Chapter II

That morning, Julieth dressed the best she could, a pair of dark blue jeans, a light beige cardigan and boots. She packed a notebook and her camera and left the apartment with Mia. Apparently the woman was taking a course in the same university so Julieth was really thankful to have someone to talk during the short trip to the campus.

“See you at noon, ok?” Mia waved her hand and disappeared into the crowd.

The blonde was good enough to take her to the building where her course was going to take place. She was finally there, looking around with her binder and her camera. She was going to start her dream as a professional photographer. Julieth looked around to find a sign in order to arrive safely to the classroom when suddenly someone collided with her, sending her to the ground in a flash.

“Ouch…” She groaned sore, her hands where securing her precious camera.

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?” A deep voice asked her and suddenly she felt like being pulled on her feet. “Are you hurt?”

Julieth blinked a couple of times and then she could finally raise her eyes to the voice. He was so damn handsome. With a slim face, but manly, his hair styled to his left side and a small black stud earring on his right ear.

“Uh, hello?” He asked again. “Do you speak English?” Julieth shook her head, coming back to reality.

“No… I mean, yes, I do speak English,” Julieth responded. “I’m fine, I’m sorry too. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Oh don’t worry. Then…, I have to go…” The man whirled and was about to leave her side when the next words got him off.

“Wait! What’s your name!?” The girl was on his tiptoes with a cute blush adorned her cheeks.

“Junjin. Junjin Park,” the so called Junjin told her and kept walking until he turned around in the next corner.

“Jun-Jin,” Julieth smiled goofily and squealed once Junjin disappeared. He was the most handsome man he had ever seen! Well, Eric and Steve were handsome too, but this guy just had this kind of y vibe in him.

She shrugged and made her way into the third floor, room 303.

Time to begin!

Mia arrived 20 minutes before noon and waited for her outside the classroom with her ear buds plugged in. Julieth contemplated her for the next couple of minutes; Mia was dancing to an unknown music, like she was trying to remember some steps. Along the music Mia seemed to be lip-synching the song because she was moving her lips too. Finally, Mr. Marcus dismissed the class and Julieth was free to go.

“Hey!” Julieth smiled at Mia who smiled her back. “What were you listening?”

“A Korean group…” Mia replied. “I’m in a dance class during the summer and I was trying to recall all their movements. Are you ready to have lunch?”

“Yeah…”

Both girls went to the cafeteria; Mia went to the line while Julieth took seat in an empty table. She was taking a sip of water when suddenly someone came into her field of vision. Once more, she looked up and found this gorgeous specimen looking at her with a cute and perfect smile, with a tray of food in his hands.

“Ehm… Hi…?” Julieth looked at the man with an interrogation mark on her face.

“Are you alone? Can I sit with you?” Junjin tilted his head a bit and made a cute pout. Julieth couldn’t handle the flutter on her heart.

“Oh, please have a sit…” Julieth tried really hard not to stutter in front of him. “Jun-Jin, right?” The man nodded, sitting down. “My name is Julieth, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Junjin grabbed some French fries and shoved them into his mouth. “Aren’t you gonna eat?”

“Uhm… yeah…” Just then Mia appeared behind Junjin and placed the tray in the table.

“The food just arrived!” Mia sang happily. “Oh, hey there… I didn’t know you have friends already, Jules.”

“Uhm, we just met…” Julieth heard how Junjin chuckled and her heart skipped a beat again. “Mia, let me introduce you to Junjin Park.”

“Hello…” Junjin shoved a couple of fries into his mouth.

“Mia Dawson,” Mia sat down next to Julieth. “South Korean, right?” Junjin nodded. “Yeah, you seemed like one… How did you two meet?”

“We kind of ran into each other,” Julieth giggled.

The next two hours Julieth and Junjin explained in turns how they met. The topic changed as to why Junjin was in Ney York City during summer and both girls learned that he was a professional dancer and that he was sent by his company to keep learning about music and dance steps. Julieth was pouring all her attention to Junjin and little did she know that the time was ticking. Finally, Mia stood up looking at her watch and screamed that they were going to be late.

