We'll Be A Dream (1/?)
Summary - Jongin left Mihwa behind to chase his dreams two years ago. Now she's a dangerous dream he can't afford to chase.
Sequel to this
“Here drink some warm milk” Jongin’s mother said, handing him a white cup filled with hot liquid. “I don’t feel like drinking anything now” Jongin sighed, tired after the day’s events. “You should. You’re going to catch a cold otherwise” she said sternly. Jongin grudgingly took the cup and took a sip, only to be rewarded with a burnt tongue and an affectionate pat on his head.
“So, did you meet Mihwa today?” his mother asked. “Yeah. I met her in the evening?” Jongin confirmed. “And?” she asked eagerly. “And we talked” Jongin said expressionlessly. “That was it?” his mother asked, sounding a little disappointed. “Yeah” Jongin replied, a little confused. “I suppose you can’t rush love” his mother said with a wistful sigh. Jongin’s eyes widened.
“Eomma!” he exclaimed. His heart sped up. Had he been obvious? He hadn’t even talked about her, except to tell his mother he would go meet her today. There was no way she would have known. “You say it like a bad thing. You both liked each other before didn’t you? I thought you’d have waited for her” she pointed out. I did, Jongin thought bitterly before shaking his head. “You’re mistaken” he told her soberly. The milk had cooled down by then and he really didn’t feel like drinking it any more.
“How is she? Haven’t seen her in a while” his mother said, diverting the topic. “She’s okay. We didn’t talk a lot. I didn’t know Jongdae and Joonmyun hyung had moved out” he told her, making idle conversation. “Yeah, they got accepted into the same university so they moved out together. Lucky for them to have someone they know in town. You could have gone to university too you know. You would have graduated high school in a year if you had continued” she nagged. “I’m not talking about this anymore. You know that I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to audition later” Jongin explained.
“But it’s not a stable life Jongin! What happens after ten years? God forbid, but what happens if you can’t dance anymore? You’ll be stranded because you don’t have a degree to support yourself! Who will employ you?” his mother asked. “Well it’s a good thing that I am not stopping dancing any time soon isn’t it?” Jongin said with gritted teeth. He stood up and drained the half filled cup of milk before putting the cup away. His mother glared but didn’t say anything. He went up to his room and shut the door behind him. Today had been a long day indeed.
“Jongin?” Mihwa asked surprised. “Hi” he said with a small smile. He was standing in front of her school gate. People had been looking at him, some openly and some discreetly. Mihwa knew the girls in her class were his fans but still felt a little awkward when she saw them snap photos of him on their phones. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “I met some of my old teachers today and since it was almost the end of the day I thought I could wait and walk you home” he told her, running his hands through his hair. They stood around not knowing what to do for a moment.
“It’ll be out of the way for you” Mihwa said finally, breaking the silence. “Oh...” he said, looking a little crestfallen. “That’s okay though. I won’t mind” he added quickly. “Okay then” she agreed. People had begun to talk. They would be wondering who the girl was with their famous idol and she didn’t want to stay longer and create trouble. She walked ahead and Jongin took long strides to catch up to her. She could still feel their stares behind her while Jongin walked ahead, used to this kind of attention on the streets.
They turned a corner, away from prying eyes. Though Mihwa was sure some of her classmates were following them from far behind. “Let me carry some of that” Jongin offered, stretching his hand towards the books in her hand. Mihwa stepped away. “The gesture was really nice but my house is in the opposite direction to yours and I don’t want to trouble you any further” she told him, hugging the books closer to her chest. Jongin blinked, slowly retracting his hand. “I’ll be able to make my own way back, don’t worry. Give your mother my regards. I haven’t met her in a long time” Mihwa said with a bow.
She turned around and walked away swiftly and Jongin watched her walk away. He kicked a stray pebble before turning around and walking back home.
“I have good news for you” Jongin’s agent said the moment he picked up the call. Jaemin was one of the best in the industry and he was lucky that his company had associated him with Jongin since it had exponentially reduced his struggles. Jaemin had gotten him various projects through his contacts. He had managed to idol groups before the company transferred him to solo acts. In fact the man behind Kai was Jaemin and not Jongin.
“I’m all ears” Jongin said, lying on his bed. “Do you know BoA?” Jaemin asked. “Yeah” Jongin replied half heartedly. Who didn't know the Queen herself? BoA was a singer/performer who was known for her exceptionally hard choreography that was very difficult to perform. “Well, she needs a partner for a duet performance for the choreo to her next song. Guess who’s it?” Jaemin asked with a grin. “Jaemin, you’re god” Jongin said, sitting up. “Not after this piece of news I’m not. You might need to come back in three days” he told him. “What?” Jongin asked, surprised. “Yeah. She’s running on a tight schedule” he told him.
“But I’ll miss Mihwa’s birthday” Jongin thought out loud. “Mihwa?” Jaemin asked, confused. “She’s a friend” Jongin explained, embarrassed about his slip up. “Your girlfriend?” Jaemin asked. “No” Jongin denied. “Just a friend” he assured his manager. “Alright...” Jaemin said thoughtfully. “Listen here kid. Not everyone gets a chance like this. Certainly not anyone who has been in the industry for such a short time. You’ve worked so hard. Don’t throw it away for a girl” Jaemin advised. “I’ll let BoA’s company know we are interested.” Jongin hummed an affirmation and the call ended.
He looked towards the old photo of him and Mihwa as children that was kept on his bedside table.
