J9 One Shot

The Ride

Joong

The sunlight basked on my skin, making it sweating heavily. The current weather was unpredictable. Hot till you baked and rain till flooded. I walked as fast, to reach the bus stop in front of the Uni, to go to the nearest rapid train station. The audition would start in two hours, and I almost fell while running out of the building, after class ended a bit late. I needed to be at the stated place before time. Coming late to an audition, wouldn't project well on an artist's image.

A few young, high schoolers, also waited at the same bus station, maybe just finished their own school session and wanted to venture to the mall. I realized they were whispering to each other, and one pushed the other to move ahead and approach me.

"P', me and my friends are J9 fan. Could we take picture with you?". I smiled and nodded. Being recognized alone, was an honour. For a newbie, fan's recognition always brought a smile to my face. We took picture as a group, and the girls thanked me, shyly giggling.

"P', did you stay at P'Nine's dorm again last night?", one of the girl asked.

"Err, why?", I asked, hesitating a bit. Though it was well known among fan when we did insta live together, that I did stay with Nine from time to time, but being asked directly liked this still made me felt a little awkward.

"Err, because of your shirt... ", she said pointing at me. I looked down and saw the unbutton front that almost showed too much. Gosh! That must had loosen while I ran just now, and forgot to straighten up.

I smiled sheepishly. Yes, I did stay at Nine's dorm last night. He brought me to the mall to buy the shirt for today's audition and decided out of the blue, to ask me to stay back to practice some line. So, I didn't bring any school shirt, and borrowed Nine's loose one that I could wear, just a little fit on me, that's all. Before I could button up, a car stopped at the side and honked, to the surprise of me and the happy shriek of the girls.

"Hop in, or you'll be late...", Nine said from the driver's side through the open window. The three girls wave to Nine happily and said goodbye to me, while I went into the car and we drove off.

"How do you know where to fetch me? I didn't call", I asked Nine out of surprise.

"Last night, you said so yourself that you'll go there by taking public transport since P'Mhee got other engagement. So, I could guess you'll be taking the bus and the nearest rapid train".

"Alright, but did I say the time? I don't think so", I asked, because I knew Nine had classes till evening today, so I didn't bother him with my work. He had helped a lot already, and I needed to be independent sometimes too.

"You showed your schedule last weekend, didn't you, when we discussed the availability to attend a photoshoot in this week?"

"You remember? My God, it was just in passing P'!", I was really touched and surprised. Nine didn't say anything but just smiled a little.

"And didn't you say you have classes the whole day? You skip? P'...", I said, feeling a little guilt.

"It's alright, Joong. I already told the professor that I have unavoidable engagement, and would study on my own on the topic. Being in this kind of work, the prof already used to my absence from time to time".

"You must have good grade for the prof to agree. But still, P', this is not your responsibility or work, you know. Mae already asked me not to burden you for anything. I owe too much already", I said, a little embarassed.

Nine casually took my hand and squeezed a bit to reassure me, "What burden? Nahhh...", he said and focused back to the road.

"Someday, when I could drive, and have a car, I'll take you around, wherever, P'", I said, determined to make it my goal.

"Really? Oiii, P' can't wait! Don't forget this word, na Joong".

Nine

I had my dreams played again and again in my head. Joong. Who is he? But the dreams were too vivid to be a dream. After the unfortunate accident, I lost a lot my past, and it came back gradually, took years too, yet the dreams that I had in these few months, really made me confused.

While waiting on the seat, the tv showed an entertainment show's interview with a handsome actor that had won an award at the recent Asian International Film Award. I rarely watched entertainment news nowadays, focusing on my father's business was handful enough. Joong? This was the guy that was in my dream! He looked a bit mature and built, than the one in my dream, but the features were all the same. His answer to the coming question caught my ears suddenly.

"After winning this prestigious award, what is your other dream that you want to achieve?"

"To take someone precious on a ride with me, and we would travel around, just the two of us, to anywhere we feel like".

"Wow, that's like revealing your love plan! You have someone in mind already? Share with us, the fans would be esctatic!"

"I'm waiting for the person too. Because, it's a promise made long ago,   he might have forgotten, but I remember it still".

"So, you won't reveal it to the public still?", the interviewer was leaning to listen if the secret would be revealed. Joong just smiled and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but when the time comes, I'll tell you first, alright, P'", Joong said and laughed, to the jesting dissapointment of the interviewer. The interview continued to other topics, but my name was already called to enter.

"So, Nine, from our last session, has there been any progress, any new discovery that you wanted to share?", the doctor asked gently with emphathetic eyes.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I just know that the person I kept dreaming recently, that Joong, is a famous actor. I saw him in tv just now".

"Maybe you saw him somewhere in a other medium, advert, magazine...drama?"

I shook my head, "No, just in my dream. That's why I was surprised, why would I dream of an artist that I didn't follow at all, right, Doctor?".

The doctor looked at me but said nothing to answer my doubt. And the session continued till the hour passed. When I went out of the room, I saw my mother who came to fetch me up was talking with someone. I walked near, and as soon as the person turned, the same face in the tv appeared in front of me. My eyes widened.

"Nai, Mae called Joong to come here to see you, since you told me about the dreams, it seemed you saw his face finally, then you won't be too shock to see him in person then. Mae will wait in the lobby, don't be afraid, Nai, you knew him... Talk, alright.. ".

I looked at the hopeful, shining eyes, that somehow want me to know him, which I couldn't, except in those dreams.

"You're on the tv, I watched a show, just now. You were talking about a ride or something... with someone...that had forgotten", I said a little hesitant. Yes, I felt awkward, to be looked at with such feeling from the other person, yet I couldn't reciprocate.

"Yes. Mae said you dreamed about the same event yesterday, really, Nine?", he said and tried to grab my hand, which made me stepped back a little. Joong looked a little hurt, but swallowed them, and waited for me to move next.

"Yes, but I didn't understand why your face was in my dreams. I didn't know anything, except your name, for now".

"It was not a dream, Nine. All of it, that your mom told me, they were memories. The events were real, Nine".

I had few dreams, and all of it was with this man. I had doubts, but if Mae knew him personally, then he must be someone familiar.

"Joong?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know you...", as soon as I said that, his eyes were dimmed, and shiny, "but, if you said that my dreams were memories, then, you're the key to unlock everything", I could see some sign of hope shown on his face,"please... don't expect too much. Let just...start first, can you accept that?".

He nodded and smiled. And I held my hand to shake that of his. Maybe it was still gruff and awkward, formal and carefull, but at least we had started.

The years were still far ahead, and we might get to know each other better than before, who knows, right?

The End