*Jaemin’s POV*

Where did you go?” Youngjae asked me as I take my seat with them in the restaurant.

“From the Trevi fountain.” I shortly answered as I look all of them, eating with their food. I look down and there was food already in my front.

“I ordered for you in case you were too long from your own site seeing.” Haneul answered before I ask. I just smile at her and take a bite from the burger.

“So, how was the fountain?” JR asked me and I just move my head up and down.

“It was great!” I confidently answered as I look over the area. “There’s a lot of people just now, making wishes and hoping everything will come true.”

“Did you make yours?” Haneul asked and I just shake my head.

“Well, almost but I didn’t bother.” I answered, earning a smack from her. “Now what was that all about?” I spaced out as I eat my food.

“What was what it’s all about?” JR asked as he happily munches on his food.

“Just now, I met a guy in the fountain.” I blurted out as I eat, as I notice the three of them are looking at me. “He gave me a coin for me to make a wish.”

“And did you use it?” Youngjae asked and I shook my head. “Why?”

“I don’t want to spoil my wish on-the-spot.” I just answered.

“Where’s the coin now?” Haneul asked.

“It’s with me, I think I’m saving it once I wish for something I really want.”

After eating we went back to the hotel where we were staying. Haneul went to her assigned room as I went to mine. As I slipped inside, I found my roommate already settled in her bed. I made a quick before going to bed.

By the next day I woke up late. Yeah, and I’m dead with the teachers. I just noticed about it after receiving a call from Haneul. I quickly take my bath, change clothes and out from the hotel. Haneul told me they just arrived in Galleria Borghese, a famous art museum. Rather than taking a cab or bus, I decided to walk which is quite not helpful. I don’t at directions but since the place is foreign, I think I can handle this one with some words I know. After 15 minutes of walking, or should I say running,  I arrived at the museum and luckily saw some of my classmates walking in line.

“Hi!” I greeted Haneul as soon as I stand next to her.

“Sorry Jae, you were in deep sleep earlier and the teachers were already in a hurry.” Haneul apologized and I just told her it was okay.

After the small chitchat, I make my way to my teachers, especially Ms. Park and Mr. Choi. I explained to them what happened and they let me go with a condition, that it to make a blog entry about the different art galleries we will go to within the day. We were checking out on some sculptures when I notice another group of students not too far from us, they were also examining some art structures but they were obviously European. Yet for some reason I keep on searching for something but I don’t know what or who.

“Noona? Are you okay?” I immediately turn my head and saw Youngjaee in my front.

“Huh? Yeah.” I answered and look at him, “was I spacing out again?”

“Sort of. You were checking on some university students over there.” Youngjae said as he looks at the same group of students I’m looking at earlier.

“I didn’t notice.” I commented and just as we walk back to our group.

 “Where are we going after here?” I asked Haneul as we were walking to the bus.

“Off to have lunch then to the place you’re dying to go.” Haneul answered me.

“Where it is exactly?”

“University of Rome, where else?” I smiled by her answered and hurriedly went inside the bus.

We had lunch over some fancy restaurant where I get to eat their mouth-watering pasta that was said to be bestseller in their restaurant. After eating we went straight to the university and were greeted by the head of the Art Department. We toured the whole university, I was fascinated with the buildings, and history of each landmark of the university. I even write notes and draw some replicas of the building for me to show to my grandparents once we go back to Korea. After the tour, we were given the rest of the hours, that is before 5pm, to go around the place. Haneul and I decided to check their art classrooms.

“This is so cool!” I commented as we went inside one of the classrooms. There were different art pieces that were kept on a closet and paintings on the walls. The dean told us that the room was specifically designed for the works made the best students since the first year of the university.

Choi Jae Kyung. It was written on a handmade painting that was hung on the wall. I was fascinated and asked Haneul to take a picture of it with me so that I can show it to halmeoni.

“You must be a proud granddaughter now.” Haneul commented.

“I’m sure am.” We made our way out and arrived to the university garden located at the center of the whole university. Haneul’s phone suddenly rings and had to leave me to receive the call. I settle myself on one of the benches in there and take some more pictures.

“Glad to see you here,” I turn around and saw the guy from the fountain last night.

“It’s you again.” I said and look at him head-to-toe. “What are you doing here?”

“I study here.” He turns around and sits beside me. “Are you part of the students on tour this afternoon?”

“I am.” I answered and look around before you look at him back.

“What?”

“If we still don’t want to say each other’s name, can I at least know why are you studying here or the course you’re taking?” I asked straight, hoping to answer at least one of the questions.

“Why are you curious?”

“You just talk to me all of the sudden without any doubt if I’m some bad person or ---,”

“Well, are you one?”

“No.” I immediately answered and face him again, “So? Will you answer me or not?”

“I’m under scholarship for three years already, I’m an Econ major, you?”

“I’m actually having my pre-law course right now, but I took some subjects in Performing Arts that is why I’m here.”

“Double major, that’s cool.”

“Thanks.” I replied as I take something from my pocket, “your coin..”

“I told you to keep it. I’m not a wishing well.” With that I burst laughing on what he commented, “what?”

“How can someone like you believe on what a fountain of love can do but when someone gave you a coin, you’re telling them you’re  not a wishing well?”

“Because I’m truly am not. Though I do believe in the fountain of love.” I laugh at his answered and he gave me a look, “Why are you laughing?”

