The biggest topic of discussion of the fortnight among the class of 3-2 was their last school trip of their highschool years. Among the bustling discussions of what to bring and wear, the most discussed topic among the classmates was whether Hanbin would come or not. He was notorious for missing all the trips in previous years. 

Mr Kim begins head count and notices that two of his students were missing. 

“Does anyone know where Song Yunhyeong and Kim Hanbin are?” Mr Kim asks irritatedly, as he looks around at the group of students in front of him. 

“We’re here!” a voice yells out from the distance. Jennie spots an unwilling and half-asleep Hanbin, being dragged by his overly enthusiastic best friend who was waving to the homeroom teacher. 

Mr Kim scowls in response and yells, 

“Get on the bus!” An already frustrated Mr Kim bellows as he stands beside the bus entrance. 

Students file into the bus one by one, full of excitement for their final trip as highschool students.

“I used everything I had to get him to come” Yunhyeong triumphantly brags as he settles down into a seat, cracking his fingers in the process. 

As the rest of the classmates finish settling down, Yunhyeong spots Hanbin trudge lifelessly right by his seat and proceeds to grasp onto the sleepwalking Hanbin, pulling him towards the seat next to him. 

Yunhyeong flashes a knowing smile as he notices the worrisome eyes of Jennie and even Jisoo on the neighbouring side of the bus. 

“He’s like this when he doesn’t get his morning sleep” Yunhyeong explains, as Hanbin slowly collapses his head onto Yunhyeong’s right shoulder. “It’ll be fine once he naps” he adds, giving Jennie a comforting smile. 

Hanbin appeared lifeless as he rests on Yunhyeong’s shoulder the entire bus trip. When questioned, Yunhyeong mouths in reply: “He has a tendency to work throughout the night.”

Before proceeding to question Yunhyeong any further, Jennie makes sure she has no audience by discretely glancing over at the sleeping Jisoo, who had also succumb to exhaustion from all the packing she had done the entire day prior. 

“He does that all the time?” Jennie curiously whispers.

“Yeah, and he’s dead sleepy after he works on his music. It’s why he makes an effort to go to school early so he doesn’t miss class.” Yunhyeong says as he glances over at the sleeping Hanbin on his shoulder. “He doesn’t show it, but he’s an honour student after all.”

Hours later, accompanied by the dimming skies from the overcast sun as they arrive to their destination.

“Alright, alright kids. Attention!” Mr Kim yells in a megaphone from the front of the bus, waking up all the sleeping individuals in the process. “It’s past noon and I’m sure you’re hungry. You’re old enough to sort yourselves out, so once you get off the bus, split yourselves into groups of four and we’ll follow through from there”

Yunhyeong lightly pats Hanbin’s cheek, before he takes off, leaving Hanbin behind in his seat.  

The sneaky duo, Yunhyeong and Jisoo, had already made pre-arrangements days earlier and immediately stood next to each other once they got off the bus, dragging Hanbin and Jennie next to them respectively. Thus forming their small group of four. 

“Alright kids, now that we’re in our groups. We’ll go in group tours around the area before setting up our sleeping tents in the camping area. 

Males and females will sleep separately in different tents. We will have rounds to check!” Mr Kim shouted in a hoarse voice. Clearly the yelling was taking a toll on his vocal chords. 

Mr Kim later explains that their aim for that day was to explore the historical attractions of the venue. Each group was given a pamphlet to fill out and students were to walk around in their groups, finding the various attractions in the sheet and answering the respective questions about each. The advantage of having the top student in their group was that Hanbin was able to answer all the questions on the sheet even before they began their tour. So the rest of the remaining hours, before they return to the campsite, was up to them for them to spend. 

Jisoo and Yunhyeong look at each other with a cunning gleam in their eyes as soon as the group arrives at the venue. Before anyone has a chance to protest, the duo run off, leaving Hanbin and Jennie alone. 

“Hey guys! W-where are you g-go-ing?” a flustered Jennie calls out to the two disappearing figures that had sprinted off like crazy-madmen. 

“Ugh .. I told him not to act up - he never listens” Hanbin scowls to himself as he remembers Yunhyeong’s so-called promise earlier that day to not stir any trouble.

Hanbin takes a peek at the troubled Jennie who stood next to him, whom was equally shocked by the turn of events. Before he wills himself to say anything, Hanbin notices the gradual slipping strap of her small black backpack and reaches out to securely readjust it back onto Jennie’s shoulder. 

“Let’s go?” Hanbin guardedly asks, as Jennie turns to look at him. Knowing how reluctant Jennie would feel after recent events, he observes her carefully.

Following the incident, they both consciously avoided talking about the topic. Yet it was always at the back of Hanbin’s mind ... and also Jennie’s. 

Jennie makes a conscious effort to erase her mind full of thoughts. The topic was not touched upon nor even mentioned at the slightest following that day but she knew it weighed heavily on his mind as well. It didn’t take much for her to notice that Hanbin was visibly apologetic and had intentionally been more accommodative towards her in recent days. He was much more observant, more attentive, as if he was always trying to figure out what she was thinking before he spoke.

