Chapter 11

Jeno opened his eyes and scanned the unfamiliar room he's in. He couldn't remember everything that had happened, but he can recall that the paramedics came and pulled him out of the game.

He remembers how he ran from the other side of the court to the area where Yiyeon and her friends are located to save her from the ball. He remembers how he forced himself to run even if his condition wasn't that good. He remembers twisting his ankle because of running.

The door opened, and he saw their captain entering with some food. He looked at the window instead and suddenly remembered the game they had earlier.

"Mark-hyung," he called.

The older almost jumped from his position as he didn't notice that Jeno was already awake. "What the--you startled me!" He exclaimed. He then handed him a bottle of water and his painkillers. "What is it? Were you supposed to ask something?" He asked and dragged the chair for him to sit beside Jeno's bed.

"What happened to the game?" The younger asked.

Mark pressed his lips into a thin line and sighed, "It's not important anymore... just rest, Jeno."

Jeno nods, "We lost, right?"

Their captain nodded slowly. "It was anticipated since their defense is one of a kind," he sighed. "Besides, we would be battling against a stronger team if we had won that game. If we did, it wouldn't be easy since you, Minho, and Chenle are not in good condition."

"Where's Mr. Seo?" He asked, gulping his medicine.

"Coach went to the school to report about what happened," Mark answered. "By the way, have you seen Yiyeon?"

The name caught Jeno's attention. He looked at Mark and raised a brow, "Hyung, I just woke up. I didn't even know that I fell asleep, yet here we are," he shrugged.

"So you haven't seen her yet," Mark nodded. "But just to inform you, Yiyeon has been looking after you while you were asleep," he said while drinking his water.

***

Yangyang dribbled the ball and tried to shoot it. No good.

He was playing alone on their school's basketball court. It was starting to get dark, and the lamp posts around the campus are the only ones illuminating the place. The auditorium could not be used since the booths for the foundation day are inside.

He caught the ball and tried to shoot it again. It was of no use.

Panting, he decided to sit on the ground and throw the ball irritatedly. He doesn't even know why he was mad and why he was acting this way. But he does want to be alone and think about everything that had happened this day.

"So you were here all along?" He heard a voice say, but he doesn't have the energy to look back and argue with that person.

"Yejin, I don't want to argue," he sighed and just watched the ball that was sitting idle below the ring.

Yejin sat beside him and looked at his face, "Idiot, do you think I'd look for you here only to argue?" She scoffed. "How are you feeling," she asked.

Yangyang looked down, "I don't feel so good," he admitted. "It's like, something is burning me inside, and I can't even cry or complain about it..." he said and rested his head on his knees.

Yejin watched the boy as he hugged his knees. This was not like the Yangyang she had known for five years. "Go ahead and tell me everything if you want," she said.

"I want to be mad, I want to be jealous, but I clearly don't have the right to..." he said. "When Yiyeon followed Jeno earlier, I felt like my heart shattered into pieces. I wanted to scream, but I can't because I need to focus on the game..."

"Are you... crying?"

Yangyang looked up and wiped his tears, "I don't know why I'm crying right now. I didn't even cry when we lost the game earlier..." he sighed. "I just need some rest, and maybe I'll feel better tomorrow."

"You don't look okay to me," Yejin sighed. "Look, if you're already hurt, why don't you tell Yiyeon already-"

"She wouldn't care," Yangyang said. "After all, I'm only her best friend..."

Yejin stood up, not believing what Yangyang just said. "I know that you're hurt, but how can you say that easily as if she's nothing to you?! Are you out of your mind, Yangyang?!"

The guy scoffed, "You're the one to talk, Yejin?! What about you and Da—"

"My situation with Daewon is much different than yours," she turned away.

"Tell me how it's different," Yangyang challenged.

"Daewon and I had nothing to do with this!" She yelled. "I get that you're frustrated but why must you include other people who are not even here?!"

Yejin started to walk away, "I came here to check on you and maybe extend some help, but it looks like you don't care," she said and walked away.

The Chinese boy doesn't know what to say.

He messed up big time.

***

The door to Jeno's room opened, and he was surprised to see Yiyeon enter.

"Yiyeonnie?" He asked.

The girl raised a brow, "What? Don't you dare get the wrong idea. I'm here for our History project," she said, while showing him the envelope which contains their drafts for the subject.

Jeno could only chuckle, "I didn't even say anything." I'm glad that you're here. "I'm sorry, I was absent earlier. My mom won't let me go to school, and I don't even see the reason why I have to be locked up here in the hospital when all I have is a sprain."

