soulmate || jjk

26

"Why not put yourself out there?" I queried as his laughs drowned out "what's stopping you?"

"What's stopping you writing a book?" He flipped it around, my mind now ticking with an answer, yet one answer came out.

"Rejection" he looked at me "that no one would love what I had written, wait. Appreciate. I would worry my work isn't good enough and that passion would disappear into existence because of criticism"

"Then you won't ever get anywhere" he replied,

"And neither will you if you can carry on just being a cashier guy"

Silence. Both our minds thinking, well, put it quite simply, life through.

"I get it" he broke the silence as I quickly raised my hand for the bill "so let's promise ourselves this"

The waitress placed the bill onto the table and walked away as my focus was now on Min Jae.

"We aim to achieve our passions" he held out his hand "at some point in our lives, no matter when. We could be 30, 40, 50 whatever age. But we put our passions out there and do something with them. And when we do we let one another know that we did it. Astra and Min Jae achieved the passions we discussed over two bowls of Japchae"

I smiled as everything he said made sense. These passions we had were just hidden away, a secret to everyone else. Yet one boy I had met in the centre of Seoul had reminded me of my own passion.

"And you must shake on it, and most certainly give me your number to ensure that we let one another know" I grabbed onto his hand and gave it a firm shake, knowing that no matter what happened I had made my first friend in Korea that I wouldn't forget.

"And you can't break that promise" I muttered as I ripped off the edge of the receipt scribbling my number down "and may I commend you on your clever way of getting my number"

"Told you I have my ways" he winked as I handed him the paper.
-

Rita POV:

I pulled the duvet over my head, groaning as the New York light hit my face. Jin moved besides me, rolling over so that he was facing me, his lips slightly apart as his breathing slowed. I ran my fingers through his hair as he smiled and wrapped his arm over my body the light now filling the dark room completely. Our bodies still under the duvet, his fingers drawing circles on my palms.

"You awake?" He mumbled as I hummed in response, his eyes opening looking into mine "fancy coming for a walk with me"

I hummed a small 'yes' as we both rolled out of bed. Half asleep still. Attaching the lead to Joon Su's collar, I unlocked the front door, the key struggling to make its way into the lock. The door opened slowly, as the warm spring air welcomed us both out. Jin pulled the door towards him, as Joon Su pulled me enthusiastically down the front path of the house. Jin wrapped an arm around my shoulder, his body pulling me closer towards him, the cold air non existent as it had been replaced by his warmth. Our footsteps echoed along the paved path through the park, mixed with the sound of Joon Su's feet clicking against the concrete also. Unlinking the lead from his collar he raced ahead, as I watched him slowly smelling every piece of the park he could. The new smells of the fresh blossom growing on trees hung in the air, along with newly fresh cut grass making my nose tingle ever so slightly.

"The other day at Namjoon's apartment..." Jin broke the silence, his arm still wrapped around my shoulder "what happened between you and Ella?"

I stayed focusing my attention on Joon Su now running after the leaves that blew in the wind "it was..."

"...and don't say it was nothing" he interrupted as I sighed knowing that I wasn't going to get out of this lying.

I sighed and thought about what else I could say other than 'she's not good enough for Jungkook' or 'I hate her'. Anything but that. It felt like forever I was thinking of a response, the silence making it more lengthened.

"I just don't trust her" I managed to mumble, my face scrunching up with instant regret "I just have this feeling she has the ability to manipulate him"

He exhaled deeply stopping on the path, facing me, my heart beat quickening ever so slightly "what happened before I walked in the apartment the other day"

I averted my gaze to the floor, this failing as he lifted my chin with his finger. Our eyes now directly looking at one another, uncovering anything i was trying to hide.

"I questioned how well she knew him and well she got mad" I said "that's all I'm saying because I don't want any confrontation"

He accepted that response and we carried on walking hand in hand

"Do you think he really likes her" I said, still walking and refusing to look up at him

"I don't know" he whispered "best not to interfere as he seems happy"

"Mhm" I mumbled, before intertwining my hands with his and proceeding to walk.
-

"So tell me...." Kim Min Jae looked over at me as we walked side by side in the sand, and listened to the waves crashing against the surface "what is New York City like?"

"Busy, loud, cold"

"Other than that" he laughed "where do you love to visit, what makes you love the city?"

"Central Park is overwhelming but the scenery is to die for" I smiled "helps when you have a job in photography"

"So you really like photography?" He asked with intent interest, as we stopped to sit down.

I watched as the foam from the waves stayed on the sand before wrapping my coat tighter around my body "oh yes absolutely...but since leaving New York City it has been distant from my mind"

"Yet you still carry a camera with you" he asked as he pulled the Polaroid camera out my tote bag and holding it within his grasp.

"Hey that's mine" I whined as he held it above his head, his arms too long for my reach, before I gave up trying leaning back and staring at the moon that sat in the sky "you know what forget it"

"Here" he handed me the camera "I bet if you took a picture now you would realise how much you miss it"

I looked over at him as he smiled, taking the camera from his hands, as our fingers ever so slightly touched one another's. I shivered before moving to lay down on my stomach. The sound of just the waves and distant sounds of cars. The sand moved slightly as Min Jae lay near me, his breath hitting the side of my neck. Clicking the top of the camera and watching the film roll out I smiled. The Polaroid picture showing the essence of the memory. I froze as I stared at the picture of the beach, the familiar setting from Brooklyn. Hanging with them all. Jungkook. Handing me that black marker before dragging me down the beach. The butterflies I felt as he stared at me with such awe, feeling like I was the most luckiest girl alive.

"Astra..." A hand tapped my shoulder as I came out of my daydream looking over my shoulder at Min Jae "you okay, you zoned out for a second"

I wiped away my eyes which had tears accumulating with the sleeve of my coat before standing up and shoving my Polaroid camera back into the bag and walking away from the sea.

"You sure, you don't seem fine" he grabbed hold of my wrist stopping me from moving any further "please what's wrong"

That feeling again. That feeling of familiarity. The times Jungkook held onto my wrist as if he life depended on it. Not wanting to let me go.

I wriggled out of his grasp before throwing his hand to the side "please just leave me alone"

Tears fell as it really badly hurt the fact that I had thrown away my life in New York City for months on end. It wasn't just going to disappear. The past would still haunt me every once in a while.

"I really just need to be left alone okay?" I sniffed as he looked at me, that look of sorrow that I so badly didn't want anyone to feel "thank you for today, really. I'll be fine"

And with that I made my way home alone. Tears falling the entirety of the way, wondering where it had all gone wrong for Jungkook and I.