered.
Working. I told you, another late night, please don’t be all behind me like that you know I hate that.
He knew she did, but Jesus another night? He groaned, sitting on the couch.
I was supposed to meet the guys tonight. Are you gonna be another hour or?
He could tell she was probably angry by the way the little bubbles disappeared then reappeared. Finally a nice, lengthy, and very annoyed text came back.
OMG, JB you saw them last week. I thought you liked being a daddy so much? You know how vital this promotion is to me. Just invite them over or something, I don’t care. Please let me get this done, I don’t want to have to worry about you and your hurt feelings.
Rude much? He read her text twice, deleting and writing again before deciding to just ignore her. She wanted space then fine.
Fine.
He smiled. Let her stew over that. Or not, she’d probably ignore him. It was like that a lot lately. Well, ever since she finished her masters and started working for that corporation she’d been so busy. She didn’t want to have kids, didn’t want any pets. Just him and her. Instead of him waiting around for her. He hated it, she used to be so carefree, she used to hug him more. They had sex more too now that he really thought about it.
He met Nia at a JYP party 6 years ago. He had stared at her practically all night before BamBam realized he knew the woman she was with. He had introduced them, and Jaebum was trying not to fall in love.
She was tall, maybe an inch shorter than him. Brown skin that glowed in the light, smooth like butter. Everything about her was perfect, from her ample bottom on those long legs, to the way she smiled at him with those full lips. She introduced herself confidently in Korean, her accent was adorable, and he was stumbling over his words. Their love was a whirlwind, they got married a year and a half later.
What happened?
Trying to push the memories away, he called Jinyoung to find out where everyone was. He could hear the rest of the guys with him.
“Hey, I can’t go out. Nia is still at work, and I don’t have a sitter. You guys want to come over?” He asked Jinyoung, as he looked through the cabinet for snacks.
Jinyoung groaned. “What? We planned this last week!”
Jaebum listened as Jinyoung explained what was going on to everyone else. Youngjae and Mark agreed to go to his house. BamBam and Yugyeom were upset.
“Tell them I’m sorry, I don’t have a sitter.” Jaebum remembered BamBam was there and quickly added, “And no, not some young girl BamBam knows, someone I trust.”
He heard a groan and then more talking. He knew they wanted to drink and dance. It was just getting so hard to coordinate with Nia now.
“It’s ok Jinyoung, tell them maybe next week-”
“No, hyung. We are coming over, we’ll bring drinks is that ok?”
Smiling, JB pulled the chips and cookies out he had. “Yea, please do.”
“See you in 20.”
Hanging up the phone, Jaebum looked down to see another text from Nia.
It’s going to be like this all week, so don’t wait up for me.
So no time for just them, no time to hang out with his friends. He ran upstairs to make sure Areum was still asleep. Thumb in her mouth she was sound asleep, and he walked back downstairs wondering when his family, would indeed be a family again.
“Nia, don’t walk away when I’m talking to you. You scared Areum, what the fuck is wrong with you, it’s just milk!” Jaebum was chasing after his wife up the stairs to their bedroom.
“It’s not just the milk!” Slamming the bathroom door closed, he could hear her curse behind the door. “Fuck!”
Dinner was going fine, Nia had laughed at something he said, she was even home early. He had just refilled Areum’s cup when the baby had knocked it over onto the floor. Nia flew off the handle, causing Areum to cry for Jaebum. She was so tense, everything was unraveling at the seams.
“Nia, listen. Calm down, then come downstairs and let’s finish dinner. Maybe..” He got close to the door, placing a hand on the wooden surface. “Maybe, when Areum goes to bed we can talk. We haven’t talked in a while, I’ll rub your feet?” Feeling confident, he tried the doorknob only to find it locked.
“No.” The only answer he received.
Knocking on the door, he responded. “No, to what exactly?”
As the door opened, Nia pushed past him and went into the closet. “No to all of it. No, to you touching me, being near me, no to her being near me. I just can’t deal with all this and you guys. I just need to leave.”
His mouth went dry, hands shaking slightly. For some reason, there was a strange ringing in his ears, and as Jaebum shook his head, he moved his tongue around in his mouth although it felt like lead.
“Being near me? Being near Areum?” He moved his feet slowly across the floor, to the closet where Nia was on her knees packing a suitcase.
“Yes.” She stopped long enough to look up at him. Her face devoid of emotion, no tears, no hesitation as she spoke her next words. “I don’t want to be here anymore Jaebum. I can’t, it’s bad enough you made me have a baby, this makes it harder.”
He knew he was breathing harder and faster than average. Jaebum knew he shouldn’t be as angry as he was and perhaps he should calm down, go downstairs and check on Areum. He should ignore what she said and just let her cool down. Instead, he allowed his emotions take control.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Slamming the door open to the closet. “Repeat what you said, real slow too and in English this time so I know you’re serious.”
She chuckled, standing up to straighten her suitcase. “We’ve been together four years, nearly five and you still have a hard time understanding English, don’t get cute.”
