Fake Boyfriend - Lee Jeno

Little By Little - Chapter 106

-Makeup. – He says and she pauses, a little surprised. – That’s it, right? – He asks and she slowly nods, looking away.

-Yeah. Kinda obvious just by looking at me, right? Or you can say every girl likes that. And that it’s not really a carrier. – She says with an ironic smirk.

-No. I guessed that because you seemed to be very good at that when you did the girls’ makeup for Jackson party. – Jaemin says, and he looked serious about it.

-Really? – Rylee asks and he nods.

-Is that what you want to do? – He asks and she nods, looking at his eyes a little taken aback, waiting for his reaction. – That’s cool. Not every girl likes it, and even more, not all of them want to do it professionally. If you really like it, I believe you could be successful. – He says and Rylee smiles, deviating her eyes from his. It was the first time someone had been positive about it.

-Thank you. – She says. – And you? What did make you choose dancing?

-It was the last thing my parents wanted me to do. – He jokes and Rylee laughs, throwing her head back.

-Come on, Jaemin. – She says and he giggles.

-No, but for real. My parents didn’t want me to do that too. I was passionate over it since I was a kid, so they put me in a dance school, but when I told them I wished to do it professionally, they went crazy. – He says and Rylee gasps.

-So? What did you do? – She asks, curious.

-I told them it was really my dream and did the test for the university. – He says as Rylee looks at him with admiration. – Nowadays they noticed it wasn’t that bad as they thought. – He says and Rylee nods. – Actually, yesterday I got an email saying that I’m being called to finish my studies at Sunhwa Arts School. – He says and Rylee widens her eyes.

-Wait, Sunhwa? Isn’t that the most famous dance school in Korea? – Rylee asks and Jaemin nods smiling. – Oh, my God! What did you parents say? – She asks with a wide smile.

-I haven’t told them yet. You’re the first one to know. – He says and Rylee gets a little surprised, making her heart skip a beat.

-Then, let’s celebrate that too! – She says, raising her drink, and Jaemin smiles, touching his glass with hers in cheers.

          The day went by quickly. They didn’t even see the hours passing as many subjects and laughs were surrounding them. The sky was dark when they decided to come back after having dinner together.

-No, you can’t be serious. – Rylee laughs out loud.

-I really am! I stumbled in my partner’s dress in front of the judges, fell and broke my nose. That happened when I was 15. – Jaemin says as they walk by the streets slowly.

-Geez, my belly is hurting already. It’s the first time I laugh so much when I’m not drunk. Just stop talking, please. – She jokes and he laughs.

          Getting to the car, they stop, catching their breath. Strangely, Rylee didn’t want to go home, even after long hours talking to him, and in the same way, Jaemin was feeling that too. He walks a little ahead in silence, leaning with his arms on a barricade next to the car which gives the view to a high landscape of the city, illuminated by the many lights. Rylee follows him, also leaning there and looking down there. They enjoy the fresh breeze whistling in their ears as a comfortable silence takes place between them.

-Thank you for celebrating with me. – Rylee says, and Jaemin looks at her. – And congratulations again for going to Sunhwa. – She says, turning her eyes at him too. Jaemin smiles.

-Don’t tell anyone though. You know too much now that I told you all my secrets. – He jokes.

          They laugh once again. Their shoulders going up and down in contact with each other while leaning on that old barricade. They stop laughing slowly as their eyes keep focused, and something came over her, that made her get her face closer to touch her lips with his. Jaemin closes his eyes, feeling her lips slightly brush with his. It was so natural that their hearts were calm, beating peacefully like ocean waves on the winter. The tip of their tongues touch in a short wet peck that didn’t even need to be deep for them to feel a spark in their stomach. Rylee pulls away a bit, looking at his eyes, which were staring at her orbits, as usual.

-If you keep kissing me like that, it will be hard for me to forget. – Jaemin says in a low tone.

          His eyes were sharp, and that brought goosebumps to her belly. Everything he does seems different from the other boys, and it annoys her a bit for not knowing exactly why. She wasn’t planning on kissing him again, but she got moved to it in that moment. He attracts her, and not only by his beauty, but by how he is.

          Rylee moves away from the barricade and Jaemin’s eyes follow her, trying to investigate what’s inside her mind.

