As The Petals Fall

Questions & Answers

Jasper awoke on a brisk Sunday morning, having dozed off on the couch the previous night.

Trying to understand his heart had given him somewhat of an emotional hangover, and he needed someone to help him figure things out. He pulled out his phone and began to message Nam-Joon 

"Hyung, are you free to hang and grab coffee today?"

"Let's meet up at the Café near the office and chat together. Does 10:30 am work?" Nam-Joon responded. 

"That works!". Jasper quickly responded.

The two met up in the café near the pledis building and sat at a table near the window. The aged brick walls with pipes sporadically popping out across the ceiling paired with the busy sound of cars, and people almost felt reminiscent of Brooklyn to Jasper.

He stared down at his coffee deep in thought about how he would bring Nam-Joon into his process. He took a deep breath and spoke. 

"So, I've been spending a lot of time with this girl lately, and I think I might have fallen for her.”  

Nam-Joon looked at Jasper, taking a sip of his coffee as he processed his words. “Who is she?”

Jasper drew his lips to a line. “I think you already know who.”

Nam-Joon set his cup down and nodded before leaning forward and lowering his voice. “So tell me Jasper, how serious are these feelings for Hayoung?.”

Jasper sighed, stirring some sugar into his latte. “I can't sleep, I can't think. Everything reminds me of her. So i’d say they are pretty strong feelings” 

Nam-Joon took another sip of his coffee, setting the cup down delicately. “I see. And what do you plan to do about these feelings?” His expression grew soft, and he gave out a slight laugh. “Are you looking for my advice?”

Jasper looked up at him pleadingly. “Hyung, I gather that you would have more experience in navigating relationships in our industry or, at the very least, have some solid input.”

Nam-Joon stroked his chin thoughtfully, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “To be honest, I think it depends on the situation. If the feelings are genuine and both parties are interested, then there shouldn't necessarily be any issues. However, given the dynamics at play, it's crucial to consider whether the relationship could become harmful to either one of you given the media attention and scrutiny you will undoubtedly face if your relationship was ever made public.”

Jasper paused, pondering for a moment.  “I mean, I think she might feel the same. We've gone through so many intense experiences together, and I feel her closeness. I just hope I'm not misreading it for regular friendship. I also don’t even know what her stance is on dating and if she's willing to risk the public eye”

Nam-Joon gave a thoughtful nod, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke. “There is only one way to truly know how she feels - ask her.” He smiled gently, offering words of encouragement. “Remember, Jasper, communication is key.”

Jasper exhaled out as if the words he both dreaded and needed to hear flooded into him at the same time “you're right I need to tell her how I feel, and I need to do it today”. Feeling a renewed sense of purpose, he stood up and headed towards the exit. “Thanks Hyung, I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Nam-Joon chuckled, watching Jasper rush out the door and spoke softly to himself. “Ah, but I just got here.”

That same morning, Hayoung woke up from a restless sleep and headed out of her room. Lingering thoughts of Jasper clouded her mind a little along with the remnants of odd dreams. As she stepped into the dining room, she was greeted by Saerom, who was sitting at the table writing up schedules.