TAKE THE DIVE

Chapter Four

Here I am - standing with JongHyun. I am completely unprepared for this kind of meeting since it felt like two stars had finally caught up with each other. How many times had we passed each other without knowing? Why am I just noticing him now? We stare at each other for a while - I am not sure why...the once cold air felt warm now. I was still in slight shock that I had two experiences with JongHyun and I did not even clock that it was the same person, was I just oblivious? JongHyun smiles at me once more. The snow doesn't even seem to touch him.

"It's late - could I walk you home?" asks JongHyun shyly.

I nod in agreement.

We didn't speak much but we gazed at the lights, pointing to the ones we loved the most and shared smiles at their beauty. We didn't need to talk, it was just nice being around each other. I almost forgot that he was a complete stranger. The walk back to my apartment often felt long - there had been many days that I had wished for the trek home to hurry up, to be easily transported home but today - today of all days is when the walk rushed past me like a blur. With lights glistening in my eyes causing a happy dizziness in my mind. All I could see was JongHyun.

We reached my apartment. Curse you time - you could have been slow.

I gently lent on the wall of my building, JongHyun awkwardly standing some distance from me. He rubs the back of his head and goes to speak,

"Look I'm sorry about Jane - what she said..." he trails off - both of us remembering the embarrassment She caused, "I'm not really that bothered about it, I mean you rejecting me-I rejected you as well." he laughs out of awkwardness.

I sigh, one of relief and place my hand on his arm, "It's not like we knew who She was setting us up with in the first place, it was all a bit too random for me."

"Exactly," a bright smile widens on his face, "I knew you'd understand."

I'm glad I bumped into him - who knew the cinema stranger and masked singer was JongHyun - I was glad about this fact. Something felt familiar - did he feel it too?

"I should head home soon but here," he hands me a piece of paper, "my number - if you ever want to contact me please don't hesitate."

I smiled at him and watched him leave but before he was out of my view I sent him a message.

TO JONGHYUN:

CONTACTING YOU WITHOUT HESITATION.

He turns back and looks at me - almost an echo of that time we met in the Cinema, his smile radiates and it reminds me of the twinkling lights around us. I walk up into my apartment with my mind full of snippets of JongHyun...he truly had captivated me. It was especially interesting to see someone so confident and big on stage but in reality in front of me just now was someone petite and shy. Dangerous.

I find myself crashing right into bed as soon as I enter my apartment.

-

It was the morning and my mind was still consumed by JongHyun. I found them physically attractive but there was something else about them. I just wanted to know them better , even if it meant we were just friends. I didn't care about dating or not dating, I really just wanted to be a part of their life; I had only met them a handful of times... I was a little scared at how I felt. I stretch in bed and nuzzle back down into my covers. I had nowhere to be since the work holiday vacation had begun for two weeks - I would not be answering any emails, especially from the boss. Collectively all of us at work were waiting for the boss to try and make us work right to the very end of his time at the gallery. The boss who stole Christmas , was his nickname during the holidays since we would always wake up to strings of emails with things needed to be done. Give us a break. This time though I would simply ignore those emails, work isn't my life.