Deserve | Na Jaemin ✓

𝟞 | brainstorm together

You could say that Hyejin left Jaemin hanging as she never gave a proper response. When the three minutes were up, and Mr John recorded the pairs, Jaemin and Hyejin were automatically paired up together, to Jaemin's luck.

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you all. We will be combining with Ms Lee's class for this project. You can pick your other group there." the class snickers at the newly found information and Mr John creases his forehead, "What's up with you all?"

"Are you sure that it was supposed to be a combined class work? Or are you just making excuses to see Ms Lee more?" one of the girls in the classroom playfully states to the blushing teacher.

"Y-Yah! One more of those jokes and I'll uninvite you all to the wedding." Mr John stammers before rushing out of the classroom to get a glass of water, and quite possibly a fresh breath of air after being in the same space as those devils.

Hyejin abruptly follows Mr John calling his name out in the hallway, "Mr John..."

"Hyejin..." he sighs, "I think I might know what you want to say."

Hyejin pursed her lips as she looked up to the only person that could save her. Her glass-like eyes showed her anxiety and dislike towards the whole group project.

"Hyejin...I can't let you out of this one. I know I did back then when I was your teacher but..." Mr John points at her badge, "You're a senior now, Hyejin. Group work is a real life situation that you will need to learn anyways."

"Please Mr John." Hyejin clasps her hands together, feeling doom come upon her at his every word, "I'll learn it someday, please I can't get a bad mark at this."

Mr John looks down at the distressed girl, "Hyejin...if you don't learn now, trust me, you will never be able to learn. I can't let you go this time, Hyejin. I'm sorry. Go back to the classroom alright? I'll be right back for our actual English class."

Hyejin's shoulders slumped at the retreating figure, her eyes shaking and her whole body felt numb. She started to scratch her palm, something that she would do when her mind went blank. That is until a hand stops her.

"Hyejin? Stop. You're going to hurt yourself." Na Jaemin stood in front of her in concern with the girl's rough action towards her own hands. To be honest, Jaemin rushed after the girl after her sudden act, worried about her sudden actions, "I'm sorry...did you want to be partners with someone else? We could talk to Mr John after this?"

Hyejin's head movements were quick to reject the statement, worried that he might take the wrong idea, "N-No, I'm sorry. It's just that..." she stopped there. What? It's just what? She couldn't tell him that she was scared of people. She would be judged, "Nevermind...let's just go back."

As Ms Lee's class enters the classroom, Jaemin's eyes beamed at the sight of his two best friends as he beckons them to come over.

"One rule." Jaemin started, "No flirting. I don't want to be third wheeling even more than I am now."

Jaein pouted her lips and raised an eyebrow, "Oh come on, Nana!" The trio played around a bit more and Hyejin took in the sight of the two new people that just walked in.

The girl looked very pretty in her eyes and from what she has seen so far, she seems to have an approachable personality as well. Her hand pinches Jaemin's cheeks as she makes cooing noises to the boy. Nevertheless, she looks very comfortable around Jaemin. Hyejin then diverts her attention to the boy that she linked her hands with. The boy looks very approachable as well, Hyejin noted his little eye smile when they were joking around and how his nose scrunched up slightly when he laughed. The trio looks very peaceful and united. Hyejin was thankful for the fact that she at least had a decent group of people to work with.

Even though this isn't truly enough to calm her anxiety.

"Oh sorry for not introducing ourselves." The trio caught their breaths and Hyejin smiles slightly at her exhausted-breathy tone, "My name is Na Jaein and this is my boyfriend Lee Jeno. I'm sorry that you have to work with Jaemin. It's going to be a pain I know." Jaein clenches her chest dramatically, leaning over to Jeno for 'support'.

"No Jaein! Don't die on me." Jeno played along with her act, "I love you! Don't leave me with him."

Jaemin rolls his eyes away at the act, "This is why they shouldn't have taken drama. Well anyways just ignore those two."

"So when do you guys want to start?" Jaein picks up the assignment sheet and scans the block of writing, "This is going to take a while in my opinion."

"What's the theme even about?" Jeno asked and gags at the long assignment sheet, "Oh gosh."

Hyejin and Jaemin followed, their reactions similar to the couple as they read the first paragraph.

"Ok so technically to sum up this whole sheet: Choose an issue in society and present three solutions on how we can take action against it." Jaein ponders at the presentation theme, "I mean...there is a lot we could do. But the problem is how we present it to score high. Any ideas?" Jaein threw the question to the three teens who were also brainstorming for ideas.

The group was silent for a while until Hyejin shifted in her chair, "Um..." they almost missed her voice amidst the zoo-like classroom, "What about we brainstorm on simple topics? Or maybe choose something that we all have an interest in and then start from there?"

Hyejin's legs tapped the ground rapidly, worried that her plan would be lame and that they would laugh at her.

"I think that's a great idea." Jaein claps as she grabs a notebook from her bag, "Ok let's all write down things that we like or care for!"

Jaein's bright voice made Hyejin's mind, body and soul release the heavy breath that she was holding. Hyejin nodded and was about to stand up to grab a pen from her desk before one was displayed in front of her, "Here! Let's brainstorm together Hyejin!"

With those five words, Hyejin felt that maybe, just maybe, she could handle working with a group after all.