lyricist°l.jn [editing]

chapter fourteen: give and take

"It's soo cool! The theme is just, wow! And the visuals, the talent- out of this world!"

Jeno and Jinkyong walk through the corridor together with her dressed up as a staff while Jeno waits for their turn to perform on stage.

"Mhm. Really?" Jeno gives his full focus- giving responses to her as she babbles on and on about the masterpiece known as 'DREAM's comeback.'

Which is also, what Jeno is going to perform today, their title track.

Kyo nods vigorously. "Really!"

Jeno tilts his head at her. "Are you not gonna talk about the songs? You made them and they're amazing."

She grins shyly and lets out a few dry, shy chuckles. "Well, if I have to say so myself, they are but, I don't wanna sound narcissistic."

The idol furrows, making a perplexed look. "I don't think so. You deserve it and a lot more praise too."

Kyo faces him when they turn a corner and enter a quiet, vacant hallway.
"Well, your acknowledgement is enough for me."

Jeno scoffs out a laugh of affection and places his palm on her head before patting her crown gently.
"You did great, Kyo."

Her heart squeals and her smile brightens his day.

"Thanks."

They return to NCT Dream's makeup and waiting room and the other members are all there, all ready to go but the queue says otherwise.

"Lovebirds are finally, back~" Haechan sings after the pair close the door.

Jeno sucks in his breath sharply as if to scold him with brows knitted, warning.

The younger waves him off. "Calm down. Only Deiji is in here."

"Hey," Deiji greets the members from the couch where she sits beside Jaemin.

"They're lovebirds too and you're not saying anything about it!" Jeno cries out and points at the Jaemin-Deiji pair.

Mark's brows raise and eyes go round. "Did I just hear him say, 'too?'"

Ah, right.

Jeno realizes and the others start poking him about it.

"He didn't deny!"

"He's accepted it! He's made it official!"

"Another couple added!"

"Calm down!" Jinkyong suddenly, exclaims and they zip their mouths.
"We're not a couple yet."

Another while of quietness follows before being broken by,

"SHE SAID YET!" Chenle shrieks and snickers.

"She's accepting too!!"

"Someone get me some chilli because this sweetness is starting to numb my tongue!"

Kyo and Jeno exchange looks before laughing out loud.

And boy, does this whole chaos shake of their jittery nerves before performance.

-

"So?" Deiji suddenly, says as she and Kyo hang out at a small, quaint cafe nearby while the Dreamies perform.

Jinkyong slurps on her drink. "So...what?"

"You and Jeno. Like, are y'all a thing or something?"

"You heard me at the waiting room already, remember?"

"Yeah, but I do remember you saying 'yet,'" Deiji makes a fair point and her cousin emits a, "Huh, touché."

Jinkyong nibbles on the top of her straw. "I do like him. You know that, I know that, he probably knows it too but, I'm... scared."

"Of?"

"Didn't you tell me that someone from your staff team is put on the blacklist or something? Because, she's like, suspected to be with Haechan," Jinkyong recalls her cousin's words before.

The other leans back on her chair. "I did and she's still on the team. If you really think about it, Kyo, is life really life if there are no risks? Now, I'm not saying you have to run into fire 24/7 to prove that you're living. I'm just saying that, that in life, there is a give and take rule. So, if you want something, you gotta give something."

Her words inspire the younger and she smiles. "Thanks. You're literally the best cousins I can ever ask for."

Deiji flips her hair. "I know, hon."

They continue with devouring their croissants when Kyo's phone chimes.

father means business:
Daughter
I found a new opening in my department
It would be a good experience for you to take it

"Daughter' reads the text and sighs before putting the phone back on the table, screen first.