Nari's fingers played over the keys and notes came together to make a song. Her heart felt a bit strange though. She'd had a long day for sure. Lots had happened today. Perhaps all the activity and excitement contributed to her music feeling lifeless and dull to her today. Her mind was spinning so fast as she jumped from thought to thought, all while keeping customers' ears filled with music while they drank their coffee.
Why had Jun left?
Why was Minnie avoiding the issue?
What was she going to play for this upcoming recital?
She stopped for her break and walked back to the kitchen to grab a cup of tea before continuing. She stirred it slowly, adding a little sugar to sweeten the bitter taste. She stared into the brown liquid and let her thought process go its own way.
A man at a table nearby watched the pianist carefully. He had heard her play before but tonight was different. The songs were a bit slower and sometimes a bit sadder in sound. He nibbled at his sandwich he really shouldn't have ordered for as late in the evening as it was. Jungkook would just tell me to eat it and stop caring about my weight... He reluctantly took a bite and chewed it slowly as he tried to be casual in his observation of the pianist.
Nari's brows were growing closer together the longer she thought. Her short break was soon over and she walked her teacup up to the counter and then returned to the piano bench. She sighed deeply and began to play again, her mental turmoil trickling down through her fingers.
Jimin watched silently from the side booth, keeping his phone out to look inconspicuous. He watched as an older lady came out to the tables and sat down, her back to him. She watched Nari play and she seemed to be studying her closely. He pulled his coat up over the bottom part of his face as he watched from behind a pair of glasses.
Nari stopped playing a little before eight. She felt an overwhelming sense of sadness sweep over her and she couldn't explain why. She looked around and saw Minnie viewing her with a smile. The older woman nodded slowly and then patted the empty spot across from her. Nari nodded slightly and covered the piano keys with the red felt. The few people still in the coffee shop applauded lightly as they always did when she stopped playing for the night.
Nari walked over to the table and sat down, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. "Minnie, I'm not feeling it tonight."
Minnie nodded. "I can tell. What's bothering you?"
Jimin's ears perked up as he eavesdropped from his seat. They were only two tables away so he could hear them if he listened really close.
"Me? Ah, it's been a long day. I sent my mom and sister home this morning. I miss them, I think. Perhaps I'm finally feeling a bit homesick." Her voice quivered slightly and she cleared her throat to gain control once more. "I can sense something happened right before I got here tonight. Jun left and you won't talk about it. I'm not trying to pry, but is everything okay between you two?"
Minnie smiled sadly and nodded. "Yes. He and I are good. He's worked for me for a long time. Most of the time he feels like my own child. We work out our disagreements fairly quickly. So no worries there. Also, if you get too homesick you can always come visit me. I promise to treat you just like your mom would. I'll feed you home cooked food, harp at you about your grades, and bother you about your health." She laughed and it was a beautiful sound to Nari at that moment. "What else is going on?"
Nari sighed and played with the salt and pepper shakers on the table. "I have a recital for school coming up in two weeks. I don't think my family will be able to come for one thing. The other thing is I have no idea what to play. It's one-fourth of my grade so there's a lot of pressure on me to pick something good."
"Mmm, I remember several of my employees having to do something similar. I've heard you play, sweetie, anything you pick will be just fine. You do wonderful. A good musician isn't afraid to make themselves vulnerable through their music. I love how you can express yourself through your playing. I knew something was wrong, even though you weren't necessarily playing a sad song. I could just sense it. Hey, let me know when your recital is and I will be there. I'll even video it for your mom or something. Don't worry. You aren't going to do any of this alone as long as you have me." She leaned over and wrapped her arms around Nari squeezing her gently.
Nari was a bit embarrassed to be getting a hug in front of people but she felt like her own mother was hugging her close. It was a comfort to her homesick heart. "Thank you, Minnie. You've been nothing but kind to me since I started working here. I promise to be happier when I play tomorrow."
