Every Rule Has an Exception - 7
Author's note: hello cuties, it's been some time! It's me, I returned from my slumber with what I think is one of my greatest pieces yet. I am immensely proud of this, and, For those of you who were waiting for it, I am bowing to you. Enjoy! PS: there's a photo of the flowers I got as inspo for Jackson's bouquets. I'm simply in love, and that's it
Word count: ±13k
Tropes: friends to lovers || workers to lovers || slow burn romance || smut || oral sex || long series || jackson wang || soulmates || original characters || dorks in love || 3rd POV || park jinyoung || got7
As with all dreams, they either grow into the most beautiful fantasy or the most horrific nightmare. But what happened if a dream became the paradoxical manifestation of both?
For Jo, whose body was solely covered in a fleece blanket and a pair of panties, legs crossed in her office chair at the kitchen table, reality wanted to play both sides of the same coin. The Beautiful and The Damned, as Fitzgerald wrote: Jackson sleeping naked in her bed was the fantasy that broke into the horrific real world. Jo’s fingers navigated on the touchpad of her laptop, eyes scanning the flooding comments of the latest Instagram post featuring the two protagonists. Adjacent to the laptop, there was a stack of unopened envelopes, scattered across the white surface of the table.
Jo sighed; the multitude of events that had happened in the previous 24 hours hit her mercilessly come dawn. The love confession, the public love declaration, the raw sex, gave her no margin to process everything that was unravelling all at once.
The woman reached out for her ceramic cup of freshly made tea; it was lukewarm to the touch.
“This is where cigarettes come in handy”, whispered the woman, deflating her lungs. She leaned her chin against her knee, paddling back and forth between the words of strangers.
The sound of the running water in the bathroom distracted her from her own thoughts. It was not like her to overthink; then again, it was not like her to become the slave of her own heart either.
“Coming in handy for what?” asked Jackson, voice coarse still.
Jo did not have to answer. Her eyes glued to the laptop screen, over a familiar representation of a certain social channel, replied to Jackson instead. He approached her on the opposite side of the table, mirroring Joanne’s stance in the chair.
“I mean, it’s not that bad,” she chuckled half-heartedly. “But you know, I did steal the most desirable bachelor in the world.”
Jackson smiled. The woman locked her laptop to focus her attention on her partner.
“Do you want to know?”
He shook his head gently and reached for her hand across the glass surface. “I can imagine.”
Jo watched him hesitating.
“Is there something you want to talk about, amorcito? “
“What are you looking for in a man, Joanne?”
The woman nodded. “Would you like to rephrase your question?”
Jackson chuckled. He looked up at her. “What did you see in me?”
“I can answer both since it’s all the same,” Jo intertwined her fingers through his, capturing his gaze. Her confident voice took Jackson by surprise.
“A hardworking man, a kind man, a sincere man, an adventurous man. Above all else, a man I can drop my guard for and for whom I’ll allow myself to be led. A passionate man who would fuck up the world if it meant we could spend one more minute together.”
She gestured briefly to the lifeless gadget. “Nothing else matters.”
Jackson started rubbing his thumb over the skin of her hand. It felt like the weight of the whole world fell off his shoulders.
“I feel like God put you in my path so that I’d make sure I would never turn a blind eye to you.”
Joanne smiled at him with genuine emotion. “I feel like you are the lesson I was meant to learn in this life.”
“It won’t be easy at all,” Jackson whispered, tilting his head to look out the window. The morning was long gone.
“No, it won’t,” Jo agreed. “There is a lot we’ll have to build together. We still know nothing about each other.”
The man furrowed his eyebrows, but Jo continued. “You know I’m right. You know nothing about my lifestyle, and I know nothing about your usual habits. And that’s okay. You can love somebody without ever truly knowing them.”
Jackson drew in toward Jo, to pull at the edges of the blanket and to bring her closer to him. “I know you’re right. It’s just crazy that I felt this way about you since I laid my eyes on you at our concert. I wouldn’t call it love, more like oh! why does she feel so familiar?”
“I knew there was virtually 0 chances of me failing to capture your interest.”
The two of them laughed heartily. Despite the cocky choice of words, Jo’s cheeks were dusted in a pink hue. “I feel the same, mi cielo. Like something clicked in place at the perfect time.”
Jackson pulled her into his embrace. Jo rested her cheek against his shoulder. “When did you realize you loved me?”
He hummed before replying. “Like actually admitting I was in love with you? That was when you played the guitar in my office. But now that I think about it, it was the first time we said goodbye late at night at your door.”
Jo snuggled closer to him.
“When I hugged you, your back was so tense. And I was mad about the fact that I didn’t know what to do to take that away. Then I was even more mad because I said to myself that this should never happen again.”
The woman giggled and placed a kiss on his shoulder blade. “I remember that. That was a really shitty day. You were the only reason I smiled.”
“I love you, baby,” Jackson stated simply and pulled back to look at her. Her raw beauty was ravishing.
Jo captured Jackson in a kiss. “Te amo y te adoro,” she whispered against the plush of his lips. The woman laughed when his hands dropped to her waist. “Did it work?”
“Fuck that, Jo, of course it did. I don’t think I was not hard for 15 minutes straight last night.”
“How come?” She chirped at him, wiggling her body to make the blanket fall off her shoulders. Unintentionally. “Did you not sleep well?”
Jackson scoffed. “No? You slept naked, so I was dangling back and forth between how beautiful you are and how perfect your body is,” he smirked at Jo, drawing circles in her hips. “But you know that, surely.”
“Didn’t I warn you that I’m feisty?”
“Oh baby, I’d throw all sleep out the window to eat all this feisty out of you.”
In the fervent rush to connect their bodies to one another, Joanne kicked a couple of things off the kitchen table. Last night’s stack of ivory letters flew gracefully to the floor, and Jackson broke the kiss. Jo gazed down, but Jackson couldn’t quite decipher the look in her eyes.
“What do you want to do about those?” He asked, gently tugging her hair behind her ear.
“Do you think the boys would want to go?”
“It’s not what I asked.”
The masculinity of his tone was reassuring. “I am not nostalgic, nor affected by this in any way. If anything, I appreciate the gesture. Even though I’m sure he considered the positive reception coming out of it, if you guys decided to show up.” Jo studied his visage. “And you’re my priority now. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. And I don’t want to spend what little time we have together doing things that you don’t enjoy.”
Jackson eased off into a relaxed posture. Then, into a grin. “I won’t lie to you, having you on my arm in front of all those people would be my greatest accomplishment.”
“Oh, come on,” Jo swatted his arm bashfully, “I’m not that good of a showstopper.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Jackson brought both his hands to Joanne’s face to cup it in a tender touch. The trembling fire in his orbs cemented her resolve. “You’re the birth and the death of all I am. You’re perfect, woman, you hear me?”
Jo nodded with the faintest of motions; Jackson was her favourite stroke of serendipity. “Let’s hear you say that again after our first major fight.”
“Now that we agree,” Jackson continued with a snicker, “There was one more thing I wanted to talk to you about. Two, actually.”
“Oh? I’m all ears.”
Jackson set his hands on either side of Joanne’s body, prompting himself forward into the glass surface of the table. His face transitioned into a more serious expression. “I’ll be around for three more days in Korea, then I’ll be on the road for quite some time. A couple of interviews, podcasts, and then I’ll be kicking off the Magicman 2 tour.”
“I’m aware.”
“So, I want to spend these last few days with you, to be with you here physically. If you’ll have me.”
It was Jo’s turn to engulf his cheek in the touch of her hand. “Mi casa es tu casa. I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’ll just have to help me with the shopping so that I can cook whatever you want to eat.”
Jackson put his palm over hers. He seemed too emotional to reply.
“And you won’t be gone a long time, amor,” Jo lingered, “There are a lot of things I’ll have to do here. I want to buy this house, buy a motorcycle, a car, and have a couple of contracts to sign. But I’ll fly over with you as often as I can. Just don’t go where I can’t follow.”
The man couldn’t believe his ears. His confusion was otherwise adorable.
