“What?” Jisoo lets out what’s on her mind unknowingly.

“You look beautiful tonight. I thought of telling you.”

Jisoo looks at Jinyoung questioning. What does he want? Did he just flirt?

“What do you want?” Jisoo stands straight and pulls her hand to her back.

“You look be-“

“I know,” Jisoo cuts in. “You don’t need to repeat what you’ve just said. What I want to know is the reason you’re telling me that.”

Jinyoung studies her face a bit more. It’s been 10 years since the last time Jinyoung sees her in the eyes like this. Even though, the last time she wasn’t like this. She was in tears. And Jinyoung has been trying to forget about them.

“Do I need a reason?” Jinyoung asks. “You just look beautiful. Even though I haven’t seen you for a very long time, you still look as beautiful as before."

“Are you flirting with me?” Jisoo asks him furiously. She guards herself by hugging her upper arms.

Jinyoung doesn’t remember when was the last time he told her she was beautiful. And as far as he trusts his guts, he doesn’t approach her just to flirt.

Jinyoung has been attending all of the award shows he was nominated in. And surprisingly, he won most of the time. He won The Critic’s Choice Award, The Baeksang Arts Award, and the biggest surprise comes from The Blue Dragon Award. He never imagines himself to win anything as big as these awards. So, winning a prestigious award like The Blue Dragon really surpass his doubt about himself.

The members were excited when the announcement came. Jackson video called him from Hong Kong as early as he got off from his car after the event ended. Jaebum Hyung and Youngjae texted so long, he can actually hear them screaming somewhere in Korea. Bambam cutely sent him a video. Mark-hyung called him a bit later since the time difference. And Yugyeom barged in the following day to his apartment with a bottle of champagne.

After finishing his military duty, he went back to the entertainment industry not as Jinyoung of GOT7, but more as Actor Park. He found acting as his passion after his appearance in ‘My Lovely Eundong’. Though he wasn’t popular at that time, he’s excited and triggered to challenge the acting industry.

Few small roles came to him throughout his active year as GOT7. He got his first lead role at the age of 27 for a drama in the cable channel. He won several awards for best newcomer for the said drama. Offers flooded JYP Entertainment from movie producers and drama PDs. Jinyoung was overwhelmed and excited for these opportunities. He managed to finish 2 dramas and 1 movie in the year of 2021 alone.

His biggest achievement had to be lending a role in Park Chan Wook’s movie, ‘Creep’. The role earned his first ever trip to Cannes Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival. He wasn’t expecting anything from this movie. He knew how prestigious it was to join Park Chan Wook’s work. He knew Ha Jeong Wu-subaenim and Kim Ok Bin-sunbaenim will be the highlights of the movie. What he didn’t know, was how much the movie influenced his career.

‘Creep’ was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in Academy Award the following year. They didn’t win, but they’re important enough to made headlines in most newspapers and morning news. Though Jinyoung only appeared around 21 minutes in the movie, many movie critics considered him as the Raising A-List Movie Actor in 2022.

Then came along his military duty. And when he thought of going on a break, an offer came from Kim Jee Won, the director who made ‘The Bittersweet Life’. Right after his military duty ended, he started to shoot the movie. Without so much drama, the movie earned his first win in Critic’s Choice Award. There, he realized, Jisoo was missing.

And so it happened again in Baeksang and Blue Dragon Award.

After their breakup 10 years ago, he never once, look at Jisoo in her eyes again. It was never an interaction. Jisoo will be busy with whatever she did and Jinyoung would do the same. It was as if they never know each other. Jisoo has always been missing in Jinyoung’s field of vision. Even though they were in the same music event, somehow Jinyoung hardly notice her presence.

He accustomed to it after years of practice. She moved on, so he needed to do the same. However, her absences in those award shows provoke his sanity. He keeps asking himself. Does she hate him so much? Does she despise him so much she decided to pass her chances to shine?

Therefore, when he actually saw her inside tonight, his heart speaks to him rather than his brain.

She looks the same since the last time he met her. Her dark colored hair still as long as before. Her eyes sparkle and show a glimpse of different shades of brown. She doesn’t gain any weight, he believes.

Her dress opens in the back. Jinyoung needs more than being sober to keep his hand off her.

She looks beautiful. Is that a crime to think about it?

“I’m not here to flirt,” Jinyoung steps forward. “I believe you know me better.”

Jinyoung stares deeply at her.

“Stop avoiding me,” he says softly. “You missed 3 awards already. Is it because of me?”

Jisoo bites her lip. She misses his voice.

“No. I was busy.” Jisoo lowers her hands to her sides. “I have other things to do. The last time tho, I was sick. I caught a cold.”

Jisoo relaxes her shoulder after 5 minutes of struggles. She only needs to answer him and then get back to her seat. Just answer him and it’ll all be over.

“Are you okay now?” Jinyoung raises his hand. “You still look a little pale.”

Jisoo doesn’t expect anything tonight. Not a win, not a recognition. She was here to make her manager and the people in the company happy. Meeting Jinyoung and speaking to him is beyond what she had prepared.

But this, this is more than she can handle.

Jinyoung slowly caresses her left cheek. He speaks softly, gently.

“You should rest more.”

Jinyoung sees her eyes close for a mere second. She looks at him back. It needs to stop, she thinks.

“Let’s go back, please,” she calmly speaks. “Bogum-oppa is waiting for me.”

Jisoo slowly catches Jinyoung’s hand which still touches her cheek. She takes it down and put it back to his side. She keeps on looking at him.

“Thank you,” she breathes. “It’s been so long since the last time you said I look beautiful.”

-

Hi again everyone! As you probably notice, I update every weekend. I hope it's the best time for everyone to read this story.

We miss Jinji today as well, hopefully, this chapter will cheer everyone up.