Jaemin the Icy Prince on Campus - Na Jaemin NCT

11. The Date

Hina grabbed my arm at the end of the day, and said, "Let's ask Jaemin out for a date with us tonight." 

"What?" 

"C'mon," she dragged me, protesting, to where you were standing, bowing and saying goodbye to the people trooping out.

"Sunbae," she said breathlessly, "Mina and I were wondering if you'd like - if you'd like to come out for dinner with us this evening." She looked flushed and excited and very pretty.

"You mean - like a date?" You said, looking down at her, smiling a little. 

"Yes... ," She breathed. "Kind of..."

"With the two of you? Like a - threesome?" You laughed softly, and your eyes flicked to me, and rested on my face.

Say no, please, say no, I begged you silently. I don't want to share you, not tonight, not after all these long weeks of missing you.

"Yes, it'd be fun..." Hina clasped her hands in a beseeching gesture. "Oh, please say yes, sunbae. Please..."

You looked at me, and your eyes narrowed a little. "But what about Miss Kim here? She's very quiet. Maybe she doesn't like the idea?" And your smile widened.

It maddened me, your smile. It maddened me that you didn't say no at once. I tossed my hair, and shrugged, and said, cool as a cucumber, "It doesn't matter to me, one way or another. The more the merrier. I'm sure there are plenty of other guys willing to take your place, if you aren't free." And I stared defiantly into your eyes. 

But inside me, I was screaming, no, no, no! I don't want to spend even a second of our precious time with Hina. I didn't come up all the way here to see you flirt with another girl right under my nose. So say no, just say no, you jerk, you asshole.

"Well," you said slowly, thoughtfully, studying my face for a moment, and then you smiled a tigerish smile, "since Miss Kim here is agreeable, why not, indeed? A date with two beautiful girls? How could I say no?" You turned to Hina, turning your charm on her, and she blinked, and melted into a besotted puddle, her mouth open, her eyes worshipping. "Seven o'clock? In front of the hostel?"

And then you strolled off without a backward glance.

I wondered how it was you spoke so casually, as though the matter was of little consequence, a mere adjustment of plans. Whereas to me it was a bombshell, exploding in a thousand tiny fragments. God, you can be so cruel sometimes. I almost hated you in that moment.

And I thought, this then, that I am feeling now, is the hell that comes with love, the hell and the agony beyond all enduring, because the beauty and the loveliness are mingled with pain; love is no bed of roses, for the thorns show themselves, when you foolishly think you are safe, and prick and wound and cut you when you least expect it, and no one is spared, no one who truly loves is immune...

We walked out of the hostel and there you were, waiting for us. 

The day had long departed and night was upon us, and a cold wind played about your hair. You turned to Hina, and tucked her scarf securely about her neck, and I felt the pain jab deep inside my heart, and then your cool fingers were brushing upon my face, as you adjusted the scarf around my neck.

I looked at you, and said, in a low voice, laden with ice, "Seriously? Are you kidding me? Are you going to repeat each action twice tonight, once for each of us?"

And you bent close to my ear, and murmured, just for me to hear, "You wanted this, didn't you? Say you don't want to do this, and I'll stop right now. All you have to do is to say, stop, and we'll stop right now..."