Touch || Lee Jeno

thirty-two.

After Donghyuck adamantly insisted that 'this is where kids like us go to die', the group practically had to drag him into the lobby. Behind the reception was a sullen-looking woman in her late thirties, although from the way she was frowning at the group, Ru thought she could pass for a sixty-year-old.

"Hi," Renjun greeted cautiously, "one room please."

The lady gave them a low grunt before disappearing somewhere into the back room. The five of them stood awkwardly in silence.

"Just one room?" Jeno raised his eyebrow.

"Do I look like I'm made of money?"

Before anyone could answer, the lady waddled back into view, holding a key in her hand. Renjun reached for his pocket, pulling out a wad of neatly-folded cash. Without exchanging words, she handed him the key as he switched it for the money. The lady took the money with no hesitation, and she began counting them expertly.

The group waited, the subtle friction of cash rustling in the cold silence of the lobby. Ru caught Jeno's eyes, and had to stifle a laugh. He looked just as uncomfortable and confused as the rest of the boys (although Jaemin looked like he was enjoying himself just fine).

The rustling bills finally came to a halt, and the lady was done. However, she still didn't say anything. She merely looked up, gave the group a slightly disgusted once-over before looking back at Renjun and nodding.

He took that as a good sign; "let's go," Renjun gestured.

They walked back out to the open space where the line of motel doors awaited. The motel parking lot was practically deserted— there was only one dusty van parked a little further down the lot, probably owned by the motel owners. Ru spotted a vending machine at the end of the open porch. She wondered if they had any good snacks.

"Room 116," Renjun muttered to himself.

Their room was on the ground floor, right in the middle of the line of motel rooms. A muffled click resounded as Renjun unlocked the door, swinging it open.

For a moment, the group stared into the room in silence. Ru didn't know how it was possible, but the one-star motel looked exactly the way she had pictured it on the way here: two tiny twin beds that took up most of the room, stealing her attention with its complicated flower-patterned sheets, the dull gray carpeting, the vintage lamp and single flower vase that stood side by side on a rickety desk next to the TV set— she didn't know people still had these boxy tube TVs around.

"Anyone else get the vibes that some old lady died here?" Renjun muttered off-handedly.

They all filed into the stuffy room; they plopped their bags on a worn-out sofa by the drawn windows next to the door.

"Can we all fit on these beds?" Jeno pushed his palm down against the mattress— it was very springy.

Renjun stretched his limbs, scratching the back of his head— "you know what, I'll go ask that lady at the front desk for a spare mattress or something."

Donghyuck came out from the bathroom with a particular look on his face. "How much do you wanna bet she's the old lady that died in here?"

Ru snorted at his comment.

There was a moment's pause; the boys gave her funny looks.

Slowly, the silence dissolved into little snickers that surrounded the room.

"You sound like a 5-year-old high on cough medicine or something," Donghyuck chuckled.

"Hey!" She looked over at Jeno to see him laughing along. Ru rolled her eyes, sitting at the edge of one twin bed. Donghyuck was probably right, though— she was drowsy and she looked like a mess.