grow up | ʲᵉᵒⁿᵍᶜʰᵃⁿ [EN]

ten♤

the following day, jeongin was feeling even worse but, once again, decided not to skip school. he got ready, barely ate anything and kissed his mom on the cheek before leaving his house, school bag already placed on his shoulder and earphones plugged in.

he relaxed a bit while listening to got7's latest album [lil jyp spam lmao] and managed to ignore his headache and the feeling of weakness in his bones.

the first classes felt like going through hell, he also felt the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep but couldn't when his maths teacher shoved a paper right in front of his face: a pop quiz. amazing.

the following period, seungmin and hyunjin finally convinced him to go to the school nurse.

"you're feeling worse every minute. just go, jeongin. you're a great student, the teachers will understand," his best friend had assured him, side-hugging him.

hyunjin instead patted his soft hair, "c'mon, i'll walk you there. i'm sure you've got a fever."

and so the two left seungmin to revise for his test the next hour and walked to the ground floor.

as soon as jeongin laid on the bed of the school nurse and the nurse checked his fever, she almost jumped up in shock. his fever was really high and she didn't know how he still managed to stand on his own feet.

the nurse kindly asked hyunjin to go back to class, since he had a test as well, and the proceeded with writing a permit for yang jeongin.

"you're going back home, now." she stated, authority laced in his voice but in a good way. she truly cared for the students' health.

"do you have anyone who can take you home?"

jeongin thought for a while, before shaking his head no. hyunjin and seungmin were taking that test, his parents were at work and couldn't come back - especially his dad who was out of town - and felix hadn't come to school that day. his mind wandered to a certain person but... no, he definitely couldn't call him.

"oh, well. i can't let you walk home alone like this. i guess you'll have to stay here and wait for one of your friends to help you," she softly smiled, moving jeongin's slightly sweated hair out of his face.

"no, no, i can do it." he stated, and coughed a few times before sitting up on the white bed.

"oh, no. you can't."

"yes, i can, ma'am. please, trust me. i'll get home safe. i'll text one of my friends and they'll let you know," he joined his hands in a prayer way and showed the nurse his sweetest gaze, hoping his cute aura would work.

and it did.

"okay, fine. just this once." she sighed, defeated. "close your jacket, alright? do you have a scarf?"

jeongin shook his head and got off the bed, getting dressed as if he was going on the top of the mountain.

"be careful and go take some medicine," she patted his shoulder and let him go, feeling her heart heavier at every step he took.

———

chan was calmly enjoying his time with his best friend minho in the back yard of the school. they had decided to skip class and were now sitting hid behind an old building that was no longer used.

chan was just laughing at something minho had said while he smoke his cigarette, when he heard someone coughing a few times.

"bro, did you hear that?" he asked, giving a look around to see if there was someone.

"what?" minho replied, his cigarette hanging from his thin rosy lips.

"there's someone over there," then chan stood up and turned around the corner of the building, not surprised to actually find someone walking on the path that took to the school gate.

after hearing the noise of feet on the ground, the person turned around and almost jumped when he recognised the boy.

"innie... what are you doing here?!" chan exclaimed, already jogging towards the younger, who had his jacket zipped up to his chin and half of his face covered by a mask.

"i'm going home, i feel sick," he mumbled, his voice barely heard over the mask.

"oh, do you have someone who can drive you there?" chan asked, while minho approached the two, waving lightly at jeongin.

"no... i'll be careful, though, don't worry," jeongin said, already imagining what the elder would tell him. he motioned to walk away but was stopped by chan's hand softly wrapping around his wrist.

"i'll walk you home."

jeongin's eyes widened and he thanked his mask for not showing the evident blush on his cheeks.

"n-no, you don't have to. i'll do just fine-"

"no, i want to. i wasn't planning to get to class, anyway" chan groaned.

"well, you should."

"well, now it's not the time to talk about this. c'mon, let's go," he wrapped one arm around the younger's shoulder and the two started walking, leaving minho there.

"woah, really...?" minho mumbled, taking the almost finished cigarette out of his mouth and throwing it on the ground, before securely stepping on it.

"ah, love."

a/n
i watched stray kids' performance in singapore a couple hours ago and i have to say i really really missed them :(

-mic