Second Overtime | JENSOO & CHAELISA

Chapter XVII

Hong's Diner was crowded that night.

It was not the usual kind of crowded, where a few students took over the booths after school and stayed too long over fries and milkshakes. Tonight, the place was loud enough that Jennie had already reread the same paragraph in their project notes three times and still had no idea what it said.

She and Nayeon had come there to finish their English project. That had been the plan, anyway.

They had claimed their usual booth near the window. They had spread their notes across the table, ordered drinks and fries, and promised each other they would finish at least half of the written report before going home.

So far, they had managed to finish one title page, three sentences, and an argument over Nayeon's font choice.

Jennie rubbed her forehead and looked around the diner.

"Why is everyone so loud today?" Jennie muttered.

Nayeon, who had stopped pretending to work five minutes ago, looked up from her phone.

"Because there was a game tonight. The Black Mambas were playing against Starship.""

Jennie looked surprised. "There was?"

 "Yeah." Nayeon scrolled through the class group chat. "We won 75-68."

"Oh."

Nayeon kept reading. "Apparently Lisa had a really good game and Seulgi almost started a fight with the referee. Someone sent a crying sticker about it."

Jennie raised an eyebrow. "You're getting all that from the group chat?"

"The class GC is useless for assignments but excellent for gossip."

Jennie rolled her eyes and looked back at the laptop.

"Also," Nayeon added, a little too casually, "Jisoo came to watch."

Jennie's fingers paused on the keyboard, she looked up before she could stop herself.

"She did?"

Nayeon's mouth twitched, but she kept her eyes on her phone.

"According to three different people and one blurry picture of her sitting near the lower bleachers, yes."

"That's good." she murmured, and she meant it.

Jisoo going back to the gym, even just to watch, was not nothing, Jennie knew that. She had seen enough of Jisoo's frustration during physical therapy to understand how much pride it must have taken for her to sit there and watch her team play without her.

So yes, that was good.

Jennie was still thinking about it when the diner doors opened.

A wave of noise came in first, then the Black Mambas followed.

Seulgi entered like she had personally won the Olympics, both arms raised as people cheered. Moonbyul was behind her, telling everyone that Seulgi had nearly ruined the second quarter when she had argued with the referee. Jeongyeon was laughing while insisting that nobody was allowed to mention her missed free throws unless they wanted to die.

Lisa walked in flushed and bright-eyed, her aura still carrying the energy of the game. Rosé was beside her, laughing at something she said, and Lisa looked so proud of herself that it was honestly embarrassing to witness.

Then Jennie saw Jisoo.

She was moving slower than the rest, crutches tucked under her arms, her hoodie pulled over her head. Lisa hovered close without making it obvious, while Rosé walked on her other side.