Gritting his teeth, he laughed to keep from cursing. “Wow. Ok, I’m pissed. Just to let you know and I’m trying to…what is wrong with you?”
“Everything!” She screamed. “I was doing great, I was doing fine, and then you came along and just…I was fine with that. I had things I wanted to do with my life Jaebum. It was my life, and I didn’t have to worry about anyone else. Then you just had to have a baby.”
“Her name is Areum! Areum Im! She’s our daughter for fuck’s sake Nia, I made you have her? If you didn’t want to get pregnant then maybe you should have stayed off my dick!” He didn’t want to cry, he didn’t want her to see his tears. The child who sat downstairs listening to her parents yell and scream was flooding through his mind.
“Like you weren’t begging me?” Nia watched him walk out the room, chasing him. “Oh, so now you don’t want to have the conversation? Really? You begged me, you practically cried to have her. Now she’s here, and all I can think about is everything I can’t do.”
As Jaebum hit the bottom step, he looked into the dining room to see Areum smashing her rice around, kimchi on her head. He smiled to keep from screaming. He smiled at Areum to keep from turning around and crying in Nia’s face. Ignoring his wife, he walked over to his daughter and scooped the food off her head.
“Hey you, let’s have a bath.” Lifting the baby from the high chair.
Areum smiled at him, his eyes and mouth on her mother’s face. “Apa.”
Nia was standing there as he faced her. “So, that’s it? You’re done? I have what I want, and you still don’t have everything you need Nia? We are your family, I made a pledge to love and respect you, but I’m having a hard time even looking at you right now.”
She waved a hand at him dismissively. “In some way, you feel the same. How many years has it been since Got7 has done something? Damn, even EXO vocal line had a Christmas album.”
“Got7 will always be there! I have my fans sure, but my family is something different! I’d give up everything for Areum if I had to.” He scoffed. “Now I know you wouldn’t even think about doing that.”
Walking past her, Areum placed her face in the crook of Jaebum’s neck. The feeling of her fingers holding onto him softened him. Made him calm down a little, even if he had no one else, she was with him, and he’d always have her. He wouldn’t let Nia have her, though it was clear she didn’t want to have anything to do with the baby.
As he made it to the stairs, Nia spoke. “I’ll be back for the rest of my stuff in the morning. I’ll get you divorce papers by next Monday.”
3 Years Later
“Areum! Your toys are everywhere why?” Jaebum looked at his foot and the Monster High doll currently missing an arm.
Areum sprinted around the corner, smiling as she picked up her doll, popping its arm back on. “Apa, you broke it.”
“You fixed her, maybe don’t keep your stuff on the ground and that won’t happen.” He shook his head and pointed to the rest of the things scattered around the living room. “Uncle Jinyoung is coming today, clean up.”
“He’s grumpy. I like Uncle Jackson better.” Areum pursed her lips as she made the dolls legs march along the couch, ignoring her father’s orders to clean up.
Jaebum chuckled. “Don’t tell him that, he thinks he’s your favorite.” Picking up the toys himself, he began tossing them into a chest.
Areum turned towards her father, a bright smile on her face. “I tell all my uncles they are my favorite, then they buy me toys.”
Jaebum laughed out loud, as she picked up the remaining few toys. “You’re a scammer.”
“BamBam said sometimes you have to please people a little then they do what you want. He said that’s how he gets the ladies.” Areum shook her head matter of factly before grabbing the remote, sitting on the couch.
Jaebum nearly hit his head on a cabinet as he looked at his daughter. “I’m going to talk to BamBam.”
“He also said never trust a big butt and a smile.” Areum laughed. “Big butt.”
“Areum!” Jaebum had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. “That’s not nice for children to say. Don’t let me hear that again.”
The four and a half-year-old scrunched up her nose. “Fine…BamBam getting me in trouble.”
Scoffing, Jaebum shook his head and prepared himself some coffee. He knew everyone would probably be stopping by today. It had been 3 years since Nia had left and he was a single father. Nia hardly called, though she always sent a present on Areum’s birthday, Children’s Day, Easter and Christmas. Nia never had much to say to Jaebum, and somehow he knew it was for the best. The words she said, they still hurt his heart when he looked at his daughter.
Areum was a beautiful girl. Coily, dark hair that she liked to keep in a top knot on her head. She had so much hair now, it was more like a small bowling ball on her head. It had taken him a minute to do her hair correctly, but with the help of youtube and Youngjae’s girlfriend, he had it now.
She had his eyes and mouth, the rest of her face was Nia. Skin complexion in between theirs, she was sassy and sweet. She had a mean streak that Jaebum could thank Jinyoung for but; she was as kind and caring as Youngjae. Jaebum sipped his coffee as he watched Areum sing along to her cartoons. She was a good baby too, as soon as Nia could she went back to work and left him with an infant.
It took Mark holding Areum on his chest and talking to her in his deep voice, and that got her to sleep. As she got older, fooling around with BamBam and Yugyeom was her favorite. Now, after trading scowls with Jinyoung, Jaebum followed the two as they went to the store or mall and listened as they gossipped about the people around them.
