✓ nostalgia | jungwon

chapter 18.

     Yebin swore she'd lose it if he ever lied that his performance would be 'embarrassing' again. He was an amazing singer, and by the look on his face when he glanced at the camera, he knew it too.

     In fact, all his friends were just as good. Heeseung sounded like a complete professional, and remembering that most of them were athletes too, she didn't know how people could be so multi-talented.

     By the second chorus, she forgot that she was even at a school concert to begin with. The rest of the crowd felt the same. Everyone was enjoying, and Yebin focused on Jungwon as he held his mic again.

이대로 망해버릴 세상
[ The world will be ruined this way ]
기대 하나 없던 내게
[ To me, who had lost all expectations ]
셈으론 구할 수 없는 답들을 가르쳐준 너
[ You taught answers that can't be obtained by counting ]

     Jungwon sang the lyrics as he practiced, and glanced at the camera for the sake of the performance. But he couldn't pinpoint the feeling that had suddenly overcome him. Something close to déjà vu.

     Yebin waited until the end of the song, and her arm felt more than tired. With one last pan over the stage, she found herself pointing the camera at Jungwon one last time. He caught her and smiled, sending a bad wink her way.

     But with the camera right in front of her face, she wasn't sure if he winked at the camera- or at her.

     The concert was just the first launch, and the festival itself had yet to kick off. The students from both Haean and Sanheoli were more than excited to enjoy the rides and games that the night had to offer.

     It was bound to be fun, which was best spent with close friends. Yebin, Taeri, and Micha were going over their agenda, having difficulty choosing what to do first. Yebin still had her camera in hand, and thanks to the lively atmosphere, she knew it'd be easy to find what to photograph.

     They decided to check the booths out first. Yebin laughed and took pictures of her friends as they played the mini-games, losing most of the time.

     "At least we won something." Micha held up the small stuffed keychain in the shape of a cute whale.

     Taeri sighed. "He gave that to you because he thought you were pretty."

     Micha shrugged. "Isn't that winning?"

     "That's a very good point," Yebin agreed with a smile, as Micha linked her arm with hers.

     They passed another booth, one that wasn't a mini-game, but an admissions inquiry.

     "Well, that's boring," Taeri noted. "A spring break festival and the school still wants to try and make money."

     Yebin nodded, and they walked passed it completely until she heard a familiar voice try to promote the booth. She looked back, and found Jungwon with a pile of fliers in his hands. He tried to persuade some parents, before they apologized and went on their way. She watched as he returned to the table, sitting down in defeat.

     It was just him there, and no one deserved to be alone at a time like this.

     Yebin turned to her friends, unlinking her arm with Micha's. "Do you mind if I catch up with you guys later?"

     "Are you sure? We're heading for the food court, they're serving free snack samples," Taeri told her.

     "Free snack samples?" Yebin's jaw dropped slightly. She looked back at Jungwon, and bit the inside of her cheek. "That's okay, I'll follow."

     Taeri shrugged. She and Micha bid her goodbye, leaving Yebin to hesitantly approach the admissions table. He didn't notice her yet.

     "Sorry, I know the audience is supposed to give flowers after a performance," Yebin said, prompting Jungwon to look up from his seat. She smiled. "And I feel a little worse knowing that my family owns a flower shop.

     "I can't say I'm not disappointed." He jokingly crossed his arms, tilting his head at the girl. "What are you doing here?"

     "What are you?" Yebin asked. "Working an admissions booth in front of all the rides and food carts? That seems painful."

     Jungwon let out a brief laugh. "I know. I worked the booth last year too, but no one else will take a shift."

     "Heeseung and Sunoo are the only ones on the council, but they're already ushers at the entrance. I told Jay and Niki to try the rides out. Jake's with his team, and Sunghoon left for a skating competition," he explained.

     "Xiaohui's competing too," Yebin remembered. "But hey, I can work your shift. Just give me fifteen minutes to take some pictures for docu-"

     "No, you don't even know how to manage the paperwork." Jungwon shook his head. "Plus, it's a festival night. You should be having fun."

     "So should you," Yebin said, before an idea popped up. "Hey, if you worked the booth last year, then you haven't experienced the festival at all. I'll show you around."

     Jungwon scoffed. "You want me to abandon my booth?"

     Yebin playfully rolled her eyes. "I'm just asking you to take a break. Not a lot of people inquire for admissions at a festival, you know."

     "You'll show me around? Just the two of us?" Jungwon thought it over, his smile fading. "I don't think that's a good idea."

     Yebin put her hands on her hips. "You should know, I gave up free snack samples for you."

     "Wow, what a sacrifice," Jungwon droned. "I guess I have to agree now."

     Yebin clapped excitedly. "Great, let's go!"

     Jungwon blinked. "Yebin, I was being sarcastic-"

     He was cut off as the girl reached for his phone, hiding it behind her as she backed away from the booth. Jungwon stood up, already knowing what she was up to.

     With a wide smile, Yebin broke out into a sprint. "I can't hear you! The food court's calling me!"

     "Yebin!" Jungwon slapped a hand to his forehead, looking back at the booth. He shook his head and dropped the fliers on the table, before running after her anyway- unable to stop smiling himself.

a/n. those were some interesting lyrics huh 👀 ok now stream not for sale live radio ver. bc this was based on that</3