“Babe, I don’t want to put you through all this showbiz shit, probably paparazzi and unwanted pictures—”
“How do you do it then?”
Jo’s counter to his words left Jackson speechless. She smiled at him, an eyebrow raised jokingly. “Didn’t we just say it’s not going to be easy? I’m sure the superstar life is not that impossible, and we have all the time in the world to figure out what that looks like. Now, what’s the other thing?”
“I just can’t have it any other way with you, can I?”
She shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. “Not really.”
Jackson sighed, even though the beam on his face displayed nothing but pure happiness. “The other thing is also about touring. They are going to ask me about you.”
“I know,” Jo followed with a sigh of her own. The prospect of touring with Jackson was equally as terrifying as it was exciting. “I’m sure we both have a clear distinction of what being private versus being secret means. Maybe this is where I tell you that I’m the loud cheerleader girlfriend type, your number 1 supporter, and the one who takes aesthetic pictures for Instagram, as long as we keep our secrets to ourselves.”
Jackson laughed and threw his arms around Joanne’s frame, encompassing her in a tight hug. “We’ll do whatever you want, baby. I don’t care if we do it together. Just know that I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and protect you from all the assholes in the world.”
Jo allowed herself to drown into his grasp. For all but a moment, the particles of the universe collapsed into the intimacy of their love.
“You want to live here, in Seoul?” Jackson asked, looking back at his lover.
“I don’t know yet. Probably,” Jo trailed her hands over his naked torso. “I’ll have to go back to New York to hire some more people, promote some others to split some of the operations. There’s a lot of opportunity for growth in Asia, and I figured I’m close to everyone here. Unless you’re thinking otherwise?”
Jackson’s skin tensed as Jo’s hands lowered to his abdomen, playing a lustful tag game at his pelvis.
“No, not at all. As I said, I don’t care. If you want to move here, we’ll move here.”
“This is a topic for another time,” Jo concluded as she slid off the table, much to Jackson’s arousal. “I want to fuck you now.”
Jo’s fingers glided over Jackson’s member, fuelling all wicked expectations. She blew hot air over his erection before leaving a chaste kiss on the tip.
“Fucking shit, princess,” Jackson groaned, matching her sinful eyes.
The woman looked up at him. “You can grab my hair if you want. Just hold it gently.”
As Jo welcomed his penis into the back of her throat, her previous request quickly turned into a command. Jackson clutched a fistful of her hair and threw his head back in a raspy moan. “You’re going to be the death of me, baby girl.”
A low vibrato of approval had Jackson grip the back of a chair.
“I had this sudden curiosity of how you would taste in my mouth, so I’ll suck you dry, papasito.”
Jo dressed herself comfortably with a pair of fluffy pyjamas and went back to the kitchen to reheat the tea she had made previously. The breeze was no longer gentle, tapping at the edges of the house in aggressive attempts to lay down the autumn pleasantries, so she turned on the heat. Jackson had just left for his apartment to prepare for the upcoming evening event. She’d texted her sister to catch up with her, remembering their conversation during Got7’s scheduled photoshoot.
The woman grabbed her warm mug and headed over to her bedroom, where the phone had started vibrating. The ivory sheets were a mess still, from a certain set of successfully carried actions. She snuggled into bed and picked up the video call.
“Oh wow, good hips in Jackson, huh? You’re glowing like a lightbulb.”
Jo rolled her eyes. “Hi. I feel like I can give you two more chances this morning. I’m feeling generous.”
Catalina laughed genuinely. “Congratulations, by the way! I’m happy for you, sis. Truly. If he makes you happy, I’m happy.”
“Thank you. He does. You know, I never thought I’d have this challenging yet gratifying year. The one thing I’m missing is you, hermanita. How are you?”
Catalina put her phone down to sit at the desk in her dorm room. She looked like she was preparing to go to a party. It should have been around 8PM in San Francisco after all. “I’m doing great. I’m thrilled to finish my master’s this year, and I’m actually terrified to go out in this fucking corporate scheme. But,” she smiled, making a heart sign with both her hands, “I might solve the missing me problem.”
“Oh really?” Jo chuckled and took a sip from her cup. “You want to fly out sometime soon?”
“Depends. Are you moving to Seoul permanently?”
“Most likely. There’s a shit ton of things I must take care of, and I’ll return to Manhattan soon to put all the administrative stuff to rest with the firm. Long term, I’d say yes.”
“It’s settled then! It looks like I’ll get my double degree at SNU!”
Jo blinked with vivid confusion. “Double degree, where?”
Catalina rolled her eyes mockingly. “Seoul National University, hello? I got an Erasmus offer to study there for the last semester, which is like March or something. I’ve been secretly learning Korean, too! I want to take the courses in Korean.”
The older sister almost dropped her mug into bed from the rush of excitement. “No, are you serious? Congrats to you too! I’m thrilled to have you here. But taking the courses in Korean is a bit extreme. It’s easier to speak it that to write it.”
“I figured. I miss you lots, you’re rarely home now with all the big girl responsibilities, so I figured I’d move the mountain or whatever. Dad was a bit upset when I told him, but it’ll pass soon. He hoped I’d refuse if you said you wouldn’t move.”
Jo laughed. “Did he cry?”
Catalina giggled on the other end of the line. “Not in front of me, but I’m willing to bet my scholarship that he shed a tear to mama.”
“Well, you are in San Francisco, still. Enjoy your time with them. Gives them more reason to visit us and see this part of the world for a change.”
The Spanish conversation was interrupted by a couple of Catalina’s friends. “So yeah, that’s that. I have to go now, but I promise I’ll check in a lot. I might need some help with documents and all that. I love you, sis. Talk to you soon!”
Later that afternoon, as the day eagerly prepared to chase the moon to dusk, Jackson was tending to the present he secretly bought for his sweetheart, for the hundredth time, in Jinyoung’s living room. The latter was putting on his watch when Jackson’s fidgeting around the grandiose bouquet of flowers piqued his interest.
“You know that nothing changed from 30 seconds ago, right?”
Jackson took the wrapped Cartier jewellery box to put it into the gift bag. He chuckled. “I can’t help it. Man, I’m insane for Joanne. I’ve never felt like this in my entire life.”
Jinyoung offered a smile of his own and approached his best friend to fix his black Louis Vuitton shirt. “Don’t I know it?” he teased, extending a friendly pat to the other’s shoulders. “I’m extremely happy for you both. I’m sure we’ll have to plan the wedding in the next two to three years.”
Laughter filled the room. Jackson’s eyes turned to crescents. “So, help me God.”
The quick buzzing of Jinyoung’s mobile phone reverberated in the room, and he went to pick it up. A snippet of a smile appeared in the corner of his lips as he silently replied to the mysterious persona. Jackson cocked an eyebrow with great interest.
“Might as well share the good news with me?”
“Ah, no, I don’t have any,” replied Jinyoung, tucking his mobile into the pocket of his emerald tuxedo pants. “I was just talking to Catalina.”
“Shut up!”, Jackson practically screamed before covering his mouth in shock. “How is that not good news?!”
Jinyoung waved the other away in response, albeit with a chortle. He picked up Jackson’s luggage for his temporary stay at Jo’s house. “I want to buy a new camera, that’s all. Don’t let your imagination go too far. If you’re ready, let’s go pick up Jo.”
Naturally, Jackson was not going to let it go that easily. He picked up the bouquet and the gift bag and followed his brother to the parking lot. “Like you couldn’t have asked Jo.”
“What business do I have talking to your lady?” the other countered, and helped Jackson secure the gift in the back of the car. “We’ll meet Youngaje, Yugyeom, and Jaebum hyung at the Opera.”
Jackson climbed into the passenger seat, rocking an excited expression still. Jinyoung turned on the engine and swiftly exited to the main street. “Goddammit, man! And you didn’t say anything, you sneaky fox! When did y’all start talking?”
The other laughed, giving up all hope that his brother would give up the topic. “She messaged me shortly after I’d gotten home from the party. I didn’t know who it was at first since she texted me in English, but she introduced herself, and we chat from time to time. I was surprised to receive her text just now, it’s 3AM in San Francisco.”
