The Way It Is

twenty eight

Hi! How is this book so far? :>

--------

Chapter 28

Yiyeon and Jeno were the only ones left at the bleachers. The other players went outside, reporters were interviewing some, and girls from other schools hijacked some. Some were even approaching Jeno earlier, but he respectfully declined them, saying that he was sick and he didn't want them to get sick, too.

"Hey, uh..." Yiyeon cleared her throat. "Y-You did great out there," she said, trying not to sound awkward.

Even after they broke up, they were never awkward with each other. Sure, they have had petty fights and arguments here and there, but the atmosphere was never tense. Not unlike now.

And Yiyeon wonders where everything went wrong.

Jeno just nodded and wiped the sweat that was trickling down from his forehead. He grabbed his water bottle that was on the floor and drank from it. He was feeling nervous for no reason, and the tense atmosphere between him and Yiyeon wasn't helping at all.

"You were really cool when Hyunjin passed you the ball during the second quarter, and you went for it like—bam! And then it got in!" Yiyeon said excitedly.

Jeno could see her from his peripheral vision, and somehow, her eyes looked like they were sparkling while she was talking.

And he wanted to hate himself. He knows that he shouldn't be even talking to Yiyeon right now, but she was the one who approached her, and he couldn't do anything. He stood up and was about to go back to the locker room as his co-teammates were slowly retreating.

Yiyeon also stood up and wanted to follow him, but Jeno looked like he doesn't want to talk. She clenched her fists and blamed herself for hesitating. She wanted to tell him something, and it's frustrating how her mouth wouldn't say the words.

"Jeno, I..." She took a deep breath. "I waited for you, but you didn't come."

Jeno stops walking.

Only a few people were left inside the auditorium, and most of them were walking their way out. Yiyeon was panicking, but she didn't show. She was the one who decided to talk to Jeno in the first place, anyway.

"Thank you... for the medicines and snacks."

She had her fists clenched up to the point that they were shaking—she was shaking. She wasn't sure, though, if it was because she's mad or something else.

"Stop dodging the topic, Jeno!" Yiyeon finally yells.

Jeno stopped talking, but he didn't face Yiyeon.

"Please look at me?" She said, her voice shaky.

He slowly turned around, and when he did, Yiyeon was surprised as his face didn't show any emotions. Instead, it was as if she was facing a stranger.

"There's nothing to talk about, Yiyeon," Jeno said coldly.

"You know that there is!" She said as she stepped closer until she finally stood a couple of feet in front of him. "I don't give two fucks if those girls beat the shit out of me once again if it means being able to talk to you again normally," Yiyeon yelled. "I won't give a damn, Jeno."

"Yiyeon, please!" Jeno yelled back. "...stay away from me! Don't talk to me ever again, and let's forget that this ever happened."

***

Yangyang noticed that Yiyeon has been quiet since they boarded the bus. But, of course, she was never too noisy, to begin with. Instead, her attention was on the scenery outside.

"Is... everything alright?" He whispered as he poked her shoulder.

She removed an earphone and offered it to him. Yangyang took it and placed it in his ear. He knows that she heard him, but she ignored it.

Yangyang froze when Yiyeon leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

Yiyeon doesn't reply.

"Fine, just talk to me when you feel like talking, okay?"

She nods.

Yiyeon unlocks her phone and sends a message to Yejin, who she'll be meeting later, once they arrive in Seoul.

"Thanks, Yangyang..." She yawned. "I really don't know what to do if you aren't here."

"I'm always here for you, okay?" He patted her hair. His eyes then traveled to the jacket she was wearing. "My jacket suits you," he chuckled.

Yiyeon chuckled and crossed her arms, "It's really comfy. I wonder why Hyunjin never lent me his," she took a deep breath and smiled. "Not that he's obliged, though," she said as she faced Yangyang. "I'll wash this and return it to you, don't worry."

"Don't rush. I won't be needing it for a while," Yangyang laughed.

A certain someone doesn't miss this.

***

Yiyeon was the first one who got off the bus when they arrived at their school.

The soccer practice game probably ended already as it was almost 5 in the afternoon. Although it was two hours past dismissal time, there were still a couple of students left. Some of them were glancing at her weirdly.

Well, who wouldn't? She was wearing Yangyang's varsity jacket, which had his surname, 'Liu,' etched on the back.

She went to the cafeteria, where Yejin had agreed to meet her.

Yiyeon opened the doors to the cafeteria and saw Yejin and Daewon at a table. Both of them were engrossed in their own worlds.

"Yejin-ah," Yiyeon called.

Yejin was surprised to see Yiyeon, who looked like she was about to cry.

"Yiyeonnie?"

Yiyeon immediately engulfed her in a hug and sobbed.

Daewon immediately stood up and rushed towards the two.

"Yiyeon? Is everything alright? Didn't the team win? Why are you crying?" Daewon asked.

Yiyeon separated from the hug and wiped her tears away.

"It fucking hurts..."

- tbc.

short update :>