Owning You - A Na Jaemin Fanfic

66. First Day

I get dressed for class on Monday morning.

I wander into the kitchen. Jaemin is at the stove.

"Morning," he smiles. "Almost done."

I flop onto a stool, just as the shy flatmate walks in.

He freezes when he sees me.

"Hey," I say archly. "Dan, right?" I bat my lashes at him. "How are you today?"

He mumbles something.

I do a double take when I see his T shirt.

It screams in red, STUD SQUAD.

"So you're a stud, huh."

He stares at me, then down at his T shirt. His eyes swing back up to me. Agonized eyes.

"How many studs are there in your squad? Or is it like, limitless? The more, the merrier kind of thing?" I want to giggle. I don't.

"It's ... " he mumbles.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's Study, not Stud," he whispers. "The printers dropped a Y."

A pause.

His face is the colour of a tomato dipped in scarlet paint.

"Uh. Cool." He blinks. I press on. "Maybe, I could sign up." Dan flicks a despairing look at Jaemin, who is watching us, a crease between his brows. "I'm looking for a club to join," I add lamely. "Study Club sounds great, since I, uh, love to, uh, study..."

"Haeri." Jaemin is shaking his head. "Stop. Just. Stop."

Dan grabs his backpack. "I've got to - " He bolts, like the devil is on his heels.

I giggle.

"Haeri," Jaemin says severely. But he's grinning, like he can't help himself. "You scared off poor Dan." I burst out laughing. Jaemin leans over, and gives me a soft kiss. "You're adorable."

Jaemin scraps his plate clean, and gulps down his coffee. I chew my eggs - two; sunny-side up - and drink my mug of coffee obediently as Jaemin watches me. I wash the plates and the mugs at the sink, while Jaemin gets ready his backpack.

"So," Jaemin wraps his arms around me from behind. He looks at me, his eyes sliding over me. "Ponytail day?" He tugs my ponytail, his lips curving into a crooked smile.

"I'm aiming for a new image. Cool freshman. Do I look cool?"

"Pretty cool." Jaemin's lips ghost my temple, soft as silk. "Pretty Haeri." He holds me to him for a delirious moment, his heart thumping against my back. "You ready for your first day of University, Pretty Haeri?"

Am I?

"I'm a bit nervous." I chew my lip. "You know me. I'm bad at making friends." I've only got one girlfriend the whole of high school. Suzy. I'm just an introvert, I guess, and it's hard, sometimes.

"Slick, you'll be fine." Jaemin kisses my forehead. Stares steadily into my eyes, holding my gaze. "Just be yourself."

I take a deep breath. I nod. I wish I were you were with me, I think. Jaemin looks torn. "Darling, I wish I were with you, too." I must have said it out loud.

Jaemin stops the car at the Law Faculty. There are so many people. They all look so smart, so cool, so sophisticated. They all look like they belong. Can I ever fit in here? I feel a wave of panic hit me.

Jaemin unbuckles my seat belt.

"Come here," he says softly, reaching out, tugging me to him. He holds me like a baby. Rubs my back kindly. Makes soothing sounds.