Jackson was amazed.
“Listen, can you not tell the others about this?” continued Jinyoung, “I want to talk to Jo about it first, to make sure she’s okay with it.”
Jackson drew an imaginary zipper over his mouth. “As much as I appreciate the gesture and whatnot, I don’t want to hurt your feelings. Jo is probably going to laugh about it.”
Shortly after the conclusion of their conversation, Jinyoung parked the car in Joanne’s driveway. “Go on, I’ll wait here. But we’re on the verge of being late, so at least text me if you decide to do a detour.”
“Funny. Can’t promise anything. Depends on whatever she decides to wear.”
Jinyoung gave the other a salutation as Jackson grabbed the gifts and walked away. While enjoying a moment of intimacy, Jinyoung took his phone out to reply to the unread messages.
[to: Catalina Montgomery] I’d be happy to pay the tutoring fee. After all, I went all the way to say that price doesn’t matter
[to: Catalina Montgomery] And it’s your work nevertheless
[to: Catalina Montgomery] If I’m not being rude, how come you’re still up at this hour?
“Just a sec! I’m putting on my heels!”
Jo’s response from behind the closed front door gave Jackson a moment to breathe and calm his nerves. Regardless of the number of times he had seen her before, his lover never failed to daze him; Joanne was never the same, there were always tiny bits to discover, always new fragments to cherish. And on top of everything else, that unexpected oral sex in the morning had his blood boiling, still.
[from: Catalina Montgomery] Okay! I cannot vow I will be cheap. You’re out on your own.
[from: Catalina Montgomery] Some say I’m a good teacher tho, no complaints
[from: Catalina Montgomery] Ah well, I’m running some financials for Joanna, and there’s no time to sleep
[from: Catalina Montgomery] Remember I told you that there could be a possibility for me to come to Seoul? I got that Erasmus scholarship for SNU, so there’s a shitload ton of papers I have to do.
[from: Catalina Montgomery] Excuse my Spanish ^^
Jackson all but dropped his gift when Jo opened the door. Hair curled and styled in an elegant yet messy bun on top of her head, with light makeup contrasted by fiery red lipstick. The look was completed by a bow-detailed open-back red silk-satin gown, a timeless Saint Laurent piece, which enhanced Jo’s majestic curves. If it were up to Jackson, he would rather have the white leather Louboutins over his shoulders in the blink of an eye.
“Twirl for me, princess. Let me see all of you.”
Jo happily obeyed. “How do I look?”
“I don’t have words to describe how beautiful you are. I’ll just leave it at that.”
The woman giggled. She clasped her hands together at the sight of the flamboyant bouquet of pink calla lilies and white freesia. “Thank you, amor. You’re spoiling me so much.”
“Not nearly as much as you deserve,” Jackson replied and carefully placed the flower arrangement on the grass. “I got this for you ages ago, but I confess I always forgot to give it to you.”
[to: Catalina Montgomery] Really? Are you moving to Seoul for your studies?
[to: Catalina Montgomery] That’s impressive, congratulations! I’m sure you’ll kick some serious butt
[to: Catalina Montgomery] Excuse my Korean ^^
[to: Catalina Montgomery] If you need any help with the language, I’m more than happy to assist. It’s not that difficult, but I don’t think you’ll have any trouble at all
[to: Catalina Montgomery] Maybe you’ll give me a discount in exchange for my services?
Jo fiddled with the magnificent Cartier box. Jackson put a lot of care into creating a custom wrapping with his personal wax signature and fresh cologne. “I really don’t want to rip this off.”
Jackson smiled. “The wax is detachable. You can unpeel it without damaging the rest.”
Said and done. Jo softly removed the package and inhaled a sharp breath upon seeing the rose gold Love Bracelet. Jackson partially rolled the sleeve of his shirt to uncover the same bracelet on his wrist.
“If you want to engrave them with something,” he broke the silence and tenderly grabbed Jo’s hand to screw it around her wrist, “We can go to the Cartier store tomorrow. I already booked a meeting with their department.”
Jo looked at him with quivering eyes. “I do. I want to wear your fingertips.”
[from: Catalina Montgomery] Haha, I like you a lot. I can finally exert my humour to someone who understands it
[from: Catalina Montgomery] You know what? I might take you up on your offer. I can’t write it yet, but next time we meet each other let’s not use English at all
[from: Catalina Montgomery] My sister has a lot on her plate, and I’d hate to be the one to break her sweet honeymoon time with language lessons
[from: Catalina Montgomery] If I ever become a burden to you, you’re always free to stop talking to me
[from: Catalina Montgomery] No strings attached
[to: Catalina Montgomery] Hmm, how about you speak to me in Korean and I use English? I could use some exercise myself
[to: Catalina Montgomery] It would be my pleasure. By the time you come here, you’ll be speaking more fluently than all of us
[to: Catalina Montgomery] I don’t think you are a burden, and I have no reason to think you’ll become one either. I enjoy talking to you
“I swear to God, Jinyoung oppa,” Jo’s voice broke the comfortable silence of the car as she moved smoothly into the backseat, “I’ll put a wire on you so that I know when you’re plotting with Jackson! You look gorgeous by the way, planning to steal any hearts away tonight?”
He put his phone back into his pocket and acknowledged the woman with a look in the rearview mirror. What a ridiculous question to ask, right? “You know me, I have a reputation to preserve. The only credit I get is for the florist contact. Everything else is Jackson.”
Jackson hopped into the passenger seat just in time to direct a suspicious glance at Jinyoung. Not that Jo would suspect anything. “I’m so sad Mark and Bam are not coming.”
Jinyoung revved the engine. “What can you do? They went straight to the airport after the party. Youngjae did his podcast today with a tux on, so he could join. But aren’t Sam and Leena coming?”
“Oh yeah, they are,” Jo answered and reapplied a fresh layer of lipstick. Some of it had found a new host in Jackson’s lips. “Must be already there. Leena texted me earlier to laugh at Johnny’s overnight shift at the hospital. He sold his invitation, though, maybe a pretty good penny on it.”
When the trio arrived at the Opera, a considerable crowd had already gathered on the premises, seemingly catching wind of the surprise appearance of Got7. They were the last ones to arrive, and Jackson spotted their group waiting patiently toward the main entrance of the building. Jinyoung found a good parking spot and made quite an unintended spectacle when he and Jackson got out of the car first to escort Jo through the mob of people. Jackson laid a protective touch against her lower back, keeping her close as Jinyoung walked ahead of them.
Jo did not fail to notice the mass of mobile phones snapping pictures of the brazen display of affection, to which the woman could only smirk in response. Jackson also noticed her stoic poise and had his own reasons to suspect she might have enjoyed it. So, he followed her lead without constraints, boldly revealing their relationship with a taunting kiss on her exposed neck.
“You two certainly know how to make an entrance,” whistled Samantha and followed the boys into the antechamber of the Opera.
“I’m impressed beyond expectations,” Completed Jaebum as he buttoned his wine tuxedo jacket. “I owe you 50.000 won, Yugyeom.”
“Should have asked for more. I never doubted you for a second, hyung.”
Jo was amused by the situation but was otherwise listening with much interest. “And you don’t know me sufficiently yet, guys.”
“I can’t believe you’re making money off our relationship. And I can’t believe you agree with this, baby.”
“There’s room to take commissions,” Youngjae wondered, and Jackson had to separate his sweetheart from the brewing plot of the boys.
Jinyoung took all the invitations out of his jacket to give to the office staff. An usher was assigned to their group and guided them to their reserved box, which had private seats to fit their group only.
“This is nice!” Leena smiled and accepted Jaebum’s invitation to sit in the first row.
“I wonder how much money John got out of his ticket,” joked Samantha as she seated herself by Leena’s side. “This must be the best view in the hall.”
While everyone was busy figuring out how to seat themselves, Jinyoung clutched the opportunity as it presented itself. “It looks like we would need to grab refreshers for ourselves. Jo, would you like anything to drink?”
She nodded her head. “Sure, if you’re going to the bar, I’d love to have a Martini, please.”
