LITTLE ONES || NA JAEMIN

*CHAPTER 2

Jia opened her eyes to the dimly lit room, the creamy brown curtains glowing golden in the morning light. She groaned as she sat up, disoriented, gathering all the will she could to start her day.

Swinging her bare feet on the carpet, she vigorously rubbed her eyes to shed the sleep away as she dragged herself to the bathroom. Slamming the door behind her, she stared at herself in bewilderment.
Who the fuck is that?

After a second of initial shock, she breathed out, fingers gently tracing the freckles in her skin.
"Oh! It's just me."

Prominent dark circles over her face and hair a tousled mess, Jia stripped off her clothes and stepped into the scalding water, the heated water hugging every inch of her skin gently.
Finally! Bliss!

It had been a few days since she moved to South Korea, far away from the clutches of familiar faces, to start anew. But with elevated sleep deprivations and tiredness, Jia was not yet ready to face her new life.

A languid sigh fell from her lips as she dried her hair with a blowdryer, thoughts jagged and all over the place.

"A new life, huh!" She whispered, discarding the electronic necessity over the space near the washbasin. This new life was not a present with pretty ribbons but a choice to a road filled with chills, fogs, and sunshine.

"I was bold enough to grab this opportunity. Let's make it worth it." She huffed. Taking one last glance at herself, she left the bathroom, a little more determined.

Opening the box stuffed with clothes, Jia threw in a random hoodie over her head and a pair of white-washed jeans. She ran her fingers through her brown hair as it softly reflected the light from the sun, untangling and untwining the knots. Putting on some makeup, she smiled a little before slipping on her shoes and walking out of the apartment complex.

City life was relatively easier. With people flocking the streets in herds and hundreds of cars zooming past, blowing their horns, everyone was busy in their own little world. The city had its own rhythm, its own beat, its own rules, and culture, and caring for another was not a part of it.

In the unknown crowd, Jia felt nervy as she walked down the busy streets. Occasionally moving her head left and right, she tried to map the landmarks, get familiar with her new surrounding.

After walking for about 10 minutes, she came across a classic café, the honeyed hues and homey ambiance of the place drawing her soul, coaxing an inner smile to bloom from within.

"I guess this is going to be my refugee." She mumbled to herself, flaunting a bright smile.

The bell jiggled above her head as she entered the small café, the coffee aroma hitting her in waves of joy. The cashier threw her a polite smile, her tired eyes welcoming the new customer with as much enthusiasm as possible.
"Hello! Welcome to Café 7 Dream!"

"Hello!" Jia returned her smile, her eyes already busy scanning the menu.

"What can I get for you?"

"Mmmh, I would like an Iced Americano and a slice of cheesecake, please."

"That'll be $12.75."

After paying the bill, she grabbed her food and settled in a table at the far back of the café beside a large window overseeing the wide avenues.

Jia had her attention on the crowd outside as the city folks went about their day. The vibrant clothes shining in the morning light, the chatters and small talks- the hustle and bustle bringing forth life to the city. She loved the vibe. But, at the end of the day, she preferred a quiet spot under a tree to feel rejuvenated once again.

After munching off the food and scrolling through her phone for about an hour, she reluctantly made her way back to her apartment.

__________

"And done."
Jia took a deep breath before collapsing onto the floor, half-dead. Limbs sprawled like a starfish- sweat trickled down her forehead as she breathed heavily in exhaustion.

After reaching home, she decided that it was finally time for her to unpack her things and settle in. With classes starting in a week, she wanted to spend her last free week exploring the city instead of moping around in her house.

Dragging herself off the floor, she headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Later that night, she cooked herself some ramen for dinner. After eating and washing the dishes, she decided to watch an episode of her favorite k-drama. But after religiously watching six more episodes, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to dreamland.

NCT 2020!!!!!

IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR ME SCREAMING FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD!!

CLASSES? BYE. HOMEWORK? BYE. CHORES? BYE. PEOPLE? BYE.

But seriously, if SM does not include WayV, imma flip them off and burn that damn building down. PERIOD.

EDIT: YES! SM DID INCLUDE WAYV SO... 

MENTALLY, I AM STILL HERE. 

BUT EAGERLY WAITING FOR NCT DREAM'S COMEBACK.