Haeyoon's throat went dry as soon as the tall rusty walls came into view. Donghyuck and Jeno, who accompanied her once again in the seven seater car, could only look at each other worriedly. After the conversation that she had with Soobin, the girl ran over to them, her eyes alone telling the story and conversation that she had with Soobin. It didn't take a lot for Jeno to hold Donghyuck back, seeing how built the boy was, but it was hard for everyone else to stop the two from lunging over to Soobin who was having the time of his life with his new group of friends. Jaemin was kept in the dark but he stood next to Haeyoon the whole time, checking up on her every second just in case. He was definitely curious about their conversation, even more curious as he saw how dispirited Haeyoon came back looking, but who was he to demand her to tell him? Jaemin trusts her that if she wants to speak, she will but until then, he won't let her go, he won't leave her side.
"We'll pick you up in fifty minutes?" Jeno reaffirms with the girl, looking as pale as ever when Jeno finishes parking the car, "Yoon..."
"Yoon, look at us." Donghyuck pulls her out of her daze outside the car window, looking back to her friends who gave her healing smiles, "You'll be alright. We'll always be beside you. Have courage in yourself."
"Promise me." Donghyuck and Jeno could barely hear her words, "Promise me that you'll stand with me."
Jeno nods to the girl, twisting his body and reaching his hand to the backseat to her clenching hands on her laps. Donghyuck does the same, nodding his head, "Yebin would kill us if we ever thought of leaving you."
"Welcome, welcome." Jeno greets the casual looking boy. Jaemin didn't put much thought into his outfit, just a simple white shirt, black jeans and his new favourite black leather jacket after Haeyoon stole his bomber jacket. Whilst waiting for the girl, Jeno, Jaemin, Donghyuck and Renjun, who got dragged into the party last minute, decided to have a little time to themselves, away from the girls, "Do you miss Haeyoon already, lover boy?"
Jaemin's ears perked up at the sound of the name, "Are we meeting her or something? I thought today was only for the boys? Are we picking her up now?"
"Woah woah calm down there." Donghyuck snickers, satisfied with Jaemin's reaction, "Haeyoon is off somewhere else right now. We're going to pick her up later."
"Relax, calm down." Jeno puts his palm up and down to which Jaemin only rolled his eyes.
"You haven't talked to her since she talked to Soobin have you?" Renjun interrogates the boy who was looking as nervous as ever for the girl. Jaemin gave a simple nod, confirming his question, "It's great that you're here."
Jaemin was caught off-guard with the sudden hospitality, "H-Huh?"
"She'll need you, Jaem." Donghyuck looks at him from the rearview mirror. Jaemin couldn't understand the situation but Donghyuck's sad eyes only made him wish that time would go by faster.
The boys killed their time at the mall. One of the conditions that Renjun set for his presence today is to attend the new jewelry workshop that is being held exclusively this week.
"Should we make friendship bracelets?" Donghyuck claps his hands together like a seal, finding beads with each their initials on them.
"I think you should make something for Yebin instead." Renjun smiles at Donghyuck's wide eyes, "Or did you FORGET again?"
"Shit shit, thanks Renjeon."
"It's Renjun, you little brat."
Jeno and Jaemin were left alone while the two momentarily chased each other around the area, getting told off by one of the workers in the end. "Have you made any jewelry before?"
Jaemin shook his head, "I made one of those simple string ones and gave it to my parents a long time ago, but never as high quality as these." Jaemin stares at the bottle of resin, drops of food colouring, toothpicks, glitters, silicon molds of different shapes, numbers and letters, and many more containers filled with decorations to satisfy creative minds.
"You should make one for Haeyoon."
The thought puts a smile on Jaemin's face. He picks up the alphabet mold putting his hands on the 'H' and 'Y', "Should I?
"Go for it." Jeno pats his back as the two start giving each other ideas to start the little project, Jeno starting his own one for himself. Jaemin hasn't had the joy of giving for a while and the thought of Haeyoon receiving something that he made only made him work even harder, making sure to pop all the air bubbles on the mold and position the gold flakes and fake flowers nicely with the toothpick.
Renjun, Donghyuck and Jeno would occasionally start their own conversation, laughing at each other's failed attempts during the process of making the somewhat intricate piece. Jaemin however, paid full attention to the project in front of him and the boys made a mental note to tell Haeyoon just how much care he put into the two small initial keyrings. Just like that their short time together ended and one of the workers packed away their molds and instructed them on how to take care of their creations until it fully cures.
The car was filled with laughter and singing as they made their way back to the prison to pick up Haeyoon and it continued to be so until Haeyoon's gloomy face showed up in the parking lot. Jaemin didn't spend another second to unbuckle his seatbelt and hopped out of the car, not even bothering to close the door. Haeyoon hears the clicking of the door and the distant taps of a person approaching her. She kept her head down, her eyes meeting with a familiar pair of shoes as she clenched the phone in her palm.
Jaemin wondered why they were in the prison in the first place but that was a question that could be answered later. What concerned him in the moment is the way Haeyoon didn't even want to look at him even after he tilted her head up, "Are you alright?" and that's all it took for Haeyoon's tears to fall. Jaemin's body acted first as a reflex, pulling her into his broad chest and using his hands to shield her from the scorching sun above them, "I'm right here bubs. I won't leave you."
Jaemin bends down to put an arm under her knees, lifting it up while the other supports her back to bring her exhausted body to the cooled car. Renjun ran away to the seats at the back, giving the two space and not wanting to be a third wheel. Haeyoon's head falls limp to Jaemin's shoulder.
"What happened to her?" Jaemin asked the boys but their clueless faces, shaking heads and heaved sighs made Jaemin's heart heavy once again.
"We're just as clueless as you are. Her parents are in prison but we don't know what for." Jaemin nods at the new information that Renjun gave him. For a moment, only the sound of the aircon could be heard, Haeyoon's little snores resonating once in a while.
"Do you like her?" Jeno sees how Jaemin looks at the girl with gentle eyes from the rearview mirror.
"What kind of question is that?" Donghyuck deadpans at Jeno, "Of course he does."
"Honestly, why would it matter? She won't feel the same."
"How would you know?" Jeno shot back.
"I just do." Jaemin replies, earning a 'tsk' from the boy.
"Out of all the boys I've met, you're the purest one to her."