Album No. 26
∫ Track 01

“Why do you look so nervous?” LiYin asked me when we were walking out of last period. I hugged my books to my chest and kept quiet, looking at the ground the whole way out. Any moment now Yoochun was going to show up and so was JaeJoong. What’s going to happen when they meet? Do they even know each other? JaeJoong used to always tease me about being ‘Mrs. Park Yoochun’ but…

“Hi BoA.”
I looked up and one half of my trouble has appeared, right on time. I then stared at my best friend who looked like she now understood.

“Yoochun!” LiYin exclaimed with large eyes, super surprised that he was here. She glanced back at me with that what-the-heck look and I just winced. “Uh, l-long time no see~” she continued with a worried smile, trying to pass off her shocked reaction.

“Yes. How have you been? How’s violin?” he asked her and as the two indulged into some small talk, I noticed the radiant 2Kim walking towards us in the background. My eyes instantly met JaeJoong’s even from twenty feet away. At first he was expressionless but he soon gave me a smile – a weak one.

The two soon slowed down and gave each other a handshake before JaeJoong walked out of the courtyard and through the exit. He… left?

My first instinct was to run after him and asked him what the deal was because clearly we HAD a deal. Like hello, piano lessons? But then Junsu trotted over so I figured I should just ask him first. Before he could approach LiYin, I dashed towards him, dragging him to the side.

“Where’s JaeJoong going?” I questioned and I probably sounded desperate or something but I could care less at the moment.
Junsu jerked his head back and gave me a you-of-all-people-should-know kind of expression. “Home?” he answered like Captain Obvious and I face palmed.
“No I mean, what about my piano lessons?” I spat out and Junsu scratched the back of his head.
“Hyung told me that you didn’t need them anymore,” Junsu said and I blinked furiously at the answer. What is he talking about? This duck …!

“He got a call at lunch time from your mom saying that the whole thing is over.”

My mom? MY MOM?!

Oh no she didn’t.

“A-are you kidding?” I scoffed. I couldn’t believe this. MY MOM cancelled OUR piano lessons?!
Junsu shifted his gaze around and then stared at me. “Erm, not really~” he sang and I covered my mouth as my breathing got heavier from all this anger rapidly building up against the wall of my insides.

I’ve never strongly disliked my mother more than now! She can try to force me to join this stupid music school, she can try to get me to hang out with Yoochun, hell she can even try to make me marry him but to take away the only time JaeJoong and I had together? That’s just underhanded and evil! Didn’t she say that she was going to do anything to stop me from seeing him? This isn’t fair! It isn’t fair!

“BoA?” Junsu asked in a concerned voice. I probably looked like the biggest pabo in the world right now and the saddest part is that JaeJoong isn’t even here to tell me so. “Should I call Hyung or something?”

I wiped my eyes with my sleeves and shook my head. “…Junsu, can you do me a favor?”
“What?” he asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
“Tell Yoochun that I’m sorry.”

I ran out of Ongaku and darted down the road towards JaeJoong’s house. If I run fast enough I will catch up to him. I know I will.

I ran and I ran but I couldn’t see him anywhere. I was sure that I was going the right way this time. JaeJoong couldn’t have gone that far already… unless he took the bus or got a ride home. I ran for a few more seconds before I had to stop to take a breath. This is impossible. He couldn’t have been that ahead of me if he walked. Aish, screw it. I’m just going to go all the way to his house.

But what am I going to even say to him when I get there? Come to think of it, what am I even doing?

Whatever. Whatever it is I was going to see him. JaeJoong, wait for me.

∫ Track 02
I finally made it to the Kim mansion after about half an hour of walking, running and stopping. I hadn’t exercised in a while and my legs were killing me but it didn’t matter. I made it.

I rang the doorbell and jumped a little when I heard Mrs. Kim’s voice on the machine.
“Who is it?” she asked. I totally forgot that his parents might have been home.
I hesitated to respond but when she asked again I hurriedly blurted out, “B-BoA. Mrs. Kim, it’s me Kwon BoA.”
“Ah~ BoA dear! What a wonderful surprise!” she exclaimed and I smiled at her enthusiasm. “I’m having someone open the gate right now. I’ll wait at the door for you!”
“Yeh~” I answered happily and walked in when the gate was ready.

