Diamond : Choi Youngjae

010

"Perfect grades," Eunji said, amazed as she flipped through my sketchbook, scanning my scores. "You, my friend, are amazing," I laughed.
"Thank you," I smiled. "How'd you do on your practical test?"
"I think I made a mistake in my timing once or twice..."
"Does that count for a lot of mistakes?"

I immediately regretted asking. She went into a speech about the importance of timing in singing and other things I couldn't even understand.

"Eunji, calm down. It's not the end of the world!"

She made a face at me. I let out a sigh and all of a sudden, someone took my sketchbook out of my hands.

"Yah!" I turned around, about to say something more but was immediately silenced.
"Were going to curse me, artist girl?" he raised his eyebrows, an amused expression on his face, and sat down next to me. He looked at the pages of my sketchbook, looking at my grades. "You're good. A perfect score in everything."

Eunji stayed silent the whole time Youngjae was there.

"Choi Youngjae, can you please leave? I don't want to get yelled at or-"
"Let them try," he interrupted, rolling his eyes.

I was quiet, suddenly curious about why he was acting like this. His amused expression had faded and now darkened, as of he remembered something he didn't want to.

"Why are you like this?" I asked. He didn't answer me and looked towards Eunji.
"Eunji-ssi. Chorong will talk to you tomorrow. I have to bring her somewhere now."

Eunji just nodded slowly and Youngjae grabbed my hand, pulling me up. Stares came from the other people, most of them glares from the ones who liked him.

"Youngjae, why are you acting like this?"
"You'll find out later."
"Choi Youngjae,"

He still didn't do anything. I pulled my hand from his grip, stopping right where we were. We had already attracted a crowd behind us and more were still coming. Nosy people. Why couldn't they just leave us alone?

He looked at the people surrounding us.

"Just come with me. The guys are asking for you-"
"That's always your reason,"

He bit his lip before sighing.

"Jackson's leaving for Hong Kong and he might not come back. He wants to tell you something before he goes," he admitted.
"Then you should have said that in the first place," I muttered.

I followed him to his car. Yes, he does have a car. He got in silently and I did, too. He drove to the airport at speeds that I couldn't even describe. He was driving at nearly a hundred miles per hour and it was practically a miracle that there wasn't an accident. He didn't say anything but I could tell he was tense. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly and once he parked. He got out at once and without even waiting for me, ran inside.

They were all inside, sitting down and not saying a word.

"Chorong!" Jackson stood up and hugged me once I arrived, panting.
"Why are you leaving?"
"My mother's sick and I have to go home."
"You're going to come back, right?"

He didn't say anything and just pulled back, breaking the hug.

"Yah, yah, don't cry. I'm not leaving forever, you know! We can still see each other.... Someday..."

I hit his shoulder.

"Don't say that!"

I never talked much with Jackson, but we were still friends. He had always made us laugh and smile, though he could be seriously annoying at times. Maybe that was what made me so emotional that he was leaving. The fact that Jackson Wang would be gone from Seoul, gone from the club and gone from GOT7.