Faces Of Love: JJ Project Short Stories

2 - First Time (Part 2, Jaebum)

The first time Jaebum noticed Jinyoung, was in a class where Jinyoung modeled for them. Jinyoung was sitting in the middle of the room, looking at the window. His features looked soft, peaceful, and soothing. Jaebum had seen many beauties, yet no one managed to mesmerize him the way Jinyoung did. And he was grateful he got the reason he need to fix his gaze at Jinyoung as long as possible, taking in everything he could and immortalized it in the canvas before him.

Then he became aware of Jinyoung's presence at the library, when he started to realize that whenever he was there, Jinyoung was too. And almost every book Jinyoung read was the ones he did too just right before. Those things picked his interests. Is it just coincidence, or does he like me?

Jaebum knew he was being overly confident, but he couldn't help it. And it actually made his curiosity towards the other person grew deeper. Maybe if he asked Youngjae the younger would tell him, but he wouldn't take the easy way. He would ask him himself no matter how, along with finding some reason to talk to him.

Jinyoung was reading Murakami's Kafka on the Shore as Jaebum walked into the library. It crossed his mind that maybe he could made an excuse related with the book to talk to him. Would he see me as a weirdo if I do it?

Well, screw it.

"Hey, you're Youngjae's friend right? The one who modeled for us?"

He looked surprised, as Jaebum had expected. Jaebum just kept pushing until he got his name, and probably his number later with the book as an excuse, because Jinyoung had agreed to text him when he finished reading.

Jinyoung. It has a nice ring on my ears. Well done, Jaebum.

Then Jaebum exited the library after saying he'd got something to do when he didn't, and waited, never letting go of his phone even when he was hanging with his friends. When the text arrived, he almost jumped from his seat, earning him weird glances from his friends. He immediately replied to Jinyoung's text, and said bye to his friends, who was looking at him as if he was already insane.

Jaebum found Jinyoung at the library, waiting for him. Jaebum beamed as Jinyoung lifted his eyes from his phone to look at him, smiling nervously.

"Hey, did you wait long?" Jaebum asked as he sat on a chair in front of Jinyoung. Jinyoung just shook his head and pushed the book across the table to him. Jaebum took it, and pushed it into his bag.

"Thanks." Jaebum smiled. Jinyoung nodded his head. Jaebum knew he was being shy and it was cute, but he wanted him to talk to him. He wouldn't let the chance to get closer to Jinyoung went to waste. He didn't want this chance to be just a passing encounter for Jinyoung. So he blurted out, "I want to treat you as thanks. Do you like coffee? There is a newly opened café near the campus, people says it's pretty good. How about that?"

Jaebum could see his eyes sparkled before he nodded again.

After two cups of coffee getting cold in front of them over their heated up conversation about books, they started to get closer, much to Jaebum's delight. They exchanged books, threw some recommendations to each other. They also talked more, as Jinyoung had went pass his shyness and opened up more to him. He brought Jinyoung to a park he occasionally visited. It was peaceful, quiet, and calming it made you forget the flow of time, a perfect place for reading. Not many knew this place, and Jinyoung was the first person he brought there. He was glad he did, as he could observe Jinyoung as long as possible, the beauty of his features being complimented by the scenery behind him. Jinyoung completely got caught in his books, he didn't even aware that Jaebum would sometimes make a sketch of him on a paper hidden in his book.

Jaebum found himself getting drawn more and more into Jinyoung. He was drawn into the way Jinyoung smile brightly, with crinkles at the corner of his eyes. He was drawn into the way Jinyoung laughed, the sound ringing like some music to his ears. He was drawn into the way Jinyoung scrunching up his face, fully concentrated to the book he was reading without any awareness of his surroundings. He was drawn into the way Jinyoung would sometimes blushed, his cheeks and even his ears tinted red. He was drawn into everything Jinyoung did, and he knew he loved him.