Jasmines In June

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What are the chances of Bailing ignoring Jun's message?

Not if Jasmine has to do with it. 

Jun didn't have to follow up with another email. He just knew. At least he knew that his message reached Jasmine even though the response was nowhere to be seen. Jun knew Jasmine's friendship with Bailing was strong enough that she's the first person she'd run to when there's trouble.  

He paused for a thought. Jun may not know where Bailing lives, but he knew where she works. 

The next day, Jun made a commitment to see Bailing. It was early in the morning as he sipped on his hot coffee outside one of the Luckin coffee shops. He wanted to speak to her in person, at least find out how Jasmine is doing. 

But this has proven to be difficult. Bailing noticed him almost instantly as soon as he tried to approach her. Maybe his innate elegance gave it away, or his handsome posture or the expensive clothes he wore. 

"Jun?" Bailing stalled surprised at the sight of him near her office building. "What're you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you." Answered Jun. 

But there's something about the way she moved and her half gazing at him told Jun Bailing did not trust him. 

"I'm sorry, Jun." Bailing swerved around as she continued on her walk. She pushed her steps faster in attempt to leave him but her heels made it difficult. He was behind her in a matter of seconds. 

"Please Bailing, I need to know she's okay." There's a sound of desperation in his voice that made Bailing reconsider. 

She paused and made a half turn towards him so fast that Jun had to brace himself in order not to slam into her small frame. Her mouth quivered and thinned. His question sounded so inconsiderate to her. "How are you going to ask me how she's doing?" Bailing recalled the fresh bruises on Jasmine giving her a spasm of anger and hate towards the brothers. "Did you not know what happened to her? Have you not talked to your crippled brother?"

Any other time Jun would have taken offense to anyone talking about Hoon that way. "He's not crippled, he has cancer." Corrected Jun, but it does not matter since Bailing doesn't seem to care based on her hardened expression and her flaring nostrils. "I talked to him, but he's not giving me the whole picture."

Bailing exhaled. "Sounds like you have a shitty family."

It was Jun's turn to exhale. Bailing doesn't know the half of it. 

"Look, even if I want to talk to you," she could not betray Jasmine. Bailing would not say anything to Jun if Jasmine doesn't want her to. "I'll let her know I bumped into you and you're worried about her. I can't promise anything."

It was more than enough of what he's asking for. Jun's eyes brightened. "Thank you, Bailing. I really owe you."

*****

Jasmine woke up later than usual this morning. Her aches and pains still throbbed but they were nowhere near what they were. She looked at her new phone sitting by the coffee table in the small living room. Bailing had gotten her a replacement the day before since recovering her other one was impossible. It had numerous missed calls, texts, and messages. 

Two missed phone calls and three text messages from Jun. One text message from Hoon and a text from Bailing. 

She ignored all the messages and decided to stay away from the phone. She groaned as she shifted from the uncomfortable couch when she heard a ding on her phone. It was a text from Jun. 

The sight of his name written on the screen made her heart ache in longing. She missed him. She knew he has nothing to do with what happened but at the same time, she's trying to distance herself from the Long's. Perhaps she should've asked Bailing to change her number too when she got the phone. That way neither Jun or Hoon will be able to get a hold of her. 

Jasmine stared at her phone until the notification disappeared from her screen and her phone went black again. She was tempted to check what he has to say but managed to remain strong and dismissed it all together.

The thought of Hoon protecting Yuan still pained her deeply despite trying to convince herself that Hoon had no obligation to her. He is not her lover nor they have a significant relationship to expect him to give her more importance. Although deep inside, she had hoped that Hoon would have chosen to protect her more instead.

She blinked and tried to clear her mind. The last people she wanted on her mind were Yuan and Hoon.