A week went by with just a glimpse.  Same goes with me and JB, we  go out every time our teachers gave us free time or just stay in the fountain and talk nonstop ‘till midnight. He asked me again if he can have another chance for him to be my boyfriend, but rather than giving a straight yes-or-no answer,   I told him to give me time to think it over.     

I talked to my mom about my dilemma and she just answered me the same thing grandma told me, “Just follow your heart but don’t get emotion control most of it,” I laughed at the statement. Like seriously, how can I follow what my heart beats for if I can let my emotion take over it? It’s funny.

By lunch time, I had a stroll with Haneul at a nearby park. She was busy talking and complementing the city as I take random shots of what I find pretty and nice.

“Hey Hanuel?” I started as she looks at me straight away.

“Now you decided to open up?”

“What?”

“C’mon Jae, we’ve been friends since forever,” she said as she put her arms on my shoulder, “what’s the situation? Is it still about that JB guy?”

“You can say that.” I take a deep breath before I resume talking, “he asked if he has a chance.”

“And what did you answer, this time?”

We sit down and look at her then to the ground then to nowhere. “I told him I will think it over.”

“And it’s bugging you since he asked you that since?”

“Since yesterday.” I answered as I fill the information, “I talked to my mom about it and she just told me the same thing as grandma’s,”

“Follow your heart but don’t let emotion rule over it.”

“And I don’t freaking understand what they mean,” I laughed sarcastically. “I’m such a pabo.”

“No you’re not.” Haneul said and smiled at me, “you just don’t experience it, that’s why you say that.”

“Still a pabo.” I retorted.                                                      

“Silly girl,” she ruffles my hair and made herself more comfortable on the bench we were sitting. “When we make decisions, we follow our brain and our heart. Our brain for us to make sure that we are making the right decision and our heart is used to let us feel about those situations. There are times we use our brain and there are times we let our heart take the lead.”

“So, what does it have to do with me and JB?”

“You’re in denial.”

“What?”

“It’s clearly stated in your face and in your actions that you like JB and JB feels the same way.” She said matter-of-factly. “Only that, you are just afraid that if you say you like him too, things might change. Your just afraid that maybe you cannot handle the situation that you will be having with him, that maybe you made the wrong decision.”

“And that’s what my conscience is telling me,” I whispered, “what my brain is actually thinking.”

“Tell me, honestly  Jaemin,” Haneul starts saying which makes me look at her, “Do you love JB?”

I look at her and gazed over at her back. There I saw JB, laughing and goofing around with his friends. Dancing as he makes a scene with the others. As I saw him, others starts to vanish and it was only him, his music and his dancing were left. With that, I can feel butterfly in my stomach, my trembling hands and my cheeks gets hotter and hotter in each passing minute.

“And the answer is clear.” Haneul said as I snap out of it.

___________________________

   “I saw you at the park earlier.” I told JB as I visit him in the café where he works as a barista. I sit on the bar so I can freely talk to him and put my bag on top of it. He smiled at me and put my drink in front.

“Really?” He asked and I nodded, “you should’ve called me.”

“Nah, I don’t want to take the spotlight from you.” I nonchalantly answered.  “You’re a good dancer!”

“Thanks, I get that a lot.” He smirked.

“Are you bragging?”

“Nope, just sharing.” He winked at me as I rolled my eyes. “So, what made you stop here? Free day?”

“We just finished the tour and we’ll be back by dinner at the hotel.” I answered as I take a deep breath before I continue talking, “What time is you’re off?”

“I’m just waiting for Jason to take over and I’m good to go, why?”

“Let’s hang out after? I’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.”

He just smiled and winked at me, “I’d love to.”

JB take off after fifteen minutes and we decided to go to the fountain.

“You love the fountain, huh?” I asked and he just smiled at me.

“Why won’t I? I met you here; this became my favorite place after that.” He smiled cheekily.

“You’re so cheesy.” I commented and he just winked at me. “I’m glad I met you too.”

He held my hand as I take a look at it. I pressed his palm on it tightly and I decided to leave it that way. 

“Jaebum, I want to say something,” I said as we settled on sitting on the edges of the fountain.

“What is it?”

“I thought what you told me yesterday.” I started and he immediately looked at me, his gaze that locks into mine. “YAH! Don’t look at me like that! I’m getting nervous here!”

“What do you expect from me? I’m getting nervous as well!” He snickered as I puff my cheeks, “Just remember Jaemin, whatever you answer to me, I’ll take it whole heartedly.”

“Even if it hurts?” I decided to play for him a little while. His expression looked kinda sad after what I said yet he just nod.

“I’ll respect your decision Jae.”

“Well that’s good to hear.” I smiled at him, “because I like to give it a try.”

He was looking sad at first but after a couple of minutes his eyes went bulging out and look at me, “you say what?”

“I’ll give it a shot, what could go wrong right?” With that simple moment, he lifted me up in the ground and gave me a bear hug, “YAH! I can’t breathe!”

 “Then I can be your air when you’re at that.”

“So cheesy!”     

“I know right?” He gave me an eye smile as he looks at me, “Saranghaeyo Lee Jaemin.”

“I love you too, Im Jaebum.”

“Now you call me Oppa.”

__________________________________

“Now someone is smitten,” Haneul teased me as we were staying at the hotel room. For this night, our teachers allowed us to switch bedroom partners and Haneul decided to crash on my room than me at her room. I told her about what happened earlier with Jaebum and we can’t help but spazz over it. “My best friend has a boyfriend.”

“And that makes two of us then.” I smiled at her. Haneul had a boyfriend back in Korea named Jin, a hoobae from the Music Department. Actually, the one that she’s wishing way back in the Trevi Fountain before was more like love for others and self that I don’t want to expound more.

