Like Fine Art | JEON JUNGKOOK

Chapter Twenty-Two: Lectures and late-night plans

Friday morning, and the three of us—me, Rhi, and Nova—were walking to campus together. Nova was buzzing, chatting about how she desperately needed a drink tonight. She hadn't had a night out since she joined the group at the pub a few weeks ago, and apparently, it was starting to feel like an emergency.

"I'm so ready for a proper pint," Nova said, swinging her bag over her shoulder. "Seriously, I'm counting down the hours until tonight."

Rhi's face lit up immediately. "Yes! A drink sounds amazing. Count me in."

I just smiled weakly, trying to match their excitement, but honestly? My brain was so scrambled I couldn't even process the idea of socialising tonight. Too much had happened this week, and it all felt like it was swirling around in my head like a tornado.

Rhi noticed right away and, without missing a beat, she smiled and said, "I'm saying yes for you too, Jae. You're coming. No backing out."

I groaned quietly but didn't argue. Sometimes it was easier to let Rhi decide.

"Alright, deal," I said. "You guys make the plans."

We were almost at the university entrance when Rhi glanced at her watch and said, "Okay, I'm off to my geography lecture. You two heading to art theory?"

"Yeah," I replied, following Nova. "See you later."

Rhi waved and turned off down a different path, her energy making me smile despite myself.

Nova chattered on as we walked, her words bouncing around like a lively soundtrack to my distracted thoughts. She was talking about some new artist she'd discovered, something about bold colours and messy brushstrokes that reminded her of a wild night out—which made me smirk a little, even if I wasn't really listening.

I tried to focus, but my mind kept drifting back to the last few days. Tae's question. The confession. The kiss with Jungkook. 

"You okay, Jae?" Nova's voice cut through my fog. She had slowed down a bit, glancing at me with genuine concern.

"Yeah, yeah," I said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just a lot on my mind, I guess."

She gave me a look but didn't press. Nova wasn't the type to dig unless you wanted her to. Instead, she nudged me playfully. "Well, you better be ready tonight. We're celebrating the existence of alcohol. No excuses."

I laughed, the sound feeling a little lighter than I expected. "I'll try my best to praise the drinks."

The campus buildings came into view ahead, the usual buzz of students filling the pathways with chatter and laughter. It all felt normal and yet somehow distant, like I was watching life happen from the side-lines.

Nova swung her bag again and grinned. "So, ready for the theory lecture? I swear, if Professor Carter brings out that infamous art history timeline again, I'm going to lose it."

"Ugh, don't remind me," I said, groaning. "That thing is like a never-ending scroll of dates and names."

She laughed, and for a moment, it was easy to forget the swirl of everything else.

As we reached the lecture hall, Nova's phone buzzed. She glanced down and then looked up, eyes sparkling. "Hey, Rhi just texted. She said she's already planning the pub and maybe a bar for tonight. We're definitely going."

I nodded, my stomach fluttering nervously. I wanted to say no, but the words got stuck in my throat.

Nova squeezed my arm. "It'll be fun. You'll see."

I hoped she was right.

The lecture hall was already filling up when Nova and I stepped inside, rows of worn wooden seats stretching out in front of us. The familiar hum of students settling, murmurs mixing with the occasional shuffle of notebooks and laptops waking to life.

I slid into my usual spot near the middle, and Nova plopped down beside me, already pulling out her notes. I tried to focus, but my eyes kept flicking around the room, as if somehow looking might distract me from the thoughts buzzing in my head.

That's when I saw him.

Jungkook.

He wasn't sitting far from us, a few rows ahead, casually leaning back in his seat like he owned the place. His dark hair was a little tousled, and the soft light from the windows caught the angles of his face just right. He looked... effortless. Like he'd just rolled out of bed and walked in, but somehow still managed to look like he belonged on the cover of a magazine.

My heart gave an unexpected little jolt.

I quickly looked away, but I could still feel the pull of his presence, like gravity I couldn't resist. It was stupid—after everything that had happened, the kiss, the awkward moments, the tension—why was he still making me feel this way?

Nova noticed my distraction. She nudged me with her elbow and whispered, "Earth to Jae. You okay?"

I gave her a small smile. "Yeah, just... distracted."

She smirked knowingly but said nothing more. Some things didn't need explaining.

The professor finally started the lecture, launching into a detailed history of modern art movements, but I found my mind wandering. I tried to shove the questions away and focus on the lecture, but every time I caught sight of him out of the corner of my eye, my chest tightened a little.

The hour ticked by slowly, the hum of the lecture mingling with the quiet storm brewing inside me.

-

As the lecture finally wrapped up, a collective groan rose from the room. I packed my bag slowly, still half-distracted by Jungkook's presence.

Nova was already dragging her stuff together, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, so boring. I swear, if I have to listen to one more word about Cubism, I'm done."

I laughed softly, grateful for the distraction.

She glanced over at me, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Alright, I'm gonna go find a few of my other mates who are chilling in the library. I'll text you later with the details about tonight's drinks, yeah?"

I nodded, "Sounds good. I'll catch you later."

She waved as she slipped away, weaving through the crowd.

I started walking out of the lecture hall on my own, my footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. The sun was streaming through the windows, lighting up the dust motes that danced lazily in the air. The quiet after the lecture felt oddly peaceful, but I was still caught in a whirl of thoughts.

That's when I heard footsteps behind me—fast, familiar ones.

"Jae!" Jungkook's voice called out, easy and casual.

I turned, surprised but trying to keep my cool.

"Hey," I said, forcing a smile.

He fell into step beside me, like nothing had happened, like the kiss and the awkward tension were just a glitch in the system.

"So," he started with a teasing smirk, "survived another lecture on the ever-thrilling history of paint."

I rolled my eyes. "Barely. But hey, at least it's over."

We walked together down the corridor, the noise of other students milling around fading behind us.

After a pause, I found myself blurting out, "Are you... fancying a drink later with the girls? Rhi's organising it, and I'm going to invite the guys too."

He gave me a quick look, eyebrows raising. "I'd love to, but football practice with the boys tonight. You know how it is."

I nodded, hiding the slight disappointment.

But then he surprised me, leaning in a little with that mischievous grin. "But I'll definitely try to come after. Wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to see you all dressed up, looking hot."

My cheeks flamed instantly. I opened my mouth to say something but he beat me to it.

I laughed nervously, heart racing. "Thanks... I think."

He gave me a quick wink before turning toward the canteen.

"I'll catch you later, Jae."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me standing there with my heart doing weird flips and my head spinning.