The Road Trip

CHAPTER 6

That night, the only bed available was a king size. Both Namjoon and Jin looked at the bed in confusion before Jin took a pillow and the top blanket.

"What are you doing," asked Namjoon.

"Sleeping on the floor," said Jin. "Don't worry, I've slept in worse. Carpet's actually comfy."

"You're not sleeping on the floor. The bed is big enough. We'll make do."

Jin looked nervously between the bed and Namjoon. Namjoon could practically hear the gears turning in the brunette's mind.

"We'll put a pillow between us," he said. "That way we each will have a side."

"Uh, okay," said Jin.

They placed a pillow in the middle of the bed and prepared to retire. Namjoon took the first shower and read a bit of Jin's book while he waited for Jin to finish his shower. The ringing from his phone startled him and he answered it without looking at the caller I.D.

"Kim speaking," he said.

"Is that any way to speak to your girlfriend, Namjoon?"

Namjoon nearly dropped his phone at the sound of Somi's voice.

"Somi, how is the shoot going?" he asked.

"Long and boring," she said. "We're in Paris now. They want us to do a shoot before Fashion Week."

Namjoon frowned in confusion.

"Paris? But I thought you were in New York."

"We were, until last night. I'm so sorry for not calling this whole time, but we've been swamped. Everyone here is completely incompetent. We've had to replace the hairdresser three times and the camera man twice. Nobody can get anything right."

Exasperated, Namjoon leaned his arm against his knee as he spoke into the phone. He had been having a good day and Somi's complaints had thrown his good mood out the window. The time he spent with Jin showed Namjoon that he didn't spend enough time enjoying himself. He thought he was content with the life; going to work, having beers with Hoseok and coming home after the occasional date with Somi, but spending the day with Jin made him realize that he could do more. He wondered if Somi wanted the same.

"Somi, why didn't you tell me you were leaving for New York that day?" he asked.

"I had a shoot scheduled," said Somi. "It was sudden but I had to take it. You know my work is important to me. I have to get as much as I can in before I become too old. Thirty is just around the corner."

Namjoon wanted to scoff. She was only twenty-four. She wasn't exactly getting any wrinkles or sprouting gray hair, not with the way she keeps using anti-aging cream or the dyes she puts in her hair.

"Aren't I important?" he asked.

"Of course you are, Namjoon, but you can take care of yourself. You've never needed anyone to help you. You'll be fine." A voice was heard in the background. "Okay! I'm sorry, Namjoon, but I have to go."

"Somi..."

"See you in a week!"

She hung up. Namjoon lowered his phone and looked at the carpet. He couldn't understand Somi's sudden erratic behavior. Usually she was more than happy to tell him what she was doing or if there had been a change in plans, but lately she seems to tell him at the last minute. Could something more be going on?

He heard the door open and turned to see Jin walk out in sweatpants and a towel around his neck, towel drying his hair. Namjoon had a sudden urge to touch Jin's hair. Was it as soft as it looked? He knew Jin used strawberry shampoo from how the man smelt in the car.