corner store boy•namjin

9

(jin)

i woke up as the plane was landing. namjoon and me had told everyone we were leaving. queenie wanted us to stay long enough to throw us a goodbye party, but namjoon said impulsive desicions were the best, and we were leaving that night.

"hey sleepy head." namjoon said. my parents were waiting for us in the airport. they were happy i had decided to come back, but i already heard i told you so a million times and i didn't want to hear it again.

"good morning." i say, yawning. people are exiting the plane already, so i stand up and shuffle into the aisle. namjoon follows, carrying his small bag with him. it had the clothes we came onto the plane with on it. we had both changed into sweatpants, and i was also wearing namjoons hoodie. he was wearing a plain white shirt.

as we exited the plan, i bounced with each step. people speaking the familiar language made me happy. i was tired of english. i said anneyong haseyo to almost everyone we passed. then i saw my parents. they were holding balloons, and my mom had sign, reading "welcome home jin, and welcome namjoon."

i ran up to them, hugging both of them and kissing my moms cheeks. namjoon stoof awkwardly behind me. "appa, umma, this is my boyfriend i told you about"

i step to the side, motioning him to come forward. he shakes my dads hand, and my mom pulls him into a hug. "its so nice to meet you!"

i had told my parents me and him got together a month ago so they didn't judge too hard. my mother was accepting and she said you always know when you love someone no matter how soon it was. she was right. i knew i loved namjoon the first day i saw him.

"you guys got your luggage?"  my mom asks, eyeing our suitcases.

"yes." i say.

"lets go then." my mom says, grabbing my dads hand and walking away.

i had always envied my parents relationship. they had been together since high school. now, at age 50, they were still together. now, i dont feel that way. i have namjoon.

we trailed after my parents, holding hands. i knew my mom was waiting till we got home, and she cooked, before she would start asking questions. she was like that.

"jin." my dad said, turning to face me.

"yes appa?" i say.

"it's good to have you back." he smiles, and then turns and runs a little to catch up with my mom. me and namjoon walk the same pace, and as we exit the airport, i see my parents car parked on the ' do not park' line. i chuckle a little bit.

we load our luggage into the back, then get into the backseat. my parents had said we could stay with them until we found a place. namjoon wanted to buy an apartment- he didn't want to rent, and he had enough to buy a place. i got my job back at the restaurant i worked at before, and they were gonna interview namjoon next week for a dishwashing position.

my mom drove off. we're about twenty minutes from their house. i stare out the window on the drive, and i feel namjoon starting at me.

•••
(namjoon)

jins mom can cook.

it's also been years since i had authentic korean food. we stuffed our faces, and she drilled us with questions. i told her alot about myself, but i exchanged the weed dealing with a real
job so she didn't get suspicious.

now, me and jin were in his room, watching his favorite movie, peter pan. he was laying with his head on my chest, and i was playing with his hair. the peter pan had korean subtitles- although niether of us needed them. i guess i better get used to reading and speaking korean again though.

i felt at home. i did in the city too- but i hadn't realized how much i missed it. i hadn't spoken my home tongue in years, until yesterday. me and jin had decided we would speak korean only- mostly because i had to brush up on my skills, but also because he told me he hated his accent. i had thought it was cute, but i respected his wishes.

halfway through the movie that jin was asleep. we we already under the covers, so i just turned the tv off and closed my eyes, wrapping my arm tighter around him. he throws his arm around my waist, snuggling closer go my chest.

it felt so right to be with him. i love the way he smells, i love how his accent came out when he got excited (when he spoke english of course,) and i loved him being in my arms like this.

his room was cute- white walls with paintings of flowers on the walls, cactuses in his windowsill, and a large tv stand woth his huge flatscreen on the top shelf, a dvd player on the second one, and books on the third. his blanket was pink, and his pillows were pink and white. there was also a pink and white carpet on the side of his bed that wasnt pressed against the wall.

and his bed was comfortable. it was a memory foam mattress. i had never felt more comfortable in my own bed. but maybe that also had to do jin.

i drift into a sleep, jin in my arms, and his sweet smell in my nostrils.