Eileen didn’t want to let go of Jimin’s hand. Not ever. For a while they walked on in silence, swinging their hands between them. She wanted to dream of a beautiful future with him, but she knew it was unrealistic.
“Sometimes I sketch pictures,” Jimin admitted shyly. “But they’re nothing like what you can paint.”
“You like to draw? No wonder you so appreciated my artwork!” She wanted to kiss his cheek. Or better yet, his full lips again. She glanced at them and blushed.
He looked down at her. “You’re a lot shorter than I am.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No! It’s wonderful! I’m used to being teased for being short.”
“You’re not short! What is average height for men in South Korea?”
He shrugged. “About my height.”
“So why would you think you’re short?”
“I’m surrounded by taller guys.”
She threw her hand out in a careless gesture and responded, “Who cares? You’re perfect the way you are. Besides,” she got a twinkle in her eye, “it would be really hard for me to kiss you if you were much taller.”
Yep. She was definitely perfect for him. He grinned at her, showing off all his pretty, white teeth, and his eyes disappeared into the cutest, little slits. Then he grimaced.
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s your ankle, isn’t it?” She looked back down the road. “Let’s turn around and go back. Surely, church is almost over, and we can find someone to let us use their phone.”
“I’m ok.”
“No! Jimin, I will not be to blame for you being unable to perform! We’re going back.” She tugged his hand as she walked in a circle around him, directing him back towards her car.
Inwardly, he sighed with relief. His ankle had really begun to bother him again, and he was afraid of injuring it further, but he didn’t want to look like a wimp in front of her. He squeezed her hand.
“You are wonderful,” he whispered.
She smiled at him, wondering if they’d be able to keep in touch after today.
“Can you and I remain friends? I mean, after today?”
Jimin gazed over at her. He sighed. “Yes. But. I don’t have a lot of time to chat. I barely even talk to my parents.”
She hung her head. “Hey, it’s ok. It’s all right. I understand you don’t have time for new friends.”
“I didn’t say that! I said I don’t have much time. I’m afraid you’d think I was ignoring you.”
She shook her head.
“There might be several days in a row when I couldn’t even respond to a text message…though, I would try. I really like you, Eireen.”
Her head came up, and her lovely, emerald eyes met his.
“You do?”
His heart flipped over in his chest at the hopeful tone in her voice.
He stopped and pulled her near to him before sliding his arms around her waist.
“Very,” he looked down at her rosy lips, “very,” he looked up into her eyes, “very much.”
She was melting again. It was from the look in his gorgeous, chocolate brown eyes. She could stare into those eyes all day. She had a million questions for him. She wanted to know him.
She heard a car coming down the road and jumped out of his arms. By the time the car approached them, they weren’t touching at all. The car stopped next to them. The driver’s window was rolled down.
“Do you folks need help?” The question was asked in French by a young man.
The girl sitting next to him suddenly gasped. “Zhee-meen!” She exclaimed, and Jimin knew he had been recognized. He sighed. He supposed it was inevitable. Should he play it off or accept it?
Meanwhile, Eileen responded to the man’s question. “Yes! My car has a flat tire.”
“Je peux vous aider.” Her brain translated, “I can help you,” as he continued, “Oú est ta voiture?” Where is your car?
She pointed down the road.
“Hop in!”
She and Jimin climbed into the backseat of the car. Then Eileen directed them to her vehicle.
They all stepped out of the car. The guy got some tools and a spare tire out of his trunk.
“Oh,” Eileen sighed. “You’re going to use your spare?”
He looked over at her. “Unless you have one?”
She shook her head. “I don’t.”
“No problem.” He set to work while his girlfriend stared wide-eyed at Jimin.
She didn’t know what to say. She really wanted to talk to him, but she suddenly felt shy. Then she noticed him favoring his ankle.
“Are you all right?” she asked shyly in French.
Jimin looked over at her, noting the concern in her voice. He nodded his head. He was pretty sure she’d asked him if he was ok. “I’m fine,” he spoke in French. He knew a little.
She brightened and said something he couldn’t understand. He just stared at her. Eileen rescued them both. “I don’t think he speaks much French. Nor do I.”
“Can I borrow your phone?” Jimin asked it in English, but the girl understood “phone.” She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to him.
He found the number for the hotel and called it. This time they put him through to Yoongi’s room. The phone rang and rang. He finally left a message that he was all right and trying to make his way back into Paris after spending the night in the French countryside. He closed the phone, handed it back to the girl with a short, “Merci beaucoup,” then shrugged at Eileen. “Yoongi didn’t answer.”
“Yoongi?”
“Another brother.”
She smiled. She liked the way he called them his brothers.
He turned towards the other girl. “Are you ARMY?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
He held his hand out. “Phone?”
She unlocked it and placed it in his hand, sighing as her fingers brushed his. She was really standing next to Jimin, talking to him! Wait till her friends found out! They’d be green with envy. She hugged herself because she was so happy.
He found the camera and held the phone above their heads. “Smile!” he commanded before snapping a couple pictures. “Please don’t post these until tomorrow night.” He was speaking in English, so Eileen haltingly translated for him.
The girl nodded her head emphatically. “Merci! Merci beaucoup! Je t’adore, Zhee-meen!”
Eileen smiled. Well, that makes two of us.
They all just stood there awkwardly for a few moments, then Eileen noticed the strained look on Jimin’s face. “Please go sit down. Get off that ankle!” Without thinking, she grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him towards the bench.
The girl glanced back and forth between them. “Are you two—?”
Eileen gazed sharply over at her. “No. We just met a little while ago.” She stretched the truth a bit to protect Jimin. “I was helping him escape from a crazy mob. But my car got a flat tire.”
“Ohhh.” The girl looked alarmed and tried to speak in English to Jimin. “Not…true…ARMY. We love you, Zhee-meen.”
Eileen smiled at the cute way the girl spoke his name. Then she realized they were talking about something she’d meant to question him about earlier.
“What is ARMY?”
Jimin looked at her. “It’s what we call our fans.”
“Ohhhh.” Now she understood.
They all sat quietly while the kind, young man replaced the tire. When he was finished, he threw the original tire in her trunk.
“All done.”
“Merci beaucoup.” Eileen flew over to him and thanked him profusely. “Can I pay you something?” He was shaking his head. “At least for the spare tire?” More head shaking. “Merci. Merci.” She smiled at him.
He headed for his car, and his girlfriend reluctantly followed him, staring back over her shoulder at Jimin the whole time she was making her way to the vehicle. “Au revoir!” She called to Jimin as she waved goodbye to him.
“Well,” Eileen responded dryly. “You found someone else to love you.”
Jimin tilted his head as he turned to look at her. “Someone else?” A smirk covered his face. “What are you trying to say, Eireen?”
She blushed. “Nothing. It’s time to go!” She pivoted and walked towards her car.
But Jimin just stood grinning after her. Had she just said that she loved him?
