Jaemin the Icy Prince on Campus - Na Jaemin NCT

5. The Parting Part 1

You brought me to a barbeque at night. It was someone's party, some guy you had come to know from your course. It was jam packed with people, the halls crowded with strange faces and loud music and laughter and chatter.

"Let's play a game," I said, turning to you at the door. 

"Again?" you said, and smiled.

"Let's pretend we don't know each other. Let's pretend we've never met."

You looked at me through lazy, sardonic eyes, and said softly, "Okay, we're strangers at a party. I don't know you, and you... ," you leaned in close to my ear and murmured, "...don't know me..."

You trailed a finger lightly along my wrist, and whispered, "This will be exciting...s'long then, stranger..." And you sauntered off.

I watched you across the crowd. I knew you were watching me too, that you stiffened every time a guy approached me. I was getting very adept at fending the guys off. "Hey. Can I get you a drink?" "No, thank you. My boyfriend's just gone to get one for me..." "Oh." A pause, then, "Well, see you around..." And the next instant, the guy would melt into the crowd, and I would look up, and you'd be glaring at me.

But you flirted with the girls too. I saw you with them, smiling at them, looking into their eyes. And every now and then, you'd look up in the midst of your flirting, and catch my eye, and your lips would twist a little, and your eyes would look mockingly at me, as if to say, "See? I'm flirting. Are you jealous, Kim Mina? Have you had enough of your silly little game?"

I watched you over the music, I watched you leaning against a wall, sipping a glass of bubbly, your long slender fingers tapping to the beat of the song. You were talking to a girl, you were capturing her with every syllable that left your mouth, and she was drinking up every word. She looked as if she was in seventh heaven.  And I knew why she couldn't take her eyes off you, why she couldn't stop looking at you; it was because you dazzled her with your light, your beauty and your brightness, you shone brighter than anyone else in the room, and she was drawn to you, like a moth to a flame, like a planet to the sun.

We met standing in line for the bathroom. Or maybe you had followed me there.

You looked at me, and I looked at you.

Your hair was tousled, and the top two buttons of your shirt had come undone, and I could catch a tantalising glimpse of your smooth pale chest. I remembered burying my lips in it just this morning, and I suddenly felt weak as the image of my face on your chest flashed across my mind. I felt the hot blood rise to my cheeks, and I wondered if you knew what I was thinking, if you knew what I was feeling, just looking at you with your shirt open like that...

"Hey," you said softly, smiling faintly. "Do I know you? You seem so familiar..."

I tossed my hair, and said, "If that's a line you use with every girl you meet, it's not working with me."

You looked like you wanted to laugh, but you didn't, and said, "I'm sorry if I gave you that impression, but I'm a really nice guy once you get to know me...I'm Jaemin...what's your name?" 

I narrowed my eyes and looked at you suspiciously.

"Are you sure you're not a player?"

"I swear," you grinned. "I'm the shy, timid type..." I snorted. "You seem like a really nice girl. Please, tell me your name."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know, my heart started pounding like crazy a while back when I caught sight of you, I was looking at you across the room, and it just started to beat so fast, I don't understand why..."

"Maybe you should get it checked out..."

"Maybe I should..."

You took one, two steps towards me.

"Or maybe, you could check it out for me, you look like you have really nice hands...soft hands, I'll bet I'll feel better just having those hands on my chest... ," you whispered, "...just having those hands touch my chest..."

You pulled my hand and placed it on your chest, and I could feel the heat, the sweat on your bare skin through the open shirt.

"Why's your shirt open anyway? Did that girl you were flirting with rip off the buttons?" I said huskily, and my fingers start to stroke your chest of their own accord.

"I ripped it open myself," he said softly, and laughed, "because I saw you watching me flirt with that girl, and my heart started to pound like crazy, and I wanted to talk to you, and tell you that I like you, and that I want you to feel my heart pounding like crazy for you, and so I ripped off my buttons to make it easier for you to feel my heart pounding like crazy for you..."

"That's a wild story," I said, a little breathlessly. "Are you flirting with me now?"

"I guess I am, a little," you whispered, and traced a fingertip lightly over my lips. "You have the mist kissable lips, has anyone ever told you that?"

"No... ," I sighed, and half-closed my eyes, waiting for your kiss.

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

"I don't know...should I let you kiss me?"

"You totally should..."

"Why?"

"I'm a good kisser."

"Oh...well, go ahead then, kiss me."

"Just as soon as you tell me your name..."

"Mina..." I leaned towards you. "My name is Mina..."

"Mina..." You smiled faintly, your beautiful lips curving just a fraction. "Lovely..."

Your lips were almost on mine.

"Mina...," you murmured, your breath warm on my lips, and again, "Mina..." You rolled my name around in your mouth like a warm caress, letting the syllables slide smooth and silky, and fall, gliding off your tongue. 

"I knew a girl named Mina once..." Your voice was husky. "She was a dangerous girl, bold and wild, not like you..." Your hot gaze lingered on my lips, scorching me. 

"No, I'm not bold, or wild," I breathed. "I'm shy and timid, especially around players like you..."

We  stared into each other's eyes, and then you dragged me to a dark hallway, and pushed me against a whole bunch of coats hanging on a row of giant hooks, and started kissing me hungrily. I wound my arms around you, pulled your head down to mine and kissed you back.

We were still kissing when someone coughed, and said, "Erm, excuse me, could I have my coat, please? I'm sorry to interrupt you..."

I pulled myself away, giggling, and ran off to the living room before you could catch hold of me. But you followed me, anyway. The clock struck nine and you just grabbed me and kissed me, next to a huge potted plant in the corner of the living room. You were laughing so hard, and your face was flushed. 

"I don't want to play this game anymore," I whispered. 

"Neither do I," you whispered back. 

We spent the rest of the night kissing and cuddling on a sofa in a dark corner, our arms wrapped around each other. You filled yourself with soju, and kissed me hard against the front door on our way out. 

We stumbled back to your apartment and you told me that you loved me, before you passed out on your bed.

You woke up an hour later, and told me that you loved me again. 

"I wanted to make sure that you know I still mean it when I'm sober," you said drowsily, and I kissed you, and you fell asleep again in my arms.