Still with you

Chapter 3: Road

Jungkook's Story : Still with you.

Chapter 3: Road.

Unfortunately, I can't stay with my new friends because the agency offers me to go to Los Angeles for summer dance classes. I know this is a chance for me, the agency funds everything in this adventure. My parents let me choose what I want to do, but the members encourage me to accept. I want to go. My tiger pushes me, even if, once again, I'm really scared.

So it's ok for six weeks at The Movement Lifestyle School in LA. I feel weird to leave my new friends. My parents came to say goodbye and bring me some stuff for my trip. I travel alone. I cross my fingers to be strong enough.

The choc ! If Seoul made a big effect on me, here it's something else ! Everything looks different, people, cars, food, even the air I breathe, I feel like it's cooler. My eyes are not big enough to absorb all these new things. Upon arrival, I take pictures as souvenirs. The staff picks me up at the airport with other young people who will take part in this internship and take us to the hotel. The agency gave me money for food. I soon discover a Korean restaurant not far from the hotel. What a relief ! The owners are very nice to me and sometimes offer me something to drink or eat. Above all, it's great to be able to speak Korean because I don't understand anything about english.

So I spend the days dancing. We learn several styles of dance, but I prefer Modern Jazz and Break Dance. Teachers are really pros, I absorb everything they can give me. I observe their techniques. I really try to do my best because I'm so motivated. It's a total immersion. I dance even when I get back to the hotel. Teachers encourage me a lot because they see that I am tenacious. However, they are very demanding. So I hold on. I film myself a little during class so I can correct myself afterwards. It's a habit I've had with the band in Korea, it helps me a lot. On our day off, we go to the beach. It's wonderful, I love this place. I buy a skate board to look like an American guy, but I'm not very good at skating.

Those six weeks pass quickly. On the plane back to Korea, I have mixed feelings. I can't wait to be bach in Korea, at home, speak my language, see a familiar environment, see my parents again, see my friends in the dorm. But I feel like there's something else. Some kind of lack.

My comrades quickly realize it. After the euphoria to be together again, they find me very quiet, finally more than before, as Hoseok says. At first, they blame it on Jin's arrival at the dorm, while I was in LA. Indeed, Jin is now officially part of the group. It's true that he's intimidating. First, he is the oldest of us. He's 20, five years older than me. He is tall, very thin and above all, very handsome. I know him a little bit because we've been training together for a few months. He's not very confident, but he's a hard worker. Above all, he's very, very nice. But his arrival at the dormitory tipped the balance on the older ones's side. I feel so small, so offbeat. Sometimes, i feel that my place is not here, with them. I see that Jin keeps an eye on me. As if he knew.

I try to understand what is wrong with me. What's the new problem ?

On a day off, Jin offers me to go for a bike ride along the Han river. Nam Joon comes with us. Even though I'm more comfortable in the band, it's weird to be alone with both of them.

After an hour of biking, Jin offers to stop to buy some ice creams. I nod vigorously because I love it. We choose our ice screams and Jin pays, because he is the oldest. We settle down at a picnic table to enjoy the soft air. Jin makes jokes, I laugh but Nam Joon seems lost, as often with Jin. I gobble up my ice in three seconds. So Nam Joon goes to buy me another one.

-So, tell me Jungkook, I feel like something is bothering you or worried you, do you want to talk about it ?

I feel like I made a mistake. I'm super hot. I shake my head to say no.