featherbrain ☆ l.jn ☆ ayakashi series | ✔

jeno [twenty-one]

The professor dismissed class, and you let out a sigh of relief. You stayed back to allow the others in your row to hurry out first. After all, it was a Friday afternoon, everybody wanted to leave school as soon as possible. As you stood to sling your bag over your shoulder, you heard your name called out from the front.

Attentively, you walked up to your professor's desk, "Yes?"

"I wanted to ask if you would consider being an SI for this class next semester," she said with a smile. "You have one of the best grades of your section and seem very passionate about the subject."

You felt your eyebrows shoot up in surprise, "Oh! Really?"

"Of course, Y/N. Take some time to think it over, I'll need your decision by the end of next week."

"Okay, thank you!" You grinned back brightly at her before taking your own leave of the classroom.

Outside your lecture hall, you spotted a familiar figure leaning against the wall. Jeno didn't have any Friday classes but still insisted on picking you up at the end of yours.

He pushed off the wall to greet you, pressing a kiss to your temple, "Hey there."

"Hey," you smiled, taking his hand in yours to lead the way out of the Science building. "Guess what my professor just told me."

"What'd she tell you?"

"She wants me as an SI for the class next semester!"

"That's awesome!" He congratulated you, squeezing your hand as he pulled you a little closer to bump his shoulder against yours.

Emerging from the building into the warm sunshine, you asked, "How has your day been?"

"Great; I slept in, pressed snooze on my alarm once and was woken up by a pillow in the face from Jaemin."

You chuckled, "Why?"

"He heard my alarm but not the sounds of me getting ready, so he wanted to make sure I wasn't late to get you from class."

You couldn't help but laugh at the mental image, "Sounds about right."

You'd just stepped foot off-campus, your destination being the park where Chenle's tree was. The two of you had taken to visiting it every other week, meeting up with Yuta there as well. You all rotated out who was bringing/buying lunch, and it's become a rather happy time for everyone to make memories.

"It seems like he's a lot more violent with me nowadays."

Before you could discuss that claim further, a bad feeling washed over you. Specifically, the feeling of Wraiths. Several of them. Jeno had noticed the same thing you did, his grip on your hand tightening as he tensed up.

There had been no Wraiths out and about for weeks at this point. They'd gone frighteningly quiet, a disturbing peace that you hadn't taken for granted. That didn't mean that you didn't hope they were gone forever, thought. You could still dream.

But now a shiver ran up your spine, and you tried to keep your breathing level as you and Jeno continued on your path. The rules of your patrols still held true: don't instigate fights with them.

You tried to keep up a light conversation, "What do you think Yuta's bringing for lunch?"

"Knowing him, he probably convinced Johnny to pack the food instead of doing it himself," Jeno's voice was still tense as he replied, the normal teasing humor gone with the uneasy situation you were in. "He also said he had a surprise for us when we got there."

"Intriguing."

As you persisted on your walk, the bad feeling only followed you.

The feeling of Jeno's fingers laced through yours helped to keep you grounded as you neared the park. Just a few more blocks. Not that you were sure what exactly would happen there, but you knew that whatever was going to happen, it would be better to have two of your friends with you.