LUMINESCENCE | K.NJ ✓

XXI - LOSE MY MIND

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE — LOSE MY MIND

NOURI AND NAMJOON were due to head back to Seoul the following morning. Their visit with the rest of the Kim family seemed much too short—Nouri felt at ease in the home with Namjoon and his family. All of the worries back in Seoul were so distant.

Her parents were so distant.

It was the first time in Nouri's life where she had truly been so isolated from her mother and father. While she didn't much enjoy the feeling, she couldn't bring herself to see them just yet. She wasn't sure if she'd be ready to face them the next morning.

The hurt that came with the isolation seemed safer than what may come with the confrontation; not just a confrontation with her parents, but one with herself.

Since when was the safe road the one to take?

She shook her head and finished packing her clothes into her backpack. It was late, and Nouri assumed everyone else in the house was already in bed. She and Namjoon had spent the evening talking to Mr. and Mrs. Kim, with Kyungmin dropping by the living room to chat a couple of times as well. Despite how much Nouri enjoyed her time with them, she was exhausted.

Quietly stepping out of the guest bedroom and into the hall, Nouri slipped towards the bathroom. The hall was dimly lit by a single lamp that sat on a small table by the stairwell that led back down to the first floor. She planned on washing her face before heading to bed.

As soon as she reached the bathroom door and stretched her hand towards the knob, the door swung open, steam spilling out into the hallway. Nouri's vision was obstructed as someone's chest collided with her face, sending her back crashing into the wall behind her.

"Oh my god, are you okay? Nouri?" Warm hands wrapped around her upper arms, sliding up to her shoulders to steady her. She blinked, finding Namjoon's worried face framed by damp hair right in front of her own.

"I'm okay, Namjoon," Nouri said with a quiet laugh once she regained her composure. "I should have noticed you were in there."

"No, no, I shouldn't have bolted out like I was being chased by a serial killer or something," He said quickly, his hands still gripping her tightly. "Ah, that probably wasn't the best analogy to use right now. Sorry, that was insensitive. I just feel like I always end up unintentionally injuring you or embarrassing myself whenever we're together, and that kinda sucks because I always want to spend time with you—wait, sorry that sounds super weird—"

"Joonie, calm down, you're perfectly fine." She smiled with endearment, raising her own hands to cover his as they rested on her shoulders. "You're rambling." He only did that when he was full of nerves. "Why're you so nervous?"

Her question hung in the air as his expression shifted, her own smile fading away into something less jubilant, but not necessarily in a bad way. The dim light from the lamp cast half of his honey skinned face into a smooth shadow, his warm eyes turned down towards her from beneath thick lashes. Back still pressed against the wall, her hands hesitantly moved from atop his and wrapped around his wrists, holding them gently.

"Namjoon?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," He breathed, eyes moving back and forth between both of hers. "Well, it's just that I . . ."

The sentence trailed away, but his presence remained. There was hesitation in his gaze as he slowly drew closer to her, their faces merely inches apart.

She found herself held by his eyes, not wanting to move yet itching to do something. She settled for carefully holding his wrists more firmly, not wanting him to step back, not wanting to let go.