“Yah, you’re on the hot seat so don’t change tables.” Haneul said and then peek at me, “So, did you two kissed already?”

“Ani. It’s too early to give my first kiss.” I answered her. For the whole night, we just keep on talking and I keep texting JB at the same time. Haneul didn’t mind since she was also multi-tasking, talking to her boyfriend of course.

So basically, that’s how my day went. An answered confession and the aftermath chitchat.

The next day was a free day. Our teachers think we were exhausted and gave us this day as a free day since we will be moving back to Korea by tomorrow afternoon. I dressed up nicely and decided to go the University to surprise Jaebum. After getting ready, I went out with Haneul since she wants to go with me than tagging with our other classmates.

As we went in, we decided to go to the Arts Department for a while before looking for JB. We went back to the wall of fame where most of the art works were from my grandma and as a proud granddaughter; I took a picture with them. After which, we decided to chill over at the park at the center of the university and spend most time talking to each other.

“It’s so nice here,” Haneul said as I just agree on what she’s saying. Actually, by this time I keep on checking on my phone as there was no reply from Jaebum. I keep calling and texting him but not a single text came. “Jae, maybe the guy was just busy. They have classes.”

“I think I’m bugging him at this time.” I puff my cheeks and look around. Just as I scan, Haneul muttered a name. I look around, feeling excited to see JB but at some point I see something disappointing. There’s a girl tagging along with JB. I’m not a jealous type as far as I know but seeing her linked arms to my boyfriend made me think otherwise.

“Jaemin!” Jaebum called out and run towards me, leaving the girl behind him. “Sorry, I was having a class earlier.”

“Ani, it’s okay.” I answered and look over to the girl behind her, “Is she a friend?”

“Neh.” JB smiled and introduced us to the girl at his back, “Jaemin, Haneul, this is Krystal, my classmate in one of my major. Krystal, meet Jaemin, my girlfriend, and Haneul, her bestfriend.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” I answered in fluent English and she just smiled.

“It’s cute. She fluent in English too!” Krystal cheered and smiled at me, “I’m Jung Krystal, an Econ major and also korean.”

“So my instincts were right, it’s good to meet you.” I cheerfully answered. “I assume that you two are friends also?”

“More than that. This jerk is my cousin actually.” Krystal said as I was taken aback. “And way to go JB, I like her already!”

Haneul and JB snickered as I feel my cheeks burning. At least it’s clear that she’s a cousin than someone else. I composed myself and smiled to her. I look at JB and he just pinched my cheeks. “That hurts!”

“My jagi is so cute when jealous.” He commented and I just rolled my eyes. “Can you not go home and stay here in Rome with me?”

“Unfortunately you can’t do that.” Krystal said as she linked arms with me and Haneul. “Let me tour you around?”

It was fun talking to Krystal, not because my jealousy stops but she’s fun to be with. She got this vibrant personality that is different from the way she looks. JB was just walking behind us and occasionally snatch me away from her cousin. We were just walking on the hallway when someone called his name.

“JB!”

We immediately look over and the girl just brings herself to JB which obviously shocked JB.

“Hi Vanessa. What brings you here?” JB asked as the girl linked her arms on him. My eyes were fixed on the arms after that.

“I want to go to have lunch with you, would that be okay?” The girl asked, she’s a sweet girl actually but I’m just left speechless.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” JB said as he take off his arms from her and walks to me. He slung his arms on my shoulder which took me by surprise. “I got a date with my girlfriend.”

“You… you have a girlfriend? Since when?”

“Since you were busy flirting with other guys.” Krystal answered which let me have a questionable look on both JB, Krystal and Vanessa. The girls scoffed and walked pass us, muttering stuff like I’ll get you back or something that I didn’t bother to understand.

 “Are you okay Jaemin?” JB asked but I just look at the ground. “Listen, Vanessa is just some girl from the past--,”

“A girl you used to date?” I asked him and make him speechless.

Krystal took over and talked to me, “Let just say that she’s JB ex-girlfriend but they’re done.”

“And you have me as a rebound, is that it?” I assumed and look at them.

“Jae, it’s not like that.” Haneul touched me and look at JB, “JB obviously likes you.Vanessa is an ex-girlfriend, past tense.”

“And you’re not a rebound.” JB said firmly as he holds my hand, “Vanessa and I are done, a long time ago. I love you for who you are..”

“And it makes me think how fast it really is to fall in love with a person who you just met days ago.” After I said that, I left the three of them and go to a place where I think I can be at peace.

________________________________

“This is funny, I’m here.” I muttered as I stand at the Trevi fountain. Actually, I don’t have any idea why I’m here but I don’t care. I need a time to think. “The famous love fountain, what do I need to do?” I started to sniffle as tears starts to run from my eyes.

“Am I really that stupid? It’s my first time to be in love and this happens.” I just muttered and took the coin JB gave me in the first day. I look at it, trying to think if what I’ll be doing is right. “They said if we wish from here, things would come true.”

I close my palm as I close my eyes. I think hard and throw the coin in the fountain. Right then after, I take a deep breath as I made my way back to the alley but just as I step from the road, I heard a honk from a truck, my name from someone.

“JB?” I look at him as he was running fast to me but I didn’t what happened after that. The last thing I remember is him calling out my name and my vision became black.

 “I just want to love and be loved with a pure heart just like grandma’s..”

________________________________

So yeah, sorry for the not so nice chapter.

A head start, the next chapter will be the something complicated to understand

but that will be the real start of Jaemin’s story.

And I hope you’ll like it.

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<3 missdauxian