Three ways to love

Chapter Eleven

Now, weeks later it was time for the winter showcase and just a day before today, Naomi was feeling really controversial. She had just seen a dream about Mark where he died and she never got the chance to say how she felt. Now she's wondering if how she felt in that dream is something she feels for real. Something definitely feels different, at least with Johnny. When Nini asked her if she was happy about the engagement, Naomi said she was and it was true... for a while. Now she's not so sure anymore.

"I'm sure this is just something that passes" She tried to convince herself.

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"Are you nervous?" Mark asked as he stared at her with concern.
"Huh?"
"I asked if you're nervous. You have that look" He chuckled.
"No... okay, maybe a little" She looked down at her hands.

He walked closer and lifted her chin up to make her look at him.

"Hey! Everything's gonna be fine. Besides it's not like your whole future depends on this one performance. Didn't you say you weren't even sure if you wanted to be in the music industry in the future?"
"True" She smiled a bit.
"See? Nothing to worry about"

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It was their time to go on stage. They walked to the front of the stage and sat on chairs, next to eachother and Mark started playing the guitar.

As Mark started singing the first chorus, he kept looking at Naomi. When they both sang they kept eyeing eachother from time to time. That feeling she has felt came back, now even stronger. She kept rolling the ring on her finger, contemplating about the decision she made a few days ago.

By the end of the song, she wiped away a tear that was falling down her cheek.

Once they got backstage, she looked at herself in the mirror, trying to make herself look normal.

"You okay?" Mark asked as he looked at her through the mirror.
"I'm fine. Look I gotta go, I'll see you later" She said halfway through the exit.

She wandered the halls, not knowing what to do.

"As much as I love Johnny. I just can't deal with this whole engagement thing. Everything about it just doesn't seem right..."

Suddenly she bumped in to someone, she looks up and sees someone unexpected.

"Hey"
"Oh my god Hyuck, what are you doing here!?" She hugged him tightly.
"I couldn't miss your showcase obviously"
"So how was I? Was I any good?"
"You were great. I couldn't help but notice that you seemed a bit sad while performing"
"You saw that?"
"Yeah. Is everything okay?"
"I don't know yet but it's sort of something I need to discuss with someone so I'm glad you're here and we should definitely go to have lunch or dinner tomorrow or something but right now I really need to go" She hugged him one last time.
"Sure. We can have lunch tomorrow before my train leaves"

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She wandered for a while until she heard Nini's voice coming from an empty classroom. Naomi opened the door and saw Jaemin and Nini kissing. Jaemin saw Naomi by the door and stopped kissing.

"Naomi" Nini looked like a deer in headlights.
"Hey"
"I can explain" Nini said as she started walking towards Naomi
"Jaemin" Naomi smirked a bit as she waited for Nini to come to the hallway.

"I'm sorry that I haven't told you about me and Nana yet. I hope you're not mad" Nini pleaded.
"Of course I'm not mad. I was sort of waiting for that to finally happen"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh c'mon, you've had a thing for Jaemin since the day you met him"
"You knew about that... wait of course you did, you're you" Nini chuckled.
"As long as you're happy I'm happy. So are you happy?"
"So happy" Nini basically ratiated happiness.
"Well I'll let you get back to your happiness then"

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Naomi took a deep breath as she knocked on Johnny's door.

"Hey" He smiled as he opened the door.
"We need to talk" She looked serious and his smile quickly faded away as he let her in his room.

She sat down on his bed.

"I need a break"

He was speechless.

"I know this sounds like such a cliché but it's not you, it's me"
"I understand. Take as much time as you need. I'll be here whenever you're ready"
"Thank you for understanding"