Owning You - A Na Jaemin Fanfic

54. Ashes of Roses

It's New Year's Eve.

We are on the cusp of 2020.

A new year. A new beginning.

We are at Jaemin's cousin's wedding. Yeri, Jaemin's cousin, 22, is getting married to her boyfriend of five years. Not an arranged marriage, Jaemin told me. They fell in love. Yeri's boyfriend, soon-to-be husband, is an architect, a nice, shy guy called Ethan.

Jaemin's gone off to mingle with some uncles and aunts, and I'm at the reception hall. Suzy and Yuta have been invited, too.

"Small world," Yuta smirks. He grins at me. "So, how's married life, Slugger?"

"Great," I beam.

"Quite a story behind it," he snickers. Suzy chortles.

"Shut up," I glare at them.

"The point is," I say, nibbling a cupcake, "Jaemin and I fell in love. We were in a hurry to get married." I ignore Suzy's snort. "Ignore the stories. They're spread by small-minded people who are jealous of our love. There's no friction between us," I continue. "We think as one. We're like one unit."

"That's great," Yuta smirks, reaching for a slice of pear from the fruit bowl. "You're lucky."

"I know we are." I look at him witheringly. "You know, Jaemin and I are so in tune, sometimes there's almost a...sixth sense between us."

"Really?" Yuta and Suzy stare at me. "Are you serious?"

"Oh yes. I'll know what he's about to say, or I'll kind of feel when he's around ..."

"Like The Force?"

"I suppose." I give a nonchalant shrug. "It's like a gift. I don't question it too closely - "

"Greetings, Obi-Wan Kenobi," says a deep voice behind us, and Yuta, Suzy and I jump out of our skins. I swivel round - and there's Jaemin, standing behind me with an amused grin. His face is flushed from the cold and his hair is a little tousled, and he's so tall, the hall suddenly seems a little smaller.

"Jaemin!" I exclaim. "You scared us!"

"Sorry," he says. "I assumed you would feel my presence."

"Yes. Well, I did kind of feel something..." I say, a little defiantly.

"Of course you did." He gives me a kiss. Suzy goes, Awwww, and Yuta grins wider. "Hi, Yuta. Hi, Suzy."

"Hi," Yuta says, watching as Jaemin takes off his navy cashmere coat, then loosens his cuffs while simultaneously unknotting his tie, with the same assured, deft movements he always makes.

Yuta bends low in my ear, and whispers, "Does Jaemin make love the same way he handles that coat and that tie?"

"God, you're disgusting," I shriek and hit him. "It's none of your business, you asshole." But, I can kind of see what he means. This Jaemin that Yuta and Suzy see - never fumbles or hesitates or looks confused. He always seems to know exactly what he wants, and he pretty much gets it.

But the other Jaemin when he's alone with me...well, let's just say he's a whole lot different...

"So how are you guys related to my cousin, Yeri?" Jaemin sips a glass of lemonade.

"I'm Ethan's cousin," Yuta says.

"Ethan's mum is my mum's best friend," Suzy says, looking bored. "He's what - 24? And she's 22? They're pretty young to get married. Oh, wait." She beams at me. "I know people who get married in high school. Oops." She claps a hand to her mouth dramatically. "No offence, Haeri, Jaemin." She giggles. I stare at her sourly.