"It's fine, m'dear. Some people enjoy the more melancholic music! A variety of music is healthy for the mind." Minnie smiled at her young employee and her heart felt a bit burdened for her. She would have to reach out to her more in the future.
Jimin felt like he had learned a bit more about this girl. He couldn't help but think back to his conversation with Nana yesterday and it made him feel a bit more concerned.
"Jimin, wait...can I call you oppa? No. Nevermind. It sounds weird now that I said it outloud," laughed Nana lightly. "Jimin, can I ask a favor?"
"Sure. Anything for my fan as long as it's in my power to do it." He smiled sweetly at her, expecting a request for a signature, some piece of merch, or God forbid, the shirt off his back.
"I know you're JiminsScarf. No one just makes an account for a scarf." She smirked and he felt his face grow hot. "I saw you looking for my sister when you came in. Let me ask you one thing. She's alone in a big city now. I have no right to ask this, or even to expect you to follow through with it. Just...keep an eye on her if you come across her again? Please? It would mean a lot to me." The pair walked down the hall to the lobby and Jimin pondered her request.
"I mean, you don't have to answer me now. Just...maybe check up on her once in a while from the shadows or something? I know it's actually impossible for you to do. But maybe, if you happen to see her again, just...maybe be nice to her? She's really special to me, you know. She's my only sister. I miss her. I know she's...well, maybe she'll get homesick one day. Its funny, because as long as I've been into BTS, my sister really doesn't know much about you guys." Nana laughed and shook her head. "I've tried but I think it will take someone like you to bring her into the fandom. She's a sucker for a good eye smile. So work it, Chim Chim."
Jimin laughed outloud at her cheeky behavior. "I'll consider it. Just for you. But do me a favor, don't tell her or any one my secret. Promise?" He held out his pinky finger and Nana took it with a giggle.
"No offense, but your pinky really is small," she whispered, face burning red. They hooked pinkies and shook them gently.
Jimin scoffed and shook his head. "Never mind, I won't consider it."
"Oppaaaaa," whined Nana.
"Okay, fine. I'll consider it."
Nana grinned confidently and nodded firmly. "In exchange I'll put in a good word for you once in a while." She winked at Jimin's shocked face. "Oh, don't act all surprised and like you're in denial. I can sense things and I sense that you happen to like my sister, even if it's a little bit."
Jimin didn't have the time to respond as they walked up to the lobby hallway just then.
What could he do to be nice to her without making himself known? It made his head hurt to just think about being sneaky. He watched as the two women walked back to the kitchen area. A few moments later, Nari was walking out of the shop, pink scarf wrapped around her face and neck. He quickly packed up and zipped up his coat, heading out behind her. He slipped a face mask on as he walked behind her from a safe distance. She kept her hands in her pockets and her face down. His own face and neck grew cold but he didn't dare put on his scarf at the risk of being seen or recognized by her. How would he explain why he was now following her?
Following her...wait...what?
He groaned silently and mentally kicked himself. What in the world was he doing? Following a girl? How weird could a person get!
He watched as she walked past each shop, not bothering to even look at the window displays. Her face was focused on the ground. She must be deep in thought. He smiled to himself as he quickly thought of a plan. Falling in step with a passing couple, he was able to pass Nari and end up in front of her without her even noticing. He glanced over his shoulder as he moved in front of her, keeping a safe distance for a while. Suddenly, he stopped and pretended to look at the window display. He suddenly blushed at the same time she ran right into him.
"Oomph! Excuse me, sir! I'm sorry. I wasn't-"
"Nari-ssi?" Jimin quickly averted his eyes to the girl now staring at him with wide eyes. "Is that you?"
Nari gulped and nodded. She'd seen a lot of him today and she couldn't exactly explain why. "Jimin-ssi?"
"Yep! Funny we meet here." He quickly looked back at the window display and his face became more heated. His hand subconsciously raised to his face and he scratched his eyebrow lightly as he fumbled around for an explanation he knew was going to be inevitably expected.
