Chocolate Hearts | Jongin

18. Effortless

Chocolate Hearts
Chapter Eighteen
Effortless

Nari was almost embarrassed to admit how long it took her to become confident enough to dance on her own.

More than a week passed before Nari was ready to tackle choreography on her own. To make things a little better for her, Jongin offered to teach her the dance to Love Me Right, remembering that was her favourite song. Nari agreed, and together they went through the beginning of the choreography.

Nari wished that she was able to dance as well as Jongin was able to bake. She wasn't as uncoordinated as she once had been, but in her opinion, she still wasn't great.

Then again, Jongin had been dancing ever since he was young. She'd only just started.

When they finally called it a day, Nari's breathing was laboured and her face was bright red. She fell to the floor, and Jongin sat beside her, shooting her a grin.

"Your dancing keeps getting better," he complimented. "I'm impressed, Nari."

She laughed. "It's only because you're such a good teacher."

"Thanks. You are as well, you know."

"The messiest teacher, though," she said with a laugh, thinking back to bench tops covered in flour of chocolate powder and leftover dough. No matter how long she baked Nari felt like she only became messier.

Well, as long as they still tasted nice, she didn't see why having a messy bench was a problem. She cleaned up when she finished, anyway.

"That makes it more fun," Jongin said with a grin.

Nari rolled her eyes; she was sure he was only saying that because of their flour fights.

The dark-haired girl leaned over and grabbed her water bottle, taking several long gulps.

"How's things with your family?" Jongin asked presently, his voice gentle.

Nari shrugged. "My mum's getting better and beginning to move on with her life. Hyeon is actually improving. I think I can start to accept him now, especially considering everything he's done for Mum." She smiled softly. "He's basically got everything sorted out."

Nari had tried to help with the rest of their mum's divorce, but Hyeon had already done so much that there's barely been anything left for her to do. In the end, as much as she loathed herself for it, she let Hyeon finish everything. He knew everything that was going on, and had from the start. He understood things already that left Nari bewildered. For the speed of the procedure, she'd conceded that it was best to leave everything to him, though she'd vowed she'd help him out with something else at some point in the future.

Jongin took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm glad things are getting better for you."

"Thanks." Nari smiled, her eyes glued to their entwined hands. "I don't feel so isolated anymore. You wouldn't know just what this means to me."

"I don't, but I can guess." He grinned. "I can see it in your smile, your eyes. You smile more frequently and your eyes shine more often."

Nari felt like she'd just received an electric shock. Her eyes widened, her hand flying to touch the skin just beneath them.

My eyes shine more often? How would he have been able to pick up on that?

"Those are really minute details," she whispered.

Nari found herself staring at Jongin, and he was looking back at her. She gasped when she realised how she could tell how little aspects of his face had changed from when they first met, and they were little things - things she wouldn't have been able able to tell without paying close attention for a long time.