across - NCT NA JAEMIN FF

sixteen

NA JAEMIN

"How was she today?" I ask Beomgyu when he takes his seat beside me.

He glances at her with a concerned expression. She lays on the couch at the far end of the computer room, covered by Beomgyu's hoodie and fast asleep. She passed out as soon as she arrived.

"God, hyung," he sighs. "She's always had a habit of looking at the time, and I always thought it was because she wanted class to end..."

I watch her too and the urge to get to the man's office starts burning. "She didn't say she wants to go home? I know she's exhausted from last night. And being at school might be difficult for her right now."

He turns in his chair to face me. "She said she doesn't wanna go alone. And didn't you say you'd walk with her? Wasn't that the agreement?"

I look away and turn to the monitor. "I didn't think she'd listen. Was I supposed to assume she'd be fine with walking with me? Considering us?"

"Okay I don't know why but that sounded really cute. Us? Do you consider yourself one with her?" he says wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I push his face away. "You know what I meant." I try to sound cool but something weird starts happening in my stomach.

"Whatever you say hyung," he says in a singsong manner.

I glare at him but he doesn't care. He switches on his computer and starts to work while I glance back at her one last time.

Fine, multiple times. Whatever.

At 5:30, neither of us are eager to wake her. We stand a metre away from the couch where she lays and hasn't moved an inch.

"You do it," Beomgyu whispers with a nudge at my side.

I shake my head vigorously. "We aren't even that close. You guys are friends, she won't get angry!" I whisper back.

I shove him forward and he stumbles closer to her. He very carefully places a hand on her arm. He shakes it gently. "Yun, it's time to go home," he says softly.

She shifts in her position and her eyes slowly flutter open. She squints at us two and scans her surroundings before sitting up hurriedly to gather her stuff. Beomgyu's sweater falls to the ground and she bends down to pick it up when he does. Their heads collide and I flinch at the seemingly painful sight.

"Ouch!" she winces but her hand isn't on her forehead but on his. "Sorry!!" she says as she examines the area she hit. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

It was just a bump. Why does she have to hold him like that?

He straightens himself with his sweater in hand. He rubs his forehead and smiles at her. "Don't worry. I think you just killed a few million brain cells–ow."

She shoves his face away, making him fall back and his butt hits the ground. But of course, he's just laughing.

She stretches her arms upward and yawns. Her eyes catch mine and she offers the slightest smile.

"Let's get moving?" Beomgyu prompts as he gets up by grabbing Yun's arm. She stumbles a bit, but helps him anyway.

I turn around and set for the door while the two follow behind. Even if I can't see them, I sense that Beomgyu is doing his best to cheer her up and get her mind away from the guy. Feeling like it, I slow down so I'm behind them. From here, I can see just how tense she is.

We arrive at the entrance and Beomgyu hugs her tightly. His looks at me meaningfully, which I take as a 'please take care of her' look and I smile to reassure him.