A sudden surge of courage comes from within Jennie as she shakes off her head full of various thoughts and she diverts her gaze from his questioning eyes to his hand, and quickly slips her hand around his, startling Hanbin in the process. 

“Let’s go!” Jennie boldly replies, as she grasps onto his hand tightly. She tugs onto his hand, pulling it slightly, as she hops forward and begins leading both of them towards the first attraction. 

As she takes the lead, Jennie clenches her teeth in nervousness and forms a tight-lipped line. Jennie grimaces as she continues walking and awaits for the impending rejection of her sudden action. 

The hand in her grasp remained very still and limp in her tight, yet vulnerable grasp. 

He wasn’t reciprocating… a lump in Jennie’s throat begins to form as she bites back the tears that were ready to brim at the corner of her eyes.

It’ll be okay, it’ll be okay. I can pass it off as a joke Jennie begins reciting in her head. 

Readying herself for the rejection, she is shocked when she feels the hand within in her grasp tightly grip her hand back. 

Stunned by the response, Jennie turns her head back to look at Hanbin as she feels the hot burn of crimson red form on her already-flushed cheek. She is astounded to see an equally nervous Hanbin with a similar shade of red diffusely spread along his neck.

They make eye contact before Hanbin then releases their hands momentarily to readjust, taking his palm and covering Jennie’s hand with his own. He then takes the forefront and was now leading Jennie towards the first attraction. Unbeknownst to Jennie, a sheepish-boyish grin forms on his face as he takes charge. 

Amidst of her bewilderment and daze, Jennie realises it was the first time she ever walked directly behind Hanbin from such close proximity, and she could not keep her eyes off of his back view. The slight wave in his rich dark hair, the elegantly structured neck and the proportionally filled out shoulders that exuded strength and reliability. 

And when Jennie spots the slowly forming cherry-red-coloured ears that perked from his rich-dark hair, the upturn of and soft cheekbones unconsciously followed out of pure bliss. 

She would follow him forever if she could, Jennie thought as she felt his larger secure grasp around her hand. She ignores the small ache in her heart as she tightens her own grip in his hand, not wanting to ever let go. 

//

Upon returning to the campsite, Hanbin and Jennie spot Jisoo and Yunhyeong already preparing for dinner. The portable stove was ignited and water was boiling, while Yunhyeong was already in the process of chopping a variety of vegetables for what looked like stew. Jisoo on the other hand, was peeling the carrots next to him. 

“Oh…! The lovebirds have come back!” Yunhyeong coos as soon as he spots the pair walking towards them.

Jisoo immediately looks up and scans the pair of them before looking at Yunhyeong as the pair of them begin sharing the same giggle.

Jennie runs around to Jisoo’s side, firmly grabbing onto her arm whilst slightly hiding behind her shoulder to protect herself from Yunhyeong’s teasing gaze. 

“Did you have fun?” Jisoo nudges her side, as Jisoo attempts to look at her best friend’s face.

Jisoo chuckles as she sees Jennie’s rosy cheeks and does not suppress her urge to squeeze them. 

“I did” Jennie whines as she tries to escape Jisoo’s hold of her cheeks. “What can I do to help?” Jennie asks, in an attempt to change the subject. 

“Jennie, you can help me with the carrots. And Jisoo, do you mind going over to the store room with Hanbin to grab some more wood for the fire?” Yunhyeong asks.

“Why aren’t you going, Mr. Popular? And why me? Why not Jennie?” Jisoo huffs, as she takes the carrot she was peeling and waves it in the air like a samurai sword towards Yunhyeong. Yunhyeong does not reply but looks at Jisoo in the eye. No further words are exchanged but from the eye contact, it appeared that they both reached mutual understanding, as if it was something they had discussed over before. 

Jisoo takes off her cooking gloves and proceeds to hand her gloves over to Jennie. 

“I’ll go with Hanbin. Just peel all of these in the meantime okay?” Jisoo looks at Jennie. 

Jennie looks at Jisoo in utmost confusion and concern in her eyes. 

“You have things you want to ask Yunhyeong, don’t you?” Jisoo whispers in her ear as she walks past Jennie, and heads towards Hanbin who was already standing, waiting in the distance, with his hands in his pockets. Jennie keeps her eyes on the two as she sees Jisoo slap Hanbin’s back once she approaches him. 

“Let’s go, lover boy!” Jisoo exclaims as she skips ahead, not bothering to look back at Hanbin as she led the way. Hanbin gives her no response and leisurely strolls after Jisoo’s lead.

“So, you have things you wanted to ask me?” Yunhyeong’s voice snaps Jennie back to reality, as he continues slicing the pile of vegetables. 

Jennie doesn’t say anything for a while, causing him to look up from his vegetables to look her in the eye.

“… No?” Yunhyeong asks, while raising his eyebrows, as if he knew what she was already thinking about. 