“Ah, but what if they don’t serve Martinis? Would it be better if you joined me, just in case?”
He needn’t say it twice. Jo leaned over to Jackson to give him a micro-kiss in her best attempts not to paint his lips red. “I’ll go to the bar and be right back, mi corazón. Text me what you’d like to drink, okay?”
When he noticed Jinyoung standing at the entrance of their box, all his insistence to follow instantly vanished. Jinyoung led Jo through the crowd and joined the bar queue patiently. The woman checked her phone and put it back in her YSL shoulder bag.
“I’m quite surprised there would be something you wanted to chat about privately,” she giggled, tilting her head to look at him. He was a couple centimetres taller than her.
Jinyoung laughed in response. “Ah, it’s not like I have secrets from the boys or anything. Martini, you said? I’ll be right back.”
Jo stepped to the side, seizing an open space at the balcony railing that commanded the main entrance hall of the opera. Jinyoung returned with her cocktail glass and a bottle of water for himself. She thanked him for the drink.
“So, what can I help you with, Jinyoung? Did anything happen?”
He twisted the cap of his bottle open to take a sip. “Catalina texted me.”
That was a largely unanticipated response. “Did she now? I must admit I never expected that to happen. Well, I guess I’ll introduce her to the boys when she moves here.”
Jinyoung wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Jo continued, making a statement rather than a question. “But you knew.”
“She told me just before we came here. I was talking to her in the car while waiting for you and Jackson. In truth, we’ve been chatting back and forth since the party. I’ve asked her opinion about a new camera, and the topic of her moving to Seoul just came about.”
Jinyoung leaned over the balcony, dangling the bottle back and forth. Jo echoed his actions, quickly catching on to the reason he’d called her out there. “If you’re asking my permission to talk to my sister, don’t ask.”
He angled his head to look at her. He was wearing a cheeky smile. “Was it that obvious?”
Jo laughed in response and indulged in her Martini. “Not at first, no. I appreciate the gesture, but you’re both discerning adults. There’s absolutely no reason for you to ask me that. If anything, I’m more concerned about Catalina than I am about you.”
“How come?”
The woman twirled the glass between her fingers. “Catalina is not the best person to cater to a person’s feelings. She’s not rude, and she’s very quick to jump in and help if needed, but she takes days to respond to calls and drops off the face of the Earth. Of course, I’m not implying anything here between you two, I’m just saying it’s just who she is as a person.”
Jinyoung nodded his head. The scenario that Jo explained hadn’t happened to him just yet. “I understand. I wasn’t implying anything either, I just wanted you to know and not get any odd idea.”
“You’re one of the good ones, Jinyoung,” Jo laughed and clinked her glass to his bottle. “Trust me, even if I were to get any odd idea, I’d wave all my green flags. I trust you with my sister more than I’d trust Bam.”
“I know where you’re coming from,” he chuckled and peeled himself off the railing. “As a full disclaimer, Jackson warned me you’d laugh in my face. Let’s get drinks for the others and prepare for the show.”
Because he refused any human help in carrying the tray of promised refreshments, Jo chaperoned Jinyoung back to the private box, where their group was waiting for them with strong interest. With an innate cognitive ability to sniff out any hidden plots going on with his JJ counterpart, Jaebum followed Jinyoung with his eyes as he sat down between Jo and himself in the back row. The leader never said anything; he let his oppressive eyes do the trick.
“Hey Jo,” Leena shifted in her chair to look up at her friend, “is this a Spanish play? It says here in the brochure.”
Jinyoung had to thank all gods who would listen for Leena’s swift salvation. Everyone turned to Jo to listen.
“It seems so. It’s a reinterpretation of two Spanish folklore tragedies, one is about the Lovers of Teruel, who never got to fulfil their love because of Middle Ages affairs on family and money, and the other is La Llorona.
In the original myth of La Llorona, she’s a woman who finds out about her husband’s infidelity and drowns their children in her grief and then drowns herself because she cannot bring them back to life. A ghost that would haunt the Earth forever. In this story, Isabel drowns herself because she cannot be with her lover. I’m actually surprised they are doing the play in Spanish. The regional language of those times is very hard to reproduce in today’s dialects.”
“Oh really?” Youngjae exclaimed, “I love musicals a lot, and I never got the chance to watch a tragedy. I’m so excited.”
“I’m so jealous!” Yugyeom smiled. “You’ll get to listen to this in the original interpretation, Jo.”
“You know this by now, but you’ll feel this in your bones, trust me. This language has a way of transcending all barriers.”
Samantha tapped her index against her chin. “Isn’t this the same script of the play you and Max got acclaimed for back in our Stanford days?”
Jackson turned to Jo in a much sharper motion than he would have liked. Certainly, as Max would have it, there would have been a hidden message, or a parting gift, if you will. The others must not have observed when she took a sharp breath. Jackson did.
“I can promise you this is on a much bigger scale than it was when I was doing it,” she mustered a chuckle, “they are all professionals now. I’m glad the boys haven’t watched that. I’m sure you’ll like this better anyway.”
Jaebum clicked his tongue, “I’m kind of curious to watch that version now.”
“I know, right?” Youngaje turned to his leader only to be interrupted by the loud sound of the gong, announcing the start of the musical. Jackson took advantage of the darkness to take Jo’s hand in his and lean closer to her.
“Are you okay? We can leave if you want.”
She gave a soft squeeze to his hand. “I’m okay, amorcito. I just got reminded of a period of my life that is no longer here, that’s all.”
Throughout the first half of the musical, Jackson kept holding her hand. Jo was thankful for his unspoken care, to calm her nerves and to keep her grounded. Just as hoped, the boys were engaged entirely throughout the first two acts, gradually diving into the hardships of the star-crossed lovers. The vocals of all actors were impeccable, the choreography sublime, and all scenic movement captivated the audience. Jo admitted to herself that the Max on stage that night had evolved into his best persona; a persona that perhaps he couldn’t have become had he stayed caged in their shared past.
He was a delight to watch. At some point, she smiled; a smile of freedom and of glee, of a path that ended and of another that opened. Bit by bit, as emotion started building up in the musical, Jo recognized what her own life could have been if she had not followed her heart. Misfortune and regret, as contrasted with today’s good luck and contentment. When the curtain fell over the sorrowful parting of the two darlings, Jo turned to Jackson as her eyes filled with tears.
Piercing applause was thudding in the opera hall.
“Hey, what happened?” Jackson whispered, his irises soothing his sweetheart.
“I’m extremely grateful for how my life turned out. And I’m extremely grateful I get to share it with you, Jackson.” She straightened her dress to stand up, “I’ll go to the restroom to refresh myself.”
“Give me a sign if you want me there, okay?”
Jackson watched Jo walking away just as the blinding lights filled the hall. Both Youngaje and Yugyeom were visibly emotional. Jinyoung and Jaebum looked at them and laughed.
“Shut up, will you?” Yugyeom downed the last of the liquid in his glass. “I’ll go grab another.”
“Oh, my poor souls,” Samantha commented and gave both boys a pat on the back, “The tear-jerking part has only just begun.”
Jackson regarded the group from a distance. Jinyoung noticed his unusual silence and approached him, without muttering a sound. Jackson had always appreciated the other’s tact.
“You know,” Jackson began, easing into a laugh, “we never know when we’re ready to close some chapters in our books, and open some others. It just hits you. What a motherfucker.”
Jinyoung laughed, too. Jackson continued. “I can’t blame him, even in this final hour. For guys like us, a woman like Jo comes once in a lifetime. I’d scratch my neck with a knife if I lost her. Which makes me want to be pitiful, even if it’s not who I am as a person. I hate his guts, though. And I love Jo even more for that. Am I crazy?”
“Who am I to judge?” Jinyoung shrugged his shoulders, “We’ll never know what kind of beast I’ll turn into when I meet the one I’m destined for.”
“A deadly killer, for sure,” Jaebum joked and joined the boys with fresh drinks. “You have to admit it’s a fantastic piece of art.”
“I never said it wasn’t,” Jackson accepted and picked up his glass. “It’s crazy good. And we haven’t gone anywhere together like this in such a long time. So, bottom line, I’m happy we came.”
