Still With My Memories

18: A Little Braver

Jungkook POV
"Y-you're J.M. Park??... Y-you're the author of THE PIANIST???!!!"

"A-ahh... Y-yes." He answered shyly.

I gawked at him in disbelief.

-Flashback-
"What's with the long face?" Hyung pressed my cheeks as he sat beside me. "Are you having hard time with your course again?" I just nodded as an answer and he sighed. "Jungkook, do you really need to do this?"

"I'm just doing this for mom"
"Why didn't you tell her what you really like?"

I heaved a sigh.

"You know people expect me to be just like dad."
"Well, that sounds so wrong to me," He scoffed while flipping the page of the book he's reading. Since when did he got interested in books? He looked smart though. Anyways, I was having a hard time here and I couldn't even afford a smile.

"I-I don't know, I don't want to disappoint mom." I sullenly flopped on the couch and hugged a throw pillow. Taehyung is still reading the book. It was obvious that he was enjoying it as his toe fingers kept wriggling in my face. Was that that good? I suddenly got curious.

"By the way what are you reading?" I asked. He kept smiling like a weirdo while flipping the pages.

"Hmm..." He turned back to the book cover and and read the title loudly.  "The Pi-ya-ni-seu-teu?" He said grinning widely.

"What? Sounds like alien words"

"Yaaa! This is a special gift! Limited edition with autograph!" He glared while showing me the book and yeah there's a big autograph in there.

"Weird.. You're not even fan of reading. Is it a gift? from a girl?"  I smirked to tease him.

"Nope. From a special person. I received this before I do piano training. You can say it's my lucky charm." He clicked his tongue proudly.

"Really? It still so cringey though."

"Whatever. Here..." He handed the book to me.

"Oh? You're giving me your precious book?"

"NO... I'm letting you borrowed it... Read it. It's quite interesting," He got up the couch and do some stretching. "Oh my, my shoulder hurts.." he whined moving his shoulders in circles. "Ugh! I'm going to sleep. Take care of that book."

"Uh-hum"

I examined the book. It's very simple. It has plain white cover with brown printed text. Some says that an art reflects its artist. I wonder what kind of person he is.

"The Pianist by J.M. Park? Even his pen name is simple too." I flipped its pages and read the dedication.

To the person reading this, never give up on a dream that you have been chasing almost your whole life.  No matter how hard it is right now, think of what the result will make you feel.

"Oh~" I patted my chest lightly. Did my heart just skip a beat? "It seems like this book was meant to be read by me." I said to myself.

I continue reading but his next words hits harder.

"Be what you want to be not what others want to see."

-J.M. Park

Those words are like spark of light in a dark tunnel I've been walking alone. My heart started beating giving me a ray of hope. Now I understand why Taehyung hyung made me read this.

I'm in love with photography ever since but since people have high expectations on me, I didn't have courage to tell mom what I really want. I started taking law with the pressure of being just like my deceased father.