I’m sorry I’ll leave you behind for a second time.
Part 2
Sequel to this
“Here drink some warm milk” Jongin’s mother said, handing him a white cup filled with hot liquid. “I don’t feel like drinking anything now” Jongin sighed, tired after the day’s events. “You should. You’re going to catch a cold otherwise” she said sternly. Jongin grudgingly took the cup and took a sip, only to be rewarded with a burnt tongue and an affectionate pat on his head.
“So, did you meet Mihwa today?” his mother asked. “Yeah. I met her in the evening?” Jongin confirmed. “And?” she asked eagerly. “And we talked” Jongin said expressionlessly. “That was it?” his mother asked, sounding a little disappointed. “Yeah” Jongin replied, a little confused. “I suppose you can’t rush love” his mother said with a wistful sigh. Jongin’s eyes widened.
“Eomma!” he exclaimed. His heart sped up. Had he been obvious? He hadn’t even talked about her, except to tell his mother he would go meet her today. There was no way she would have known. “You say it like a bad thing. You both liked each other before didn’t you? I thought you’d have waited for her” she pointed out. I did, Jongin thought bitterly before shaking his head. “You’re mistaken” he told her soberly. The milk had cooled down by then and he really didn’t feel like drinking it any more.
“How is she? Haven’t seen her in a while” his mother said, diverting the topic. “She’s okay. We didn’t talk a lot. I didn’t know Jongdae and Joonmyun hyung had moved out” he told her, making idle conversation. “Yeah, they got accepted into the same university so they moved out together. Lucky for them to have someone they know in town. You could have gone to university too you know. You would have graduated high school in a year if you had continued” she nagged. “I’m not talking about this anymore. You know that I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to audition later” Jongin explained.
“But it’s not a stable life Jongin! What happens after ten years? God forbid, but what happens if you can’t dance anymore? You’ll be stranded because you don’t have a degree to support yourself! Who will employ you?” his mother asked. “Well it’s a good thing that I am not stopping dancing any time soon isn’t it?” Jongin said with gritted teeth. He stood up and drained the half filled cup of milk before putting the cup away. His mother glared but didn’t say anything. He went up to his room and shut the door behind him. Today had been a long day indeed.
“Jongin?” Mihwa asked surprised. “Hi” he said with a small smile. He was standing in front of her school gate. People had been looking at him, some openly and some discreetly. Mihwa knew the girls in her class were his fans but still felt a little awkward when she saw them snap photos of him on their phones. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “I met some of my old teachers today and since it was almost the end of the day I thought I could wait and walk you home” he told her, running his hands through his hair. They stood around not knowing what to do for a moment.
“It’ll be out of the way for you” Mihwa said finally, breaking the silence. “Oh...” he said, looking a little crestfallen. “That’s okay though. I won’t mind” he added quickly. “Okay then” she agreed. People had begun to talk. They would be wondering who the girl was with their famous idol and she didn’t want to stay longer and create trouble. She walked ahead and Jongin took long strides to catch up to her. She could still feel their stares behind her while Jongin walked ahead, used to this kind of attention on the streets.
They turned a corner, away from prying eyes. Though Mihwa was sure some of her classmates were following them from far behind. “Let me carry some of that” Jongin offered, stretching his hand towards the books in her hand. Mihwa stepped away. “The gesture was really nice but my house is in the opposite direction to yours and I don’t want to trouble you any further” she told him, hugging the books closer to her chest. Jongin blinked, slowly retracting his hand. “I’ll be able to make my own way back, don’t worry. Give your mother my regards. I haven’t met her in a long time” Mihwa said with a bow.
She turned around and walked away swiftly and Jongin watched her walk away. He kicked a stray pebble before turning around and walking back home.
“I have good news for you” Jongin’s agent said the moment he picked up the call. Jaemin was one of the best in the industry and he was lucky that his company had associated him with Jongin since it had exponentially reduced his struggles. Jaemin had gotten him various projects through his contacts. He had managed to idol groups before the company transferred him to solo acts. In fact the man behind Kai was Jaemin and not Jongin.
“I’m all ears” Jongin said, lying on his bed. “Do you know BoA?” Jaemin asked. “Yeah” Jongin replied half heartedly. Who didn't know the Queen herself? BoA was a singer/performer who was known for her exceptionally hard choreography that was very difficult to perform. “Well, she needs a partner for a duet performance for the choreo to her next song. Guess who’s it?” Jaemin asked with a grin. “Jaemin, you’re god” Jongin said, sitting up. “Not after this piece of news I’m not. You might need to come back in three days” he told him. “What?” Jongin asked, surprised. “Yeah. She’s running on a tight schedule” he told him.
“But I’ll miss Mihwa’s birthday” Jongin thought out loud. “Mihwa?” Jaemin asked, confused. “She’s a friend” Jongin explained, embarrassed about his slip up. “Your girlfriend?” Jaemin asked. “No” Jongin denied. “Just a friend” he assured his manager. “Alright...” Jaemin said thoughtfully. “Listen here kid. Not everyone gets a chance like this. Certainly not anyone who has been in the industry for such a short time. You’ve worked so hard. Don’t throw it away for a girl” Jaemin advised. “I’ll let BoA’s company know we are interested.” Jongin hummed an affirmation and the call ended.
He looked towards the old photo of him and Mihwa as children that was kept on his bedside table.
I’m sorry I’ll leave you behind for a second time.
Part 2