“Kind of gives me the motivation to learn Spanish.” Jinyoung joked.
“What are you waiting for? You have an excellent native tutor to help.”
Jaebum looked at Jackson, then at Jinyoung, then back at Jackson, and just snickered.
“Fuck.”
“See, I suspected it, I knew it. I was just waiting for the perfect time.”
Jinyoung prepared his defence, “Hyung, it’s not what you think it is.”
“What do I think it is?” Jaebum taunted.
“I don’t know what you think it is, but that’s not it.”
Youngjae, Yugyeom, and Jo returned to their box, with Youngjae proudly holding an entire box of tissues. The trio stopped talking when they witnessed the mischief of the three elders.
“Que pasa,you can cut all this tension with a sword,” Jo arched an eyebrow, shifting her attention to Jackson. The latter put up his hands in an innocent movement.
“Are you crying that much down there?” Jinyoung pointed to the tissue carton to switch up the topic. Jaebum returned triumphantly in his seat.
“Jo warned us that there’s a lot of drama coming up, so we decided we’d be prepared for it,” Yugyeom replied innocently, reclaiming his own seat by Leena’s side. The lights dimmed down, and the gong resounded in the hall to signal that the play would soon be resumed. Joanne inclined her torso toward Jackson, provoking him with her eyes.
“Was that about Catalina?” she suggested and gave Jackson a peck on the lips to alleviate his awe.
“How do you always know?”
She laughed. “I’m a woman with eyes and a sister. It’s not tough to put two and two together. Maybe if Jinyoung hadn’t talked to me, I wouldn’t have known. But you are getting eager for nothing.”
Jackson scoffed. “I mean, we never know.”
“True, but Catalina is the problem here, not Jinyoung.”
Jackson leaned in curiously. “How do you know?”
“I’d know my sister, wouldn’t I?” she giggled and enveloped Jackson’s cheek in a luscious motion. “If they ever get there, which is highly unlikely, Catalina will break his heart. I’ve heard this story too many times before to believe in redemption now.”
Jackson gave in to her touch, resting his fingers against the naked skin of her hips. The more he admired her, the more he loved her dress. “Do I get redemption if all I’m thinking about now are sinful things I want to do with you? You’re so fucking beautiful, darling.”
“I’m too far away from Heaven to answer that question, baby,” Jo traced her fingers across the skin of his visage, until her hand dropped to her lap. “Besides, I’m certain I saw some flashes pointed at our box. Do you want to give them reason to talk?”
“I couldn’t give a fuck about that, princess,” replied Jackson and firmly enclosed the side of Jo’s neck to pull her into a kiss.
A collective gagging sound broke out.
“So shameless,” Jinyoung clicked his tongue, “Don’t you know this is a cultural site?”
Jo laughed and leaned over to steal a paper cloth from Youngjae’s box. Jackson received it with a laugh of his own.
“Jeez, I hope we can enjoy the rest of the show.”
Saved by the gong; the second half of the play started abruptly and silenced the entire hall within seconds. The warning that the ladies gave proved to be fruitful. Soon after the second act started, the instantaneous mixture of emotions hit the group, with powerful vocals and intense acting. By the time the act reached its climax with the tormenting melody of La Llorona, both Youngjae and Yugyeom were halfway through their tissue box. Jo inspected the group to also pinpoint Jinyoung and Jaebum fighting back their own sorrow.
Surprisingly, albeit moved by the overall performance, Jackson showed no emotion.
“It seems like they failed to connect with you, amor.”
Jackson reached closer to her ear. “This doesn’t even come close to you, baby.”
“You watched it?” replied Jo, barely keeping a low voice, “When?”
“During one of my flights, after Shanghai. Sam sent it to me. I cried my ass out, my team wanted to call an ambulance at the airport,” he turned to her, “Call me biased, but I want, I hope, that you’ll never stop singing. I want us to spend our lives singing and dancing together.”
As the final bow of the actors was taken, and the lights in the amphitheatre watched over the standing ovation of the crowd, the group gathered the last of their things. They decided to wait a while for the mass of spectators to retire, which was ultimately a decision that allowed the youngsters to sweep their broken bits and pieces off the floor. The gallery was just about empty when they exited their box through a more secluded corridor used to evacuate to a side door of the opera.
The boys were making fun of one another, mainly of the youngsters’ puffed eyes, just as Max’s silhouette greeted them in the passageway. The Spaniard was still dressed in his stage costume. He bent his body in a respectful bow.
“I apologize, I am not fluent in Korean. The organizers told us during the break that you were seated in the private balcony, and I wanted to thank you on behalf of the team for coming. I hope that you enjoyed the spectacle.”
Jo took the lead to convey his message, even though both Youngjae and Yugyeom had started clapping their hands to show their appreciation.
“It was amazing. As you can see, we cried our hearts out.”
“Congratulations to you and your team,” Jaebum completed in English. “It was a great show.”
Max straightened his body, and his gaze inevitably fell upon Jo. She was in the back of the group, silently protected by Jackson. “I’m happy to hear that,” he smiled politely, “We’ll do better in the future. It means a lot to us. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”
The Spaniard showed his appreciation through another bow, and the group walked past him in acknowledgement. Jackson and Jo stayed behind.
“Do you have anything you want to say to her?”
Jackson’s question took Jo by surprise. Max sighed hopelessly, his shoulder dropping.
“You’re very beautiful tonight, Joanne.”
“Thank you. Is that all?”
Max chuckled and folded his arms over his chest. “I don’t deserve anything but the cold shoulder. I was honest with what I said. I didn’t think you’d show up, especially not you two, so I’m thankful for the token of appreciation.”
“I’ll be right outside, baby,” Jackson gave Jo a kiss on the cheek. “I’m a man, so I know how this feels. I frankly don’t care what your impression of me is, but I’m not a douchebag.”
Maximilian examined Jackson’s back as he walked away, leaving the two of them alone. If they were friends, Max would owe him one.
“Damn. I don’t think I would’ve done this if I was in his shoes.”
“The reason he did this is because he trusts me enough to give you a chance at healing. Jackson is a good man.”
The air in the Spaniard’s lungs deflated in a caustic exhale.
“Beyond obvious reasoning, I didn’t direct Llorona because it reminded me of you. We talked about it that someday I’d put it on the biggest stages in the world.”
Jo laughed. “That’s half the truth.”
Max laughed right back. “Yeah, it is.”
The woman respected him for keeping his distance in such a moment. Got7’s eyes must have been stinging on the back of his head.
“It’s an ode to you, Joanna. It is. But it’s also much more than that. It’s the liberation of a failed love.”
Joanne smiled, moving her weight from one leg to another. “You could’ve made it have a happy ending at least.”
He searched through the pockets of his costume to take out a pack of cigarettes. Max extended his hand for Jo to walk out ahead of him. He rubbed a cigar on his lower lip before lighting it, in time for the smoke to hit the outside air.
“There’s no happy ending for me just yet, Jo.” Max leaned against the stone pillar of the building. “You go on and enjoy yours.”
Jaebum whispered once there was a comfortable distance between Max and their group. “Cool guy if you ask me.”
Youngjae had to cover his snort with the back of his hand.
“Wow, did you see him smoke inside the building?” Yugyeom commented, “Crazy bastard, women must find him very attractive.”
Samantha swatted his shoulder. Yugyeom widened his eyes and hid behind the surgeon. “I’m sorry.”
“This is literally the funniest situation I’ve been in my entire life,” Jo laughed and accepted Jackson’s help to put on her white fur coat. “You don’t have to gossip behind my back, you know. That’s all facts.”
Jinyoung looked at his best friend to confirm his suspicions. “Jackson is not bothered at all.”
Jackson nodded, throwing his head back to glance at Maximilian’s faraway shadow. “I have no reason to be. That was goodbye.”
Leaves changed colors, seasons changed coats, and Jo’s life changed course in the weeks that followed. Mostly, for the better. A lot of planning and a lot of running between countries was required to adjust to the change of pace; sleep became scarce and often came in the hollow comfort of plane seats. A great man once said that with great power came great responsibility, a quote Jo never dwelled upon until it rapidly became significant.
