Beautiful // Nomin

~22~

During the meal, Jaemin engaged in the most conversation with Jeno's mom, since apart from his shocking pink hair that might be disdain to parents, Jaemin was actually quite good at talking with adults and being polite.

"Ohh, so you are the friend that Jeno is going to see a play with next week!" Mrs. Lee said and laughed as they talked, "I knew Jeno wouldn't go see a play just for himself."

"Right," Jaemin smiled and noticed out of the corner of his eye, Jisung's head shoot up and look at Jaemin, surprised. Well, this was the first time he'd heard that Jaemin was planning to go to a performance in Seoul on his birthday. No wonder he'd let Jisungie off the hook.

Jaemin continued to speak to Mrs. Lee, "My older brother is a student at the university and they have a big performance. I haven't seen him in a long time so I wanted to go. Jeno's really kind, he said he'd come with me."

"Ah yes, that's nice of my son. You're pretty good friends, it seems. When did you meet? Why haven't you come before?" she gave a wink across the table to Jeno who muttered "Eommaaa" under his breath.

"We go to the gym together a lot," Jaemin said.

"Ohh, gym buddies," her eyes twinkled, "Jeno used to complain a lot about working out alone. No wonder he hasn't brought that up recently."

Jeno winced and Jaemin laughed. Jeno was so cute.

They talked more about school, classes, nothing too personal about the boys' life. Everything was going smoothly until Mrs. Lee made the mistake of asking Jisung a question. A very simple question, but alas, still a question.

"And what year are you?"

It took five seconds for Jisungie Pwark to realise that the question was directed toward him. By instinct, Jisung glanced at Jaemin for help. Jaemin returned the SOS with a you-can-do-it smile and quietly repeating, "Jisungie, what year are you? Tell Mrs. Lee" as if Jaemin were Jisung's mom.

Jisung hesitated before slowly looking at Mrs. Lee who was smiling patiently back at him like a kindergarten teacher, or one of those soft-voice, cheery librarians. He made eye contact for a split second before getting shy and looking at the table, forcing the words "grade 11" out.

"Oh I see," Mrs. Lee said, friendly. "You're very tall and handsome. You and your hyung were born well."

The compliment made Jisung even more embarrassed, and the woman knew it, turning her attention back onto Jaemin before Jisungie would melt completely. But she stole glances at the younger boy from time to time, because he seemed...off.

From that split second she'd made eye contact with him, Mrs. Lee knew something was wrong with Jisung at this moment; not like in his personality or behavior, but like...

The conversation at the table continued, with Jeno shooting glances at his mother whenever she seemed to go into a topic that Jeno knew would put the brothers in a quandary. His mom was smart and caught on that certain subjects should probably be avoided.

"Well I'll leave you boys off to yourselves. Jeno probably doesn't want me poking my head in everything," she fake-sighed. Jeno rolled his eyes but he had a smile on his face. His Eomma was oh-so-lovable.

Jaemin and Jisung thanked her for the meal and talked quietly among themselves for a few minutes, probably Jisung asking Jaemin about the university performance and meeting Jaehyun that he'd known nothing about. While they spoke, Jeno's mom also took her son casually aside and whispered to him.

"Honey, I think Jisung is on drugs."

"What??" was Jeno's first incredulous response. Did he hear her wrong?

"He's off. Look at his face."

Jeno glanced quickly at the two brothers off to the side. "I know. I did. Jaemin says he's tired a lot, so. His eyes are always red," Jeno said flatly.

"Tsk, listen to me," his mother scolded. "You should look into it. It doesn't look good."

"I don't know Jisung that well," Jeno protested, unbelieving. "I hang out with Jaemin a lot more. I barely ever see Jisung."

"Doesn't your school have some kind of student help? You should ask Jaemin about it," she urged.

"I would think Jaemin would know Jisung's condition by now if he were actually doing that."

"Then ask him sometime," his mom answered. "Things like this can get serious."

"Okay, okay, all right, I will," Jeno nodded quickly just to leave the conversation.

Jaemin and Jisung had turned from their own convo and thanked Mrs. Lee for the meal, then followed Jeno around the big house for a bit since they were so curious about it. They walked up the stairs and Jeno heard faintly Jisung whisper to Jaemin, "Didn't the old house have this kind of stairway before too?" Jaemin must have nodded or shook his head because Jeno didn't hear an answer.

After a while, Jisung had told Jaemin that he didn't feel well and wanted to go home. "Do you need me to take you?" Jaemin asked, to which Jisung shook his head "no", he could get back himself. Jaemin said "ok" and Jisung left the house.

He made his way down the driveway and walked down the sidewalk until he left the neighborhood. From here he waited on the side for a taxi to come by.

He thought to himself, Jaemin was going to meet Jaehyun-hyung? In person? Why hadn't he told Jisung sooner? Well, Jisung couldn't blame Jaemin because himself had been so adamant about going to Jeju. At the table, Jaemin had asked Jisung if he wanted to come along with them to Seoul next week. He hadn't had time to process it, and had shook his head "no" of course, because, obviously, the dance festival.

To be honest, Jisung hadn't thought of his old family in a long, long time. He hadn't been thinking of anything except for his dance routine. Most of the time his mind was clouded, and he didn't feel like he was in touch with reality.

A bell rang to the right of Jisung but he didn't notice until the bicycle swerved past him and the rider yelled "get a life!" because Jisung hadn't moved and he'd almost run into him.

Jisung put his head down and shook it aggressively, trying to clear his thoughts.

He should really stop with the injections.