Then and Now (JinJi)

Part 2

The rest of the time Jinyoung is alone with Bomi isn't long. They've both gone over the script enough times to be able to say their lines once prompted, with a fair bit of improvisation to spice things up. Jinyoung wishes he could say the same about his conversation skills with Bomi.

When he's around her, he gets caught up in his thoughts. He has to play his words over and over again in his head to make sure they're adequate before he can brave saying them to her. Too many times, this results in an awkward silence. He's afraid he's putting her off.

"So, how do you like your Inkigayo gig?" Bomi asks, raising her brows inquisitively. It's a small movement, but Jinyoung finds it adorable and he gets tongue-tied again. Bomi laughs at his attempt, and he laughs along, nervously. Out of nowhere, she puts a friendly hand on his arm. He feels like he might combust at this very moment.

"Hey," she says in a friendly tone. "Stop being so nervous! You're a regular MC on this show, if you're nervous, then there's no hope for me, the guest!"

"Sorry," Jinyoung says. "It's not usually like this. I guess I've been absent too many times, I'm starting to lose my touch."

"You're probably used to doing things a certain way," Bomi says. "I'm sure you, Jisoo, and Doyoung have fallen in some kind of routine, developed great chemistry."

Jinyoung smiled. "We have," he says. It's the first thing he can say confidently in front of her. This doesn't escape Bomi's notice, and she's intrigued. She sits up on the couch and latches onto the first topic Jinyoung actually seems comfortable discussing with her.

"So, tell me," she says cheerfully. "Between the three of you, who's the best MC? I won't tell them your answer, I promise!"

Jinyoung sits up. "The best MC?" he says. "Wow. Okay. Umm, let's see... personally, I feel like we each have our strengths and weaknesses. Me, I look like a typical MC, I'm in charge of being the reliable anchor, keeping things going smoothly, sticking to the script. Doyoung's a funny kid, he's good at improvising gags and doing cute things. Jisoo is..."

He pauses for a second. Bomi leans in.

"Sorry, what?" she says. Jinyoung thinks about Jisoo, probably still lingering alone in the hallway, and he feels terrible. But he thinks about what she said to him, how she told him—with a smile on her face—to go back into the room and talk to Bomi. Casual. Cheerful, even.

"Jisoo's the mood maker," Jinyoung says, looking up at Bomi. "When she walks into a room, she lights it up. She knows everyone by name, and she greets them all. When she talks to you, you know she's really talking to you and not just at you. She comes here every Sunday and makes us all feel like a family."

Jinyoung is still staring at Bomi, but she has a feeling that he isn't really seeing her.

"She's a strong believer in people," Jinyoung says. "She has this amazing aura, she just draws you in, makes you feel special. Safe. Important."

Bomi wonders if he can hear himself, the way he talks about Jisoo. He suddenly laughs to himself.

"Actually, she can also get a little out of hand," he says. "She has a lot of energy, it can take a while for us to get down to business and start going over scripts if she starts talking. She can be naive at times. And whatever you do, do not get her started on manga. Or dogs. Or food. Not unless you want her to talk for 3 hours straight without breathing."

He laughs again. His eyes scrunch up when he laughs genuinely.

"Sometimes, though," he says, his voice slowing down. "Sometimes, she walks in and she isn't so cheerful and bright. I mean, she's always polite, of course, and she still says hello to everyone, and she still does her job. But sometimes you can see that she's not always happy. But it's alright, I don't expect her to be happy all the time."