ONE WEEK LATER…

 

LAUREN:

I didn’t think I would be this down about it, but I am. It’s been a week since the B1A4 fan event, and it’s still fresh in my mind like it was yesterday. I hate to sound like a crazed fan girl, but I miss Jinyoung. I miss how comfortable I felt around him, and how we could talk about so many things. And like clockwork, my regret kicks in. I didn’t get a chance to ask him for his phone number or even Kakao talk would’ve been nice! I mentally beat myself for it again, and I refocus to what I was doing.

I’m on my way to the first dress fitting for my mom’s best friend’s daughter. She’s getting married in four months, and she asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. I’ve known Yejin-unni my whole life, and she’s taken care of me like a real older sister would. I’m so happy for her that she’s getting married, and her fiancé is a great guy too.

I get to the dress shop, and when I walk in Yejin-unni sees me and runs up to me to give a big hug.

“I’m so glad you could make it!” Yejin-unni beams, and I smile back at her giving her a nod. Yejin-unni introduces me to the rest of the bridesmaids and we all sit down to wait for employees to set up the fitting rooms. We chat about everything, until the employees wave us in to the fitting rooms.

I have to say that Yejin-unni picked out beautiful bridesmaids dresses for us. When we all step out, I can see Yejin-unni’s eyes light up in joy. All of us bridesmaids look at each other and we all compliment each other. Yejin-unni really did a great job, I was worried at first because I hear a lot of stories of bridesmaids dresses either being a weird cut or just in an unflattering color.

After we all get our dresses adjusted, we change out of the dresses and gather in the waiting area to see Yejin-unni’s dress.

“Lauren, what are you doing after this?” one of the bridesmaids asks me.

“Nothing, I was just going to head home. Why do you ask?”

“Okay this is very short notice, but all the bridesmaids and groomsmen are getting together for lunch and then going to the studio to figure out a dance after this. I wanted to contact you but I didn’t have your phone number, and I didn’t want to make Yejin suspicious.”

“Oh no it’s okay. I’m free all day.”

“Great!” the bridesmaid-unni said, and the rest of the bridesmaids whisper how great that I make it. We continue to talk about ideas, when Yejin-unni walks out in her wedding dress. All of our jaws drop at how beautiful she looks, and I think it is safe to say all of us were very envious.

I’m becoming close with the bridesmaid unnis quickly, maybe because I’m used to being with Yejin but it’s easy to talk to the unnis. We’re going to the restaurant, when one of the unnis says “So did you guys hear that one of the groomsmen is an idol? Apparently they’re getting pretty popular lately.”

“Ooh that means we’ll have at least one good looking groomsmen at the wedding.” Another unni says, and we all laugh. I can’t help but wonder who that idol is, and I secretly hope that it’s Jinyoung. But that’ll never happen, there are so many idols in the industry that the chances of it being Jinyoung is slim to none. My desperate hope of seeing him is getting worse and worse. I really have to stop.

We get to the restaurant and the hostess brings us to one of the rooms for larger parties. We walk into the room, and the groomsmen are already here. Hearing the door open, the groomsmen look towards the door and stand up to greet us, when we walk in. I take a look at everyone in the room, when I catch someone staring at me. I look at him and the moment we make eye contact with each other, my body freezes. It’s him. The one I’ve been thinking about all day and night for the past week. Jung Jinyoung.

 

JINYOUNG: 

“Lauren.” I say, without thinking, as soon as our eyes lock onto each other’s. For the past week I’ve been thinking non-stop about her. I told the guys about Lauren, and they won’t stop about my mistake of not getting her number. But there she is, right here in front of me. Both of us could not look away from each other, until one of the groomsmen hyungs broke our eye contact.

“Do you two know each other?” he asked both of us, probably because he noticed us staring at each other.

“Um..yeah.” I replied. What should I say? I can’t really say that I met Lauren through a fan event, it’d be embarrassing for both of us. Before I could think of something, Lauren speaks up.

“Yeah, we know each other through mutual friends.” The groomsmen hyung nods in understanding, and we turn to each other, giving each other a friendly smile.

“How have you been?” I ask her, trying not to show my nervousness.

“I’ve been good, how about you?” Lauren replies.

“Good, good. So how do you know the bride?”

“My mom’s best friend’s daughter. She’s like an older sister to me, I’ve known her my whole life.”

“Oh that’s like me with Sanghoon-hyung. He used to live next to me back home, but moved to Seoul to work after high school. He’s like a real brother to me.” We continue to talk, when we are interrupted by the bridesmaids and the other groomsmen, who sit us all down at the table. Lauren ends up sitting across from me.

 We all introduce ourselves and say how we know the bride or groom, and within a couple of minutes, we’re all having fun talking like we’ve all known each other for a long time.

“Okay!” one of the bridesmaids starts, I’m guessing she’s the maid of honor. “So we need to figure out the pairings for the wedding. But I think we all agree that our two maknaes, Jinyoung and Lauren, will be a pair!” I’m taken off guard, and I look across the table to see Lauren’s face redden, as she looks down at her hands. Everyone voices their agreement, and just like that we’re a pair for the wedding.