He had a good life, it was peaceful. Jaebum and Areum. Although singing and producing tracks was still his passion, he had a daughter to fit into that schedule now, and he made it work. He took Areum to the studio, he made a place for her there and let her do what she wanted. He took her to meet clients, and she even put in her influence on some of the things he was working on. Right, he didn’t go out as much as he used to, and yea Jaebum had no interest in any woman, but…he was a father. That was his priority. Priorities, you had to have them straight, and he’d be damned if he was like Nia.
It still rocked his mind how she left like that. Just up and went, like she was never here. He remembered how he watched her gather her things the next day. She never looked at him, didn’t even kiss Areum goodbye. He cried that night like he never had before, a strong in your chest, a snotty cry that gave him a headache.
He thought she loved him. He had thought that she was just going through some stress and she’d come back and love him like she did before. She didn’t though and still hurt. A raw feeling in his body whenever he opened his nightstand and pulled out her picture. He spent a lot of time listening to Sza and Frank Ocean then. Spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to make her love him, sending texts that were never answered, calling her and only getting voicemail.
He had hoped that who she was when they met was who she always going to be because he was happy then. Maybe he was too blind to see that she was unhappy and using him as a band-aid for something that was too deep inside her to be fixed.
“Apa!!!!!!” Areum screamed his name, and Jaebum jumped up looking at her.
“Yes?” His heart was beating fast in panic as he realized he had drifted off in thought.
“Uncle Jinyoung is at the door, he’s been ringing the bell, can’t you hear?” She continued to jump around, listening to an old Twice song.
“Yea baby.” Getting up, he walked to the front door.
“About damn time.” Jinyoung moved past him, shaking the snow that lingered on his coat. “It’s cold in your hall, building manager needs to turn the heat on.”
Jaebum rolled his eyes. “It’s a building thing, the halls remain a good 55 for some reason.”
“Well, it’s dumb. How you feeling?” Jinyoung handed him a small bag, moving a package around in his arms.
Jaebum gave his friend a small smile. “I’m fine. Mark called me this morning, you guys really have to stop this.”
“Checking on you?” Jinyoung removed his shoes and walked down the hall behind Jaebum. “You know we won’t, you’re still hurting. Anyone can see that. She fucked you up bad, which is why I’m here to tell you we are going out tonight.”
Jaebum turned around, holding out a hand to stop Jinyoung. “Whose idea is this?”
Jinyoung sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Youngjae, now can I see my niece?”
“No.” Jaebum stopped him again as Jinyoung tried to side-step him. “Who?”
Trying to keep his voice quiet Jinyoung scowled. “All of us! We all think it’s good for you Bummie. Look at yourself!” Scoffing, Jinyoung pushed Jaebum to one side and smiled at Areum. “Who’s my girl?”
“I am!” Areum ran to Jinyoung, hugging his legs as he leaned down to kiss her head. “Is this a present for me? It’s not Christmas yet!”
“No, but I love you, so I bought you something.” Handing her the purple foil wrapped box, Jinyoung patted the couch next to him. “Open it.”
As Areum opened the gift, Jinyoung turned to Jaebum. “Make me some coffee hyung? Then we can talk.”
The two laughed and talked for a bit, Jinyoung asking Areum why she chose to pair her plaid leggings with that checkered top. When the girl answered couture Jinyoung, was taken aback.
“Ok, fine. I just don’t think the pattern goes well together.” He stood up, crossing his arms over his chest.
Areum sat her new doll to one side, to pick up the little doctors kit it came with. She side eyed Jinyoung as she answered. “What you think and know are two different things.”
“Well excuse me!” Jinyoung answered her with a loud laugh. As he walked over to Jaebum, he sat down, sliding his coffee mug over towards him. “Seriously, when she’s old enough I’m gonna fight your kid.”
Shaking his head, Jaebum smiled. “You taught her.”
“Don’t remind me.” Sipping his coffee, Jinyoung knew how the conversation was gonna go. “You aren’t yourself, and you haven’t been since she left. If you want me to be honest, and yes I am, when she got pregnant with Areum.”
Jaebum didn’t want to have this conversation, Mark had tried to, and he had ended up making their quietest member yell at him. “Jinyoung…I don’t want to.”
Gritting his teeth, Jinyoung continued. “I don’t care. Someone is going, to be honest with you and why not the person you’ve known the longest?”
“That’s not the point.” It was a sensitive subject, is what Jaebum wanted to say, but he didn’t want anyone to see him break down over Nia. See him as less of a man if he cried.
“Jaebum.” Dropping honorifics, Jinyoung tapped on Jaebum’s hand to get his attention. “She never really loved you, not how you loved her. Ok, that’s over, Nia is gone. She won’t apologize, she’s too haughty for that. She is not coming back, and you need to move on.”
Clenching his fists, Jaebum turned from his best friend. “Shut up.”