After the news of her relationship with Jackson broke into the media space, her company tackled a period of expansion in contracts and requested partnerships. The public figure of Jo Montgomery developed in the true sense of the word. Caring for her company reached an unleashed level of accountability, in need of fast yet secure decisions. Whenever she was not caught between meetings and calls, Jo would run from one airport gate to another to catch a flight to whichever country was closer to Jackson’s ongoing tour.
On some days, the time spent with Jackson was reduced to hanging out in the back of the stage, making the best of the minutes they had available to share. On some occasions, Jo would go directly into shooting and editing footage for Jackson’s tour. The initial partnership between Team Wang and Jo’s company settled into a permanent one, with a dedicated team on the latter’s side for all marketing aspects. In between being a pop star and a global icon, Jackson always made sure to devote all his being to his lover.
“Aren’t you exhausted, princess? Don’t you want to take a break?”
“I’m taking a break when I’m with you, amor. You’re my breath of fresh air in all this mess.”
Of course, it wasn’t always unicorns and flowers. The inaugural wave of hate left its mark, even on someone like Jo, who did not hold deep affection for the public’s perception of her. Loathing born out of nothing; simply because she existed in Jackson’s life, it was a capital crime.
Who does she think she is? Walking with her nose up high? She’ll break her neck when she falls.
Just another shark milking money off Jackson. Back the fuck away and leave him alone.
What did he see in her? She’s ugly as hell and I bet she has a BBL done.
She’s holding onto Jackson in public like she’s scared he’ll run away.
There were a lot of threats sent to her company’s email, and the engineering team had to build algorithms and agents to filter out all the digital spam. Jo made sure that her employees’ personal data would be protected so that they’d never be harassed in her stead.
Mid-December came by speedily and welcomed Jo at the Incheon International Airport. She finished checking in her luggage and walked off to the VIP lounge to grab a bite. The terminal desk had just displayed information about her upcoming departure to San Francisco, and she still had two hours left to fill. Her high-heeled boots clicked soundly against the floor; airport fashion was something she could no longer neglect.
“I can’t wait to be in your arms again, baby,” Jo whined on the phone, “I miss your warmth.”
“I know, I can’t sleep well at all when you’re not here. Fuck, I wish I could be better for you, Jo.”
“Please, I’m begging you, stop saying such things about yourself. You’re perfect the way that you are, Jackson.”
“But you’re tired all the time with your work and all these flights, and now these fucking trolls on the socials—”
“Respectfully, I love you and shut up.”
Jackson reluctantly did. Jo could feel his anger coming from the other end of the line.
“You’re frustrated and angry. I am drained and always on the edge. I understand, trust me, I do. We’re not going to solve anything if we’re being permanently negative about this situation. We chose to fight for it, I chose to fight for you, and I am showing up every fucking day because this? This is nothing compared to the hell I’d be living without you.”
Jo scanned her pass and entered the VIP area. She seated herself at the designated restaurant to order her meal.
“Are you still here, mi cielo?”
“I am, princess, I’m here. You’re right, you’re absolutely right. Of course, I’m angry and frustrated because I’ve never had anyone to care about this much besides my family. I’d go above and beyond to make sure you’re okay.”
“I know, bebe, I know. All I’m saying is that you mustn’t consume all this energy on negative things. We’re growing wrinkles, you know?”
Finally, Jackson chuckled. “I’m dead serious, I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Lucky you that you’ll never have to find out.”
Jackson’s laughter drowned out in the metallic calling of his crew through the stadium speakers.
“I guess that’s your cue to go.”
“Yeah. Make sure you’re eating good food, and try to get some rest on the plane, okay? I’ll pick you up at the airport. I won’t hear any protests, fuck any interviews, and shit. You’re my priority.”
“Okay, that’s a deal.”
“Atta girl. I love you, Joanne.”
Jo put her phone down and rubbed at her nape to ease the built-up tension in her muscles. There were no lies in what she’d told Jackson, but it was the busiest period of her life by far, and it took an immense toll on her body.
“Excuse me, are you Jo Montgomery?”
Joanne snapped from her trance upon hearing her name. She turned her head to the unknown voice and was met by a gorgeous Western anatomy that she could swear she had seen before. Jo displayed a polite smile. “That would be me, yes.”
“You’re so beautiful in real life, it’s crazy. I am with the girls, and we were watching you from afar, so I manned up and came over to say hi. You give off all these majestic vibes.”
The sudden switch up to Spanish probably made Jo stare dumbfoundedly at the woman in front of her.
“I’m so sorry,” the other woman panicked, waving her hands frantically, “Where are my manners? My name is Daniela.”
No fucking shit.
“No, I should apologize. I am not usually speaking in my mother tongue, so it took me out!” Jo giggled and composed herself. “It’s so nice meeting you, Dani, I’m a fan! Can I hug you?”
Spanish hospitality never failed to hit home. Daniela waddled to give into the embrace. “Of course! I must have come across as a stalker or something.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s insane to say, but I’ve gotten used to it these days.”
Daniela pulled back to shake her head. “I know, it’s tough. I overheard your conversation, and I just meant to say you’re very strong. I’m sure you already know, but you’re an amazing person and a great entrepreneur. The girls and I have been watching your work for a while now, and trust me, you just gotta love to hate someone like you. God bless the mean girls.”
A modest smile charted across Jo’s lips. “Thank you, Dani. This means the world to me. You’re flying to San Francisco?”
“We’re flying to LA; our next tour stop is there. I think we’re supposed to depart very soon. Anyway, thank you for your time. I was dying to say hi.”
Jo rummaged through her bag for a business card and gave it to Daniela. “If there’s anything I can help you with in the future, my number is on the back. I’d love to collaborate with you girls someday.”
Joanne finished her meal and safely boarded the flight headed for San Francisco that night. She made herself comfortable on the plane and, for the first time in the longest time, Jo allowed herself to let up and cry all of her bottled up emotions. The accidental encounter with Daniela at the airport was the trigger that she didn’t know she needed. The reminder that the good in the world outweighed the bad.
One reminder that she was becoming the woman of her dreams. All while returning home.
Jo fell into such a deep sleep that she managed to skip almost all the flight time. She woke up as the sun was rising on the Eastern horizon. She stood up to stretch her dormant body and called for the cabin crew for a glass of water. The woman gathered her toiletries for a well-deserved refresh, then returned to her seat to enjoy breakfast. She turned on her Wi-Fi, and her phone exploded with notifications. A great deal of them were related to work, some were from Catalina, and plenty of them were from Jackson.
[Jackson🐻❄️] hiiiiiiiiii princess
[Jackson🐻❄️] following your flight, you should’ve departed by now
[Jackson🐻❄️] oh your notifs are turned off
[Jackson🐻❄️] sleep well love <3
[Jackson🐻❄️] make sure to call me when you wake up okay
[Jackson🐻❄️] doesn’t matter when, just call me!!!!!
[Jackson🐻❄️] I’m dying to see you again
Then, a couple of hours later, with the latest message dating some minutes before.
[Jackson🐻❄️] okay im not gonna freak out but I hope you’re okay
[Jackson🐻❄️] the plane is still in the sky so that’s great
[Jackson🐻❄️] I dreamt about you last night
[Jackson🐻❄️] but im not telling until you arrive
[Jackson🐻❄️] anyway im awake now so call me whenever <3
[Jackson🐻❄️] I love you
Jo placed her phone into the designated support. It rang a couple of times before Jackson picked up.
“Oh, baby, fuck me,” Jo giggled at the sight of a shirtless Jackson, stretching in the gym. “You’re so hot.”
He chuckled and brought the phone closer to his face. “Oh God, look what you’ve done now. I have a tent in my pants.”
Jo shrugged her shoulders innocently and grabbed another bite of her meal.
“Good morning, love. You’re looking like you came straight out of a fairy tale.”
“Sure, bet. Especially with my face stuffed with food.”
Jackson scoffed on his end. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. How are you, everything okay? I got a bit worried when you didn’t reply.”
