umbrella ¦ na jaemin

ch ; 23

.・。.・゜✭・23 .・✫・゜・。.

Shelter in the Night

Dahee let her tears flow freely against Jaemin's shoulder, feeling a pang of guilt for staining his pristine white shirt with her emotions.

Jaemin only tightened his arms around her and rocked her back and forth, so delicately like she were made of glass.

His hands fell and loosely held her waist as Dahee pulled away to wipe her tear-streaked cheeks, she weakly smiled at Jaemin and chuckled breathlessly.

"I'm so sorry for ruining your shirt." she murmured, lightly patting the damp spot where her tears had fallen.

"It's okay," Jaemin reassured her, his hands retreating to a safer distance at her waist.

"Was it too much?" Dahee asked, nervously fiddling with her fingers.

"No, not at all. It's good to talk to someone about your problems," Jaemin replied sincerely, his eyes warm with understanding.

"Thank you. You're a good listener." Dahee said gratefully, a hint of laughter in her voice. "And a good hugger," she added quickly, then blushed furiously at her slip.

"Wait. I mean-"

"Good to know," Jaemin teased lightly, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

"Oh no, your ego is definitely rising now," Dahee joked, nudging his elbow gently. Their laughter filled the air, easing the tension that had weighed heavily on Dahee's shoulders.

They fell into a comfortable silence, basking in the soothing night air around them.

Dahee suddenly realized how dark it had become, with only the soft glow of the nearby lamp posts illuminating their legs as they sat side by side.

Her hands rested on her thighs, one of them brushing tantalizingly close to Jaemin's. Just as she mustered the courage to reach for his hand—

"Dahee?" Jaemin's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up at the sound of her name.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here," Jaemin offered unexpectedly.

Their eyes locked, and Dahee felt a flutter in her stomach, her lips curling into a shy smile. "I know. And I want to thank you for making me feel like I have no worries, even if it's just for the time we're together," she murmured softly, suddenly feeling bashful.

Jaemin's fingers delicately tilted her chin up, drawing her gaze to his. Their faces were closer than they had ever been, and Dahee's heart raced as she felt the warmth of Jaemin's breath mingling with hers. His words washed over her, filling her with a swell of emotion.

"You can get through this, Dahee. I believe in you," Jaemin whispered, his voice low and filled with unwavering support.

Dahee nodded, her eyes glistening with gratitude. "It's getting late; we should head back," Jaemin suggested gently.

Standing up, Dahee dusted off her skirt and slung her bag over her shoulder. They didn't have far to go; her house was nearby. As they walked in silence, Dahee suddenly halted in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat.

An unfamiliar car had pulled into her driveway. For a moment, she felt disoriented, as if she were standing in front of someone else's house.

But Jaemin's presence grounded her, reminding her that she was indeed home. Her eyes were drawn to the couple standing on the porch—her mother and a man she barely knew. They embraced, and Dahee's fists clenched at her sides, tension coiling within her.

Jaemin sensed her distress and placed a comforting hand on the small of her back. Dahee glanced away, her gaze darting anywhere but at the scene unfolding before her.

Without another word, she turned and began walking in the opposite direction. Jaemin furrowed his brow in concern but quickly caught up, gently grasping her wrist.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked softly, his fingers entwined with hers.

"I don't know," Dahee admitted, her eyes darting around frantically. She suddenly realized she wasn't ready to face the man her mother was supposedly marrying—especially after meeting him under such rushed circumstances and forming a negative impression.

An idea flashed into her mind, one she knew she might regret. She looked up at Jaemin, her eyes pleading as she held onto his arms.

"Can I stay at your place tonight?" she blurted out, her heart pounding in her chest.

Jaemin hesitated, his thoughts racing. "S-sure—" he began.

"Thank you." Dahee smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

Caught off guard, Jaemin couldn't help but smile at her genuine affection, his own heart racing with unexpected warmth.

He returned her embrace, feeling a rush of emotions he couldn't quite articulate.

After a moment, Dahee pulled away, suddenly self-conscious, and waited for Jaemin to release her.

"Lead the way?" she asked shyly, indicating with a tilt of her head.

"It's actually this way," Jaemin chuckled softly, gesturing in the opposite direction.

"Oh—alright, let's go," Dahee said, starting off ahead of him and leaving a bemused Jaemin in her wake.

She soon realized she didn't actually know where Jaemin's house was. "Actually, you go first," Dahee confessed with a casual whistle, pretending she hadn't just started leading the way towards a different street altogether.

"Cute," Jaemin chuckled, shaking his head fondly as he caught up to her and gently took her wrist, guiding her back on track.

"Cute? What's cute?" Dahee's thoughts raced. "Me? Did he just call me cute?"

"Yes, I did, Oh Dahee," Jaemin interrupted her internal monologue, mentally facepalming. "Now stop talking to yourself before we end up going the wrong way—" he trailed off, pulling her gently in the direction of his home.

It was going to be a long, eventful night.

-

a/n: 2024 author here, while I was rewriting this, butterflies just constantly in my stomach like? I wished I still wrote something so sweet like 15 y.o me did. It is so cringe but she writes so beautifully?? My twenty year old ass got nothing on myself five years ago wth ??

Continued.