"Yes," she said slowly, eyes sliding over to the window display. "I don't mean to be rude, I never had brothers, so maybe I don't know how a guy's mind works, but why are you standing in front of a women's lingerie store?" Her eyes slid back over to Jimin who wanted nothing more than to melt into the pavement and disappear. He hadn't intended to stop there. It's just how things worked out. When he had seen he was in front of the lingerie store, it was already too late as she was only a small distance away. He was committed to follow through. And so he had.
"Ah, well, you see...that's...um..." He finally hung his head and stopped speaking. Nothing coherent or logical was coming out of his mouth.
"No worries. It's not my job to judge," she said, trying to side-step around him. He spun on his heel as she moved past him and resumed walking.
"Nari-ssi, wait," he said, clambering to catch up to her. "Can I walk with you for a few moments?" He matched her stride and kept in step. He wasn't sure what he was asking for but he just didn't want to leave her to walk home alone.
"If you won't get in trouble," said Nari from behind her scarf.
Jimin smiled and walked beside her, eyeing her pink scarf. "Nice scarf. Did your sister make it?" He knew Nana had made it. He knew she had given it to her as a gift. He knew she had just gotten it last night and it had a matching hat. "Wait, where's the beanie," he asked, staring over at her hatless head.
"I'm sorry? How did you know it had a matching beanie?" Nari looked at him cautiously. He noticed her steps grew a tiny bit quicker.
"Ah, no," he laughed nervously, "I said, I wish mine had a matching beanie." He felt slightly panicked.
"Ahh. Perhaps she can make you one. I'm sure she would love to do it."
"You think so? I should ask her." He smiled and spoke softly.
Nari eyed him from the corner of her eye. He was sort of handsome. His hair was covered by a black beanie so she couldn't see it. His face was particularly covered by a mask and he was wearing fashion glasses. Despite all his main features being covered, he walked with the air of a man who knew where he was going in life and was not afraid to work hard to get there. He stride was confident and dare she say, swagger-filled? She ducked her face down into her scarf a little more and smirked to herself.
"Hey," he said, his soft, muffled voice floating to her ears. "Would it be okay if we exchanged numbers? You know, so you can send me Nana's contact info later and I can ask her about making that beanie?" He smiled hopefully behind his mask, his eyes becoming half moons.
Nari eyed him skeptically and shook her head. "I can give you Nana's twitter handle and you can find her that way," she offered. Under no circumstances was she giving to personal numbers, celebrity or not.
Jimin felt like someone stuck a pin in him and deflated him. That wasn't the answer he was hoping for. After all, he already had both of their Twitter handles saved in his phone. "Ah, sure," he said, laughing nervously. He pulled out his phone and she typed it into his phone. She handed it back and he noted there was only one username typed down. "Um, what about yours? Do you have a Twitter?" He cringed internally at all the little white lies he was telling indirectly. Of course he knew her Twitter handle by heart.
"Yes..." Nari contemplated whether she should give it to him or not. "I'm not really a K-Pop fan. So I doubt you would be interested in following me." She stopped walking as she had reached her bus stop. "This is my stop. Thanks for walking with me." She smiled and waved as she walked over to the small waiting area.
Jimin sighed softly. He was glad she was careful but he secretly wished she would at least consider them friends or at least acquaintances and stop treating him like some stalker.
But you are a stalker, Jimin. No longer just an SNS stalker; you've done brought this into real life. Way to go, dummy.
"See ya," he said softly, causing her to turn back over her shoulder and smile, giving him a small wave. The bus pulled up and he watched as she stepped on and found a seat in the back corner. His eyes caught hers once more through the window and she waved slightly in return to his large wave. He smiled warmly and he saw her blush lightly. She really was pretty. He smiled as he found himself feeling less worried for her considering how cautious she was.
He quickly surveyed his surroundings to see if he had been spotted and after seeing no one in particular, he flagged down a taxi and hopped in.
Time to go home.