“Get rude, do what you have to, but it’s the truth. You’re a shell of who you were.” Finishing his coffee, Jinyoung continued. “Stop this. You’re coming out with us tonight, you’re going to have a good time, and eventually, someone will love you and Areum like you need to be. Until then, at least try…”
“Try to do what!” Struggling to keep his voice down, Jaebum picked up Jinyoung’s cup to fill it. He needed to move, he needed to walk around and hopefully, the distraction would cause Jinyoung to stop talking. To stop poking at the fresh wound that was still in his heart. “You guys say, move on. You say get dressed, let’s go out but I can’t. I loved her, does no one understand that? I loved her with everything I had. I made it work, culture differences and..” Jaebum ran his hands through his thick, midnight dyed hair.
Getting up, Jinyoung watched as his leader slumped over on the counter. He listened as Jaebum tried to calm his breathing and choke back on the tears that Jinyoung knew he was trying to keep at bay. “We know. I know. More than anyone, I know how you felt about her. That doesn’t change anything.”
“Maybe…if I give her more time.” Sitting up Jaebum wiped at the corners of his eyes.
“No. Nia doesn’t need any, because…I’m not going into this.” Looking into Jaebum’s eyes, Jinyoung pointed at Areum. “Do it for her. Don’t you think that Areum knows? She knows she has an absent mother, you know what she told Youngjae last week? She said she heard you crying in the bathroom, and Areum wondered if she had a mommy to love you, would you stop crying at night?”
Jaebum looked over at his daughter. He thought she was asleep, how much did she know? Touching at the stubble on his face, he looked at Jinyoung. “What else did she say?”
“Nothing. Please, just go out. Do something…” Jinyoung knew Jaebum wasn’t big on hugs, but he knew pain. He had experienced his own heartbreak. He knew how it felt to have loved, and watch it leave you. Breaking the unspoken rule, he pulled Jaebum into a hug. “We miss you, we miss the fun Jaebum, we missed when you were free.”
He knew it was time. Wrapping his arms around his friend, Jaebum squeezed him back. Nia wasn’t going to come back, and nothing was the same. He had built a wall around his heart and just threw himself into work and Areum.
“Fine. I’ll call the sitter.”
That night Jaebum looked at himself in the mirror as he fixed the collar on his black button-up.
“You look handsome Apa.” Areum stepped into the room wearing her unicorn pajamas.
“Thank you, baby, do me a favor tonight?” Jaebum turned towards her, as he walked into the bathroom to spray on cologne.
“Don’t call you while I’m hiding from the babysitter?” Areum’s grin was downright devilish.
“That.” Jaebum rubbed some lotion on his hands. “I need you to be a good girl, and sleep, when you wake up in the morning, I’ll be here.”
“Of course you will, you don’t pick up ladies like Yugy.” Areum smiled as Jaebum stared at her in the mirror.
“What?” He knew he heard her, but he was making sure.
“BamBam said that Yugy does that, he changes women like he changes his underwear.” She giggled. “I change mine every day.”
“Areum.” JAebum let out a heavy sigh. “I’m going to kill BamBam.” Closing the bathroom door behind him, Jaebum sat on the edge of his bed and pulled his daughter close to him. “You hear me cry sometimes?”
Areum grew quiet, she snuggled into her father’s side and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Yes, I’m sorry I told.”
“No.” Jaebum hugged her back, he buried his nose in her coily hair and took a deep breath. “It’s fine, I won’t cry anymore either.”
“You can cry if you’re sad Apa, why don’t you tell mommy you’re sad?” Areum moved her face to look up at her father.
Jaebum swallowed hard. “Mommy doesn’t want to hear that. So, I don’t tell her because it won’t help.”
Areum stayed quiet for awhile, she seemed to be thinking, her almond-shaped eyes staring at her father. “Why did mommy leave?”
He knew it was going to come one day. He knew he’d have to prepare for it, but he wasn’t sure how exactly. One day maybe she would see the truth. “Mommy was overwhelmed with everything, mostly me. She was just unhappy, and she is happier by herself. I suppose some people are like that.”
“She was happier without us?” Not missing a beat, Areum waiting for an answer.
“Yes.” Jaebum choked on the lump in his throat.
“So now, you’ll have to find a new wife?” Areum lets go of her father, she hopped down from the bed and grabbed a tissue from his nightstand.
Dabbing at Jaebum’s eyes, he tried to smile as she mostly wiped his cheek. “I don’t have to.”
“Maybe you should, everyone needs someone to love. BamBam said that too.” She kissed her father’s cheek, patting it.
“At least in that aspect BamBam is right. Now come on, the sitter will be here soon, and it’s time for bed.”
It was louder than Jaebum remembered in this club. Darker and hotter as well. Beyonce’s formation was playing, and as soon as BamBam came through the door, he and Yugyeom hit the dance floor. Shaking his head, Youngjae wrapped his arm around his girlfriend and followed Mark as he leads them to a secluded table in VIP.
“You mix that negro with that Creole make a Texas bama!!!” Youngjae’s girlfriend, Ava cried out as she danced around Youngjae.