When I got to the door, Mrs. Kim was standing there with her hands clasped together under her chin. A bright smile was spread on her ageless face, causing me to smile back with a blush. I immediately greeted her with a bow.

“Annyeonghaseyo, Mrs. Kim,” I said and she waved her hand down in the air.
“Aigoo BoA dear. What is with the formality? Just call me Ommeoni, it’s all the same,” she told me cheerfully and I smiled at her.
“Neh, Ommeoni…” Just the thought of it made me shy but to actually say it – my heart was racing!

She invited me in and we sat at the couch in the vast living room, talking over some cups of tea. I soon realized that JaeJoong was obviously not home. Gosh, where was he?

“What brings you here all of a sudden, BoA dear? Ah, isn’t JaeJoong supposed to teach you piano today?” Mrs. Kim asked and I slowly opened my mouth to answer.
“Yes… we’re supposed to have piano lessons… but –“
“Omo, did JaeJoongie cancel on you? How irresponsible. Let me call him up right now and see where he went,” Mrs. Kim offered but I put a hand over her phone before she dialed to explain.

“No it’s not that,” I quickly said. “…My Omma actually cancelled on him. A-and I feel terrible about that! So I came to apologize,” I answered, thinking of an impromptu answer for my coming here. It made sense, though it was not the whole story. I didn’t know why but I just really wanted to see him and talk to him.

“Oh? Why did she? Is JaeJoong not teaching you properly?” Mrs. Kim asked with concern.
I shook my head. “No, he’s a great teacher. I’ve improved a lot since he helped me,” I answered shyly and lowered my head. “Um, it’s just my Omma… she…”

God. I couldn’t say, ‘Mrs. Kim, my mother cancelled the piano lessons with JaeJoong because she doesn’t want me to see your son anymore. He’s interfering with my engagement/marriage to Park Yoochun so thanks for everything and maybe I’ll see you around.’

“Um… she… wants me to… practice on my own now. Y-yeah,” I lied and winced at a surprised Mrs. Kim.
“Aww, that’s too bad then. I know JaeJoong loved teaching you,” Mrs. Kim claimed and my face heated up even when that probably wasn’t all true. I was relieved that she accepted my lame excuse though. Phew.

“But you didn’t need to come all the way here to apologize, BoA dear. You are too sweet,” Mrs. Kim laughed and pinched my cheek. I smiled back at her timidly.
“Anyway, since you’re here I’m going to call JaeJoong to come home right away. Stay for dinner too, BoA,” Mrs. Kim offered and I shook my head, waving my hands in front of me.

“Ah no, it’s okay. I-I don’t want to intrude,” I said but she patted me on the back of my hand.
“It’s perfectly fine. Ommeoni did say that she wanted you to come visit often right?” she said and I slowly nodded.
She then pulled out her cell phone and called JaeJoong, putting him on loudspeaker.

“JaeJoongie-ah,” she said when he picked up with a ‘hello’. Ah, I forgot how attractive he sounded over the phone. I could hear my heart in my ears. “Where are you? Do you know that BoA is here at home looking for you?”
Aish, as much as I adored Mrs. Kim, she was really good at embarrassing me on levels I didn’t think possible. She giggled at me, seeing how my cheeks probably grew to a dark shade of pink.

“What? What is she doing there?” he asked in a tone of disbelief. I was almost saddened by the way he reacted. “I’m coming home right now Omma. Have her wait for me!”

With that the call ended and I got even more shy and nervous. JaeJoong said he wanted me to wait for him. Ah~ the butterflies are really dancing and prancing now.

“See? I knew he’d rush home if I said you were here,” Mrs. Kim said and I only grinned at her. I was so happy.

Just then my cell phone rang. I bowed to Mrs. Kim and took it out of my knapsack reading that the caller ID stated ‘Kim JaeJoong.’

I panicked briefly, wondering why he was calling me right after Mrs. Kim had just got off the phone with him.

