trouble ¦ lee jeno (UNDER REWRITING)

ch ; 09

.・。.・゜⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽ 09 ☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅・゜・。.

Seojin fidgeted in her seat, trying to find a comfortable position. The dull ache in her side, a constant reminder of yesterday's encounter, made it difficult to focus on the droning lecture. Every time she shifted, a twinge of pain reminded her of the hidden scrape beneath her shirt.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her notes. She looked up to find Mark gazing at her with a concerned frown. "Hey, you alright?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Seojin's cheeks flushed a rosy pink at his close proximity. Their faces were mere centimeters apart, his warm breath tickling her cheek. "Y-yeah," she stammered, her voice barely above a squeak. "I'm fine."

Mark scrutinized her face, searching for any sign of discomfort. Finding none, he reached out and gently squeezed her hand. The sudden contact sent a jolt through her, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. It was a simple gesture, yet it felt strangely intimate.

"You sure?" he pressed, his voice soft with concern.

Seojin managed a weak smile, her gaze dropping back to her notes. "Positive," she mumbled. Thankfully, the professor's booming voice filled the room once more, signaling the start of the lecture.

The rest of the class passed in a blur. Seojin mostly tuned out the professor's monotonous voice, her mind replaying the events of yesterday. The fear, the adrenaline, and the strange sense of connection with Jeno, a boy shrouded in an air of mystery.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the class, Mark excused himself to speak with Professor Kang. Seojin watched from her seat as they engaged in a hushed conversation, the professor's expression unreadable. Finally, Professor Kang nodded and left the room.

Mark took a deep breath and turned to face the class. He cleared his throat, his usual confident demeanor seemingly a tad ruffled. "Ahem, uh, good morning everyone!"

There was a smattering of confused greetings from the sleepy students.

"So," Mark continued, pushing his hair back nervously, "as some of you might know, the student council is a bit short-handed when it comes to preparing for the upcoming Neo University Week, which starts next week. We're looking for a few enthusiastic volunteers from each section to help out with preparations. There's a little incentive involved, of course."

A few heads perked up at the mention of an "incentive." Mark scanned the room, waiting for a response.

Silence stretched for a few awkward seconds before a lone hand hesitantly shot up in the air. Mark smiled encouragingly. Soon after, another hand followed suit.

Mark then retrieved a marker and started filling in the details on the board. "Alright, fantastic! Let's see… we have…" he listed down the names and course sections of the volunteers. Mark smiled at Seojin as she also raised her hand, hesitantly.

Seojin watched as Mark, done with his task, jogged towards her with a relieved smile on his face. "Wow, Mr. Booked and Busy," Seojin teased, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Mark let out an airy chuckle, a hint of pink dusting his cheeks. "Well, someone has to be, right?" he said, grabbing his things.

They walked out of the hall together, their steps falling into an easy rhythm. As they reached the exit, Mark was about to bid farewell when Seojin spoke up.

"I actually don't have second period," she explained. "Ms. Jang canceled it, so I have three whole hours to wallow in loneliness." Her voice dropped to a whisper at the last part.

Mark paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Me too, actually," he said after a moment. "We can, uh, get coffee? If you want? There's a newly opened cafe near gate seven! I even heard from my friends that their coffee is good, and not that expensive, so we can head there if you want. To like, kill time, during vacant? Only if you—"

Seojin couldn't help but cut him off with a laugh. His flustered rambling was endearing. "Yes, Mark," she said, her smile widening. "We can."

Mark blinked at her, registering her words for a moment before a genuine smile spread across his face. He reached out, his fingers intertwining with hers. The touch sent a warm tingle through Seojin, a stark contrast to the dull ache in her side.

Ignoring the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, she let him lead the way, her curiosity about Jeno momentarily pushed aside as she walked towards Gate 7, hand in hand with Mark.

-

Jeno, the first one out of the lecture hall, stretched his arms above his head with a yawn so wide his jaw almost popped. The droning voice of his Business Management professor had lulled him into a semi-comatose state halfway through the lecture.

He blinked, eyes adjusting to the bright hallway light, and his gaze landed squarely on two figures walking out on a different lecture hall, their hands intertwined.

It was her again. The girl from the hallway, the canteen, the party, the elevator, and yesterday – and now, holding hands with Mark.

Jeno's stomach clenched with a strange mix of annoyance and… something else he couldn't quite define.

He hadn't even learned her name yet, despite their five encounters. His eyes narrowed as they lingered on their intertwined hands, a silent language Jeno wasn't a part of.

He felt a tap on his arm and turned to find Ah-in standing beside him, a painted smile plastered on her face as she waved goodbye to a group of friends. Without a word, she grabbed his forearm and yanked him towards the exit, her usual forceful demeanor back in full swing.

"Do you want to ditch class and go to my condo?" Ah-in asked, glancing up at him with a forced cheer in her voice. Her eyes flickered to his face, catching him lost in thought. She tugged on his sleeve, her grip tightening slightly. "Jeno?"

He stared at her blankly, the memory of the girl and Mark's interaction lingering in his mind. A part of him yearned for the carefree ease of their connection, a stark contrast to the tense routine he shared with Ah-in. Their fight a week ago had been brutal, and the unspoken truce they held now felt suffocating.

He desperately wanted to stop, to walk away and just be done with it all. But the secret Ah-in held over him, a blackmail he couldn't escape, kept him chained. Frustration bubbled within him, a low growl escaping his throat.

"Your car key," he finally muttered, his voice devoid of emotion. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing him cave, even if giving in was the only option he had. Ah-in beamed, a genuine smile this time, and reached into her bag.

As they walked towards the parking lot, Jeno couldn't help but steal another glance towards the direction the woman and Mark had disappeared.

He wished… he wished for something, but the feeling remained unformed, a tangled mess of emotions he couldn't unravel.

-

a/n: poor Jeno, Mark 2:1 Jeno LMAO

Continued.