JENNIE POV
A month in New Zealand has made my heart and mind calm and refreshed enough. The pressure I feel, of course, still haunts me, but it doesn't feel like it crushes me. I enjoyed spending time with my uncle and aunt. Sometimes I take a walk by myself around here, enjoying the view, and the environment is calm, clean, and comfortable. I feel like I don't want to go back.
But I have to go back to Korea again. To that problems, to him.
As my scheduled return home approached, he always reminded me to come home on time and not stay longer, something I really wanted to but I couldn't do.
I took a deep breath and stood up from this quiet and peaceful park bench. I looked around and hoped time would stop. But not. Time never stops. With a heavy heart, I stepped back to my uncle and aunt's house, who were ready to take me to the airport.
I will come back home today.
.
.
Semester 3. I didn't expect much. I've never welcomed a new day with enthusiasm. Now every day is the same, dark with no light. No passion, no purpose. Although I might catch a glimpse of the source of my light today. Lisa. I will remain like this, maybe even worse, because I know I will not be able to reach him. I will only be tormented to look at him and see the friends I could not get close to.
I walked gloomily down the hall with him. As usual, when he also has classes, which are actually rare because he is a senior student. Like today, he will take me to my class first. Not because he cared. I didn't think he really cared. He just wanted more to make sure I followed his orders. If he was not in college, which meant he would be busy in his family's company, as usual, he would send one of his bodyguards to follow me. Again, not because he cared, but so he can monitor me all the time on campus.
If given a choice between the two things, I would prefer to be with the bodyguard.
"Jennie?" Someone call my name. I stopped and turned my head.
"I knew it. Jennie!" She exclaimed, then a little ran toward me.
"Oh My God! It's been a long time since we met!" She exclaimed cheerfully while hugging me. Jaejoong gave her a confused look.
"Geez. You are so beautiful, Jen," she said after releasing her hug and checking me from top to bottom, she even spun me around.
"I... Irene?"I finally found my voice but was still surprised.
"How happy I am to meet you, Jen," she hugged me tightly again, and I hesitantly hugged her back. We hugged for a while, and from behind her, I could see someone was walking towards us, looking at me with a big smile.
"You also study here?" she asked after releasing her hug, again, when the person stopped beside her.
"Wh... Why are you here? Um. What are you doing here Irene?" I asked, confused.
"Silly. Of course for college. Oh sorry, I didn't have time to notify you beforehand. I actually wanted to surprise you with my return. I was just about to text you. But it turns out I'm the one who was surprised to see you here. I didn't think we were on the same campus. What is your major?" she asked.
"Business management and art..." I replied. I'm still surprised with Irene sudden came back. We haven't communicated in a long time. It's been almost a year. I lost contact with her since I went out with Jaejoong. Then with the existing problems, I never thought about Irene at all. I looked at her, not smiling because I was still surprised, then I looked at the cute and pleasant face beside her. He is very beautiful for a guy, but that doesn't mean he isn't handsome. He is quite handsome and attractive especially with his witty and kind eyes. Irene realized the direction of my gaze.
"Oh, yeah. You don't know. This is Kang Seulgi. Seulg, this is Jennie." Irene happily introduced us.
"So this is Jennie, your very famous best friend? Almost every day I hear Irene mention your name," he said, whispering his last sentence through the back of his hand. Indeed, he is very fun and funny. Then he stretched out his hand. I took his hand. Finally smiled.
"Jennie. It's nice to finally meet Irene's future husband," I said with a sincere smile that I haven't put out in months.
"Oh, and this must be Jaejoong, right? The handsome man who stole Jennie's heart?" Irene said, smiling broadly, noticing Jaejoong by my side. I saw Jaejoong smile back at Irene. An almost genuine smile. If I didn't know him, I would have thought he was sincere about giving that smile and a nice guy.
Irene held out her hand, which Jaejoong greeted. Seulgi also did the same.
"Wow. Wow. You are so lucky, Jen. Not only handsome, but he also seems to be very kind-hearted as well. And aren't you the heir of the famous Kim Inc?" Irene asked. I'm a little confused, Irene doesn't usually flatter people like this.
