The Way It Is

five

Chapter 5

Jeno sleeping while holding her hand was not the first thing she expected to see when she wakes up. She smiled sadly as she patted his hair lightly, not wanting him to wake up.

His face looked like he was about to cry, and Yiyeon didn't know what to do. If she moves, there's a high possibility that Jeno would wake up. Sighing, she decided to use her other hand to wipe his tears away.

"Jeno-yah, everything's alright..." she whispered.

"Yiyeon-ah, I'm sorry..." Jeno cried.

Yiyeon looked away and closed her eyes. She can't stand to see Jeno cry.

In their almost two years of dating, seeing Jeno cry was a first.

She sighed and combed his hair using her fingers.

She pressed her lips into a thin line and began singing.

"Driving down the interstate
I've never felt so far away
Leaving hardly hurts at all
I'm sorry that I never call...."

Yiyeon sighed for the nth time that day. It sucks that this has to be the way for them to be this close again. Even if she wishes that Jeno would explain everything to her, it wouldn't be in this state.

Not when her head is throbbing, and not when he is unconscious.

"Often I get exhausted
Trying regardless to be enough
Is it selfish not to be selfless
When all I can help is to open up?"

Jeno was silently sleeping. He was still holding her hand, and he even made the grip tighter.

Yiyeon adjusted her body so that she would be facing Jeno.

"I'll be better than I was before
Despite every text of yours ignored
Will you call me still, just to hear my voice?
I swear, always, I'll care..."

I have always cared about you, Jeno.

"Flipping through our photographs
Those moments never seem to last
Listening to self-control
Those feelings that you'll never know..."

"Maybe if the situation's different, it'll be you and I..."

"Leave me, it's never easy
I've had a lifetime to be alone
If you let me when it gets heavy
Know I'll never let you be all alone..."

Meanwhile, Jeno was awake. He just doesn't want to ruin the moment for the two of them. Two weeks and four days have passed, yet he misses it all.

Jeno misses everything.

And he regrets everything that happened that night.

"I'll be better than I was before
Despite heavy texts of yours ignored
Will you call me still, just to hear my voice?
I swear, always
Always
Always, I'll care"

He slowly opened his eyes only to see that Yiyeon's eyes were closed. It seemed like she fell asleep while singing a song for him.

He smiled and thought to himself, "I have always cared about you, Yiyeon."

***

The sun was about to set, yet he wouldn't budge. He was just feeling the breeze while his eyes were closed.