"No need to be sorry," Yiyeon said and sat down, placing her things on the other chair. "In fact, I'm the one who needs to apologize since this won't happen to you if you hadn't saved me from the ball... I mean, it's just a ball! It wouldn't be a big deal if it had hit me..."

"Idiot," Jeno snorted. "We all know how weak your stamina is. An impact from a ball like that would even cause you to be unconscious and you expect me to do nothing?" He raised a brow. "It's the same reason why you quit varsity, right?"

The girl took a deep breath and nodded. "Why is it suddenly about me?" She asked, which made Jeno chuckle.

Jeno just shook his head, "I did my research earlier. It's on the desk," he said, pointing at the desk not far from his table. Yiyeon stood up to get it.

There were different papers scattered on the desk. Yiyeon wasn't sure which one to get.

"They're on the yellow folder," Jeno said when he noticed that Yiyeon was having a hard time looking for the paper.

She grabbed the yellow folder and saw Jeno's handwriting on some of the papers, "What are these?" She asked and raised the paper so that Jeno would see it.

His eyes widened as he forced himself to stand up and grab the papers from her, "D-Don't read it. It's nothing!"

"Idiot!" Yiyeon yelled at him when she saw her foot that was wrapped in a bandage. "How the hell were you even to remove your foot from there?! It was just hanging a while ago!" She said and helped him lay down.

Jeno was wincing in pain as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Jeno was taller than Yiyeon, but she's not that short either. However, it was difficult for her to help him walk.

He sat on the bed and placed his left foot on the rest and sighed, "I'm sorry..."

"What was that? And why don't you want me to read it?" She asked.

"That's my output for Literature," he explained. "I just don't want you to read it since I'm bad at writing."

"Well, it can't be that bad..."

"L-Let's just focus on the history project," Jeno said, trying to divert the topic.

Yiyeon could only nod.

***

"Feeling better already?"

Jeno looked at the person who just entered the room, "Taeyong-hyung!" He exclaimed as he saw his brother. "When did you arrive? How was your two-day internship in Incheon?"

"It was tiring, but fun! We arrived earlier this day," Taeyong said and dragged a chair to place it beside Jeno's bed. "I didn't expect that we would reunite in a hospital room, though." He sighed.

The younger frowned, "I'm sorry for inconveniencing you, hyung..."

"Yah, you're the one to speak! Taeyong-hyung dragged me here!" Another guy said, entering the room.

"You brought Jaehyun-hyung, too?"

His brother just rolled his eyes, "Don't listen to him. He came with me on his own. I didn't force him or anything." He said and scanned the room. "Your room is kinda messy knowing that you stay here alone..."

"Ah, I'm not alone, hyung—"

The door opened and revealed a confused-looking Yiyeon.

Taeyong's eyes widened, "Oh, you're the one who was rushed to the clinic the other time! You're Jeno's ex... right?" He asked.

The girl politely bowed and nodded, "Nice to see you again, Taeyong-oppa," she greeted. "I'm only here because Jeno and I have a project together."

She stepped inside and placed her things inside her bag. Once she was done, she bowed in front of them and bid goodbye.

The moment the door closed, Jeno glared at his brother, "Hyung, you didn't have to mention about the ex part..." he scoffed. "Now, I don't know how to talk to her again."

Jeno couldn't even say that his project in Literature is about them.

***

A day before the foundation day yet Yiyeon couldn't find Yangyang everywhere.

"Where's Yangyang?" She asked Yejin.

The other girl dropped the box she was holding upon the mention of his name, "Don't know."

"Is everything alright?" Yiyeon asked.

Yejin took a deep breath and glared at Yiyeon, "Are you that oblivious? Does this look okay to you?" She scoffed.

The other was taken aback, "Wait, why are you getting mad at me?"

Their other friends started to approach them so that they won't cause a scene.

Daewon pulled Yejin back, "Yejin, that's enough."

"No, let Yiyeon have this one," Yejin scoffed, still not letting Daewon pull her away. "The guy you're looking for is probably pulling his wits together because he's not in his right state of mind, and it's because of you."

"M-Me?! What did I do..." Sungchan held onto Yiyeon as he could feel that his older friend was about to fall down.

"Yejin-noona, Yiyeon-noona, that's enough," he said, trying to stand in the middle.

Jeongmin, on the other hand, was just holding Yiyeon's arm.

"You keep on coming back to Jeno as if nothing happened," Yejin started. "You can't even notice how one person is willing to give everything up for you." She snorted.

"What do you mean?"

Yejin pulled her hand from Daewon and turned away. "You don't deserve him."

With that one sentence, she started to walk away.

"You don't deserve Yangyang."

- tbc.