three is the perfect number || jaenoren (norenmin)

dix-neuf

The school's basketball team had a match against a school that was situated extremely close to the seaside. They'd all had a hunch that the coach would let them go to the beach afterwards, but there was still a thrill in hearing: 

"Alright, this is probably never gonna happen again, alright? So diligently pack your bags for a day and a night, only necessities — we're staying in a cabin overnight, and then we had back on the bus the day after the match. No messing around — Jaehyun, I'm holding you responsible if anyone does anything outta-pocket, you understand?" 

"Aye-aye, sir," grinned Jaehyun lazily, not really living up to the strict team captain that he was meant to be, but it was close enough.

Jeno had received permission from his parents to go, and was buzzing with excitement as he entered the bus. That afternoon, they'd be playing against a team chalked up to be a very difficult opponent, and after that, whether they won or lost, they'd be spending the night in a seaside hotel! (It was more like a huge, glorified cabin when it came down to it, but it was all very exciting nonetheless.)

When he'd told Renjun about it, he'd burned low with envy. "I wish the creative writing club brought us on seaside trips — make the most out of it, yeah? And send pictures! I love the beach."

Jeno had had to pinch himself in order to refrain from begging Coach Bae to let him bring Renjun ("He's small and cute! Look, he can fit in my gym bag —").

He tossed his bag into the empty backseats, and went to sit down beside Kevin, who grinned at him and moved his power bank off the seat. However, he stopped, power bank in hand, when Eric sent him a sharp look. The latter shook his head slowly, then nodded in Jaemin's direction, who was having a frenzied conversation with Yukhei up the top of the bus. Kevin swallowed, catching on, and turned back to Jeno, who was looking at him in confusion. 

Kevin sent him a sheepish smile. "Oh, uh, sorry — I just remembered I was saving this seat for Yukhei," Kevin practically shouted the last word, such vigour went into it, and Yukhei turned around from where he was sitting, looking around for who had called him. 

"What?" 

"I said Yukhei, wasn't I saving you a seat, right here, next to me?" Kevin said loudly, while Juyeon leaned forward tiredly, running a hand down his face at their antics. Jeno watched the scene with mounting confusion. 

"You— you were?' Yukhei scratched his head, eyebrows furrowing. "Since when—" Yukhei was interrupted by a poke to the back of his neck, courtesy of Lee Chan, who was sitting behind him. Yukhei didn't really know what was going on, as he was evidently yet to inherit the power of nonverbal communication between teammates, but decided to roll with it anyway. 

Yukhei grabbed the bag he had deposited haphazardly beside his seat and shimmied down to where Kevin was sitting, plopping himself down and smiling apologetically at Jaemin from where he could see him. 

Eric watched all this very attentively, and then he groaned sadly; "Oh no," comically dragging out the last syllable, "Look, now Jaemin doesn't have a seating partner, you heathens. Jeno! Be a decent human being and sit beside him." 

Jeno was dumbfounded. Juyeon and Sunwoo were shaking their heads at each other as Eric looked at Jeno triumphantly, expecting the latter to move ahead any second now. 

Jeno let out an incredulous chuckle and sat beside Jaemin, who was slumped down in his seat and hiding his face in his hands. 

"We good there, buddy?" Jeno pressed his lips together to bite down the smile and waved a hand in front of Jaemin's face. "Live on, Jaem."