That Stupid List (A Seventeen Fanfic)

Chapter 61: Gutter

Jin did not change for her date. She stayed in her very plain attire and her usual bare face. She probably would have at least tried to look better if this was just a regular date, but she was not so comfortable doing so if Seungcheol was going to be there. She remembered how he had asked her to wear a dress, and how last time she did and he saw her, he eyed her up and down. She shuddered at the thought.

After she wrote her diary entry and prepared her bag, she came down to where Vernon was. He was waiting for her, and she found him engrossed with something on his phone.

"Just give me a minute," he said as he continued typing something with a serious look on his face. She waited for him. When he was ready to go, he put the phone in his pocket and started making his way to the bus stop immediately. He didn't tell her to follow him or even look back to see if she was.

Jin felt sidelined and ignored, but perhaps she deserved it for cheating. Well, according to Vernon is was not cheating, but she had thought that it was, and so it's still just as bad. Maybe he was acting relatively cold right now because he thought she was not worth it anymore.

As they made their way to the bus stop, Vernon walked a few steps in front of her, and she just scurried behind him. She wished he would slow down, but he seemed to be in quite a hurry. He never stopped to acknowledge her or to talk to her or anything.

Seungcheol and Nayoung were there already waiting for them when Vernon and Jin arrived. Jin took a deep breath and tried to seem normal. It was hard to pretend like she didn't know anything about Seungcheol, but she knew she had to until he is reported and Sena is out of his reach.

At the same time, although she felt that she hated him, she didn't feel so scared of him anymore. On some level, Jin felt like she was just as bad as he was. Just like Seungcheol, she had done something terrible to Sena. Just like Seungcheol, she did something intimate with someone besides the person she was dating (even if that person did not care).

"I see you didn't dress up like last time," was the first thing Seungcheol said to her. He eyed her suspiciously, as if somehow deducing that her current normal attire meant she knew the truth about him.

"What the hell, Seungcheol," Nayoung spat, shooting her boyfriend a disapproving glare, "a girl can wear what she wants, and you boys aren't allowed question it."

"Sorry," Seungcheol raised his arms in surrender.

"How are you, Jin?" Nayoung asked Jin politely.

"I'm fine," Jin replied, also smiling politely back at her.

Jin didn't really know where she stood with regards to Nayoung. The fact the girl had such an intimate relationship with Seungcheol somehow made Jin not want anything to do with her. On the other hand, Jin felt kind of sorry for her. Something told Jin that Nayoung had no idea about what kind of person Seungcheol was. She was in a relationship with someone terrible, and she didn't even know it. Jin wished she could tell her, but knew better to keep her mouth shut. Nayoung will find out when the police take him to jail.

When the bus arrived, Jin and Nayoung were made to sit in the only two seats that were free, and Vernon and Seungcheol rode standing. Vernon and Seungcheol were talking amongst themselves when Nayoung leaned in and whispered in Jin's ear, "what happened between you and Vernon?"

Jin looked at her curiously. What did she mean 'what happened'?

It was then that Vernon caught Nayoung's eye, and Nayoung whispered quickly: "We'll talk later about this." She then raised her voice and said loud enough for Vernon to hear, "anyways, what did you think about the eyeliner I got you?"