“I’m perfect, papasito,” Jo replied, a nasty smirk toying with her mouth. “I slept like a log since take-off. I woke up like 30 minutes ago.”
Jackson groaned and licked his lips. “I’m happy you got to rest. I also know you’re doing this on purpose, and I hope you’re prepared for my hands to be glued to you.”
“Nothing more I want in this entire world,” her smirk softened into a longing smile. “I cried myself to sleep actually.”
Her lover’s ecstasy immediately turned to sorrow. She shook her head.
“Those weren’t sad tears. I met Daniela from Katseye at the airport, and she walked over to me to tell me how awesome and cool I am. Out of complete nowhere, this girl just comes to me and spreads kindness like I haven’t seen in these past couple of weeks. And I guess I just got reminded how proud little Joanne would be of me today.”
Jackson remained silent for a while. Eventually, he soothed into the most feathery of smiles. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to hold you. Every fucking day I’m taught of how strong and how resilient you are. And I wonder every day if little Joanne is proud of whom her sister chose.”
Jo mirrored his emotions. Little did he know.
“She would want to steal you from me, and we can’t have that now, can we?”
Jackson laughed wholeheartedly. He checked his watch for the time. “Princess, you’re approaching San Francisco. I’ll go shower real quick and leave so that I can get to the airport in time. I just got to figure out how I’ll exit the fucking hotel with this boner.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure something out! I can’t wait to see you. Te amo.”
Soon after, Jo found herself stepping out of the plane with a certain skip in her step. No physical force could stop her from dashing to the baggage claim area, then from desperately searching for her person in the abundant crowd of the arrivals lobby. Both her hands were busy scurrying the trolley suitcase in her conquest, and one thing proved to be true. When actors did it in the movies, it was considered cliché.
When Jo spotted Jackson in the crowd and quickened her pace, desperate to be engulfed in his embrace, it was the most heavenly moment in her world. She dropped all baggage, and Jackson bound her frame in his arms to lift her up.
“God, I missed the smell of your skin,” he whispered, burying his face in her fragrance. The hand that was holding her hair pulled her in, the other arm strongly holding on to her body. “I missed you so much, Joanne.”
The woman tightened her grip around Jackson’s neck, allowing herself to be consumed by his presence. A couple of bystanders were watching them with affection, others captured the moment in photographs, all while Jo’s essence drowned in Jackson’s entire being. “Take me away, Jackson.”
They didn’t speak much on the way back to the hotel. Jo attached her head to Jackson’s collarbone in the backseat of the car, and Jackson traced circles in the palm of her hand absentmindedly. The Lovers’ Bracelet was reunited into one, just like their souls. It was sunny in San Francisco when they debarked at the entrance of the luxury building; the sky was forever recorded as patron and protector of their love.
Jackson carried her luggage to their apartment. Jo walked over to the glass panels of the penthouse, beyond which San Francisco unfolded miraculously.
“No matter how many times I look at this view, it always steals my breath away. I still remember what it looked like when I was a kid, before all this technology consumed our lives. In hindsight, it’s visually the same, but the feeling never remained.”
Jo turned on her heels to come nearer to Jackson. He was watching her with a glimmer in his eye and a permanent smile on his lips. “I got something for you, corazon.”
“Oh?” he beamed up, “What?”
The woman quickly opened one of the larger suitcases and revealed a carefully wrapped, mid-sized gift box. Jo plopped down on the couch and put the caramel-coloured box in his lap. Jackson accepted it curiously and pulled at the ribbon to unveil a matte black box, with a single golden word engraved on the front: Memories…
“What’s this, baby?” Jackson chuckled and excitedly picked up the cover. He exhaled softly at the sight of a photo album of the same colour, that titled the words …of us… on its cover. Jackson tilted his head to look at her, rapidly growing emotional.
“Come on,” Jo gestured wildly with her hands, an immaculate grin on her features. “Open it already. I’m getting sentimental.”
Jackson’s hand danced over the first page, where a selfie of Jo at Got7’s concert back in late summer of that year happened. In the selfie, she was winking and showing a peace sign into a frame where Jackson was alone on stage. He flipped the page to discover Jo’s writing in fresh navy ink on the back of the picture.
This is where our story began. You didn’t know my name yet, but you liked my wink and my sultry eyes, so I was up 1-0 at the time. I never imagined I would meet who you are, more than just beyond your name.
Jackson chuckled, despite his fingers lingering on the handwriting. His eyes travelled to the next page, a photograph of them at Mark’s birthday party. Both were wearing party glasses and funny hats, and Jackson’s glasses were on the verge of falling from the dramatic dancing position. Jo was bent over his arm, one leg shot up to the sky.
“I remember your feet hurt so bad after that day and you asked for slippers. This is the first time I’m seeing this picture; you were actually barefoot.”
“I know, completely against my standards. We were both drunk as fuck.”
In any other circumstances, I would have sooner died than given up my heels. It was the first time I gave up on my polished femme fatale image, and the first time of many to follow. You’d start breaking so many of my walls. Remember: any grass stain can be removed with the proper care.
Jackson laughed again, albeit hiding a tiny choke in his voice. “I got back home and all I could think about was why I didn’t kiss you when you invited me to kiss you. Fuck, was I mad.”
The picture that followed was their selfie from the outing in Gangnam.
“Oh God, I remember this so vividly,” laughed Jackson, “so many things happened that night.”
“Surely did. At our almost-date.”
“Who the fuck was I fooling?” he scoffed and turned to her. His orbits were damp, “I knew from the start that the business talk and shit was all cover to meet with you.”
Jo smiled in return, feeling her own eyes pulsating with tears. “I would’ve said yes, Jackson, if you’d asked me out.”
You know, in this age and era, they call these things outings. I called it an almost-date. An almost date, but dying to hear your laughter. An almost date, but bringing out my best flirting game. An almost date, but being bewitched by your smile. Then you kissed me. And denied me. And that changed everything.
Jackson lifted his left hand to wipe his eyes. His voice was scarcely louder than a whisper. “When did you have time to make all this?”
Jo brought her hands together, as if digging her manicure into the skin would stop the fat blob rolling down her cheek. “I know we’re not spending Christmas together this year. Frankly, you have all the material things the world has to offer, and I wanted to give you a meaningful present. So Merry early Christmas, amor de mi vida.”
Jackson shovelled his teeth into the plush of his bottom lip, trying in vain to put up a fight against his tears. “Love of my life,” he repeated weakly at the sight of the next album entry, which was a blank paper adorned by Jo’s writing alone, and a date.
I never damned anything in my life because my mother taught me that casting curses brings great catastrophes. I wish I did. Maybe if I did, you wouldn’t have left for Europe with a kiss goodbye. I’ve never been kissed like that. There was no need for words to understand that you longed for me as much as I burned for you.
The sun was well conquering over the December sky as it witnessed Jackson crying. He was crying like a child, gradually growing from quiet sobs to callous whines. Jo’s heart broke into a million different pieces.
Some heavy tears fell on the protective plastic of the following collage of pictures: a selfie at Jackson’s kitchen table in his Shanghai home, another selfie in the gondola under the basking moonlight of river Nanxiang, a professional picture in Team Wang’s dance studio, and ultimately a candid shot of the couple at the Garage Bar, where Jackson was admiring his soon-to-be lover as she laughed next to him.
Freedom is such an ambiguous word, don’t you think? We can account for a hundred different meanings, yet all that my freedom means is simply enjoying life by your side. I had lived a hundred thousand different emotions with you, and I wasn’t even yours. Perhaps when you told me so decisively that you’d marry me, I started acknowledging that my freedom was no longer a faraway objective.
“Now I feel so sorry about doing this,” Jo murmured, tears cascading over her cheeks, “I never meant to make you suffer.”
Jackson held on to his strength to go through the rest of the pictures in the album. A suffocated sliver of a chuckle escaped when he saw the picture of all Got7 and Jo, on the day of their live stream, and equally on the day when he broke the news of their relationship. They were laughing and they were strikingly happy.
