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“Hina!”
The said girl looks up from her bag, bangs disarray from their once neat and tidy placing on her forehead, low buns slipping out of their pom-pom ties. “Yes?”
“Hurry up!” Her friends called from the front of the book store.
Hina gave a hasty nod of her head at her friends before letting her eyes glance over the slowly growing line behind her. Oh, no… With her eyes lowered and cheeks tainted a bright pink, she bowed hastily in apology to the other customers before turning back around to face the counter.
“You’re $3 short.” The employee said, expression bored and tired.
Hina’s usually well kempt self was visibly flustered; her book bag clung to her shoulder with the same desperation as she had while looking for spare change in the bottom of her bag. The young Japanese girl had always a very soft spoken voice that was usually never heard in crowds, nor to the cashiers in fast food chains, or waiters at restaurants, not to her classmates that she wasn’t close with, not even her neighbours when they greeted her on her way to and from school. She described herself as a socially awkward introvert that found comfort and strength behind the pages of her many books and the clicks of her keyboard.
She looked up from under her messy chocolate bangs to gaze forlornly at the book she had been wanting to get for months now. I guess I’ll have to get it after next week’s allowance… With her lower lip jutted in a slight pout, Hina moves to bow until a familiar voice uttering from above stops her in her tracks.
“It’s alright. I’ll pay for her.”
The young Japanese girl snapped her head up toward the voice so fast she felt as though she got whiplash. Wincing a little and not paying attention as the store clerk packaged both their books together, the owner of the voice offered a small smile and a nod of his head. Unlike her own, his uniform remained neat and tidy, with the embroidered name “Na Jaemin” proudly displayed on his chest. Hina’s own chest was shaking with the wild beating of her heart, thudding loudly in her pierced ears and causing her to barely catch the clerks voice as they thanked them for their purchases when Jaemin lead her out towards the exit.
“I believe this,” Jaemin said as he ruffled through the bag to pick out his own book before peering inside at the book she had chosen, nodding his head in acknowledgement as he hands the paper bag over to her, “this is yours.” He smiled expectantly at the girl before continuing at the lack of response, “Suki Kim, huh? I heard that was a good book.”
With cheeks a rosy pink that she could easily blame the cold for, Hina stuttered as she took the bag from Jaemin’s hands. She folded at the waist into a grateful bow as she mumbled. “T-thanks, Jaemin. You really didn’t have to do that.”
“Naw, don’t mention it. You would’ve done the same for me-- I hope.” Jaemin smiles his signature smile that is well known around the practice rooms that Hina had only seen directed at her a few times, it’s accompanied by a melodious laugh that Hina can’t help but associate with rays of sunshine, happiness and warmth. Jaemin turns his head to where his friends call his name from down the road, and Hina does the same in the opposite direction to where one of her friends, Yerim, is jumping up and down, with arms waving to catch her attention.
“Aha-- Looks like I gotta go, Donghyuck looks like he’s gonna choke Jeno soon.” Jaemin turns back around and grins at Hina once again.
“Yeah… Same.” Hina says with a small smile as she peers around the boy to vaguely make out the figures of small Jisung trying to protect a slightly taller Jeno from a yelling Donghyuck. “Ah! I’ll buy you a drink or something..? To make up for it!” Hina flushes dark red, surprised by her own words. But warm and sun-shining Jaemin just smiles and shakes his head, “I said it’s fine, Hina! But I guess if it’s gonna bug you that much- I expect two melon milks by Friday, training. Okay?”
Hina smiles wide, nodding her head before bending into another bow. “Thanks again, Jaemin. Tell Hyuck Yerim and I say hi.” The boy chuckles, glancing over her shouldedr at the still aggressively dancing Yerim in the background. He gives a small wave to the older girl before patting Hina on her shoulder, “I’ll let him know she sends her love.” And with another melodious chuckle that has Hina’s knees buckling and insides melting into goo, Jaemin is jogging off to grapple Donghyuck into a choke hold and go off on their way. The pattering sounds of running feet rushes up from behind Hina, eliciting a small shriek from her as Yerim’s arms wrap around her shoulders.
“Was that Na Jaemin you were just talking to? What did he give you? What did he say? Did Donghyuck tell him to say something mean? Do I need to kick his butt?” Yerim’s questions continue on and on, going through one ear of Hina’s and out the other as the Japanese girl gazes numbly at the retreating figures of their fellow trainee friends.
“I think I have a crush.”