Chocolate Hearts | Jongin

20. Official

Chocolate Hearts
Chapter Twenty
Official

The next few days, Nari finished preparing herself to properly confess to Jongin. And this time, without letting her fear hold her back from saying yes. 

She enlisted the help of Jongdae, Hye-Ja, and Yumi. Her friends all but screamed when she admitted she was finally confessing; they, of course, didn't know about their earlier confession. Those two were her moral support, and always had been. Nari knew she was going to have to find a way to thank them later, for everything they'd done for her over the years. She wouldn't have been able to make it this far without them.

While Yumi and Hye-Ja supported her, Jongdae assisted her finish the last part of the song she'd been working on for weeks. When it was finally finished and Nari could play through it without forgetting all the words, he gave her a hug. "You've got this," he said, grinning.

There was no other reason to delay to put off confessing once that was finished. At their next dance practice, Nari brought her guitar along with her. 

Jongin looked a little confused as to why she'd brought her guitar, but didn't question it. "You ready?" he asked, when they were in the 

Nari nodded. "Yeah."

They were finishing the dance to Love Me Right and, despite it being her favourite song, Nari couldn't concentrate. She couldn't immerse herself in the music like she was usually able to do, and her dancing was suffering for it. 

Jongin seemed to notice it as well. Halfway through their session, Jongin stopped dancing suddenly. Nari stopped too, looking at Jongin, her head slightly tipped to the side as she questioned him with her eyes. She didn't trust herself to speak - she was sure she'd turn into a stuttering mess.

Jongin placed both hands on her shoulders, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"Nari? Are you okay?" he probed gently. "You're a little distracted."

Nari swallowed. She couldn't keep the act up any longer. She needed to do this and now, before her nerve failed her.

"Oh, I'm just tired," she said breezily, waving her hand. She breathed in and added, "Could we take a break?"

Jongin nodded. "Sure."

The two of them moved toward the side of the room, where their drink bottled were. Nari sank into a seat next to her guitar, leaning in close to it as she took a long draught of water, hoping that would aid her to clear her throat out a little.

"I haven't heard that in a while," Jongin commented, gesturing to the guitar. He smiled. "Do you want to play something?"

Nari licked her lips. Now or never.

"I do, actually," she whispered. She cleared her throat and pulled the guitar out of its case and rested it on her lap. The familiar feeling of the instrument in her hands calmed her down slightly. "You wouldn't have heard this song before, though."

Jongin stood next to her, watching with interest. Nari quickly checked all the strings were in tune before she breathed in, gripping the neck with more pressure than was necessary. Her palms were already sweaty.

You can do it, she told herself firmly. You've practiced, you've prepared. Do it, Yong Nari.

With a final deep breath to prepare, Nari strummed the opening chords to the song she had composed herself, which Jongdae had helped her with slightly.

Once the song began, she calmed down, and lost herself in the music. She was in her element, with her guitar in her hands, which had become something like an extension of her body over the years, something she couldn't live without.