“Is that JaeJoong?” Mrs. Kim asked, folding her arms to her chest. “I knew he wouldn’t trust me, that boy.”
I was about to ask her what she meant by that but I had to answer the phone before JaeJoong hung up.

“H-hello?” I spoke and hearing his voice right in my ear made me melt into a love puddle.
“Yah pabo. Is it true that you’re at my house?” he asked. I stole a glance at Mrs. Kim who was watching me with curiosity.
“Um, yeah. I’m at your house. S-sorry I thought you were home,” I apologized.
“It’s okay. I’ll be there in two minutes. Don’t leave yet. I have to talk to you,” JaeJoong told me and I nodded, though he wouldn’t see it anyway.
“O-okay… see you,” I said and then he hung up. What could he possibly want to talk to me about?

“He asked if you were really here right?” Mrs. Kim guessed correctly and I nodded in response. She laughed. “He doesn’t really trust me anymore after I joked about that the other day. Hehe, you don’t even know how angry he was with me when he found out that I lied to him just to get him home.”

“Ah, really?” I asked, curious and ridiculously happy that even the almighty JaeJoong would fall into such a trap, and better yet over something concerning me.

I was curious about what he was doing then instead of being at home but it would be weird if I asked right? I didn’t want to come off as some creep after all. Right at that time the keys jingled at the door and home came JaeJoong.

“PABO-YAH,” he immediately called and I was embarrassed that that was the first thing he said upon entering the house. What the heck JaeJoong? I thought you were happy to see me but in actuality he seemed angry.

I think Mrs. Kim noticed the pout on my face and she semi-scolded him. “JaeJoong, how can you greet BoA like that? Speak to her properly.”
JaeJoong dropped his backpack and a plastic bag that read ‘Music Palace’ on the couch and walked towards me – anything but happy was written on his face.

He then grabbed me by the wrist forcefully and dragged me along with him.
“Y-yah!” I yelled, stumbling over my feet as he pulled me upstairs.
“JaeJoong where are you going?” Mrs. Kim shouted after us but he paid no attention, not explaining a thing until we were in his room.

∫ Track 03

When we got there, he tossed me onto the bed and I glared back at him with shock. I sat there and crossed my hands in an X over my chest.

“Kim JaeJoong, w-what are you trying to do to me?” I asked, watching him as he locked the door and staying cautious of his movements. I kept my eyes on him as he pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards so that the back of the chair was in front of him. He leaned his arms on the top of the chair and stared at me with his tongue pushing the inside of his cheek.

“Yah, I should be asking you what you are trying to do. Really, what are you doing here? Don’t you have somewhere to go?” he asked rudely and I blanked. What does he mean?
“Your mom already cancelled our piano lessons so I don’t understand–“ JaeJoong said and I stood up to my feet.

“That’s what I came here for,” I exclaimed, somewhat upset at the fact that his reaction was the opposite of what I was expecting. What was I thinking? Thinking that he would be happy that I came to see him? Pabo-yah.

His dark chocolate eyes widened at my reaction and I cleared my throat, slowly sitting down at the edge of his bed again. I let myself calm down a bit, organizing the many thoughts that were running through my mind. I explained, “I’m sorry. I-I didn’t know that my mom cancelled the piano lessons. I came here to apologize. Sorry.”

I looked up at him and he didn’t seem surprised. “…You don’t need to be,” JaeJoong replied. “I know it wasn’t you and don’t worry, I’m fine with it. Just didn’t expect it to happen so suddenly.”
So was he expecting it to happen all along? Why?

“I can’t be your teacher forever right?” He had a point. “You didn’t need to come here to tell me this you know. You could have just called me.”

I raised a hand to rub the back of my neck. “Oh… right…” But I also wanted to see you. Don’t you get it?
“So I accept your apology and you can go wherever you need to be with whoever you need to be with,” he urged, getting up to pull me up off his bed. But I didn’t want to leave. Why does he keep saying that I had somewhere to go? Geez!

