XVII

Johnny's return, Ryujin and John's comeback, Jisoo being pregnant with their first child while her husband is away and cheating on her & Jaemin moving out of their house while also trying to move on from Ryujin, who isn't even her girlfriend.

Yes, everything is definitely messed up around here.

Of course, Jaemin was happy for his Jisoo noona being pregnant with her first child. She will finally have a family of her own and she will blessed with an angel however, with everything that's been going on lately... he wasn't a hundred percent sure if he could be genuinely happy.

Was this the right time to tell his Jisoo noona about Johnny's cheating?

———

Jaemin thought Johnny would only stay there for a week or two but it seems like he'll be spending months there since his documents from his previous company cannot be pulled out at the moment.

Hence, Johnny made sure to make his long vacation worthwhile and when I say worthwhile, I meant... him doing his old, dirty business that he missed while he was in Asutralia, he went out with different women almost every-f*cking-day, apart from Ryujin. He bring them to bars and movies, anywhere. He wasn't even trying to be careful and it's surprising that neither Ryujin nor Jisoo found out about his cheating issue.

Johnny never learns and he never changed at all. He will only learn once he gets a taste of his own medicine.

———

The new school year began and Jaemin was now a senior student while Ryujin was a junior. It's been days since they last seen each other, there was no communication between them as well.

It seems like the two had finally let go of their friendship.

* At the school cafeteria...

Haechan caught Jaemin staring into nowehere while everybody was busy eating their snacks and so Haechan asked...

"Jae, are you okay?" Haechan shook his arms. "You've been staring into nowhere for seconds now, are you high or something?"

The others glance at Jaemin and saw that he noticed that he looked kinda blue that day.

"No! Why would I be high?!" Jaemin replied with no enthusiasm in the tone of his voice.

Jaemin returned his gaze at his food and started lazily poking his meal with his fork, seems like he didn't had any appetite.

"Everything fine, Jae?" Mark asked, sounding all concerned about him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jae didn't even glance at Mark. Only Jeno knew what was up that time.

"You don't seem fine though." Chenle commented.

Then Haechan shifted his gaze to where he was looking just now and realized that he wasn't staring into nowehere, he was eyeing a specific someone.

Haechan returned his gaze at Jaemin with a hyena smile this time. "Oh, you were looking at Ryujin, huh?"

Jaemin furrowed his brows at him. "No, I wasn't."

Everyone, except Jaemin, immediately turned their heads to the other side to spot Ryujin and there she was seated with her friends, not too far away from them.

"We should go say "hi" to her, it's been a while since we last talked to her." Jisung suggested.

Everyone, except Jeno and Jae, nodded to Jisung's suggestion.

"What do you say, Jaemin? Let's go say "hi" to her." Renjun asked him because he wasn't joining the conversation.

Jeno glance at Jaemin and it seemed like Jae didn't like the idea.

"I think we should just stay here." Jeno back up for Jae.

Renjun furrowed his brows at Jeno. "Why? Why can't we talk to her?"

But Jaemin answered this time...

"You guys go ahead, I'm not interested, I want to stay here." said Jaemin, he didn't even hother to look at Renjun.

The boys exchanged glances with Jaemin's absurd behavior. No one, except Jeno, knew what was up with him that day.

"Yow, Jae. Is everything really fine? Why are you acting like this? Are you and Ryujin not okay?" Mark worried but Jaemin shook his head.

"No, w-we're fine. It's just that... I'm really not in the mood." he explained to Mark.

But the boys didn't believe him, they knew something was up.

"Did you guys... had any misuderstandings? What's going on? Tell us, I have noticed you haven't spoke nor interact with her ever since the new school year started." Mark added.

Jaemin sighed and looked Mark in his eyes. "We're fine, guys. Don't worry. I'm just really not in the mood."

———

From close friends to strangers, that's exactly what happened to Jaemin. & Ryujin...

Even if they see each other in school or pass by each other, they pretended like they didn't know one another. Ryujin would often glance at Jaemin everytime she passes by him but Jae seems to ignore Ryujin intentionally, he never glancr at her when she passes by him so Ryu did not initiate to speak with him.

But Jaemin, if given the chance to see Ryu in school, would glance at Ryujin secretly from time to time when she's not looking. He was upset Ryujin but deep down inside he knew he still cared about her, even if he was hurt he still had a soft spot for Ryujin.

———

* Friday...

After class, Jaemin decided to go to a nearby cafe to get some drinks before he goes to Renjun's place to do their project.

As he was driving, he spotted Ryujin, along with other students, at a waiting shed next to their school.

