it's been a while since jennie first volunteered at the centre. she had gotten to know a few of the people around the first floor, although, some of them were convinced that she had the word "outcast" branded on to her.

most of the patients were quite friendlier than she had imagined, especially taeyong. he was a polite student around her age, perhaps a year older. he had always invited her to play cards with him.

although, some of them were harder to communicate with, including mark. apart from the first introduction, he barely acknowledged prescence and seohyun had counted this as normal. 

"he's hard to talk with at times, introverted for sure," seohyun explained with a calm and gentle look, "even the doctors have a hard time, but his hand writing is beautiful." 

"it took a while for everyone here and it's still hard to even get him to write a few simple lines," she continued, "doctors have theories on his condition which could be affecting that."

jennie nodded along, sighing a bit. "i suppose it was an improvement yesterday when he left me a note to throw away some wilting flowers."

seohyun laughed along to that.

"how was playing cards with taeyong today? is his hands slowly working again?" seohyun questioned with a easy smile b with interest as she bit into her sandwich once more.

"yeah, he was able to rub it in and throw all the cards in the air, making it rain after he won once more." jennie chuckled a bit at the memory, her eyes crinkling along when she had envisioned him doing it once more. "i think i should really start practicing how to learn all the card strategies. i don't know how he can win."

"he was a master of cards and athletics before he got an injury playing volleyball," seohyun explained with an amused tone. "even if you became an expert, you still wouldn't beat him."

"that sort of clarifies a lot," jennie states with a shake of her head.

"trust me, we've been in that situation and lost. at least yours didn't require any sort of weird bet unlike onew's," seohyun snickered at the remembrance and jennie laughed along with her.

a ring interrupted their moment and jennie apologized to her, before going to answer it.

"hello?" she talked into the phone, clicking on the green button and swiping it open. "who is this?"

"it's jisoo," the girl frantically talked into the phone, loud, thundering noises were heard on the other side. "jennie!"

"yes? what is it?" jennie asked with a tinge of perplexation. she was confused to why jisoo would be calling around this time, it was a friday night meaning the start of parties days for the second-years and third-years.

"where are you? the party started an hour ago and you're not here!" jisoo whined in the phone, anticipation washing over here. there were eyes looking at her weirdly, but she was on a mission. there was no time to worry about that.

"i'm busy at the moment," she trailed off, uncertain whether or not she should tell jisoo. she had met jisoo through irene and taehyung, which typically meant that jennie telling the latter her location would jeopardize her alone time. 

although, she'd never admit it, the rehabilitation centre had become a cooling place for her. it was as if this was the one place she could be alone to her thoughts with no fear that he might find her and send her into another spiralling world of darkness. 

"doing what? you've been busy all week!" jisoo exclaimed. "it's getting fishy jennie, are you cheating or something?" 

jennie could only snort at this. "i found myself a job," she lied to the phone. it was sort of partially true. "my manager is going to get mad at me if i stay on the phone any longer." 

"what the ? why would you do that? don't you dare hang up on me kim jennie," the other girl loudly screeched, her words were starting to slur in the slightest.

"take care of yourself, jisoo. don't get to drunk!" jennie laughed softly. "i'm hanging up now, bye." 

jennie closed her phone and made her way back to seohyun, laughter bubbling in at just imagining what her friend must be reacting right now.

"you seem oddly happy," seohyun observed with a wink, "boyfriend called?"

"no, more like a friend acting weird," jennie stiffened at the word of boyfriend. jiwon was still a taboo topic, even if they hadn't officially broken up yet, jennie knew it was going to happen anyways. but even though, he was making out with someone else, she couldn't help but feel her heart still ache for him.

four months of a relationship just gone like that. did she even mean anything to him? for him to be exchanging lips with his ex-girlfriend sent chills down her spine.

"jennie? jennie? jennie?" seohyun repeatedly called out, concern passing over her face.

"hm?" it snapped jennie deep out of her thoughts and into reality once more. "oh sorry, i was just thinking about my...um tests coming up."

"right. right," seohyun suspiciously replied before shaking her head to cancel the thoughts. "hey if you want to study, that's totally fine. most of the patients are probably sleeping at this point, it's around their down and alone time." 

"thanks! do you know any good places to study at?" 

"mark's room is normally quiet and peaceful. i'd recommend asking him if you could study there," seohyun paused with a breath, "he's most likely reading at the moment."

"oh alright," jennie answered, collecting up her things and making her way down the hall. "thanks seohyun!"

"no worries," her voice rang behind her.

jennie's hand rested on the knob and hesitation ran through her skin. what if he didn't let her stay? oh for dear lord, man up and ask! jennie's thoughts yelled at her.

"hey, do you mind if i stay in your room to study for a bit?" jennie sheepishly asks, scratching the back of her nape. her hands clutching the covers of her english and calculus textbooks.

mark was sitting in his usual spot, the desk area and his nose was stuck in book up until jennie had entered. mark turned his head towards the doorway and shrugged his shoulders once, before nodding his approval.

"so yes, you'll mind?" she asks once more for confirmation, her face falling slightly. this was the quietest place in the whole rehabilitation area and she needed that sereneness. 

he, then shook his head, crinkling his brows. he rose his head from his book and bore his dark eyes into hers. 

"so you won't mind?" jennie stated in a confused tone. what on earth was he even trying to say here. 

mark nodded his head once more, gesturing to the seat near the door, across the room from him. he proceeded to tilt his gaze back to the pages of his book. 

"thanks," she replied with a grateful look that he probably couldn't even see. her fingers plugged some earphones in her ears and she blasted some chainsmokers in. 

her eyes fluttered to pages in her hands. calculus. calculus. calculus. and more calculus. she narrowed her eyes at the pages forming in her mind, trying to make sense of the formulas and methods