nepenthe // p.jisung

_4_

   "My point!" Haechan declared after shooting his basketball into the hoop. Jaemin gave him a slap on the back as if telling him nice shot since they were on the same team.

   "WOO!" Chenle hollered while pumping his fists in victory of another point.

   "One more time?" Mark asked.

   Haechan nodded, tossing the ball in his direction to take off his jacket. Mark reached out, but the ball slipped out of his grasp. The basketball bounced down the driveway and towards the road.

   "I got it," Jisung told the group, chasing after the ball. Another figure walked into sight. Jisung clumsily came to a stop, staring at the person picking up their ball.

    Akina rested the ball against her hip with one arm. She took out one of her earbuds with the free hand. Last time Jisung saw her was a couple days ago.

   "I believe this is yours?" Akina threw the ball in Jisung's direction, friendliness shining in her eyes.

   "Yeah," Jisung quietly replied. "Thanks."

   "Hey, Akina."

   Jisung turned to see Haechan jogging up to them.

   Akina forced a smile at him. She greeted with a nod. "Hi, Donghyuck."

   "It's nice seeing you outside of school."

   "You too."

   Jisung looked between Hadchan and Akina. A smile tugged at Haechan's lips.

   "I should leave you guys to your game," Akina said, starting to turn away. "Have fun."

   "Join us?" Haechan asked, quickly.

   Akina looked at the group of guys behind Jisung and Haechan, twirling her earbud, that wasn't in, around between her fingers.

   "I wouldn't be much help. I'm not a sporty person," Akina replied.

   Haechan's expressions dropped a little. "Are you sure you don't want to try?"

   Akina hesitated before taking out her other earbud and wrapping them around her phone, sliding it into her pocket. Haechan flashed a bright smile while Akina rolled her eyes in amusement.

   "You can join my team to even us out," Haechan told Akina, walking her towards the group. Jisung stood there for a couple seconds longer. He narrowed his eyes, catching something different with Haechan. His usual cocky personality seemed to subside and he showed a certain maturity.

   Jisung's eyes the shot open.

   Does Haechan like Akina?

   Jisung rapidly turned on his heals to look over at the group of people.

   "Are we going to play, or what?" Chenle called to Jisung, who still had the basketball. Jisung shook his head and jogged up to everyone.

    Akina joined Haechan and his team of Chenle and Jaemin.

   Haechan spent the game playing harder than he did before. Every time he got the ball, it always went to Akina. The first couple times, she got it stolen front her, so he then blocked people off of her. At one point, he had her get on his back and dunk the ball. They both laughed as they scored. Jisung rubbed the sweat off his face, getting a feeling of frustration. Chenle gave out another WOO and high-fived his team.

   He actually made her smile, Jisung thought. He's making her happy.

   But for some reason, it didn't make Jisung. He brushed it off, thinking it was just him feeling disappointed in their second loss of the day.

   A dark blue car pulled into the driveway. The group of basketball players moved to the side, letting the car in. The rolled-down window showed Doyoung, Jaemin's older brother, and Taeyong's good friend, driving.

   Doyoung was one of the reasons Jaemin and Jisung met. Him and Taeyong have always been friends, even before Taeyong's period of being internet famous with a song that was turned into a meme. Jisung and his friends still haven't let it go; imitating him whenever possible by chanting "booming system up up, Ty track, Ty track!"

   "Is Taeyong inside?" Doyoung asked, stepping out of his car. Two other doors opened to reveal Jaehyun coming out of the passenger side, and Johnny from the backseat.

   Jisung gave a nod, and the three seniors retreated into the house.

   Jisung's attention was brought back to Akina as her heard her laugh. He turned to the source where her and Haechan were talking. Jisung was about to walk over and ask what the were laughing about, until a hand was brought down onto Jisung's shoulder. Jaemin smiled at Jisung as he stood next to him.

   "So, who's Akina?" Jaemin asked.

   Jisung raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What? She goes to our school. She's a freshman, why?"

   "But, what is she to you?"

   "Nothing." Jisung shook his head. "I barely know her."

   "What is she to Haechan?" Jaemin looked back over to the two. This new side of Haechan seemed gentle and caring, along with his normal joking nature.

   Jaemin looked back to Jisung, who was staring fixedly in the direction of Akina and Haechan.

   They both had a feeling of what the answer was.