“How much did Jisoo tell you?” Jisoo asks, half-thankful and half-furious at her very nosy friend. 

“Just enough” Yunhyeong ambiguously replies, while smiling. “There’s only so much I can help you out with, because it is up to Hanbin on whether he wants to share the details. But I’m also his best friend. Even I have a hard time getting him to open up, and I’ve known him for years.” Yunhyeong shares, as he resumes chopping on his vegetables. 

“There’s a reason why he’s so.. detached.. right?” Jennie begins. 

Yunhyeong thinks for a moment and replies “Yes” as the tapping sound of his knife continues.

“It’s related to him leaving his group right?” Jennie continues. 

“Somewhat… yes” Yunhyeong replies 

“He told me he needed time before he could tell me the entire story… how do I know when he’s ready?”

The chopping comes to an immediate halt. Yunhyeong looks up at Jennie 

“He said he’d tell you?” Yunhyeong asks in disbelief

Jennie nodded slowly in response, slightly confused. 

“Jisoo and I worried for nothing then” as Yunhyeong begins chuckling to himself. He had resumed chopping the vegetables in weird rhythmical timing. 

“What do you mean by that?” Jennie asks, she was thoroughly confused now. 

After a moment in silence, Yunhyeong responds

“Did you know you’re the first person he has agreed to talk about it to? I only know the details because I was somewhat there when it happened. He hasn’t even talked about it to me since.” Yunhyeong responds bitterly, slightly sour about this tidbit. 

“It might be because he owes me…” Jennie says despondently, as she thinks about how she had tactlessly demanded him to return a favour. “You see, I demanded him to fulfil one wish of mine because he didn’t tell me he was B.I”

Yunhyeong contemplates over Jennie’s thoughts for a while, before he gives Jennie some serious advice. 

“Jennie… Hanbin is not the type of person to personally promise to tell you about something of this scale .. something that affected him so greatly…. over something like that. He could choose to simply avoid speaking to you altogether, but he doesn’t. He tried his best all day didn’t he?” Yunhyeong adds. It was something Yunhyeong could tell from just a glance. 

“I don’t know if he’s fully aware of it yet, but you have certainly changed him for the better. I’m quite envious of you actually. You’re able to do certain things that I can’t do for him. But I’m certainly glad it’s you. Thank you for liking him and sticking by him.”

A rosy tint flushes over Jennie’s face before she manages to say anything in her defence. 

“I..I-I …. Is .. it that obvious?” Jennie asks.

“Well...yes” Yunhyeong replies in his matter-of-fact tone, before noticing the discomfort developing over Jennie.

“But probably not to the oblivious Hanbin, you need to drill it in him before he starts catching on. He’s the type of guy who doesn’t believe anyone could actually sincerely like him for who he is” Yunhyeong sadly says. 

-

Jennie had initially been elated to become Hanbin’s friend - she told herself over and over that she would be content with just that - but as time passed, she somewhat became greedier. 

She hoped that somehow Hanbin would feel the same way she felt for him too. 

Yunhyeong doesn’t miss the despondent look on Jennie’s face and sighs in utter disbelief.

These two must be the most oblivious people in the word, Yunhyeong thinks to himself, they both are in need of a serious wake up call.

Yunhyeong takes the chopped vegetables and slides it into the pot of boiling water, dusting the pan with the pre-portioned spices before he turned to Jennie. 

“For the first year after the incident, Hanbin lived his life in partial, half self-driven hate and self-guilt for not being able to protect what he valued most. What he thinks he should have valued most. I gradually was able to snap him back to his senses over time. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you the details. But he’s a lot better now. He’s gotten past it.” Yunhyeong flashes a sad smile, before continuing.

 “It’s still a sore subject of course, but he has improved a lot - especially ever since he began talking to you” Yunhyeong finishes, giving Jennie somewhat of a comforting smile, as if he was saying that she shouldn’t worry too much subconsciously.  

It was at that moment that Jennie spots Hanbin and Jisoo walking back towards their camping tent area. Hanbin had his arms piled with wooden logs of different shapes and sizes while Jisoo strolled next to him, arms wrapped around herself. 

“We better stop now before Hanbin finds out” Yunhyeong winks at Jennie. Grateful, Jennie mouths a ‘thank you’ before her attention returns to the duo. 

“And why exactly are you empty handed Jisoo?” Yunhyeong jokingly bellows from across the campsite, attracting the attention of the other surrounding groups around them. 

“Can you be quiet for once” Jisoo sneers at him. 

“He was being a gentleman - and insisted” Jisoo continues in a pragmatic tone, as she points to Hanbin who was now piling the logs down onto the ground.

Jennie pouts as she notices the slowly developing bond between Jisoo and Hanbin. 

Why does he have to be so polite all the time? She bitterly thought as she vigorously peels through the carrots.

Yet, despite momentarily being slightly annoyed at Hanbin, Jennie continues stealing glances at him throughout the night, as they cooked and ate dinner thereafter.  

//