“Ah but I don’t want to stop the piano lessons,” I said suddenly and this was 100% true. He stopped pulling and stared at me blankly. “I mean, just because my mom doesn’t want you to teach me anymore doesn’t mean that I… don’t want you to…”

I quickly looked to the ground, feeling my face heat up as I confessed my feelings. JaeJoong didn’t say anything for a while so I gradually picked up my head, seeing his handsome profile grinning. He probably didn’t notice but he was still holding my wrist.

He then faced me and realizing that I was looking at him, he dropped his smile. “And what? You’re going to make me teach you for free now? My services don’t come cheap you know~” JaeJoong said, releasing my wrist to cross his arms. Darn, I didn’t think of that part.

“I’ll get a job!” I argued, poking a finger in his face. He smacked it away and placed his hands on his hips.
“Are you stupid? I’m not going to let you do that,” JaeJoong stated seriously and I pouted at him.
“Eh? Why not? Then how am I going to pay you?” I asked without thinking.
“I don’t want to be responsible if something happens to you at a job. What could you possibly do with that small weak body of yours?” JaeJoong defended and put my hands on my hips too.

“Hey! Who are you calling weak? Besides I don’t need physical strength if I just do something like tutoring or something!” I yelled at him and JaeJoong scoffed.
“Yah, who’s going to want such a PABO to tutor them?” he taunted and flicked my forehead with his ridiculously hurtful index finger.
“OW! I am not a pabo in studying! I’m smarter than you think!” I cried.
“So you’re really going to tutor somebody JUST so that I can teach you in piano?” he asked and I nodded firmly.
“YES, if that’s what I have to I’ll do it!” I shouted at him and he paused from conversation. I looked to the side in thought.

“Maybe DongHae would want me to tutor him in something…” I muttered.
“NO. You are not to have anything to do with that guy!” JaeJoong yelled. He heard?
“Why not? If he’s willing to pay me I’ll tutor him!”
“No tutoring GUYS!” JaeJoong stated clearly and I scoffed.
“You’re unbelievable. Do you think that DongHae is going to do something to me? He’s my friend!” I argued.
“FINE THEN TUTOR ME,” he concluded and I was so confused. Tutor him? Me? Tutor JaeJoong?

“We can do a trade. Tutor me in school stuff and I’ll teach you piano and music,” JaeJoong offered and put a hand out in front of him. “Deal?”
I stared at him momentarily and then I shook his hand with a secret smile. It was actually… perfect. We could spend even more time together too, ahem. I mean for learning! It’s a win-win situation.

“Why do you need tutoring?” I asked curiously, already forgetting about the whole argument thing,
and happy with the fact that he was still holding my hand. He took me to his desk, having me sit down at his chair.

“Well now that I think about it I’m going to enter this piano-playing competition,” he replied as if he forgot about the whole thing we just had too. Man we really were a dummy-pabo couple.

“It’s no big deal but I want to try it and my dad won’t let me unless I get my grades up. I guess I needed somebody to tutor me anyway. It works out.” Ah, I see. So there was a contest that he wanted to compete in. I never knew that he’d be interested in those kinds of things, but if it’s for piano playing I’m sure JaeJoong will win first place. After all he isn’t Ongaku’s number one in rank for nothing.

“…W-wait a minute,” I then slowly came to realize. “Is it… a worldwide competition… with a prize package to… London?”
JaeJoong knitted his eyebrows at me and pointed. “How’d you know?”
“…I… my Omma wants me to enter it,” I answered, to which JaeJoong snorted a laugh.

“YOU are going to participate?” he asked rhetorically as he cracked up, though I didn’t blame him. Imagine that. JaeJoong was my rival for this thing. Even if he messed up on his piece, he’d still win. Still, I held no mercy and struck him in the gut.

“Shut up! It’s not like I really want to!” I shouted but London… I really do want to go! Now that I knew JaeJoong was going to be in the contest, my chances of actually going have gone down to zero. But wait, he’ll only get to participate if he gets better grades right? Ha, I could sabotage him.

“Yeah well it’s kind of important to me so sorry pabo. I’m not going easy on you,” JaeJoong teased, apparently unaffected by my punching him in the stomach by the way. I looked at his genuine expression and erased all thoughts about a possible plot for revenge. I don’t know why but he looked really serious about it.

Besides – we had a deal now.

