high flying love ¦ lee jeno

ch ; 22

·⁀ ༄.°✈ ₊⭒˚｡⋆ 22 ·⁀ ༄.°✈ ₊⭒˚｡⋆
Burnt Toast, Sunday

Yura felt oddly self-conscious in his clothes, the oversized shirt swallowing her petite frame.

Jeno stood awkwardly in the hallway, his gaze seeming to land everywhere but on her. The forced cheerfulness that had colored the earlier part of the evening had vanished, replaced by a tense silence.

The air crackled with unspoken tension, a stark contrast to the easygoing conversations they'd shared before. Yura forced a smile, hoping to break the ice. "Thanks again for everything, Jeno. I feel like a drowned rat."

Jeno returned a hesitant smile. "No problem at all. You look… comfortable." He cleared his throat, the sound betraying his nerves.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and awkward. Yura glanced around the living room, trying to find a topic of conversation. The room was stunning, decorated in a minimalist style with plush furniture and modern art pieces. It felt impersonal, a stark contrast to the warmth of her own cafe.

Jeno stood awkwardly by the window, back to her. The silence stretched, punctuated only by the rhythmic tapping of rain against the glass. Yura cleared her throat, the sound echoing in the vast space. "Uh, thanks for letting me dry off here," she said, the words sounding stilted.

You already said thanks earlier! She mentally shouts at herself.

Jeno turned, his expression unreadable. "No problem," he said, a hint of tension in his voice. "Make yourself comfortable."

They settled on opposite ends of the plush couch, a wide berth between them. Yura couldn't shake the feeling that their earlier ease had vanished, replaced by an awkward awareness. She fiddled with the edge of the towel, stealing glances at Jeno, whose gaze seemed fixed on the cityscape outside.

Finally, Jeno broke the silence. "Looks like the rain isn't going anywhere anytime soon," he observed, his voice a low rumble.

Yura nodded, the simple action a relief from the suffocating quiet. "Yeah, guess not."

Conversation flowed hesitantly at first, forced small talk about the weather and the city lights. But as the tension eased slightly, Jeno found himself curious about Yura's earlier story. He wasn't sure if it was the intimacy of being in his apartment with her, the vulnerability she'd shared about her past, or simply a genuine desire to know her better, but something compelled him to delve deeper.

"Earlier, about this Kyubin, he seems special to you..." he said, his voice gentle.

Yura's gaze softened, a flicker of sadness crossing her features. "Yeah, he was... a big part of my life for a long time," she began, a hesitant smile gracing her lips. "He's a good boyfriend, well, ex-boyfriend."

Jeno listened intently, a pang of something akin to jealousy twisting in his gut. He knew it was irrational, unfair even, to feel possessive over someone he barely knew. Yet, the thought of Yura sharing that kind of deep connection with another man left an unwelcome taste in his mouth. He pushed the feeling down, focusing instead on Yura's words.

A wistful sigh escaped Yura's lips as she tucked her knees closer to her chest. "The break-up itself... it wasn't dramatic," she confessed, her voice barely a whisper. "No fighting, no screaming. We just... talked about it."

She glanced at Jeno, searching for a flicker of judgement in his eyes, but found only understanding and a hint of sadness mirroring her own.

She glanced at Jeno, a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes. "There was a time when I thought maybe, just maybe, we could make it work. But love isn't everything, you know? Sometimes, wanting different things for your future is enough to break even the strongest bond."