shot clock || na jaemin (the court series #1)

buzzer beater

"do you believe in miracles, ji?" jeno asks, arms wrapped around his girlfriend. jisoo hums, pondering the question as she rocks side to side, the ring on her right hand glinting in the moonlight. behind them, jisung has nearly set the kitchen on fire for the third time tonight trying to make pizza bagels before james finally puts him on sofa arrest, saying he's not allowed anywhere near the mini oven anymore. chenle's laughing at jisung's pouty face, haechan's pinching his cheeks, and renjun has his arms wrapped tightly around him. jaemin and sooyoung are sat on opposite sides of jisung, explaining the dangers of mini ovens, barely able to keep themselves from laughing.

"i think so. i mean it's a miracle that my life isn't kang youngmi and cigarettes anymore. it's a miracle that i met you. it's a miracle that we started dating. it's a miracle that sooyoung became one of my closest friends. so yeah, i believe in miracles," jisoo says, her words growing more and more decisive as she finishes her thought. 

"hmm," jeno says. the night is quiet, even though the inside of the house is a ruckus, and for now, this was enough. the girl he promised to love forever, a sense of peaceful acceptance, and hopes for the future. 

"do you believe in miracles, sung-ie?" chenle asks, slumped onto his best friend's shoulder. jisung shrugs, immediately apologizing when chenle glares at him, getting comfortable on his shoulder once more. 

"maybe. i mean i see jeno and jisoo and i think yeah, they do exist. but then i see jaemin and sooyoung and think maybe not," he says slowly, each syllable deliberate and purposeful. haechan frowns, looking at jisung curiously.

"how do you figure?" he asks, allowing renjun to absentmindedly run his fingers through his light brown hair as he thinks about chenle's question.

"i mean, jeno and jisoo, they were like a fairytale of miracles. damsel in distress meets rugged savior who changes him from depressed and angry to soft and kind while she turns from street-smart to heart-smart - emotional quotient, whatever. they've got soft, sweet love that you really don't find these days. they're made of miracles. sooyoung and jaemin? they're real. they break up, they get messy, they fall in love too quickly, they question their love, they lose each other, and they find each other. they're made of reality and life. so yeah, maybe i believe in miracles. and maybe i don't."

they're silent, the clock on the oven reading 11:52, when haechan gets up, a sparkle in his eyes. he extends his hands to renjun and jisung, who look at him in confusion.

"maybe we don't believe in miracles. maybe we do. either way, we're gonna live tonight. c'mon - the fireworks are gonna start soon."

renjun and jisung exchange a look, grinning as they take his hand.