The Way It Is

twenty seven

Chapter 27

"Go, and find a table for ourselves. I'll order for the two of us," Hyunjin said as he pointed at the dining tables not far from them.

They decided to eat breakfast the moment they arrived in Busan. There were a lot of restaurants and fast-food chains near the school they're be playing at.

Yiyeon went to sit at a table by the window. The counter wasn't far from the table, and she could see Hyunjin from there. Her cousin really treated her food, just like what he promised when they were still in Seoul.

She then remembered that she has to review some of the sports jargon that could help her write the article about the game. So Yiyeon got the handouts Jaemin gave her and reviewed the words one by one.

Yiyeon was engrossed in reading at this point, but she was still aware of what was happening around her. She could hear the bell ringing, signaling that there were new customers who entered.

Hyunjin dragged the chair in front of her and raised a brow when she saw that his cousin wasn't paying attention to him at all. "What's that-" He was about to say something, but Yiyeon immediately raised her hang, making Hyunjin stop the question he was about to ask.

The bell rang once again, and she heard people talking, but she doesn't even care at the moment because she was already immersed in reading the handout Jaemin gave her, even if she doesn't really want to read it. It was quiet inside the restaurant they're in, that's why her mind finally had the time to concentrate, unlike inside the bus earlier.

"Oh, Yiyeon-ah!" Her eyes landed on Renjun, who was waving his hands by the doorway. Beside him were Yangyang and Jeno.

Renjun skipped towards their table and greeted the two, "I didn't know that you guys were here." He chuckled. "We could have gotten here together."

Yiyeon's attention wasn't on Renjun but on the two, who were talking at their table. There weren't any hints of awkwardness between the two, which made her sigh in relief. Yangyang was trying to keep Jeno's consciousness awake, even if Jeno looked like he was about to pass out any moment.

"Is he... okay?" Yiyeon asked.

Renjun's eyes traveled to where she was looking, "Jeno?" He sighed. "To be frank, we don't really know. The moment we arrived, he immediately looked for a restroom and vomited. It's not like him at all..."

Hyunjin looked at her cousin, who looked genuinely worried about the other guy. He felt something inside him churning. The scene in front of him makes him remember the night of Yiyeon's birthday.

He could remember Yiyeon crying, and back then, he wanted to blame himself because he couldn't even stop her from going to where they were supposed to meet.

But now, he doesn't know what to do. He just doesn't want to see her wear that hurt expression.

He patted her hands, "He'll be alright. We'll all be alright, okay?" Just then, Hyunjin's name was called from the counter, a sign that his order was ready. "I'll just go get our food," he said as he threw Renjun a knowing glance.

"Hyunjin's right," Renjun nodded. "We'll make sure that Jeno's in perfect condition when he plays later. Otherwise, traveling to this extent won't mean anything," he sighed. "I'll go back to our table now. I have to watch over the two. I'll see you later, Yiyeon," he said and waved his hand before walking back to their table.