Owning You - A Na Jaemin Fanfic

17. Roman Holiday

We're at the movies. Me and my date. Jaemin and his girlfriend. It's surreal. It's so screwed up. My driver drops me off at the movies - Yuta had wanted to fetch me, but I insisted on going on my own - and the moment I walk into the cinema lounge, I see Yuta. His face lights up when he sees me. He is so handsome, pale golden hair streaked with blonde. He hurries to me, smiling widely.

"Haeri. You look beautiful," he murmurs in my ear.

Jaemin and Carol join us; I note that they are not holding hands. Carol looks a little sulky. Jaemin has probably laid down the rules. Jaemin is holding two boxes of popcorn, and a plastic bag of drinks. He passes a box of popcorn to Yuta, and the bag of drinks to Carol. His hair is slightly damp, and he's slouched a little in a white baggy jumper and blue jeans, long legs arrowed to the floor. A pond of blue carpet lies between us. The coffee machine hisses in the background. He looks up, unsmiling. "Haeri."

We walk in pairs to Hall A, Jaemin and Carol leading the way. And that's when it happens, somewhere between my third and fourth steps. Carol, walking ahead of me, stumbles over a step, and Jaemin shoots out a hand and steadies her, his arm snaking around her waist. I look away, but it is already too late; the jealousy has already started somewhere in my gut. It rushes past my lungs, across my heart, into my throat, shreds itself against my teeth. No unnecessary touching, we had agreed. But strictly speaking, that had been necessary touching. She could have fallen and cracked her skull if Jaemin hadn't touched her. But no amount of logic can help, so I turn to the open window at the side, gasping in the winter air, and by the time we walk into the hall, I am feeling much better. I can even smile at Yuta again.

We're in Row A, right next to the doors. Carol inches her way into the row first, followed by Jaemin, then me, and close behind, Yuta. We file in solemnly, like wary soldiers, squinting our eyes to see our way in the darkened hall. They're already playing the ads. Jaemin slides into his seat before me, stretching out his legs, and I stumble a little, almost falling onto his lap, and his arms are around me. I hear his whisper, hot in my ear, "Careful", but when I struggle upright, he holds me a little longer than necessary before letting me go. I collapse into my seat, my face hot, my heart pounding.

The hall lights are extinguished. We are plunged into darkness. The movie title flashes across the screen, and Jaemin leans over, and whispers in my ear, "You didn't wear your hair down." I can almost hear him breathe. I can almost hear my heart.

I open my mouth. It takes an ice age, the words thawing in my mouth before I can force them out. "Stop it." I hear the low rumble of his laugh, and then he sits up straight, and looks ahead. I give him a quick glance out of the corner of my eyes; the light from the screen flickers upon his face and casts an ethereal glow around his shoulders. A smile is playing upon his lips.

Jaemin and Yuta munch on their popcorn, Carol and me abstaining. I would have to work an extra hour at the treadmill if I consume all that buttery goodness. Yuta is a quiet watcher; he doesn't say anything, he just keeps digging his hand into the box of popcorn, and munching little bite-sized clumps, one at a time, thoughtfully. Jaemin next to me munches his popcorn like a little kid; he scoops a handful and mashes it up in his mouth, throwing his head back, and chews, it's so adorable and endearing, and makes me smile.

Audrey Hepburn sashays, chic and gorgeous, across the screen. She is Princess Ann, the beautiful, runaway princess. All she wants is to have fun for a day in romantic Rome. All she wants is to forget that she's a princess for one day.

The scenes unfold like magic, scenes I know so well.

Princess Anne: I hate this nightgown. I hate all my nightgowns, and I hate all my underwear too.