He smiled at her, holding her hand, before placing one hand on her waist as she began to dance on him. Jaebum raised an eyebrow at the couple, wondering when Youngjae came out of his shell as he watched them.
“I like Ava, she makes Youngjae smile,” Jackson commented as he slid next to Jaebum.
“She’s good for him,” Mark added, waving a waitress over.
They watched as Ava lead Youngjae to the dance floor, he was confidently holding his own. Watching as the music changed to something with more bass. Jaebum grinned as Ava bent over in front of Youngjae, bouncing her ass on him, with Youngjae moving his hips to the beat.
“So, as they make a baby on the floor, we can watch BamBam and Yugyeom move like sharks through the water as they find some women.” Mark chuckled, as he sat back and waited for Jackson to say something.
“Don’t be a hater, Mark,” Jackson added right on time. “They have game, you have none and sit there scowling like an old man.”
“I get girls, they just don’t get me.” Mark sat up as the waitress came back with drinks, taking his own.
“So says the man who hasn’t had a steady girlfriend in two years.” Jinyoung retorted.
Mark downed his shot, pouring another. “Like I said, I get girls, they don’t get me.”
“Alright, alright. Let’s just have fun.” Jaebum took a shot offered by Mark, and downed it, coughing after the burn. “Damn.”
“So then let’s dance, let’s mingle.” Jackson stood up, running his hands over his mesh shirt under his jacket. “I bought this shirt to show off for someone who might be special, not Y'all.”
Laughing, Jaebum took another shot. “I might need a few more drinks first.”
“Fine.” Jackson pointed at Mark. “Wingman?”
“Wingman.” Mark grasped Jaebum’s shoulder. “Loosen up and let me see you out there, it’s nice to see you relax finally.”
Nodding at him, Jaebum ordered more drinks and turned towards Jinyoung. “So, I’m here, happy now?”
“Not quite.” Jinyoung put his phone down and scanned the room, before looking back at Jaebum. “How would you feel about being set up on a date?”
Jaebum slid his hand down his face. “Please don’t tell me you invited someone here.”
“No. Sunday, you can meet her. She’s international since that seems to be your thing.” Jinyoung poured a shot of Souju and groaned.
“Depends on what you mean by that.” Jaebum eyed, Jinyoung as he drank as well.
“She’s an American.” Jinyoung watched as a pair of women walked by the table, one plainly eyeing him.
“That tells me nothing.” Ignoring the woman’s friend who was looking at him, Jaebum continued to drink.
“You’ll see, that’s why I like America. I say American, and you don’t know who to think. I say China, and you know. I say Japan, and you know.”
“Is it code word for she’s black? I don’t like someone based on color, Nia was a black woman, yes, but that’s not why I liked her.” Jaebum felt himself getting irritated if that was the case.
“Calm down. No. I just meant you like international women. Nothing else, Jesus, calm down.” Jinyoung passed him a bottle of water. “Drink this, you’ve had 6 shots in 10 minutes.”
“I’m fine.” Jaebum pushed the bottle away. “I’m having fun remember?”
“It won’t be fun tomorrow.” Standing up Jinyoung finished one more shot. “Let’s go see what the others are doing.”
As they moved through the crowd, they watched as Youngjae and Ava made their way back to the table. BamBam was currently whispering something in a woman’s ear that made her smile. Yugyeom was holding a woman close to him on the dance floor. His hand on the small of her back as he pressed her body into his. Mark and Jackson were standing off to one side, laughing with a small group of men and women. Jaebum looked around at the people passing him and near him. It seemed like everyone was so young, but then again he couldn’t talk much. Mark was older than he was.
An old EXO song was playing now, one that he liked and as he bobbed his head to the music, he looked to the right. Either he was drunk, or something was messing with his head because the crowd seemed to part a little at just the right moment. Through the light smoke haze, he saw her. Standing there, with a smile on her face as she danced in the little group with her friends. A fitted black dress on that accentuated all the right places, her heels the brightest things she had on. Their electric blue color, making his eyes strain.
She was just there, and there was nothing else. The sounds became muffled, and everything seemed to slow down. Jaebum was never one for love, at first sight, lust yea sure but come on. No one was that…gorgeous. No one could be that perfect and not realize the effect she had on everyone in the room. Was she looking at him, her lip curled up into a smile, as she put her hands up and continued to sway.
The crowd milled around, and then she was gone. Jaebum panicked, trying to look over peoples head as he made his way over to her. She had left that area, and he turned around scanning the crowd, he just wanted to look at her up close, maybe know her name. Something, anything. Spotting Jinyoung, he made his way over to him.
“Did you see..”
“How could I not? You were practically drooling, you stood there so long you probably creeped her out.” Grabbing Jaebum’s shoulders, Jinyoung turned him towards the bar. “That way.”
Then she was back in his vision, drink in her hand as she stuck her tongue out and laughed. “Maybe I shouldn’t.” Confidence lacking, now as he took a step back. Jaebum looked back at Jinyoung, who shook his head.