∫ Track 04

“Thank you for having me again…O-Ommeoni,” I said with a blush as I was getting ready to go home after dinner. She saw JaeJoong and me off at the door. JaeJoong coughed, widening his eyes at me.
“Anytime BoA dear. You can come by for dinner anytime. We have plenty of food,” she said with a laugh and I smiled.
“Ah next time I will bring you some fruits to repay you,” I offered but she waved her hand back and forth.
“No need, no need. Just keep on calling me Om-meo-ni~ and I’ll be happy,” Mrs. Kim answered and JaeJoong glared at her from the corner of his eyes.
“Omma…” he said in a stern tone and she gave him a look.

“What? It really does make me happy,” she told him and then pushed him out the door. “Anyway, quickly, go send BoA home before he parents worry.” Pft, my parents would be the last on the list to worry about me.

“All right, all right, I know. Bye Omma,” JaeJoong said and then took me by the hand, leading me to the car. I held my breath, feeling his fingers slide in between mine. He hadn’t held my hand like this in a while. Did he even notice?

I turned my head back a bit to see Mrs. Kim giving me a thumbs-up. Her excitement for me and JaeJoong was entertaining. I wish my mom was more like her and supported this rather than the whole Yoochun thing.

I then focused back to where we were walking and skipped a few steps so that I caught up to his pace.
Even though I think JaeJoong is being unintentional and unaware I was really so stupidly happy that he was holding my hand– like a real boyfriend and girlfriend kind of thing.

A chill then swept through our hair as we walked and I shuddered, even squeezing JaeJoong’s hand by accident.
I really hoped that he didn’t notice and I guess he didn’t because he squeezed back and even put our hands into his jacket pocket. It only lasted for a few seconds though.

JaeJoong opened the car door and had me sit in it first. He then walked around the front and got in the driver’s seat.
He started the engine with the keys and then stopped to look at me.

I was just sitting there looking ahead, noticing him from the corner of my eye and trying to contain the excitement that I still had from being able to hold his warm soft hand… ah~ I probably smiled like a big idiot but I couldn’t help it. Even the littlest things made me unbelievably happy now.

Aish, stupid Kim JaeJoong. If he didn’t like me, why does he dumbly do all of these things? Ah, I get it! He leads me on too!

I then turned to quickly shoot a glare at him when all of a sudden, my lips touched his.

Doo-goon… doo-goon… doo-goon… (sound of a heart beat)

MY – LIPS – TOUCHED – HIS!

The sound of a seatbelt recoiling whizzed past my ear and snapped as the metal part hit the box. JaeJoong then jerked back and we both blinked at each other, blushes forming right under our eyes.

Wh-wh-what was THAT?

“P-pabo, do you want to die?” he yelled from clear embarrassment and I only stared at him as I put my fingers on my lips. JaeJoong kissed me. He kissed me! I kissed him! WE KISSED.

“Put on your seatbelt already!” JaeJoong shouted as he put the car in drive and drove out onto the road. I then snapped back to my senses and hurriedly secured it on as told.

It was an accident… an accident… but why am I so giddy? I’ve gone crazy!

I stole a glance back at JaeJoong who looked like he was mixed of shyness, nervousness, worries and cute confusion as he drove.

JaeJoong. Do you know how much I like you?
My heart was beating and beating, louder and louder.
It was telling me something important.
JaeJoong. Kim JaeJoong. I like you. I like you!

But can I… tell you?
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AN: hey guys! sorry this update took a little longer than I wanted to because I've been intensely studying Chinese and Korean lately  hehe it's kind of a lot of work but it's so much fun. ;D also I had to babysit for two days out of nowhere so the update was delayed. ah and interesting fact about this chapter: I don't really know if it's shorter than the usual chapters but I wrote like 6 pages in size 8 font and then ended up deleting and rewriting like half of them because I didn't like how the story was going. now it's only 5 ;P but I think that these scenes work out better than what I had before. I do a ridiculous amount of rereading and editing... bad habit, hehe. but I hope you guys at least liked a little. BIG BOJOONG MOMENT FOR EVERYONE ;D I can't wait to read your comments! thank you for supporting!!! :3