Chapter 32
The humid air continues and Jia has a hard time sniffing, always feeling like there's visible dusk hovering near her face. Yumi looks at her best friend worriedly, she knows that Jia is sensitive to the cold and what worries her more is that they were in the middle of autumn. The dried leaves have fallen, generating the radiance of the lost petals and the red-orange leaves turned gray lying on the ground reflecting the color of the clouds. It is a picturesque moment that Jia never appreciated in her past life.
"Are you okay Jia?" Yumi asked, her raven eyes full of worries, the transparency made Jia shiver.
"Yes. I'm happy that I can take you out before dinner your father set on your birthday." Jia smiles genuinely, adoring Yumi so much that she wants to hug her all day.
"I'm sorry. I know you did not like the cold." Yumi mutters, but her happiness is visible in Jia's eyes.
"Let's go first." Jia held her hand and they went to the nearest mall so she could buy Yumi a present for her birthday.
--
"Hyuk texted me and the rest. They like to celebrate my birthday too today but I told them the dinner later." Yumi pouted. She likes to spend it with her friends but her mother has her temper too.
"Hmm, How about we do it in Japan? Jia proposes, half worried because she thinks that she's doing something forbidden, like changing the future in particular.
"Hmm." Yumi just stares at her, for a while she feels that something is off the way Jia looks at her. Yumi brushes off the uneasy sentiment. She nodded instead.
--
It's been an hour since they're staying in the airport lobby. Yumi asked her about Haru's disappearance but Jia only made excuses because she's not sure what happened to Haru.
Yumi is like Jia's mother, attentive and always sits beside her. Penelope looks floppy in her white silk coat, her cheeks are pink while Yejun wears a black jacket and a black shirt underneath. They look like a couple and people can't help but turn their heads to the two.
Jia closes her eyes because of the headache. It's too cold for her taste, she shivers and tries not to make it obvious. She drank coffee fifteen minutes ago and it only made her thirsty for more. Jia likes to drink tea because she thinks that hot tea will give her warmth. Her obsession with teas made her bite her bottom lip.
"Jia, are you okay?" Yumi looks at her, pausing her rendezvous in using her phone to give full attention to Jia's fidgeting figure.
"Just cold," Jia answered in a hoarse voice. She closes her eyes to concentrate, her brain feels like breaking and Jia frowns with the imaginary static... She feels weird.
After a minute of battling with her headache, Jia opens her eyes just to see Yejun in front of her handling a venti size hot drink. She blinks feeling disoriented to the man standing before her.
"I choose jasmine tea, it helps you to calm down." Yejun's soft voice lingered in Jia's ears, making her more sensitive to the noise in her surroundings. She ignores the stares from Hyuk who she felt in her peripheral vision.
"Thanks." Jia drinks the tea with her freezing hand. She's red and Jia knows that her temperature is going south.
She half the cup, feeling the warmth and tenderness. She smiles in satisfaction not minding that Yumi looks at her with awe. Yejun was back in his seat and busy on his phone. Juno looks like he just woke up. Twenty minutes till their departure.
"Hi." Jia jerked her gaze after hearing the familiar voice. Her eyes widened after seeing Haru waving at them. He looks cool in his black coat and jeans. He winked when their eyes met.
"Oh, Haru! I'm glad you made it." Yumi smiles with glees, welcoming Haru. Penelope bows her head looking curious at Haru's presence. Hyuk is more of a poker face while Juno frowns after seeing him. Yejun on the other hand just nods in acknowledgment.
Jia stands up and runs to Haru. She wraps her arms around Haru's body, feeling grateful that Haru is in front of her. She buried her face to his chest and Haru chuckled patting her back.
"Miss me?" He asks and Jia is overwhelmed enough and nods her head.
Gosh! Haru is here! Jia feels like her anxiety evaporates in the air. The clouded feeling she carried for days and worries is gone by the sight of Haru. Jia thinks that her reaction is an exaggeration but she can't help it. Haru is the person- no, someone, who she is deeply dependent on after she came back in the past.
"Don't disappear like that again Haru." Jia is facing him, worries in her eyes but Haru only grins at her not answering her.
Jia sighs in relief and holds Haru's hand. She looks like a kid meeting her guardian and Some pouted at her because Jia chooses to sit with Haru in the entire waiting. Not speaking but they both know that eventually, Jia will ask questions.
"Why did you disappear?" Haru snorts how much Jia changes her gaze with her taunting big eyes. He shifted his seat from her uncomfortably.
"Work." Jia narrowed her eyes as she continued to gaze at Haru, like a predator idling for her prey.
"Oh yeah?" Jia beamed a cheeky grin that sometimes creates uneasiness in Haru. He yanked his gaze, not minding the silence between them with Jia's furious stare.
"It amazes how you dramatically welcomed me earlier and are now eradicating me with your razor gaze." Haru manages to crack a statement that made Jia feel triggered again. She wanted to punch him but rolled her eyes instead. Dropping her coy act, crossing her arms, and settling on her seat.
"I am disappointed in you Haru. No contacts really? I was anxious for a few days! I thought something happened to you! I was scared when fate finally change-..." Jia stopped her speech when she felt that Haru tenses beside her.
"What?" Haru asks eyes are all at Jia.
"As I said, Fate changes!" Jia excitedly announces. She feels that the tension for the last few days perished now that Haru is with her. She feels safe that her concerns and fears will be answered by Haru, well not technically but Jia thinks of it to ease her mind.
Jia tells Haru what happened for the last few days he was missing. She speaks in enthusiasm that they almost missed the announcement of their flight. She chuckles after telling Haru her stupidity calling him out in the middle of the night, feeling slightly embarrassed in her panic.
Haru is listening carefully. Avoiding any reactions on his face. He feels lost sometimes, bewildered, and then returns his face to neutral. Jia shrugged it off, unlikely to think that Haru is amazed that Jia finally made the changes of fate and with the major participation of Yejun. It is quite exciting, adrenaline washes off her skepticism.
"Jia... Are you sure Yejun plays that piece in his competition?" Haru asks carefully. Finally staring at her.
"Yes of course! I personally watched him play the piece in the competition!" Jia grinned satisfactorily.
"Hmmm." Haru manages to hum but Jia is still waiting for him to react or perhaps tell her the effect is not a major change though, but Jia still feels nervousness in her system, notifying her coherently.
"Jia! It's about time!" Yumi clings her arm to Jia and pulls her to the gate, Jia only jerks her head to Haru who is now talking with Juno with his mischievous grin. She sees Juno's irritated face while bickering with Haru and that leaves her hanging in her inner turmoil and questions. It will be okay, right? She thought.
Jia met Yejun's gaze, then to Penelope who was staring at her inherently. She senses the fang in her chest making her quiver. She smiles at them and chooses to look ahead while listening to Yumi's excited chat.
The pain in her chest continues to float as they depart. Jia has so many issues but she chooses to deal with them later.