“Go, or I’ll go over there and embarrass you.” Giving Jaebum an easy push, Jinyoung walked away from him to make his way back to the table.
It was simple right? He was so out of practice. Just go over there, say hello, introduce himself and ask her if she wanted to dance. Maybe buy her another drink since was almost done with the one in her hand. His heart was in his throat, as he finally neared the bar. Enough that she looked up at him, she grinned and turned back to her friend as Jaebum finally stood in front of her.
They stared at each other for a while, before she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. “If you stare any longer, I’m going to have to charge you.”
“I’ll pay.” Jaebum smiled, holding out his hand to her. “Jaebum, and you are?”
She slid her hand into his, and he gripped it tight pulling her closer so he could kiss her knuckles. She smiled wide, her friends ohh’ing as Jaebum let her hand go. “Amina.”
He listened to the deep cadence of her voice, slightly raspy, he liked it. “Amina, do you want to dance?”
“She does.” One of her friends taking her empty glass as Jaebum took her hand once more leading her out to the dance floor.
Amina said nothing, merely smiling as Jaebum pulled her close to him, My Type by iKON began to play. He turned her around, so her back was to his chest. “How are you doing tonight?”
Amina laughed. “That’s the conversation we’re going to have now?”
Jaebum turned her around, one hand on her back, the other holding her hand tight in his. “Can’t I ask how you’re doing? Isn’t that the polite thing to do?”
“Yea, I’m fine, and you?” Amina lets go of his hand to dance in front of him by herself.
“Doing better, I wasn’t sure about this place at first, but I think I’m warming up to the idea.” He came closer to her, placing his hands on her waist doing a slow grind behind her.
“Why is that? I’ve been here a few times the music mix is always good.” She pressed her body closer to his, lifting her arm, so it was behind his neck.
“Didn’t see anyone that caught my eye, friends dragged me out here, but now I see you so…” He let his words linger, definitely realizing that alcohol was making him more confident that what he really was.
Amina laughed, letting go of him so she could wrap her arms around his neck as the song transitioned. “Aren’t you smooth?”
“It’s the soju.” Jaebum grinned and leaned down so that he could rub his lips along her jaw. “You want to go sit down and talk?”
Nodding her head, she let him take the lead, going back to the table where Mark and Jinyoung sat looking at something on Mark’s phone. The looks of surprise on their faces went away quickly as Jaebum motioned them not to say anything.
“Hello.” Amina waved at the two, reaching out her hand. “I’m Amina.”
“Mark.” The first to take her hand, he smiled at her and nodded his head at Jaebum.
Jinyoung raised an eyebrow as he took her hand. “Jinyoung, do you guys want to be alone?”
“No, it’s-”
“Yes.” Jaebum cut her off. “If you don’t mind.”
Amina shook her head. “Y’all can stay, if Jaebum wanted to talk to me alone, he could ask me on a real date.” She looked pointedly back at Jaebum, crossing her legs under the table.
“How do you know I wasn’t going to?” Jaebum asked, and Jinyoung nudged Mark as he watched the exchange.
Licking her lips slowly, Amina grinned at him. “I figure you’d have brought that up already.”
“So, Amina where are you from?” Mark interrupted as he looked at her.
“San Francisco.” She answered, sliding closer to Jaebum.
Sitting up a little, Mark answered. “Oh, that’s whats up. I’m from LA. What brings you to Seoul?”
“Shouldn’t Jaebum be asking her these questions?” Jinyoung pushed a drink in front of Mark. “Show me that girl again.”
Amina laughed and turned back to Jaebum. “So, are you from Korea?”
“Yes, native Korean if that’s what you’re wondering. Why are you in Seoul though?” He draped an arm over the back of where she sat, as he moved his position Jaebum realized he was drunk. The room wasn’t shifting, but it was sweltering, and his face hurt from smiling so much.
“Business opportunities. I’m a MUA, makeup artist and the company I am working with had opportunities here. I thought why not.” She let her hand fall on his thigh. “I’ve been here for four months now.”
“Do you like it?” He hoped she did, he wished that he could see her tomorrow, and the day after and that she just wasn’t interested in him for tonight.
“I do. I think my Korean is getting better.” She moved her tongue over her nude painted lips, letting her hand slide up his chest. “Tell me something Jaebum, why haven’t you kissed me yet?”
He wanted to, nothing was holding him back even though he knew Jinyoung and Mark were watching his every move. “I’m interested in getting to know you outside of tonight.”
Moving away from him, Amina moved her legs over Jaebum’s until she was sitting sideways on his lap. “Good because I have to go, work in the morning, where’s your phone?”
Startled, Jaebum tried to calm himself down he didn’t want to give himself away too much, and he shifted her on his lap as he pulled out his phone. “Can I put mine in yours?” She pulled her phone out from her bra and handed it to him.
Handing her phone back, Amina slid off his lap as her friends came up to the table. “Perhaps, I’ll hear from you soon?”
