That Stupid List (A Seventeen Fanfic)

Chapter 62: Clarity

Nayoung called Jin that night. Jin had been nervously waiting for that call, as she was waiting to find out what Vernon did not want her to know.

Instead of telling her, Nayoung asked her to go out to a bar that night. "Seungcheol, Vernon and Aron will be there too too. Vernon said he wanted a drink that night for whatever reason. I think you should come."

"I don't like going to bars," Jin said, refusing the offer, "but thanks."

"Okay, suit yourself," Nayoung replied.

"What did you want to tell me?" Jin asked.

"I'll tell you later; I have to get ready now. See you, love," she said quickly, and hung up, leaving Jin curious as ever.

-

That night, Jin decided to tell Sena about the trip that they planned. She would leave out the part about reporting Seungcheol right before the trip, because she knew that Sena would not agree to that right away.

It was hard to look at Sena after what happened with Seokmin, but Jin knew she needed to get over it eventually. It would do Sena no good if Jin just moped around regretting it for the rest of her life. She decided to just forget the kiss and forget how it made her feel, and she will tell Seokmin to do the same.

"I met with Seokmin yesterday," Jin told her, making Sena perk with curiosity. "We planned a trip with the four of us. Seokmin already told me you have no exams or assignments, and so we already booked a ticket for you and..."

"No. I'm not going," Sena said, making Jin groan. This was going to take some convincing.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Jin please, I've done a good job distancing myself from Seokmin. I'm not going to ruin that."

"Seungcheol won't be there where we're going. He won't see you, and so you can do whatever you like."

"But he will note that both me and Seokmin are absent and connect the dots. And even if he doesn't, if I spend a lot of time with Seokmin, I won't be able to resist him. I still like him, Jin."

Jin fell quiet as the guilt of kissing him came back to her. She swallowed it and kept trying to convince Sena to come: "that's all the more reason you need to come."

"No..."

"Just a few days, Sena. Just let it go for a few days. Be with him for a few days, and when you come back, ignore him again..."

Sena shook her head, "that would be cruel to him."

"Fine, if that won't convince you, what about this: it's Wonwoo's birthday. He would want you to celebrate it there with him."

"I'll just get him a gift or something," Sena said with a shrug.

Jin didn't know what made her say what she said next. It was probably desperation; she needed Sena to comply or the plan falls apart, and so she capitalized on Sena's guilt and said: "so you're going to miss another friend's birthday?"

Sena looked confused by that statement. She narrowed her eyes, but suddenly her expression changed. It seemed to have clicked in her head what Jin was implying. She looked at her phone, probably to see the date, and then covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my God... Jin..."

Jin regretted saying it when she saw Sena's reaction. She felt so mean for doing it to her, for making her feel bad.

"I'm so sorry, Jin," Sena said, her mouth wide as she came to the realization that she had forgotten her best friend's birthday.