Somnium | 박종성

7

     Jia waited outside her dorm for Jay, he texted her yesterday to get ready to go out on a date. She didn't wait long before she recognized the black car coming towards her. She was going to reach for for the door handle but he puled it back from the inside and jogged over to her side. "As long as you're with me, you will never open your own doors." Jia laughed at him, he sounded so serious yet it made her giggle at how "mad" he was. She put her seatbelt on and watched him do the same before turning to her and smirking and revving his car.

     Jay was a cautious driver, don't get him wrong, he liked speed but he liked actually getting back home or getting to his destination. And having her in his car made him not reckless but he would bend some rules. "Where are we going?" He looked over at her, waiting for her response, which confused her because he was the one that texted her to go on a date. So she assumed he had it all planned out, guess not. "You asked me out, you don't have a plan?" He shook his head at her, "I always plan what we do, now tell me what YOU want to do." She thought a bit, she liked the fact that he was asking her opinion and took into consideration what she wanted. "It could be anywhere or anything." She stared out the window thinking.

     "You need to tell me so I know where I'm going angel." She turned back at him, he literally gave her 2 minutes to think plus he was getting to a stop sign. "Chill, " she watched him roll his eyes. "There is one place I've always wanted to see." She told him and he nodded, that was a good idea. He looked into his mirror to switch lanes, he now had a destination and lucky for them they weren't that far. "Do you want to eat or just walk around?" She shook her foot thinking, she wasn't so hungry but she could eat. "Let's just get some snacks and walk for a bit yeah? Unless you don't want to." He shook his head, even before she finished her sentence, "no no its okay."

     The lights really made Namsan tower look breathtaking. Jia hadn't been this close to it since she was younger and it was Christmas time so there would be red and green flashing lights. She walked next to Jay, trying to look at everything at once; she was like a kid at a toy store. "It's been years since I was last here." She stopped and leaned against the rail, they weren't all the way up but the view was still pretty good. "Is there a reason why you wanted to come here?" She smiled at him then turned back around to keep walking, "My dad always brought me here to watch the city view, he'd get me snacks and he'd just talk or listen to me. He really cheered me up when I was sad." He nodded, this was a special place for her, and she trusted him enough to tell him.

     The only bad thing about Namsan tower was the walk, even if they both hadn't felt the halfway mark, the end was killing them. Well not literally but they were getting tired but pushed through. Letting their excitement fuel their last stride until they met the top. She heard him try to conceal his heavy breaths and she couldn't lie that she was too, but looking forward they were so close to the top, only a few more steps. Once they hit the top and stopped to take a break, they watched as the night lights danced with the water and the city, making it look even more beautiful that it already did. "It's so pretty isn't it Jay!" He looked over at her and watched her take her phone out to take a picture and mentally taking note to take landscape pictures to send to her.

     "Is this really what you want to eat?" Jay was a bit confused when she dragged him to a snack cart, she did know that they could eat anything they wanted right? She nodded, holding onto his arm, there was a lot of people in the food court. "Yes, they have the best snacks here. You have to try it." They waited a while in line, discussing what they wanted and what he'd order. So when it was their turn he ordered and got the snacks pretty quickly after too. They made their way back out, trying to push past the people eating without disturbing them, and finding a good spot near the railing that had the central view of Seoul.

     They talked and laughed. They were together but the more they talked the more they noticed they could still learn so much about each other. The snacks were long gone but they still stood there, enjoying the others presence. "Thank you for bringing me here. " She meant it, she enjoyed it a lot and so did he. "Anytime, we can go anywhere you want." She smiled and looked down, careful not to trip on their way down. It still wasn't as late, but by the time they'd get down and e drives her home, it would be past midnight. Which he was right, except they didn't really feel it because they were so into their own little world, so to them felt like thirty minutes not an hour.

     They weren't so far from her dorm, but it was still a semi long drive, it gave them enough time to keep the conversation going and not to ruin their night. He parked his car outside in his unofficial spot, "I had fun Jay" She smiled at him, as he nodded and smiled back. "Me too Jia." They fell into a comfortable silence, both not wanting the other to leave or for the night to end. "I guess I'll go." She turned to open the door as he jumped, scaring her as he made his way around and opened her door. "Thank you." She heard him close it behind her, and he leaned against the door, he was going to wait until she walked in to leave.

     "Jia!" She turned back to him, seeing him start walking to her and she met him halfway. "What happened?" She was confused, she had everything on her. She made sure she didn't forget anything or leave a mess. So why did he call her? "Can- Can I hug you?" She stared at him as he struggled to get the words out, "We've hugged before why do you ask me now?" He looked at his shoes then back at her, "Because now I want you to want it" He wanted her to want to hug him, or kiss him, or hold his hands, or lay on his chest. Everything. She tip toed and hugged him, which surprised him but then hugged her back, smiling into her shoulder. She let him go and turned around to leave. "Goodnight Jay" "Goodnight Jia"

     She went back to her dorm, trying her best to hide her smile. The smile because of Jay. He went home, driving and occasionally catching himself smiling. Smiling for Jia.

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Hey hey! It's me again, Im sorry if you find me annoying you can jus zoom past me. So their date was an Namsan tower, I was trying to give them each a special place. So for Heeseung and Ari was the basketball courts and for Jay and Jia the tower. I hope this works out well? I guess we'll see!

Stay Safe ya'll

~K