"Must be waiting for a bus." said Jaemin in his mind only, so he just went along to buy his coffee.

He waited 30 minutes in line 'cause there was a lot of customers at the coffee shop that day. Once he got his coffee, he headed to Renjun's place passing by the waiting shed near his school again and guess what?

Ryujin was still there but she was now all alone. Jaemin glance at her from afar, slowing down his car so she could have a good glimpse of her and she seemed like she was waiting for someone.

Jaemin looked at his watch and asked in his mind. "What is she still doing there? It's already 6 pm, she should be home by now, it's dangerous for her to be alone during this hour." he worried.

But then again Jaemin thought... "Why do I care about her? She has Johnny to worry about her, I am not her boyfriend anyway. She chose Johnny then so be it."

He stepped on the gas and drove off to Renjun's place, neglecting the slight concern he had felt for her since he was still upset with Ryujin.

———

Jaemin could not focus on their project  'cause he was low-key worried about Ryujin. He expect that she would be home by now, he wanted to text her to ask her but he was restraining himself to look and sound concerned about her.

Even after everything, Jae still cared about her.

After 2 hours of doing project, Jaemin and Renjun finally finished it and Jae went on his way to Jeno's place (since we was temporarily living there).

Jaemin just wanted to go home 'cause he was extremely exhausted that day but instead he's stuck in traffic. Suddenly, it started raining heavily and the sound of the rain soothed him, he cannot wait to go home and to sleep.

While waiting in traffic, Jaemin averted his gaze at the side of the roads and he noticed a familiar person, Johnny.

Jae spotted him, not too far away from his car, from the clear windows of a night club located in the of the city. The fact that his car was also parked right infront of this bar made Jaemin sure that this was Johnny indeed.

John looked like he was having the time of his life with his friends, drinking & smoking and of course, they were with females. Not to be judgemental or anything, but these females seemed to be working in the club as entertainers.

Each of them had their own chicks beside them and Johnny even had his arms wrapped around this female, who was dressed in a very skimpy red dress.

Jae could not believe his eyes, he thought Johnny stopped doing his dirty business after being reunited with his noona but he was at it again, he never learns and this made Jaemin really really really pissed.

There was nothing to pour all his anger at so he just panted heavily in his car, trying to calm himself down 'cause he was seeing red.

The fact that Johnny was cheating on his pregnant wife made him even more angry.

Jaemin heard a loud honk from the car behind him, startling him and making him snap out of his senses. He looked infront and realized that the car infront of him moved already and there was no more traffic.

So he drove off as well however, Jaemin's hands were trembling in anger that time. He was breathing heavily and he just had this sick feeling in his stomach.

On his way home, he pass the waiting shed yet again next to their school again and he inadvertently shifted his gaze at the waiting shed and guess who was still there waiting for who know. Yes, it's Ryujin.

He immediately stepped on the breaks upon seeing her there, still waiting for who knows what. She had been staying there for more than 2 hours already, who could she be waiting?

She stood there all by herself in that dark and cold waiting shed, with only the street light to illuminate her area. As I mentioned, it was raining cats and dogs that time so Ryujin was soaking wet despite being at the waiting shed.

He stopped his car just to get a glimpse of her and his heart crushed upon seeing her in that awful situation. For all he knows, she might be scared being all alone in that waiting shed late at night.

Jaemin stared at her for a brief second and he didn't know what to do but... he felt like he had to do something but then again, he remembered she chose Johnny.

He returned his gaze to his steering wheel, he wanted to drive off and just leave her there to suffer... but his conscience won't let him.

He was in a state of confusion, he was arguing with his thoughts and conscience that time. His mind says leave her there but his heart says do something to help her.

What should Jaemin do?

———

Meanwhile...

For the 100th time, Ryujin rang Johnny's phone but his phone cannot be reached. John promised to pick her up from school to send her home but it seems like John had no plan of fetching her.

Her feet were sore from standing for more than 2 hours, waiting for him to arrive but there was no sign of Johnny. She was all by herself and it was cold and raining and she became drenched in rain water so she felt really cold that time.

She was starting to worry, how will she get home? There were no bus passing by anymore for her to ride home so she just had to wait patiently for John.

She tried to call Johnny again but this time her phone had already died. Now, she has no way of communicating with him.

As the rain fell on her, her tears started to roll from her eyes to her cheeks as well, she was so scared. She felt hopeless and pitiful that time.

When all of a sudden, a car stopped right infront of her. She stepped back a little 'cause felt frightened, she was all alone that time.

