With the Wrong Crowd

➸ CHP 19

     "Wanna sandwich, Jiwoo?", Jeno tapped me softly on the shoulder since he knew I was concentrated on the work in front of me.

     "Oh", I looked up at him, "Thanks"

     All of us had been working hard since this morning. The weekend was coming up, and that's when we were going to that abandoned train station in Incheon.

     Since I wasn't really experienced with this whole "mafia" thing, Jeno asked me to pack gear instead of the training or doing whatever the others were doing.

     "You really haven't talked much since you got here", Jeno sat next to me.

     "Yeah..."

     "You used to be so smiley and giggly at school", he studied the side of my face as I continued to stare in front of me, "What happened?"

     I looked up from what I was doing, "Um, in my defense, basically everything happened."

      "Yeah well, you and I still talked to each other"

     "But I'm talking to you right now", I was starting to lose patience.

     "You're quiet because of ITZY, aren't you...", Jeno blurted out.

      I froze and immediately avoided eye contact with him.

     "Sorry", Jeno cleared his throat, "If you don't wanna talk about it-"

     "-No", I said, "Its ok..."

     We were quiet for a couple seconds.

     I sighed and started packing the gear again. "I dunno", I started, "Its five girls. I wouldn't have the chance to talk even if I tried", I paused and smacked my lips, "So I've just been 'quiet'"

     Jeno nodded. "You and Ryujin seem a little distant", he said.

     "We don't 'seem' distant", I corrected him, "We are distant. We just clash for some reason..."

   

       "Because of Jaemin?", Jeno asked.

     My head shot up.

    Jeno continued to look at me, waiting for an answer.

     "Well?", he tilted his head, "Am I right or wrong?"

     "H-How'd you know?"

     "Because I know you", Jeno smiled.

     I nodded slowly. "Just, don't tell anyone...please"

     "I wasn't going to", he said, "I just wanted to hear it from you"

      I opened my mouth to say something.

     "No more time to talk", he stood up, "You've got work to do...the mission's tomorrow"

      I sighed, "Yeah, whatever"

      Jeno started walking out of the room, "We'll talk again later", he winked.

     He walked out of the room.

     I was alone again.

      Ding!

      I got another notification on my phone.

      Your photo gallery is running out of storage. Would you like to delete some photos?

     I sighed.

    "Whatever", I said to myself, "I need a break, anyway"

    I unlocked my phone and started skimming through my pictures.

     "What's this?", I asked myself.

      There was a profile picture that was still on my phone for some reason.

      Jaemin's profile.

      So Jaemin was an orphan...I didn't know that.

     Jaemin saw his parents die...He never told me.

     Jaemin was supposed to be in Kai's care...Why wasn't he with Kai, now?

     Jaemin was with "NCT Mark Lee" instead...Who the hell was "Mark Lee"?