Ice Cream | NoMin

FINAL

Jeno had been bracing himself for a conversation with his mother about the scholarship-about how he had lost it to Jaemin. But the conversation never came. She didn't ask, didn't scold him, didn't even acknowledge it.

Maybe she already knew.

Maybe she was just too disappointed to even bring it up.

And if that was the case, then fine. He had tried his best. Maybe the scholarship simply wasn't meant for him.

With the ball night scheduled the day after tomorrow, the entire school was bustling with preparations. Students were running around, finalizing decorations, planning outfits, and discussing their dates. Jeno should have been caught up in the excitement, but lately, he felt drained.

He and Jaemin had made a promise to each other-to face whatever challenges came their way together. No matter how difficult things got, they would find a way through. That thought should have comforted him, but instead, he felt... empty. Maybe, it's just sadness in him that he's not acknowledging to feel.

His friends' group chat was constantly buzzing with messages. Everyone was talking about what they planned to wear, hyping each other up for the big night. Yet, Jeno was the only one who didn't reply. He just reacted with emojis, keeping his responses minimal.

He wasn't sure why. Maybe he just wasn't in the mood to pretend to be excited.

The worst part? He didn't even feel like going.

With classes officially over, there was nothing left to do except prepare for the ball. Today, the seniors were supposed to practice their entrance, rehearse performances, and coordinate with their chosen partners. But Jeno didn't show up.

Instead, he stayed in his room, lying on his bed, phone in hand, scrolling through messages he had no motivation to reply to. His friends were probably wondering where he was, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see Jaemin. In fact, he wanted to-badly. But Jaemin was busy, caught up in all the preparations as the student council president. Between planning the event and making sure everything was perfect, Jaemin barely had time to breathe, let alone check up on Jeno and of course, it's fine and he understand.

And Jeno? He just felt stuck.

When the results of the scholarship were finally announced, Jeno didn't rush home like he usually did. Instead, he stayed out as long as possible, wandering aimlessly through the quiet streets, his thoughts weighing heavily on him. He wasn't ready to face his mother yet. Not that night. Everything felt too overwhelming-the disappointment, the pressure, the exhaustion. He was drained, both physically and mentally, and he knew that if he had to talk to her instantly, he might just break.

Would she be disappointed? Would she be angry? Or worse-would she just not care at all?

His thoughts were interrupted when his phone vibrated. Glancing at the screen, he saw his brother's name flashing across it. Without hesitation, he picked up.

"Hyung," Jeno greeted softly.

"Hey." Jaehyun's voice came through, gentle but concerned. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Jeno swallowed hard and shook his head, even though his brother couldn't see him. "No. I feel like shit."

There was a short pause before Jaehyun let out a small chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "I heard what happened." He said. "You know you don't actually need that scholarship, right?"

Jeno exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on his phone. "I do, hyung. It's not just about the money. It was my way of proving myself. It was my chance to finally introduce Jaemin to our family properly. To have Mom's approval. It was my ticket to being with him-without feeling like I'm doing something wrong."