"That's right," Jaejoong answered proudly.
"Quickly marry him, Jen, before being snatched by someone else," she said with a laugh followed by Jaejoong and Seulgi while I just smiled falsely.
"And you are?" asked Jaejoong.
"Oh. Forgive my impoliteness. I'm Bae Joohyun but usually called Irene. I'm Jennie's best friend in high school," she said again, looking down a little. "and this," she pointed at Seulgi.
"Kang Seulgi, your future husband," Jaejoong cut her with a smile. "I heard that earlier,"
Hearing that, Irene laughed. "That's right," she said, then looked at Seulgi with love. Seulgi also looked at her affectionately then embraced her waist. I can see they are really in love with each other. I'm glad Irene is happy.
"Oh yeah, Jen. Seulgi and I also majored in business management. How's your schedule. I wish we could be in the same class. I really miss you. And I want to get to know this charming man beside you even more," she said shamelessly.
"Uh. Irene, I agree that Jaejoong is really charming. But have you forgotten me?" said Seulgi pretending to be sad while pouting.
"Ah. My Bear, of course, I haven't forgotten you. You are the best. But I can't deny the fact that Jennie's boyfriend is so charming, right?" she said while pinching Seulgi's cheek. Okay, fixed, Irene is really weird and exaggerated. As I remember, she was not like this. Maybe after all these year's separation, she was a little bit changed.
Seulgi looked at Jaejoong while shrugging his shoulders. And Jaejoong laughed. He laughed happily.
"Take it easy, friends, my heart already belongs to Jennie, so Irene will be yours," he said.
"Thank goodness," Seulgi dramatized by placing a hand where his heart was, and the three of them laughed again.
I took out my phone to show my class schedule. And she gave a cheerful squeal while making a small jump.
"We are all in the same class! Thankfully. I'm already worried that there is no one I know here besides Seulgi. I also intend to build connection here," she said cheerfully. "Look, my bear, we are all in the same class as Jennie," she showed it to Seulgi, who immediately paid close attention and smiled.
"Yes, thank God," he said.
"You don't need to worry while studying here," said Jaejoong after a while. Irene and Seulgi stared at him with innocent confusion. "If you have a problem here, just tell me. I will help you because my family is the biggest shareholder here," he continued.
"Oh really? Wow," said Irene, widened her eyes and looked at me, then raised her thumb up.
"We will remember. Thank you," said Seulgi, whose smile never disappeared from his face.
After that short but horrendous introduction, we walked towards the classroom. Jaejoong left me after we got to our class. Irene and Seulgi sat with me. And for this time I'm not late.
When we entered, Jisoo and Rosie were already inside. And as usual, they looked at me. Luckily, Irene and Seulgi were by my side, so those who seemed to come to me canceled their intentions and looked at us with confused faces, maybe because they had never seen Irene and Seulgi before. Irene and Seulgi, of course, get attention from classmates. The new one beautiful, the other, is charming and seems kind-hearted.
----------------
3rd PERSON POV
"She's with 2 other people, boss," said one of Jaejoong's bodyguards over the phone. He called him to report what Jennie was up to. And because Jennie was with strangers, he immediately told his boss as requested.
"Send the photo," said Jaejoong briefly and not long after the photo was delivered. He opened the photo, which was sent to see it briefly, and returned to talk to the bodyguard who was told to escort Jennie. More precisely, monitoring Jennie.
"No problem. It's her best friend Irene and her future husband Seulgi. Let them," he said and then hung up.
Actually, Jaejoong already knows who Irene is. Know that Irene is Jennie's best friend while at Seoul High School and also quite close to Lisa. But she has been moving to the USA, so they separated a long time ago. Even with Jennie, it seems like it has been a long time since they lost contact seeing how their meeting was yesterday. Besides, Irene and Seulgi seemed fine and pleased Jaejoong, so he let Jennie befriend Irene. He can also show that he has a big heart and does allow Jennie to be friends with other people. It's just that the friend must go through his approval. Irene and Seulgi? Of course, they had passed his approval.