The Bet | Yuta Nakamoto ✓

chapter twelve

"Hey, being stuck with us isn't that bad. We are fun you know" I nod my head and showed them an okay sign. As far as I know, Mark and Jeno are the no fun people. It means like they literally don't know how to make jokes and even if they did, it will be kinda lame.

"Tsk, you have no shame. You, my lovely young members, are classified as the no fun team" Yuta ruffles their hair and swings both his arms around their shoulders. "Let's all get to class" I nod and the four of us make our way to class. The class isn't all fun when Susan is all sad and daydreaming. I decided to text her. I don't care if I get detention for using the phone in class.

Susan Narnia 🦁

Hey, you

Hey, you too...
W

e are going to get caught if we are texting

Hey, you. Screw Jaehyun. He ain't worth it. AND BEFORE U GAVE ME A LONG LECTURE ABOUT HIM.
I just wanted you to know, that even thou, he didn't last with you, at least you got together with him for a few days.
And it takes the courage of you to even be together with him.
All I want to say is I am proud

Hais.
Thanks. I needed this.
I love you.
Just be careful around Yuta too.
I have a feeling that you are just a bet to him.

I closed my phone and sighs. Susan, I knew about this a long time ago. He is kind and sweet but there is something about Yuta seems very mysterious to me. Yes, he takes drugs and all but he couldn't just do it because he was alone or whatever. He could probably do because he wanted to try something new and start a new life. And a daily reminder that today is dinner time with the Nakamoto. Renjun has been staring at me for the past few minutes and I am getting the chills.

After class, Mark, Jeno and I decided to eat lunch outside since all of us are sick of the cafeteria food. "So, where do you wanna eat?"

"Subway!" I and Jeno said together which caused all of us to laugh. Being with them is fun, I mean not that Susan isn't fun but now, I don't think she is even in the right state so I an just going to let her be with herself for the time being. I am scared to even fall in love with Yuta. I don't want to get attached to him cause I know what will happen when you get overly attached to someone. They end up leaving you. That is what everyone is afraid. Leaving you by yourself, to take care of yourself on your own cause your soulmate is not there for you anymore.

"Hey, Lana. You okay?" Jeno flashes his eyes smile at me and I instantly feel better. Its weird to say in front of him but his eyes smile always heals me. Now I kinda which I have one.

"Alright, loser pays. Let's play rock, paper, scissors-"

"I pay for my own food" Jeno and Mark got surprised and the both of them continued to play rock paper scissors. I went ahead and get out of my seat and order my food. I always get Chicken Teriyaki with cucumbers and a bit of mayonnaise and black pepper sauce. Mark came in after me and he told the cashier he will be paying for me as well. "Let me guess, you lost against Jeno?"

"Yeah! I never lose with him on anything. It's alright. I'm going to pay, what drink would you like?"

"Passionfruit will do" Mark nods and I make my way back to the table. "Mark Hyung sucks at games." I roll my eyes and took out my phone to found out that I have 17 missed calls and 31 messages from Yuta. Is he worries sick about me or something? I decided to keep my phone. I am not here to entertain myself with Yuta. "Hey, did Yuta texted you?"

"Yeah, he asked me if I have seen you. I said no. I mean, by the looks of your face, you don't want to be around him anymore. What's up?" Mark came with our food was a great distraction for me to not answer his question. "One for Lana, and one for Mr eyes smile."

"I heard that you don't want to be around him anymore? What's up?" You sigh and look at them, they are eating already like a caveman who hasn't been eating for days, maybe months! Jeno and Mark realize that they were eating very fast, they pause to glance at you. "So?"

"I just hate the thought that I am a bet cause of how much Taeyong is offering him. Do you know how much I am worth? I am worth 20K!" Mark nods and sigh, "I am sure there is more, go on"

"And the fact that my family is already starting to like him, more like my younger siblings are making my life difficult." Mark and Jeno nod while eating their food. I swear to god, if the two of them are not listening to a word I say, I will smack their faces left and right. I slammed the table which causes them to have a minor heart attack and look at me, "We were listening! Go on!"

"Yeah, what was I talking about?"

"About Yuta, and- what was it again? Jeno?" Jeno looks at Mark and shrug. I let out a deep sigh and just shake my head, "You know what? Just forget it." They aren't even listening so I pick up my tray and ask the counter to pack my food, Jeno and Mark's eyes trail onto me and ask where I am going, "Going back to school, I need to check on Susan." They nod and I walk out of Subway. tend to look down whenever I walk, I feel like it's a habit to look down whenever I walk somewhere. Lunchtime isn't over until 1 and now it's only 11.30 so I can take my time to reach school. As I was walking, I saw Taeyong with a different girl coming out of the cafe that Chenle's sister runs.  We locked eyes for a minute and he walks away with the girl. He hates me and  I know it. Still wondering why he convinces Yuta to get together with me. 

"Hey! Lana!" 

"Oh, Johnny! Hi, and uh, Jaehyun" Johnny smiles and Jaehyun nods with no expression. Jaehyun looks around and asks why am I here all alone. I told them I just came back from Subway with Mark and Jeno but they were no fun so I left, they started laughing and agrees with me, "Yeah, that is why we call them the no fun people" I smile and nod, they seem nice. I mean all of the NCT people seem nice but I wonder what makes them join NCT. The reason Yuta told me, there is more to it. 

"Do you guys want to take a walk in the park?" Johnny and Jaehyun look at each other before nodding their head. We walk to a nearby park and sit down at one of the benches. "Can I ask you a question and I hope it doesn't offend you guys or something," Johnny and Jaehyun nods and told me to ask away.

"Why do you guys join NCT? I know you guys didn't join NCT because of drugs and smoking, there is more to it." Jaehyun sighs and looks around. "You really want to know damn badly huh?" I nod. If Yuta cannot tell me the truth then might as well I ask the two people that knew him very well. 

"You are half right, we didn't join NCT because of drugs and smoking. We created NCT for those people who are afraid." 

"Afraid? What are you guys afraid of?" Jaehyun points to himself, "Me, I am afraid of losing myself. No one knows this except for the guys in NCT that I suffered from severe depression and anxiety. I may look cool and hot and handsome but underneath that is where the real Jaehyun lives. No one knows this side of me and no one know bother asking cause they like what they see which is the outer side of me, the reason why I left Sarah is that I am afraid of her finding out that I am damage underneath this coolness. Being in NCT is what makes me, me, taking in drugs and smoking is another distraction to let us forget the reason what we are afraid of." 

"Johnny here is afraid of being left behind, his parents left him all alone in Korea with no relative, no friends, no one. He was stuck all alone, roaming in the streets until he was found by Taeyong at the age of 17. Everyone in NCT suffered a lot, only that we don't usually show it cause we are afraid of being weak and people take advantage of us. We are damaged people Lana, you will never understand that cause you were born into this perfect life with your dad as the chief of our town." I rested my chin on top of my hands. They have been through a lot and no one knows cause they don't show it. "What about Yuta? What is he afraid of?"