Posts tagged chapter 26

Jaymee turned her head when she heard movement in the room. She craned her head and see Nura getting up from her bed, rubbing her face.

“I bet she’d had another nightmare.” Kyra whispered beside her.

Jaymee nodded. Nura stood up, her hand pressing against her chest. She shuffled out towards the kitchen and poured herself a cup of water. Naj followed her out and Jaymee and Kyra stood up from their bedding. They hid behind the pillar as Naj held Nura’s shoulder.

“Another one?”

Nura gulped and nodded.” I miss him. How can I miss him?”

Naj pulled her into a hug. “Shh.”

Nura sobbed. “I miss his hugs and his laugh.”

Kyra was about to step forward when someone yanked her back. Caryn was pulling them into her room where she was studying with Naj.

“Why did you do that? I was about to offer her comfort.” Kyra frowned.

“Nura doesn’t want to show people she’s sad.” Caryn said.

Jaymee glanced at the door. “Is she back with Geun Suk oppa?”

Caryn shook her head. “No. He just accompanied her to the clinic. Nura doesn’t tell me anything else.”

Kyra sighed, blowing her fringe from her face. “I should have pounded Dongjoon when I saw him the other day!”

“Dongjoon oppa is bigger than you.” Jaymee pointed out.

“So? My oppa is older and he would protect me.” Kyra stuck out her tongue.

Jaymee twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “This sucks.”

“What? The exams?” Naj asked, cheerfully entering the room.The maknae line looked up in shock.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m off to bed.” Kyra left the room.

 Jaymee smiled then left too. She paused by the doorway and knocked on Nura’s door. Receiving no answer, she poked her head in. “Nura unnie?”

A small lump on the bed indicated that she was there so Jaymee sneaked in and crawled in the covers behind her. She grasped Nura’s hand.

“Jaymee?” Her voice cracked.

“Yes, do you mind if I sleep here tonight?” Sensing Nura’s hesitation, she added, “Please. Maybe I can keep away the nightmares.”

Nura’s hand clenched around hers.

“Unnie?”

Nura turned to face her. “Okay, sleep with me, tonight.”

**

“Where are you going now?” Jaymee asked Kyra.

“My friends are waiting for me at the movies. You want to come with?” Kyra’s voice was muffled by the sound of her clothes coming off.

“No, thank you.”

“Okay, then. I’ll have Mikey drop you off at home”. Kyra came out from the washroom and washed her hands. “Where’s Caryn? She left already?”

Jaymee nodded. “Caryn has a date with Minwoo.”

“Again? Didn’t they had one yesterday?” Kyra frowned as they walked to the car.

“Yesterday was Dream Team, the only ZE:A member she was with was Dongjoon.”  Jaymee got in the car.

Kyra laughed. “That must have been fun.”

Jaymee hid a smile. When she got home, she took a bath, ate light lunch and did some yoga. She was surfing the net when her phone rang. She blindly reached for the phone behind her. “’Lo?”

“Whatchu doing?”

Jaymee smiled and paused the video. “Hi, you.”

He laughed. “What are you doing now?”

“Me? Watching hanlovejp.”

“How was your test just now?”

Jaymee made a face. “It’s okay, I guess. Want to go for dinner later?”

“I can’t. I have practice.”

She got up from the computer and looked out the window. “I guess, i’ll go for a jog.”

“Isn’t it drizzling?”

“It’s just a little rain.” She watched the cars and passerbys walked by her building. “I’d better go now before it gets dark.”

“Now? But, i just called you.”

Jaymee sighed. “I’d prefer to see you, face to face.”

“Me too, Jaymee. Stay on the phone a little while longer please.”

Jaymee sat on the sofa, putting her legs on the coffee table. “Okay, okay.”

Hyungshik popped a handful of chips into his mouth. “What test do you have next?”

“Umm. Physics. I haven’t finished studying yet. I’ll probably sleepover at Nura’s house again.”

“Why don’t you study at Mia’s house? It’s right next door.”

“Mia is rarely home and I study better with Caryn and Kyra.”

Hyungshik watched as the drooping maknae slumped past him and Minwoo skipping behind him. “So, you’re going to Nura’s house after jogging?”

Dongjoon turned at him at Nura’s name and Minwoo pushed his head. “Move. He’s not talking about you.”

“Yeap. Have you eaten yet?”

“Eating now.”

“And, before?”

“Yes, yes.”

Jaymee laughed. “It’s a good thing that both of us don’t gain weight no matter how much food we eat.”

He grinned. Junyoung walked past him, tapping his wrist. “I have to go now, Jaymee. Junyoung hyung is here already.”

“Call me later?”

“Of course. Bye.”

Like always, Jaymee doesn’t reply to his bye and hung up. As Hyungshik raced around the house to find his shoes, Jaymee dressed up for her jog.

***

“What I want is for geometry to please grow up and solve its own problems.” Kyra bemoaned at the desk. Caryn was currently biting her nails to stumps. Jaymee wasn’t even looking at her book, daydreaming.

“Jaymee?” Caryn asked.

Jaymee closed the book, walking past Jessie and Nashi.

“Where are you going?” Jessie asked

Jaymee slipped into her sneakers. “To see my boyfriend.” Then, she left.

“Hyungshik ah!”

“Yae, hyung?”

“Somebody’s here to see you”. Yonggil called out. “Five minutes.”

“Ten.” A voice behind Yonggil said and Hyungshik brightened. He loped out, grinning as Jaymee appeared. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He took her hand to another room, an empty room, ignoring his hyungs’ catcalls. “Done studying?”

Jaymee shook her head, stepping forward to hug him. He evaded her hold.

“I’m sweaty and stinky.” He reasoned.

“I want to hug you.” She insisted. “I came all the way here so I can hug you!”

“Jaymee. Stop chasing me. I am sme-“ He sighed as Jaymee wrapped her hands around his waist, pressing her face against his back. “Happy now?”

She nodded against his back. “I can’t concentrate on maths when all I’m thinking about is you.”

He turned around, squishing her face between his palms. “I don’t think I will come out in the questions tomorrow.”

She stuck out her tongue. “Kiss?”

He leaned down and pecked her once.

“That’s it?” She grumbled, releasing him.

He laughed. “What more do you want?”

“Never mind.” She smiled. She reached up to bring his face down to her height. She kissed his brows, nose, cheeks then his lips. “I better get back now.”

He pushed a strand from her forehead. “I’ll call you later.”

She nodded then dug in her pocket, fishing out a lollipop. “For you.”

He took it, smiling. “Thank you.”

She pursed her lips. “One more then i’ll really go.”

He kissed her longer, this time, slowly tracing the shape of her lips. She sighed and leaned back. “Good luck, Jaymee.”

“Thanks.” She whispered, her cheeks a dusky rose. He led her out of the room and his hyungs were all plastered at the door.

“Hi, Jaymee”. They chorused.

Jaymee reddened. “Hi.” She whispered then with a final squeeze of Hyungshik’s hand, she hurried down the stairs.

***