She didn’t give him time to answer as she started walking away, impulse reacted in Jaebum, he reached out taking her wrist pulling her back to him. One kiss, that was it. Pressing his lips against hers chastely, he let her go.
Amina covered her mouth as her friends laughed shuffling her towards the door.
“Well, I think you’ve had enough adventure for tonight.” Jinyoung interrupted Jaebum’s reverie.
“Naw, he just needs to get it wet one time, and he’ll be better.” Mark laughed before Jinyoung punched his arm. “Are you going to call her?”
As the rest of the crew came back to the table, BamBam saw the interaction and clapped his hyung on the back. “I saw that. You have to wait at least 2 days before you call. You don’t want to look desperate.”
“No, he doesn’t. They like it when you call the next day. Don’t text.” Yugyeom added.
“Or he can do what he wants because Jaebum is a grown man and he is capable of talking to women on his own.” Ava retorted as she sat down on Youngjae’s lap.
“Thank you, Ava.” Jaebum smiled at her. “I do know I am drunk, and I won’t be as bold tomorrow, so perhaps…I should go home.”
“Yea, we’ll share a cab with you,” Youngjae replied.
The ride home wasn’t long, and Jaebum mostly stared out the window as Ava whispered in Youngjae’s ear, rubbing his hand on her thigh. He smiled at how they were together. She was bolder than Youngjae, but it made him more open as well. As Jaebum got out of the cab to pay his half, he wished them goodnight. The crisp, winter air made him pull his jacket closer to him as he entered the code for his building.
Winter was indeed upon them, and he stumbled on his feet a little, burping. The taste of soju was sharp in his mouth, and he placed a hand on his stomach hoping he didn’t vomit. As he opened the door, the babysitter sat on the couch thumbing through a magazine.
“Thank you HaEun, you can stay the night if you want. I’ll pay you extra, there’s a spare room near Areum’s.” The girl stood up giving a bow.
“It’s ok, I can take a cab.” She placed the magazine down. “Areum was asleep the whole time. She got up for a drink, but she went back to sleep after.”
“Thank you for watching her. Stay inside until it comes and I’ll walk you down then.” He answered her, going to the kitchen for water. Jinyoung was right, he should have drunk some while he was there. He finished two bottles before the cab came, feeling a little better he walked HaEun to the taxi and paid the fare.
Back in the apartment, he took a deep breath and made his way to Areum’s room. The room bathed in a soft pink glow, he spied her laying halfway on her bed. She always slept weird, and he adjusted her body kissing her cheek. Pulling the covers over her once more, he left the door cracked and went to his own room.
As he got ready for bed, he took out his phone and stared at Amina’s phone number. He didn’t know when he would call her and half of him wanted to tomorrow. Maybe the next day but he wasn’t sure. He did want to see her again, but he didn’t want to look desperate either. Plugging the phone in, he turned over in his bed and fell asleep.
Chapter Two
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Dear me
Hi me, it’s been a while.
I genuinely can’t believe I started this with the intention of it NOT becoming a shitpost but that was literally reference to JK’s ‘it’s been a while’, but regardless, it has.
It has been 390 days, so roughly a year and a month… a lot has changed.
I’m going to start with our usual ‘how am I?’ then go to where we left off last year and go on from there.
How am I? Well you see with everything that’s happened this year, I’m not so ok, and I’m sorry. We were close I know, we were happy, and the dissociation stopped but everything came tunneling back. So that’s how I am right now, I’ll explain more once I explain just what exactly happened this year.
Going to where we left off:
Funny thing, I went to Seattle again this year! I went alone this time, I’ll explain it in detail a bit later, but boy oh boy it was the same feeling, we were anxious most of the time kid sorry about that.
You’re still not good with people, in fact, I think you got worse hhh, except it’s for somewhat different reasons this time. A mix of being disattached and realizing that people are genuinely shit has made me realize that I need to stop allowing myself to be a welcome mat but if I’m being honest, it’s easier being a welcome mat than it is maintaining friendships at this point.
Let’s start on the year:
My last entry was August 15th 2017, it is currently September 9th 2018, lets dick sus.
You, started uni. You started university majoring in theatre production. It was hard.
The first month was footings, oh my god footings, I haven’t thought about that for a while. It was so jam packed, we were literally taught everything in one month and it just really showed you what the next two years would be like. God it was so much fun. Remember the first time we hung a source4, and now you’ve probably hung well over 100 lights.
September was hard, I couldn’t turn to the people I could turn to today so I was very much alone and used my spam instagram account (the super secret one) as an outlet. I remember continuously begging myself not to drop out on that account, and guess what, you didn’t.
Also hey, you don’t hate carpentry, actually you’re taking carpentry 2. Insane I know. Who would have guessed, 5ft me doing carpentry.
Serendipity dropped!! Oh boy, I remember crying for DAYS, Park Jimin I love you.
First Semester Classes:
English: A bitty dropped that class, 2 weeks in, yeah. Yup.
Footings: A solid 10/10, we went through hell but it was fun and we went to the bar for the first time afterwards. Genuinely a good time.