 

LAUREN:

We’re a pair for the wedding? Well I’m not complaining about it, but I mean, it’s a little flustering, being put together and having everyone in the room agree. After everyone has been paired up, our seats are all rearranged, and Jinyoung and I sit together.

I feel so nervous sitting beside Jinyoung that I can’t even look anyone in the eye. Neither of us has said anything for the past ten minutes, while everyone else has been chatting.

“So…How has your photography been going?” Jinyoung says quietly, I turn my head towards him and I see that he’s looking down playing with his fingers. Sensing my stare, he slowly turns his head and looks at me, and gives me the friendly smile that I have thought about for the past week.

 “Good.” I reply “I went through another roll of film yesterday, so I’m excited to see how it develops.” I’m about to keep talking when I’m taken aback for a second. “Wait you remember that I’m photographer?”

“Of course” Jinyoung exclaims, “I was even going to ask you how the photos from last week are.”

“They turned out great!” I say, and I feel the nerves around us going away. “I didn’t realize that I used up the all the film just from that one day until I went into the dark room to develop them.”

“Really?” Jinyoung says, somewhat confused. “I thought there were only the ones the photographer took in the kitchen, and then the couple of photos from when we were in Hongdae.”

“That’s the secret to photographers.” I lightly joke “We can take photos without people knowing.”

Jinyoung laughs, and says “Maybe you could show me them sometime then?”

“Yeah for sure” I smile. In the back of my mind, I think about how that means we will get the chance to see each other again and my inner self does back flips of joy.

We continue catching up with each other for the rest of lunch, and we become comfortable with each other again like we were last week. After lunch, we all head towards the studio. As we make our way there, I start to recognize the subway stations.

“Oppa.” I whisper and nudge Jinyoung, who is standing beside me.

“Hm?” Jinyoung answers, leaning towards me.

“Are we going where I think we’re going?”

“Yep. I asked the president if we could use the studio today until this evening. Why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing, I recognized the subway stops is all.”

==

“Okay everyone, good job today!” Jinyoung says, and everyone claps. We’re all exhausted from the dancing. Everyone starts to head to the changing rooms to change out of our sweaty clothes, and we all leave. Walking to the subway station with Jinyoung felt all too familiar to me, even though there were a lot more people this time around. Like last time, I felt a bit sad leaving Jinyoung again because I feel like we’ve gotten close again.

When we get to the entrance, I stop and turn to Jinyoung.

“So…I guess this is bye again?” I say, trying hard not to sound too sad.

“Bye?” Jinyoung says, in a teasing way “Well I was going to take you home, but if you don’t want to then, I guess I could go back to the company building”

“Wait, what?” I reply, flustered. “But, don’t you have to rehearse or anything?”

“Nope, I have all day off today” he smiles at me. Still embarrassed, I quickly turn and around and make my way down the stairs. I hear Jinyoung chuckle and follow me down the stairs.

As we all take the subway home, one by one everyone gets off at their respective stops, and soon it was just Jinyoung and I left. We get off the subway and we start walking to my place. We make more small talk as we continue walking, when we finally get to my apartment complex.

“Well, this is me” I say, “Thanks for walking me home.”

“You’re very welcome.” Jinyoung says “It was really nice seeing you again, I still can’t really believe that we managed to see each other like this”

“Yeah, neither can I” I chuckle, racking my brain for something else to say.

“Um..” Jinyoung says nervously, “I was wondering…”

“Yeah?”

“Could I get your phone number?” Jinyoung says, as he pulls out his phone.

“Yeah! For sure, it’s 010-1234-5678. “ I say, as Jinyoung puts in the number. I feel my face flush, and I try really hard not to break my composure.

“I’ll text you my number then?” he says, looking at me.

“Okay.” I say back.

“You should get inside” he says “It’s starting to get chilly.”

“Okay, thanks” I really don’t know what else to say, so my body takes over and go in to give him a friendly hug. Surprisingly, Jinyoung opens his arms out and hugs me back. When I’m back in the right mind frame, I realize what I’m doing and my heart is violently pounding.

“Um..” I stammer, as I let go “good night, Jinyoung.”

“Good night, Lauren.” He smiles at me. I smile back, and I quickly run into the apartment building. When I’m out of sight, I lean against the wall and try to breathe. I can’t believe I just did that. I’m slowly gaining composure, when my phone rings, and it’s from a number I don’t know.

“Hello?” I pick up,

“Hey, Lauren?”  instantly, I know it’s Jinyoung.

“Hi Jinyoung,”

“I have something to ask you.” He sounds rushed.

“Yeah, go ahead.” I feel like I’ve stopped breathing, waiting for what he has to ask.

“Um, well” Jinyoung stutters, “Would you like to go out with me sometime?”

Did he just ask me out? My mind is racing but my body goes to auto-pilot again.

“Yes, I would like that” I reply, and I hear Jinyoung let out a huge breath, like he was holding his breath like I was.

“Great” he says, I can just hear him smiling through the phone. “I’ll call you when I know my schedule next week?”

“Sound good,” I say, and I notice I can’t help but smile either.

“Okay, have a good night Lauren.”

“Good night.” We both hang up, and again I’m breathless. Jinyoung just asked me out. When I got home, I couldn’t sleep a wink.