GATEWAY 🝔 LEE JENO

🝔 2.16

Who knows how long she sat there playing peekaboo with the 2 year old. But Ga-eun did not mind. The more she watched So-hye laugh out the more the girl wanted to stick by her side entertaining her. Screaming out giggles from her tiny belly, Ga-eun fell soft as she held her small palms in her larger ones. "You seemed to like her a lot," Minji said, glancing over to her daughter. Slowly nodding she gave a small smile before handing her over to the mother.

From the side Jia was staring at her daughter as she chatted with Minji. Letting out a heavy sigh she rested her cheek against her palm in despair. "Are you ok?" briefly looking over at Jeno she gave a small nod. "Yeah . . it's just hard to see how you all have grown up already." It hurt her that she was unable to watch them grow into the adults they are now. Minji was merely three years old when she left and now that infant she once saw is a mother. A mother with a daughter and a husband, her own family.

Averting her sight onto Jeno she gave a small smile before standing up from her seat. Ruffling his hair lightly she walked over to Hei-ran who was busily reading a book that Mark recommended. Not moving a muscle, Jeno kept his eyes trained on the girl.

The past few days he hadn't been able to speak to her. Or more like she wouldn't speak to him. It gave him deja vu, just like the time in Narva when she ignored him. It's not like Ga-eun didn't want to, she just couldn't help but think how happy Jeno was beside Yebin.

Sometimes both her and Jeno have awkward moments. Probably because it's been a long time. She wished that they could be completely comfortable with each other like one year ago. However, watching him with Yebin made her ponder if he perhaps moved on.

"AHHH! Do you contain sewage inside you or something?!" Jisung yelled out running away from Mark. "It wasn't me . . Jeno!" Mark called out to which Jeno rolled his eyes. "Mark, only you fart like that" he calmly responded.

Tutting her head Minji gawked at her first brother in disgust. But then something popped into her mind and she snapped her head over to Ga-eun. "You said you're an herbalist. Do you know any remedies to make atom bond farts like Mark's to actually not smell?" Flickering her sight over to an embarrassed looking Mark she shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with your farts smelling. It's quiet normal"

"Can we please drop this topic?" Mark pleaded red as a tomato. Ga-eun gave a soft reassuring smile to the boy to which he noticed and immediately felt less awkward about the situation. "Hey Mark"

Ga-eun called out walking over to him. Furrowing his brows he tilted his head waiting for her to carry on speaking. "You're a writer right?" slowly he nodded making her features beam up. 

"Well actually I noticed how there are herbs and plants which also exist in Narva. I was hoping if I could make a book that I can publish on remedies and simple medications that people can make themselves" pressing her lips together she faced with with hope that it's something that could possibly be achieved. 

To her luck it seemed like there was a chance. "I can try asking one of my hyungs. He's in charge of going through the peer-review and publications"

"He probably would let her," Jeno intervened as he walked over to the two. Twisting around she connected her orbs into Jenos. Sadly, to Jeno's dissatisfaction it wasn't a very pleasing look. More cold and numb. "Are you going to keep glaring at me like that?" he clicked his tongue while placing his hands on his torso.

Scoffing, Ga-eun nodded. "Yeah until my eyes burn because you look like hell"  nudged past him she left. In all honesty, Ga-eun herself did not know what came over her. She wasn't sure why she behaved like that towards him. But she couldn't help but not be able to control this strange emotions swirling around her heart confusing her. At the unforeseen action, all eyes fell onto the girl as she walked away back to her room. "What's with her? She's been acting strange"

"Since when?" Jisung questioned sitting beside Mark once again. Humming lightly he tried to remember.

"The day when she met Renjun and Yebin but she seemed fine at Renjuns house" at the information Jeno spoke out both Jisung and Minji gave him a are you serious look.

"What?!" he innocently questioned cluelessly, wandering his sight between the two attempting to figure out what they were thinking.

Tutting her head Minji patted her youngest brother's shoulder. "I would understand if Mark didn't notice but you . . how disappointing" she breathed out. Mouth falling a gap Mark let out a scoff out of disbelief at her words. "How rude," he mumbled.

"Are you dumb or naive?" Jisung pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just get to the point!" Jeno was having enough of them beating around the bush. "She's jealous," Jisung dragged his words so that Jeno could hear him crystal clearly. 

Falling in a state of oblivion he tilted his head to the side trying to comprehend what Jisung was talking about. "You're not joking right?" his voice fell a few octaves to make sure that the younger boy wasn't messing with him.

"It's quite obvious"

It was hard to believe. He never imagined her to be jealous. After all, she rejected him the last time they spoke and now hearing that she may have feelings for him was shocking. Out of the blue, he felt his heart lift up, yearning to see her at that exact moment.

Lips curving up he let out an airy chuckle while running his hand through his dark hair in disbelief.

Frustrated that he did not realise sooner. The more he thought about it he felt stupid for being so blind. It all made sense. Why her etiquette and manners contrasted her usual self.

Without a second to waste, Jeno spun on his heels, a smug look plastered across his features. He was heading over to her room. "Where's he off to?" Jisung questioned but not getting a response he darted over to the figure beside him to find a glaring Mark. "What's with you?" the younger boy raised a brow racking his sight onto him.

Letting out a snarl, Mark pointed to the item in the younger boy's hold. "Why do you have insect repellent in your hand?" immediately Jisung pinched his nostrils and raised it towards the older boy about to aim it at him.

"That's to kill bugs you know" Mark blandly spoke out. Nonetheless, he instinctively began running away from the younger boy in fear.

I feel bad

Mark seems to always be the victim in my books