For Love's Sake || Jeno

08: Crown stealer

Naeun stopped by the convenience store on her way to school. It was the same store Jeno had brought her to a couple of days back. She picked up a chocolate bar from a shelf and could only hope that Jeno had a sweet tooth. Judging by how he liked pineapple on pizza, he probably did.

She placed the chocolate bar on the counter and saw that the cashier was different from before. "That will be eight hundred Won," he said. When Naeun placed her hand inside her pocket to take out the money she felt the bottle of pepper spray she had bought.

Even though she had become a bit more relaxed over the weekend, seeing how no one was coming after her. Still, she carried around her army knife and had bought a new bottle of pepper spray.

Thanking the cashier, she left the store and headed to school.

The classroom was empty when she reached it. Before anyone else could come, she fished out her pack of sticky notes and wrote a message on the top square paper. Thank you for everything. She pulled the pink paper off of the pack and stuck it on the chocolate bar before placing it inside Jeno's desk. Her heart was racing as if she'd been committing a crime.

She sat on her seat and placed her head on the desk until the other students arrived. She did not lift her head with all the commotion happening around her but only when someone tapped her shoulder. Jiyoung was sitting beside her. Purposefully wearing a tight smile. "Hi," said Naeun, sounding nervous. "How's your grandma?"

"Just fine," She said in a singsong voice. "What about you? How are things going for you?" She asked, overly sweet.

"I'll tell you during the free period," Naeun promised.

She heard Jeno pulling up his chair behind her but Naeun didn't turn around to look. She already felt nervous about the chocolate she'd left inside his desk and the note to top. Now she was starting to feel stupid too. The chocolate seemed like a bad idea. She should have given him something else, like a bottle of orange juice or a handful of candies. It was too late for any of that now.

The lessons ended and the free period arrived. Jiyoung asked Naeun to go to the bathroom with her. Naeun agreed, knowing that they wouldn't be going to the bathroom. She stood up from her seat and slightly turned to glance at Jeno for the first time that. He was nibbling on the chocolate bar Naeun had left in his desk.

She followed Jiyoung out in the hallway and the two stood at the window, gazing at the school grounds where kids were having their P.E.

Jiyoung did not speak so Naeun did. "So, where do I begin?" She told Jiyoung about her illegal job first but kept Jeno out of it, saying that she had found it herself. The fighters from The Ring, she painted them out to be common thugs holding a grudge against Jeno. She lied, saying that she met Jeno coincidentally outside the club and the thugs witnessed it too. By the time she reached the kidnapping part, she had to clasp her hands together to stop them from trembling. Her throat had become so dry that she had to keep clearing it. It was dreadful to recall that horrific experience especially when she had been trying not to think about it.

She stopped when Jiyoung placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're shaking," she said. There was a thin film of tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Naeun," she said, hugging her. "I had no idea you were having such a hard time."

"Yeah, well, I'm okay now. I quit the job too."

Jiyoung held her at an arm's length and said, "you should've borrowed money from me. I have a lot saved up."

"I'll remember it," Naeun replied even though she had no intention of asking her for money.

"So, you're not dating Jeno," she almost sounded relieved. "Maybe it's best that you stay away from him. Sounds like he has some dangerous people after him."