Ashes | JENO

Chapter 15

"Why do you look like that?" Jeno asked as Soojung came running out of the hospital.

Jeno had just been leaning on his bike, playing on his phone as he waited for Soojung. He had decided to wear more layers under his leather jacket along with a beanie, his brown bangs sticking out. The last thing he wanted was to be sick again and plus it was a school night, which meant he couldn't stay at Soojung's.

Not like I want to stay at her place, Jeno told himself.

Jeno was also smart enough to wait in another parking lot once he had caught sight of Jaemin's bike. The last thing he wanted was Jaemin knowing that he had gone again his words, still seeing Soojung even thought Jaemin had made it clear that he shouldn't.

"Like what?" Soojung asked and Jeno noticed that the girl was also dressed warmer with a furry jacket and turtle neck, her dark red hair in loose curls down her back. She was also had gloves covering her hands, something that Jeno had forgotten.

"Like you saw a ghost." Jeno said, staring at the girl in front of him as she smiled.

"I'm just tired." Soojung said before motioning to his bike. "We should get going, they're probably starving."

Jeno nodded his head, passing Soojung his helmet when Soojung exclaimed, "Wait!"

"Is something wrong?" Jeno asked, wondering why the girl had reacted that way. He glanced at his helmet, making sure nothing was wrong with it.

It looks perfectly fine.

Jeno looked up from his helmet to see Soojung passing him a pair of black leather gloves. The ones that had fur on the inside that the user could feel but no one could see on the outside.

"What is this?" Jeno asked, staring at the item in Soojung's hand.

"They're for you." Soojung told him. "Your frost bite was terrible last time. I tried to choose something that would you know... match your style while still being useful."

"You didn't have to." Jeno told her but Soojung shrugged.

"You didn't have to pick me up either, but here you are."

Jeno held in his smile as he took the gloves from her, immediately putting them on.

They fit perfectly.

"Are they alright?" Soojung asked, concern filling her eyes. Jeno nodded his head.

"Yeah." Jeno said, patting the seat of his motorcycle. "We should get going."

As he turned to sit on his bike, Jeno saw Soojung smiling as she put his helmet on before sitting down behind him.

...

Once Soojung removed Jeno's helmet from her head, she saw Jeno offering his gloved hand to her.

"Please don't fall on your face." Jeno said and Soojung grinned as she took his hand, the male helping her off the bike.

"You know, you're not as cold as you act." Soojung said as the two walked towards the familiar alleyway.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jeno asked, holding the helmet under his arm.

"You act all cold-hearted and all but you're a completely softie on the inside." Soojung told him.

"What makes you think that?"

Soojung could only smile at Jeno's questions as they arrived at the cats, Bongsik already excited to see Jeno.

Jeno couldn't even hold his smile in as the cat immediately nuzzled his head against Jeno's leg, purring happily as Jeno sat down and placed his helmet down to grab the cat food from his bag.