Aesthete|Jenkook

3.

Jungkook entered his campus the next day again with his violin on his back.

He went straight to the café at his university as he was much earlier than the rest.

The university had a connected entrance to a public cafe as it was in the same building either way.

He got inside as the mood of the café was soft tuned, classical music played from the old and rustic CD player the café always had in the corner, which helped him calm down and unwind.

The small squared room of the food hub was pained beige on most walls with green wines hanging down a side, as one of the walls that faced the street was replaced by a large tinted window, that showed the road below without them seeing you.

The tables were homey as they were made of wood, as the place was a perfect place for a small date.

There was never too much chatter as it was a hushed down quite area, where most would come to finish their unfinished work.

Jungkook smiled as he heard the small chime of the bell atop the front door as he stepped in, right foot first.

The waitress recognised him as a regular as she asked him if he wanted his usual.

He walked there immediately not sparing a glance to the couple sitting right nearby on their date, only focusing on the girl who worked there part time.

He smiled at her as she did as well in return.

"The usual?" Her soft voice rang asking him as he nodded, pink lacing up to his cheeks.

Jungkook was always a shy kid, but this certain long haired blonde made him shyer as she always teased him.

He never had romantic feelings for her, it's just that he was always embarrassed around her.

She went on to make his drink as he stood there waiting at the counter checking his messages from fellow group chats he was a part of.

She handed him the drink by sliding it across the counter as he caught it, and bowed slightly in gratitude before observing and looking for his seat.

As he was, his eyes widened at the sight of her.

She sat there, sipping on an ice tea against one of the two seater tables at the Window, as she  scrolled through her phone as well.

Her brunette hair cascaded down her shoulders and around her white blouse too, which was toned down with blue jeans that it was tucked into.

To say she looked ethereal with the light surrounding her would be the only truth received.

She looked delicate as her ambience matched with that of the café's.

Jungkook stood there a minute contemplating his next decisions with a nervous behaviour.

He approached her, Jennie, the one who gave him a 9 as he wanted to improve as much as he could and as soon as he could.

"Jennie-ssi?" He called not knowing what else to call her.

She was younger in age and if in college would be in the previous year, being 22.

She was staring into space and was a little shocked by his sudden appearance beside her.

She looked at him and sat straighter before speaking.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked him as he nodded.

"N-ne, it's about the examination.." he started as she seemed to nod.

"Have a seat..." she said as he followed with her instructions.

She motioned with him to continue on with his question and so he did.

"I wanted to ask what did I mess up for me to receive a 9. What skill did I not meet my standards up to?" He asked as she blankly stared at him with her expressionless face as she sighed.

"Are you questioning why you didn't get a 10, for your skill?" She asked as he nodded In response.

She slightly pursed her lips together before tucking a few strands of her hair behind her ear so they would be away for her face.

"Jungkook-ssi, why do you play the violin?" She asked him as he looked at her confused, but still answered her.

"Because I like it." He said as she raised an eyebrow.

"Because you like it? That's a bland answer. I like to watch YouTube but I'm not here making that my career. Justify to me, why again."

She asked as he stood there thinking a moment.

He inhaled a deep breath as he started.

"The violin gives me comfort. I play whenever I'm stressed at home or when I need to, and the tune that plays from the wooden piece instantly calms my nerves. It makes me happy, the music. It interests me, it charms me. It's something I'm passionate about, and I would raise my confidence anyway to pursue my knowledge on it, no matter what. Playing the violin helps me... grow." He ended with a slim smile playing across his lips.

"And that is why you got a 9. I could tell your passion from a mile away if I needed to. If I was judging based on skill, you would have witnessed me failing at least half your class. I'm strict Jungkook. But we have enough professors solely on skill, so I chose passion as a factor. Of course I also had your skill to assess, and there sprang your missing one Mark" she said as she laid back sipping her coffee.

Her words lingered in his mind a minute.

He smiled at that, as he found himself liking the meaning towards the instrument a lot more.

"If it was only on skill, Jennie-ssi, what would you have given me?" He asked just in case as she looked at him once more.

"A 7, 8 at most. You missed a Cabtabile in the 9th segment and a half fermata in the 4th. I've played this multiple times. Stupid mistakes are always mistakes" she said as he flinched under her harsh grading and looked over his meanings.

She saw his degrading look appear on his face as she said that and decided to continue on.

"If I were the one judging myself this evening Jungkook-ssi, I would have given a 5 to me, based on current circumstances. You should be proud to have such a liking towards what you do."

Hearing her words he got the first secret to her harsh reality, which was never all fairy tales.

He wanted to press further to know what she meant by a 5, and under the circumstances, but he couldn't as he was interrupted.

"Jungkook-ah. You're being called to the deans offices. Come now" someone yelled across the hall as he saw it was the schools vice principal.

He immediately bowed quickly to her figure before running across to the office.

She sat there with the iced drink in her hands as she continued to look through her phone, awaiting the response.