-Let’s come back. – She simply says, walking towards the car. Jaemin presses the button in his keys, unlocking the car doors, wondering if after this amazing day, things would be a little weird after this kiss, but Rylee turns around, leaning with her arms on the car roof, looking at him. A naughty smile appears on her face, letting him a little confused. – We should do it another time. Hanging out, I mean. – She says and he chuckles, opening the door after she got in the car.

-Sure. Next time the place is on me. – He says and she smiles.

-Deal. – She says, locking the seatbelt.

          Turning the motor on, Jaemin’s attention is drawn to his cellphone suddenly ringing. Seeing his cousin’s number on the screen. He glances at Rylee, and she nods, telling him he could pick it up.

-Hey! What’s up? – He says in an excited tone.

-Hey, Jaemin! Nothing much. I want to ask you a favor. Could you give me a ride back home? I had to stay later on work today and there is no more bus at this hour. – She says and Jaemin sighs, thinking.

-Uhm… wait a minute. – Jaemin says and turns to Rylee. – My cousin wants a ride back home. It’s not far from here. Do you mind it? – He asks and she shakes her head.

-Go on. – Rylee says and he smiles.
Deviating a little from the University’s path, Jaemin takes his cousin in front of her work. He stops the car, and she walks fast towards it, quickly noticing another person in the front seat, and proceeding to sit in the back.

-Hello, cousin! – She says getting in the car.

-Hi! This is Rylee, a friend from my university. – Jaemin says, driving to her house.

-Woah! As usual, always surrounded by pretty girls, ugh? – She jokes and Rylee chuckles. – Oh, that made me remember… What about Y/n? – She asks and Jaemin takes a deep breath.

-She is great. We meet now and then. – He says, trying to run away from the question.

-Come ooon! You know that’s not it I’m asking you about. You told me last time you were in love and that you would confess. What was her answer? – She asks again, and strangely, Rylee feels something bad inside. That’s right. Jaemin likes Y/n.

-Anyways, we are almost getting there. How is the caffè going? – Jaemin asks and his cousin pouts in the back.

          Some minutes later, Jaemin drops his cousin at her house. He didn’t think she would mention you in the conversation out of nowhere, and somehow, the air now seems to be a little... awkward. Jaemin and Rylee had made out in the party that day, and then, she wanted to forget it, but today, they kissed again, and then his sister talked about the girl Jaemin was in love with, making all this situation very particular.

          Jaemin parks the car at the dorm’s parking lot, looking Rylee before turning it down.

-Well, congratulations again for coming back. Today was cool. - He says and Rylee nods.

-Yeah, it was. Good night, then. Bye. - She simply says and gets off the car without looking back.

          Jaemin sighs deeply, throwing his head back on the backrest. Maybe, before his cousin said what she said, he could have expected a good night kiss to finish the night, but by the way Rylee left, of course she felt it awkward too. ‘‘Crap...’’ He thought alone in the car.

          Getting to her room, Rylee drops her purse on her chair, throwing herself in her bed right after. She clicks her tongue as her mind replays the day she spent with Jaemin, but then, what his cousin said knocks her immediately.

-Ugh... Why is it making me so angry? - She mumbles out loud. - I already knew he liked Y/n, right? What’s the difference now? - She talks to herself, wanting to understand her own feelings. - Is it because it’s Y/n? Maybe my ego is just hurt again because he still likes her while he was kissing me. Yeah. It’s better to just stay away from guys who like Y/n, to be honest. - She sighs, looking at the roof.

          She closes her eyes, finally feeling the tiredness hit her after that long day. Images and feelings pass by her mind, reminding her of his laughs and smiles, their conversations, his eyes and gaze, and finally, his kisses. She unconsciously smiles thinking about that night at the party when he held her tightly while kissing her, and about today, when she stole a peck from him, and he became serious. She starts to wish he was in the room with her right now.

          Her eyes open widely, and she sits up fast on the bed.

-No. No no no no. - She repeats, taking her hands to her hair. - No, hold up, Rylee. You have to calm down. It’s okay. It’s everything alright. I’m just a little needy. That’s all. - She says, standing up and going to the bathroom. - There’s been some time since I went out with someone, and now I’m thinking about Jaemin. I just have to find another guy, have a good time, and then not see him again, like I always do. Yeah. No deep feelings, no problems in life. - She nods, looking at herself in the mirror