“It’s rare to see some guy believing in the fountain of love or love at first sight.”

“I don’t believe in love at first sight though.”

I clear my throat and began talking again, “Aside from the idea of meeting me,” sounds flattering but I need to say it since he really said it, “what makes you believe in such idea from it? I mean if you want to be in love, it should come from the heart not by some spell.”

“Exactly, I’m not actually wishing for true love there yet.” He answered and shifts his gaze in front, “More like I want to explore and find true love myself.”

“What about the fountain?” I asked curiously, I know a story from my grandmother because she witnesses something from it yet I still don’t get it about what’s something special from the fountain.

“Well, believe it or not, my grandfather told me about his story with the fountain and I just find it amazing.”

“To cast a spell on someone?”

“Actually, the only thing that he wished is asking help to begin a new life. Let’s say he was not really a good boy during his teen years and to find someone that makes him stop being a cassanova and be serious in relationship for once.  Months after , he met a girl who he considered first love, and he was happy.”

“And they live happily ever after, had  a lot of children then you came along?”

“No, sad to say, they didn’t end up together.”

“Oh.” At this point, I was speechless. “What happened?”

“Let’s just say that they were not meant to be. Years after he met my grandmother and the same feeling he had with the girl before. They get married, gave birth to my mom and uncle and here I am.” He finished talking with a smile.

“That’s tragic.” That’s all that I can say and he just smile. I suddenly remembered my grandma talking about her first love before. It was almost perfect yet it just happened that they weren’t meant to be, instead she realized that she was in love with grandpa but was too blinded to see.

*SNAP*

“Huh?”

“You were spacing out. Anyhow, your friend is here already. I think I need to go.” He said and wave before going to the hallway.

“Who was that?” Haneul asked, looking at the guy and back to me.

“I don’t know him.” I answered as I keep looking at the guy’s back.

“You don’t know him but you were in deep conversation.” Haneul said and sit beside me, “you sure you don’t know him?”

My heart starts to race and a smile formed from my lips. Just a simple question suddenly made my heart flutters for unknown reason. “Hey, Haneul..”

“Yes?”

“I think I’m starting to like him..”

_________________________________

“How are you there?” My mom asked me from the phone.

“I’m doing okay mom, we went to grandma’s university earlier.” I answered and keep listening to my mom talking. After arriving at the hotel, I received a call from my mom asking me how am I, am I doing well or doing anything ridiculous. We keep talking until I remember the guy I talked to earlier. “Hey mom, is halmeoni there?”

“Yes, she’s here.”

“Can I talk to her?” My mom said okay and I hear her talking to grandma and seconds later she answered.

“You were looking for me?”

“Halmeoni! I miss you sooo much!”

“I miss you too sweetie, how are you?”

“I’m doing great. We went to your university earlier and I saw your painting! It was amazing!” I animatedly talked to her about the trip then when I get to the University Park, I suddenly slow down.

“Why are you slowing down? Something came up?”

“Aniyo, I just remembered something.”

“What is it?”

“During our first day here in Rome I met a guy---,”

“Oh, match making then?”

“Ani halmeoni! It’s not like that.” I told her and she just laugh. I told her about the first day, the fountain thing where I met the guy and the thing that he shared to me about his grandfather.

“So, what’s bothering you..”

“I just want to know again how you and your first love broke up.”

“Some things are just not meant to be. When you think you were at cloud 9, other things came up.”

“What do you mean?”

I can feel she’s smiling from the telephone and I hear a cough nearby. “We’ll talk about that when you will be back here; your grandpa is getting jealous already.”

I smile at what she said. I’m happy seeing her still in love with grandpa as how my grandpa loves her.

“Grandma?”

“What is it dear?”

“Love at first sight, is it really true?”

“It is sweetie. Sometimes, a person is just too indenial to admit it.”

We say our goodbyes before hanging up. I look at the time, it was past ten in the evening and I’m still wide awake. I went out from the room and walked towards the elevator. I went out the hotel and walked towards the fountain which is just in front of me.

“This is really embarrassing but I think I’m starting to like him. Why is that?” I asked as I look at the sculptures in the fountain. I call myself stupid in my mind and look around. There were less people since it’s almost midnight. I take a deep breath and take out the coin from my pocket. I stare at it as I touch it, feeling the warmness that it has.

“So you were finally going to wish?” I hear a familiar voice and see the same guy I met last night and earlier.

“Were you waiting for it to happen?” I asked as I look at him. He just smiles at me and look at the fountain. That smile that make butterflies in my stomach, even his eye smile makes me feel something.

“You’re not going to make one?” He asked me.

“You’re creepy. It’s our third meeting, I think I should know your name already.”

“Make a wish first, then I answered.”

I take another deep breath and look at the coin and the fountain. I close my eyes, I was about to make a wish when someone bump me from behind making me out of balance.

 “YAH! What are you doing?” I asked and he looked at me.

“You almost fell to the water after those guys bump you.” He said and I balance myself. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I was about to make a wish though.” I said as I see the coin in my palm and put it back in the pocket.

“Jaebum..”

“What?”

“Im Jaebum, that’s my name.” He said and let out his right hand, “and you mademoiselle?”

“Jaemin.”

_______________________________

Chapter 2 posted!

Subscribe. Comment. Upvote!

<3 missdauxian