Got8 would have looked great, wouldn’t it? I never thought you could barely meet someone and call them family. I guess I was wrong, and I guess I should’ve known better since I wanted to call you family from the first time we exchanged names.
There was another montage of pictures from the few tours Jo was present at, snippets of their backstage shenanigans, and a second collage of the couple’s dress up moments at the theatre, and then during their private dates in the foreign cities.
The last scribbled page was placed over a sealed envelope, and had a simple statement chiselled onto it: To be continued…
Jackson placed the photo album onto the coffee table and grabbed his head in between his hands. Jo gave him the silence and the space he needed to calm himself down. When he finally summoned the vigour to speak, he had to defeat the choking of his trembling breath.
“The darkest times of my life I spent in all these hotel rooms, drinking to hide from myself and doubting myself. Deep down I think I hate hotels.”
Jackson lifted his head to watch Jo in the eye, with a serenity superior to the imagination.
“You’re the happiest moment of my life.”
Jo strangled a sob before it formed in the back of her throat. She was crying, still. Jackson intertwined his fingers with hers.
“Last night I dreamt of you,” he smiled, and Jo could tell he was replaying the scenario in his mind, “You were wearing a white dress like those you wear in the summer, and you were running through a field, in the distance, there was a barn. And you stopped to look back.”
Even though tears started flowing down his face, his voice was jubilant. “Two kids caught onto your dress. A boy and a girl. I didn’t see their faces, but I know they were perfect.”
Jackson loved her. He loved her like she’d never known gentleness, like she was a secret never meant to be told to the world, like the air in his lungs was not pure unless she kissed him. Jackson loved her like the sunflowers chase the sun, like he had never touched anyone else before, because he didn’t know how.
And Jo loved him. She loved him like she’d never been whole before, like she’d tried to break herself apart to take the shape of him, like spring after winter would never come again. Jo loved him like she’d never been a strong person before, who cried to herself in the mirror of her childhood room because she’d dreamed of the stars, who never allowed herself to make mistakes.
Jo loved Jackson irredeemably.
“Thank you for giving me the world, Joanne.”
The woman shook her head and threw herself into his welcoming arms. “Thank you for being my world, Jackson.”
Jackson embraced her and buried himself into her untamed hair. They remained still for a while, until Jo fissured the silence with a giggle.
“What is it, princess?”
“I also wrote you that letter, but I meant for you to read it when you were alone.”
The man scoffed and retreated to the backrest of the couch. His eyes were puffy and drained. “You can be sure I am going to read it today. I can’t hold on that much longer, and I’m prepared for round two of bawling my ass out.”
Jo leaned against the hard surface, prompting the side of her head into the palm of her hand. “I wasn’t prepared for it, not gonna lie.”
“I’m sorry,” he smiled and reached for the tissue box on the glass table. “I keep on breaking my promises to you.”
Jo shook her head. “You’re not breaking anything. This,” gesturing over her bare face, “Is all happy stuff.”
Jackson laughed and blew his nose. He settled back onto the couch. “There’s no way in this lifetime that I’ll be able to give back as much as you give me. And I suck at presents.”
“Shut up. You know this is not one of those give me something to give back situations. I love doing these kinds of things. And it’s ours, it’s personal. Your love is all I need.”
“Noted. That’s going to be an unlimited resource.”
Jackson shifted his body to face Jo. “I’ve been thinking about something recently.”
Jo unzipped her heels and threw them on the floor, “Much better.” She curled into the lotus position. “What about?”
“You know I have these songs; I love you 3000 and Feeling Lucky.”
Jackson was twisting the rings on his fingers. Jo noticed the indecisiveness in his actions.
“I know them, yeah,” Jo teased, “Just spit it out.”
“I hate it when you read me like an open book.”
Laughter.
“Like, all the time?”
He stopped his fidgeting. “It won’t make any sense for me to sing these songs with someone else on stage anymore.”
“I mean, why not? It’s not like you couldn’t do your part only or something—”
“I want you to sing them with me.”
Jo furrowed her eyebrows. “Where?”
“On stage.”
The woman scoffed at the outrageous proposal. She opened her mouth a couple of times to respond and failed each time, due to a lack of proper words. Then, she clicked her tongue then scoffed again.
"Jackson, I’m not a singer."
“Please!” Jackson lifted his hands to the ceiling in an exasperated motion. “There are a million reasons you could say no, but this is just not one of them, Jo.”
“It’s true?!” she countered, imitating his actions, “You have sold out shows of thousands of people. What would I do up there with you?”
Jackson looked deeply insulted. “Why’s that any different from the thousands of people at your collegiate fair? Or at karaoke?”
Jo opened her mouth once more to protest. She stayed silent.
“Right?” he turned to her and raked a hand through his hair. “Look, I know, there’s already so much pressure on you simply because you’re with me. It’s probably only going to grow. This alone is enough to say no and bury this forever. And I know you have a career, and I love that, and I support that. All I’m saying is what if.”
“I just cannot understand why.”
“There’s absolutely no justifiable reason. None, zero. I want to do this with you, and that’s it. In an ideal fantasy of mine, I would share all my life with my lover. And I am, right? We are sharing our lives. The fact that you’re a natural singer and dancer only means I can share more with you. And I’m humbled by this.”
Jo sighed a long and powerful sigh. She brought her hand to her temple to massage it. Bottom line, Jackson wasn’t wrong. And he was one hell of a motivational speaker.
“I’m not touring with you non-stop.”
“Not a problem. The set is easy to change.”
She was moderately irked by the fact that he was right. “And I’ll need in-ears, and stage clothes, and probably a vocal trainer for the time being—"
Jackson nodded his head and looked away. His lips were pursed in a secrecy that was terribly kept in mocked innocence.
“You’re absolutely unbelievable!” Jo screamed and swatted his arm, “Did you prepare everything because you knew I would say yes?!”
“Yes, I mean no,” Jackson laughed and defended himself, “There was a possibility you would say yes, so I wanted to be prepared, you know!”
“I need a drink and a McDonald's,” Jo sprang from the couch, and Jackson picked up the phone to fulfil her wishes. Then, before he had a chance to speak, “Why does everything have to be so easy with you?”
Jackson blinked. “Is it not supposed to be easy?”
Jo was enraged. Jackson burst in snickers as he tried to approach her. “So, are we going to the studio later today or what?”
“Jackson!” Jo exclaimed and jokingly fought against Jackson’s bear embrace. “Ah, what the hell? We’ll go to the studio.”
“I love you.” He smiled and crashed his mouth against hers. Hungrily, eagerly, lovingly. “I still can’t believe you’re real.”
“Watch me be real up on that stage,” she replied against his lips, “The things you do to me, Jackson Wang.”
Jackson’s hands rapidly voyaged to her lower back, fingers grinding against her ass. “You know, I’m living with you more than I’ve lived in my 31 years of life. Horny, crying, horny again, there’s no possible way to fake these things.”
Jo’s phone started vibrating in her handbag. Her initial intention was to let it slide but the caller was very adamant she picked up. The woman scurried over to pick up, and Samantha almost left her deaf in her right ear.
“I swear to fucking God! I have an emergency in the OR and I can’t pay for the fucking New Year’s vacation because you’re not replying to the fucking messages!”
“Messages? What New Year’s vacation?” asked Jackson, an evident wonder in his voice.
“Oh, great. Look, my favourite lovebirds, I’m sorry to hijack your sexy time, but I need to put down the deposit so that the dude with the fucking beachfront villa will make the reservation for us.”
“Fuck, I totally forgot. Sorry chica, I’m giving you the money right now.”
“You know what’s funny, Jo?” If there were a textbook definition of furious, Samantha would be it, right at that moment. “The only people I haven’t chased for money were Jaebum, Jinyoung, and Catalina. And it’s not even about the money, cause God knows I’m not poor, it’s about principle! Jonathan said he’d do the booking and obviously didn’t. Because do you know what he is doing? He’s playing fucking tennis with Henry!”
While Jo was completing the wire transfer, Jackson eventually realized what Samantha and Jo were talking about. “Ah shit, we’re really going to Barbados for New Year’s.”
Chapter 6