Rivals | Park Jimin FF

10

Y/N POV:

I walked out of my pathology class, feeling relieved that it was the last one for the day. After being stuck in a stuffy classroom for what seemed like forever, I needed some fresh air. Today's class dragged on, especially with the dreaded unit test, but surprisingly, I aced it! It feels like all the effort I put in finally paid off.

I chuckled, a wave of happiness washing over me as I stepped outside. The sunshine bathed the campus in a golden glow, casting a warm embrace over everything. A gentle breeze played with loose strands of my hair, adding a touch of freshness to the air. It was one of those moments when the simplicity of the outside just seems perfect.

Today, there was no one to walk back to the
dorm with me. Usually, Jisoo or Andrea would be there, but both were absent.

Jisoo left for New York a few days ago to visit her brother and cousins, and I can't deny these days without her have been kind of dreary. Andrea, on the other hand, stayed in her dorm because she was feeling nauseous and sick. I made a mental note to visit her later and bring some hot soup to soothe her discomfort.

I reached for my phone and unlocked it, greeted by a flurry of notifications. Three messages from Jisoo caught my eye, reminding me of her absence and making me wonder how she was doing in New York. A message from my mom reminded me of home.Two notifications from our dorm room group chat hinted at some plans or updates that I needed to catch up on later.

But it was the six messages from Jackson that stood out the most.

Ever since the day we met at the party, he had been keeping in touch with me, texting me almost every day. It was nice to know that he was thinking of me, even outside of our usual encounters during lunch or class change. Jackson had a way of making me feel special, and his friendly messages never failed to bring a smile to my face.

In celebration of my cheerful mood and with some free time on my hands, I decided to head to the nearest coffee shop. The thought of a refreshing drink to add some flavor to my day sounded perfect.

Going alone didn't bother me at all; back in Australia, especially after the car accident incident, I got used to spending time solo. Many days were spent exploring places on my own, and surprisingly, I learned to enjoy those too. It turned out to be quite enjoyable, and I didn't mind having some me-time in the cozy ambiance of a coffee shop.

After a brief 5-minute walk, I arrived at my destination. As I reached for the café door, boom, there's Jackson, grinning like he just hit the jackpot.
"Hey, Y/n! Can you believe we're both craving a caffeine fix?" he exclaims, like it's some kind of cosmic coffee coincidence.
"Jackson! Seriously, what are the odds?" I laugh, rolling with the randomness of it.
Surprisingly, he was there too! And it seemed like he came alone? We exchanged glances of mutual surprise and ended up deciding to share the same table, discovering that he had just arrived 5 minutes before me. As we settled in, we placed our coffee orders – a cold brew iced coffee with whipped cream for me and a medium latte for him.

"How are your classes going?" I inquired, breaking the ice. "Not bad, I guess, but could be better. I have a few missing assignments here and there," he replied, a hint of laughter in his voice. I nodded, offering a small smile.

He turned the question back to me. "For me, it's pretty good. I'm glad I chose the pre-med department," I shared.

"I swear I'm still afraid of shots to this day! So there's no way I'm becoming a doctor!" he chuckled. "Omg, what!? That's crazy, Jackson," I exclaimed, genuinely surprised.

"No, seriously! I had to face a flu shot last month, gearing up for the winter, and I swear, a tear almost escaped during the injection," Jackson confessed, and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

As our coffees arrived, we delved into another 20 minutes of conversation about anything and everything.

Jackson excused himself for a moment, heading to the bathroom. Just as he left, his phone on the table began to ring.

It was Jimin.

I contemplated answering to explain Jackson's absence, but the potential awkwardness held me back.

When Jackson returned, I casually mentioned, "Oh, Jackson, Jimin called while you were away."

"Seriously? You could've covered for me!" he exclaimed. "Yeah, no way I was talking to him. He'd probably say something to push my buttons," I confessed. "You guys still on shaky ground?" he inquired. "Oh, yeah, we are," I affirmed. "Trust me, he's not that bad," Jackson reassured. "Okay, if you say so," I chuckled, rolling my eyes playfully.

As we were getting ready to leave after settling the bill, there was a moment of silence, neither of us sure what to say next. Unexpectedly, Jackson broke the silence with a serious tone, "Hey, Y/n, I've been meaning to ask this now. Is it cool if we go on a date together sometime?" His question caught me completely off guard, and I may have stumbled over my words while figuring out how to respond. "I—uhh—sorry, we should go," I replied awkwardly.

He pressed me again, seeking assurance, and after a moment, I agreed. "When are we going?" I asked. "Hmmm... how about Saturday, in two days. And for the venue, what do you say to a restaurant, or an ice cream shop, or even a movie night!" he suggested with enthusiasm.

I honestly didn't want to make it super fancy so I thought the movie at his house was the best bet.

"The movie night is perfect," I replied. "Okay then, it's a plan! Thanks for today too! Enjoyed our chat over some drinks," he expressed his gratitude. "I loved it too," I replied with a smile.

TIME SKIP:

Once I stepped out of the shop, I immediately pulled out my phone texting Jisoo about the situation. She'll know what to do. She's my emotion pillar and the best advice giver!

***ON TEXT***

CouchPotAHto: JISOOO! I NEED U!! ASAP

BeautyWithoutBrains: WASSUP 😎😎

CouchPotAHto: JACKSON WANG ASKED ME OUT ON A DATE...and I may of said yes 😰

BeautyWithoutBrains: HUH WHAT

CouchPotAHto: 😭😭

BeautyWithoutBrains: UR TELLING ME I MISSED THAT?!? I MISSED SOMEONE ASKING MY BESTIE OUT!?

CouchPotAHto: Ugh that's not the point I NEED UR INSIGHT PLS

BeautyWithoutBrains: Okay for me, Jackson's a really nice guy so I wouldn't mind. You can give things a shot. Do u like him tho??

CouchPotAHto: That's the thing. I don't like "like" him. Just as a friend. So now I feel like I'm leading him on and I agreed cause I didn't know what to say on the spot 😭😭

BeautyWithoutBrains: Well he DEF likes you so just try out one date with him and if u don't like where it's going, just tell him right away. It'll be the best you can do.

CouchPotAHto: Okayyy... thx so much Sooya 🫶🏽

BeautyWithoutBrains: Love yaaaa ❤️‼️💕

I'm a bit unsure if my response was the right thing, but I didn't want to disappoint him. Hopefully, it's not a total deal-breaker, right?