She could not see the car clearly as it was dark and raining. Her heart was bracing swiftly when the car doors swung open and she spotted a shadow of a man coming out of the car, holding an umbrella.

ctto: Jack Finnigan

She panicked that time especially 'cause this person was going to her direction but she couldn't see who this was. So she tried to run away but before she could even leave she felt a hand grab her arm.

"Ryujin!"

"Ahh!" she screamed and when she looked back, when she met eyes with this person she realized that it was actually (you guessed it right) Jaemin.

Guess Jaemin followed his heart and decided to do what he believes is right.

They stared at each other for a few seconds because Ryujin couldn't believe that he was here, although she felt relieved to know that this was Jaemin. She knew he would not harm her.

Jaemin spoke. "Ryujin, what are you doing here?" he sounded a bit worried.

Ryujin pulled her arm away from Jaemin and immediately looked away 'cause she didn't want Jaemin to see her like that but Jaemin knew that she was crying that time, it was so obvious 'cause her eyes were puffy and red.

Jaemin sighed and asked her again. "Ryu, why are you still here? Is already 6PM, you should be home by now."

"Just... j-just leave me alone. I thought you didn't care about me?" said Ryujin and she was already sniffing.

Jaemin rolled his eyes at her answer but he was trying to be understanding. "Are you still waiting for someone? Who are you waiting for? You should be home by now."

But Ryujin remained silent and she didn't bother to glance at Jaemin.

Then Jaemin said. "It's Johnny, right? You're waiting for Johnny."

Again, Ryujin did not reply to him and she just stopd still but tears came flowing from her eyes when he mentioned Johnny.

Jaemin swiped his palm on his face as he was frustrated that Ryu wasn't speaking with him. Jae gently grabbed her arm and said... "Let's go, I'm sending you home."

But Ryujin violently pulled her arms away from him. "I'm not going anywhere I'm staying here." she muttered.

Then Jaemin said. "Ryujin, Johnny is not going to come and fetch you. Trust me!"

Ryujin shook her head and she started to shed tears even more. "No, he's coming for me. He promised me he'll send me home."

"Well, he's not coming, believe me. So let's just go." said Jaemin. Of course, he would know Jae saw John at a club and he most likely forgotten about Ryujin.

"No." said Ryujin. "I am not going anywhere, I am staying here and I'm going to wait for him."

"He's not coming to pick you up, Ryujin! If he was, then he would've come earlier." explained Jaemin.

But Ryujin was stubborn. "No, I am staying here. He promised me he'll come fetch me, I trust him. He will come, he is just late."

Jaemin heaved heavily at her response and he said. "Action speaks louder than words, Ryujin. It's so easy to make a promise, what's difficult is living up to it. You should only believe it once you see it with your own eyes and I know you love Johnny so much but you are blinded by your emotions, you can't see all the red flags."

Ryujin was shedding tears with every word 'cause Jae seemed to have a point.

Jaemin added. "I care about you, even if I don't say it out loud and even if I am not vocal about it, you know I've always cared about you even if we're not okay... 'cause I'm your friend."

"If Johnny cared, he would not have neglected you here, knowing that you are waiting for him, trusting his words. He should've informed you a little earlier that he will not be able to escort you instead of just leaving you clueless as to why he did not show up." Jaemin said to her. The rain became much heavier and by that time even Jae was drenched in water.

Jaemin let out a sigh before asking her. "So I ask you Ryu, do you think he really cares about you?"

Ryujin was thinking about what Jae said and she really felt like being stabbed with the truth. It seemed like Johnny didn't really about her.

She remained silent and then Jae grabbed her arms again. "Come on, Ryu. Let's get you home, the rain is already —"

But then Ryujin shouted. "No! I am staying here! I am waiting for him."

"He's not coming!" Jaemin shouted back at her and this just left Ryujin so heartbroken. She started covering her face with her hands and then she started sobbing loudly.

Jaemin felt guilty for shouting at her so he just pursed his lips.

All of a sudden, Ryujin felt a warm embrace while she weeps. She realized that Jaemin had hugged her and there she cried in his chest. Jae patted her back and said...

"I'm so sorry, Ryujin. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset. Let's just get you home, please."

———

So Ryujin ended up agreeing to be send off by Jaemin since there was no hope in Johnny coming to fetch her.

The whole ride was silent however as none of them spoke. Ryujin was seated at the paseenger's seat.

Jaemin did notice Ryujin shivering, it must be because of the air conditioning in his car and she was also soaked in water that time.

Ryujin was just looking at the window the whole time, Jae made a stop at the side of the road but Ryu never bothered to glance at him. She felt rustling on her side and it felt like Jae was doing something and then...

"Here." said Jaemin.

She slowly averted her gaze to his direction and saw him lending his jacket to her. She