The Artist and His Muse

Chapter 18

Yeon Ah sat in at the coffee shop where she had seen Jungkook and Jimin.  She had finally had some time alone without Jin Soo at her side. 

He was always around.  He said he wasn't needed at work and so he spent every free moment with her or at her house.  If she were to be honest with herself, she was feeling smothered. 

She looked at the door and sighed.  She knew it was a pointless dream but she really wished Jungkook would walk through that door right now.  She had thought about what he had said for a while now.  But Jin Soo's only negative quality was that he way too clingy.  She had no reason to believe what Jungkook had said. 

She looked down at her phone.  The notification badge was stuck on the corner of her message icon.  She knew the messages were from Jungkook but she hadn't wanted to read them.  So she didn't. 

A new message popped up, startling her for a second.

From: Jin Soo

"Where are you?"

She sighed.  Here we go again.

"I'm having some coffee."

"When are you coming home?"

Why did it matter?  She had nothing planned with him today.  His clingy obsession with knowing where she was and when she would be back were starting to grate on her nerves.

"I'm not sure.  I might go shopping."

"Where are you?  I'll come to you and we can go together!"

Yeon Ah sighed.  She just wanted to be alone for a while and this man refused to allow it.  It was time to be honest with him.  She couldn't stand it anymore.

"Jin Soo, I just want to be alone for a while.  I've been spending a lot of time with you lately and I just need some time to myself."

"Are you cheating on me?  Is that what this is?  Is that guy back in town or something?"

Yeon Ah scoffed and dropped the phone to the table.  She had devoted all of her time to him and never gave him a reason to doubt her or her commitment to their upcoming wedding.  She bit her bottom lip and picked up the phone again.

Pecking harder than necessary on the phone she typed out her message.

"I can't believe you would say that!  I'm not cheating!  I'm just spending some time alone!  I'm feeling smothered lately.  You never give me time to myself.  I need to breathe once in a while!  I've never given you a reason to doubt my commitment to you!  Please, trust me for once!" 

She hit 'send' and then immediately regretted it.  He might get angry. 

There was no reply for several minutes.  She began to get nervous.  Then she asked herself why?  Why would she be nervous?  She did nothing wrong except stand up for herself.  She wasn't married to him yet, she was still free to do what she wanted.

Ding!

Her palms began sweating as she looked at the phone.

"We'll talk when you get home."

She stared at the message and tried to imagine he didn't mean it in a bad way.  Even though he wasn't with her, he had now taken control over her day by making her dread the evening.  She wouldn't enjoy the rest of her time out.  She stared at her coffee cup.  She took a small drink and wondered how it could taste so bitter now. 

She stood slowly and threw the cup away.  She stood outside the shop for a moment.  Pulling out her phone she opened her messages.  She opened the messages from Jungkook and tears spilled down her face.  He cared.  He was worried.  He wanted her to answer so he knew she was okay.