The three of them ran from the cafeteria, Mia and Junjin left Julieth in her classroom and both went to their own class to start the next couple of hours.

Even when Julieth loved photography, the next hours were like a torture. Her mind kept wandering to the handsome Korean guy who seemed to be so easy going and fresh. She smiled wholeheartedly. It has been four months since her break up and she wasn’t sure if clinging to another man was the wisest thing to do right now. Her dream was only beginning and she couldn’t think of anything else than her own career.

Not now. Maybe later.

It has been a week since the start for the summer course, Julieth and Mia were having lunch every day with Junjin and they seemed to like the guy since he was pretty funny and kind. Both girls were walking through the corridors of the campus, it was 4 past midday and both were heading to Tess’ café. Mia was moving her arms and hands all along with her jokes and comments about her classmates and how much she liked to finally be able to learn dancing. Julieth was paying her attention butting in the conversation once in a while and sharing her own experience of her first week in her class. When suddenly, something caught her attention; at the main entrance of the University was a Black Audi RS 7.

“Mia, look over there…” Julieth stopped their track while Mia looked to the entrance. “Aren’t they…?”

Two men had emerged from the car. Eric Mun, dressed in gray suit and red shirt; and Steve Jung, dark blue slackers, white shirt, and blue vest. Many of the women in the university were looking at them like they were some kind of meat on the run. Julieth felt a tug on her and turned to Mia who was looking at her friends with a tint of longing in her eyes; the Latin girl followed her gaze which ended in Steve.

Oh! The realization came. That was it!

The past month, while going around with her roommates and their neighbors she felt something every time Mia was near Steve. She liked him! Even when Eric was closer to Mia, and she really enjoyed the attention Eric gave her, the reality was precisely this. Mia liked Steve, maybe Eric was just in the middle annoying both, but… on the other hand, maybe Eric was preventing Mia to be hurt.

During the last month, Julieth also learned that Steve’s mother was bugging him to return to Korea and find a woman to settle in. Stupid me, Julieth rolled her eyes and grabbed Mia’s hand, pulling her to the entrance.

“W-wait…” Julieth dismissed her voice and walked through the crowd. When she was about to open and called for both men another voice went ahead of her.

“Hyung!” Then a shadow passed next to both girls and immediately crushed Steve in a hug.

“Jin-ah!” Steve called his name in a different way. “You’re here!” Just as Julieth thought they were talking in Korean.

“Yah, yah! I’m here too!” Eric butted in and Junjin hugged him too. “How was your first day?”

The three men engaged in a conversation in their language while people around them kept taking glances and drooling all over. Mia and Julieth looked at each other and then rolled their eyes while approaching the three men.

“Hey!” Julieth nudged Steve who jumped in his place.

“What the f**k!” Steve yelled and cursed. Then, he looked back at her, furious.

“What? Are you going to yell at me? Just try it, pretty boy,” Julieth challenged him. This man was so hot tempered!

“You!!!” Steve looked like he was going to rip her neck in any minute.

“Hey! Stop screaming to my friend,” Mia pushed Steve from the shoulder. Both glared at each other.

Eric threw his arms around the slim girl, moving her away from his ireful roommate. “Yah! No cursing to my girl!” The older man warned Steve; the latter just growled.

Mia huffed in Eric’s embrace and then returned the hug. Mia pouted when Eric release her. “Oh, hi Jin!” Junjin and Julieth chuckled at the sudden change.

“You know each other?” Junjin asked Julieth.

“Yeah, we live in the same building,” the girl replied.

“Really?” Junjin blinked confused. “That’s what I call good luck,” he mumbled.

“Come again?” Julieth looked at Junjin.

“Nothing,” Junjin shook his head and a playful smiled adorned his face.

“Oh! We haven’t told you the news!” Eric snapped.

“From today onwards, Jinnie will live with us,” Steve interrupted.

Julieth didn’t know if what she felt was relief or even more pressure. Having Steve and Eric around was good enough because they were so eye-catching and of course a pair of gentlemen; but now, add a third good-looking man, who obviously made her heart skip a beat, and well… Flustered much?