trouble ¦ lee jeno (UNDER REWRITING)

ch ; 17

.・。.・゜⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽ 17 ☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅・゜・。.

Seojin basked in the warm glow of the NCU courtyard, the gentle hum of student activity a comforting backdrop to the rhythmic tapping of her fingers on the keyboard.

Her research paper was slowly taking shape, each sentence a testament to the hours she'd poured into the project – alone. A part of her had expected Jeno to reach out, a flicker of hope battling with the ever-present wall of pride she'd built around herself.

But Jeno remained a ghost, his absence a constant reminder of their strained partnership.

Disappointment gnawed at her. Her initial impression of Jeno, aloof but competent, had morphed into something far less flattering. He was proving to be unreliable, an unwelcome complication in an already demanding task. Their deadline loomed, a dark cloud threatening to drown her in a sea of unfinished research.

A sigh escaped her lips as she closed her laptop, the weight of her workload momentarily lifted. Taking a break, she allowed her gaze to wander across the bustling courtyard.

And then she saw him. A familiar figure sitting beneath a sprawling oak tree, lost in a world of his own.

A surge of energy propelled her forward. She grabbed her things and marched towards him, a determined glint in her eyes. As she neared, she hesitantly tugged at his sleeve. "Hi, Jaemin?"

Jaemin looked up, surprise flickering across his features. A wide grin stretched across his face as he recognized her. "Oh, Seojin, hello!"

A hesitant smile graced Seojin's lips. She took a deep breath, pushing aside her pride for the sake of the project. "Uhm... I haven't heard from your friend, Jeno, in a while," she began, her voice laced with apprehension.

"As much as I hate to admit it, this workload isn't moving fast enough with the deadline approaching... is he around?"

Jaemin's smile faltered, replaced by a solemn expression. He shook his head slowly, a sigh escaping his lips. "I'm sorry, Seojin, I won't be much of a help. I also have no idea where he is. We... uh, had a bit of a misunderstanding, and I haven't heard from him since."

Seojin's shoulders slumped in defeat. A frown creased her brow, but she forced a smile. "Oh... uhm... if ever he does come around, can you..." Her voice trailed off, the words catching in her throat.

Jaemin, sensing her hesitation, offered a reassuring nod. "I will. Don't worry, I'll make sure he cooperates with you."

A soft chuckle escaped Seojin's lips. "Thank you, Jaemin. See you around?"

"See you around," Jaemin replied, his smile returning as she turned and walked away.

Seojin watched him disappear into the crowd, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach.

Where could Jeno have gone?

And was his absence somehow connected to Mark's recent disappearance?

She recalled the subtle tension that hung in the air whenever she'd seen them together, a silent battle fought with narrowed eyes and terse greetings.

A groan escaped her lips as she clutched her research materials. This project was proving to be a nightmare – complex, demanding, and now, frustratingly incomplete. Two weeks had passed since the professor assigned the project, and she wasn't even halfway done. Was this just her bad luck, to be paired with such a… complicated individual?

Just as she was about to continue her departure from the campus, a forceful yank sent her world into a dizzying spin. A scream tore from her throat as she found herself sprawled on the ground, the harsh scrape of concrete stinging her skin.