Drafting: Listen,, shit hit the fan, I’m pretty sure Clayton hates you, but we’re taking his year two class anyways so he’s stuck with me :)
Intro: Shit hit the fan part 2, this was all on you, you actual dumbass (ly)
Rigging: SHE WAS FUN, would definitely do again. The field trip to the opera was really fun too.
Audio: I somehow got an A in this class, and like, I’m not bad at audio but what the fuck?
Practicum: :((( Sister Act :((( My first show :( God there’s so much I can say about this. Thank you so much Sister Act. I owe you everything.
How on Earth do I sum all this up…
Footings ended, classes started regularly. You fell in love with all of the second years and fun fact, you’re still in love with them, god bless Mark. Melissa left :/, YOU WON THE RIGGING GAMES, YOU WON AND BROKE A RECORD, AND IT WAS AMAZING. You were a spotlight for sister act, headset was insane, bless Hunter. You became an addict to the bacanator at Wendys. You cut out 19 head pieces on a wardrobe call for sister act. Existential dates with Bruno at Denny’s because you were both far too stressed. You spent too much money because fuck freshman year right? You accidentally read a major character death. We went to Deadmenton with Tanika, Bella and Patty, it was really fun and Tanika kept screaming “Miss Keisha, Bitch, Bitch”. So much happened and this isn’t even a grain of salt in comparison.
So let’s talk about the big things. Mom told us to leave in September, and by November you were living with dad in a 2 bedroom apartment, 6 minutes from your school. It was hard, this was the first time I’d lived without my siblings, it, was hard.
Around that same time, you started going on twitter more, actually, you were put in a group chat. A lot came from that group chat, and I guess this is the perfect time to talk about the relationships in your life.
Siblings: You haven’t been as close to Pisona as you are now. Moving forced me to communicate with my siblings and that did bring us closer. I love my siblings and I would do anything for them, it’s unfortunate the situation that we’ve found ourselves in with our parents.
Friends:
Bruno: I love Bruno, I love Bruno so fucking much. I would do anything for Bruno. I don’t know how to fully express just how much I love Bruno. I love you moonshine.
Danait: In all honesty, that’s my Taehyung. I see us as partners for life, I don’t know what I would do without her and sure there are times when I want to let everything go, but she’s here, and she’s home.
Patty & Tanika: My kids! The gc moved to Line bc twitter was stressing us out, and its all jokes and screaming about life from there.
Q: I love Q, but it’s really hard, but it’ll be ok.
Dead Friendships:
Erika, Blakeish, Yadiel, Literally just everyone else and everyone from high school lmao.
New Relationships:
Jocelyn: Oh jeez, how the fuck do I do this. You know that group chat we joined, well you also happened to meet the love of your life in said group chat. Yup. Her name is Jocelyn, and she’s perfect, and she’s too good for you but you’re not one to decide that, and maybe you think about her a little too much, and maybe you fuck up, a lot, but you really like her.
Eyerusalem: So you didn’t just join one group chat, you joined multiple, you even made some yourself, and in one that you made, you met Yoongi. I can’t really explain what that means but you know what I mean because well, you’re me, and hope that you’re still friends with her when you read this a year from now, but I also know that It’s literally not possible for you to stop speaking to her because as far as we’re fucking considered, namgi shall rise and we are soulmates.
Fun fact, you only made two new friends. Everyone else is a classmate that although you like, you can’t really talk to or further your relationship with. There’s Caitlan but fuck Caitlan :)
This is long and it just keeps fucking going but there’s just so fucking much that happened this last year god, I haven’t even gotten half way through it all fuck.
Ok so: You didn’t finish any of the shows you said you would. You finished your first year without any electives so now you’re cramming. Also your parents are now living under the same roof because dad fucked up his arm so yes you moved back in with mom. YOU DATED A BOY, for like a week, it was awful, but you don’t hate him anymore. YOUR PERIOD CAME BACK, you were in Seattle when it happened, it was,, a lot, lots of blood, lots of mess, but it was gone for a year so it makes sense.
You fully delved into your sexuality, you aren’t exactly ace haha hahaha haahahahahaha ahhahahahahaha I FUCKIGN KNOW I FUCKING KNOW OK, THATS WHO WE WERE, LISTEN IM SHOCKED TOO, but miss jocelyn over there single handedly changed everything, also you’re kinky as fuck, who would have fucking guessed, blame jocey.
Seattle wasn’t the worst, we went to the ocean a lot, and we only touched her once because we aren’t greedy and frankly I got too overwhelmed.
You have like 7 biases, deal with it. Your Japanese got better lmao, you tell me how.
I’m saying it here and now, but we’re joining the circus.
This is the best I can do for now because quite frankly, this year was too much to put into words and I knew it would be hard but I didn’t realize just how fucking hard. But anyways, you love bangtan a lot, and as hard as u try they really are the only group you can keep up with, im sorry stray kids im still trying, exo flew out the picture, i literally only care about pcy, bbh and ksoo/yixing lmaoooooooo NYWAYS
GN (it’s 1PM)
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