Either way, he doesn't care about their opinions nor his reputation (he admits the spotlight is nice, though, only sometimes). Albeit worse and much more toxic, this popularity thing already happened in highschool. Just five years ago he was also a part of the basketball team there, and being a player alone brought attention his way. It was inevitable, really, and the fact that he is good at the sport─great at it, actually─makes it impossible not to take interest in him.
"Hey, Cap!"
Hearing the nickname everyone who knew him, personally or not, in campus calls him makes him stop and turn around. He sees Shotaro jogging towards him. From the look on his face, Jeno immediately assumes he is going to get an invitation to a party. Because, of course, every week there is a damn party that Shotaro hosts at his parents' house. Jeno's assumption is correct.
"Party at my place on Friday," Shotaro says and throws an arm around his broad shoulder. "You weren't there last week, man. You comin' this time?"
"I don't know," Jeno says hesitantly. "Gotta ask Yeorin first."
"A'ight, it's cool if you can't. Hope to see you there though." Shotaro gives him a pat on the shoulder before turning on his heel to walk the opposite way.
Jeno continues his way to where his car is parked and throws his bag in the backseat once he gets inside. The engine revs as he puts his key in the ignition and turns it. Getting out of his spot is easier than most days when the parking lot is full. Since it's a Saturday, there are barely any vehicles around his. Not that he is bad at driving and would crash into a car as he reverses out of his spot; he's actually a very good driver (all thanks to the illegal street racing he did back when he was a rebellious sixteen-year-old).
The ringing of his phone makes him look away from the road for a moment and sees the name of his girlfriend light up his screen. A smile immediately graces his lips as he answers and puts it on speaker.
"Hey, love, I'm almost there." He says and takes a right turn, the name of her university plastered above the tall gates that are wide open coming into view.
"Oh, good," she says with what either sounds like a sigh or a huff. "The student council meeting just finished. I'll head out now."
He hums, "Okay. See you soon."
She hums back in response before hanging up, and his heart skips a beat at just that. When it comes to her, his heart always reacts, even if it is the most mundane of actions she does. He can't help but feel as if he is a young and naive teen in love. He's still young and in love, terribly in love, but it feels like a childish love. Not the immature kind, just the kind of love that makes you think it will last forever.
He believes they will. He believes a lot of things, but he believes that he is destined to love her the most. Everyone around them, even those who don't know them personally, thinks that, too. Their chemistry is just so strong, so perfect, like they are just born to be together. He loves dwelling on the thought that they exist simply because of each other. If they aren't soulmates, then the sky isn't blue and the grass isn't green.
The ends of his mouth immediately curl into a smile the moment a familiar mop of navy blue hair comes into his line of sight as he pulls up in front of the building's main entrance. Yeorin is standing on the top of the steps that lead up to it, in the middle of a conversation with three other students who he assumes are friends of hers (she has a lot). He rolls down the window of the passenger's side and beeps lightly, which grabs her attention. She excuses herself and hops down the stairs towards his car.
"You haven't waited long, have you?" She asks, buckling her seatbelt.
"No, I just got here." He says and plants a tender kiss on her forehead like he always does. Pulling away to look at her, his gaze is nothing but fond as he pushes the stray strands of hair away from her face with his forefinger. "You ready to go, princess?"
"Let's drop by my parents' house first," she tells him. "I still need to get the rest of my stuff."
"Hm, I was thinking... should I move out, too? With you?" He suggests, half-joking. She doesn't seem to find it funny. "I'm getting sick of seeing Jaemin and Renjun's faces everyday."
She purses her lips and pats his cheek gently, "One day, Jen. I still need my space, you know that."
They have already touched on the topic of moving in together in the early years of their relationship, and she voiced her honest thoughts on it: she didn't want to. She clarified that she did want to move in with him, she would love to, she just wanted to experience living independently for a while before making that serious decision. For now, staying over at her condo for a night or two every week will do.
Admittedly, he was disappointed, but understood where she's coming from. She loves freedom and that came with hating the feeling of being tied down. He was initially weary of her slight noncommittal issues, but she always assures him that she does want to be in a serious commitment (such as marriage and living together) with him some day; just not any time soon.
"Of course," he says with a soft smile. "I was just joking, love, I'm not gonna rush you if you aren't ready yet."
She plants a kiss on his cheek, muttering, "I know."
He melts at that. There is fluttering in his chest, against his ribcage, as he looks into her eyes. He forces himself to look away and begins driving before his heart explodes. It's not unlikely that it will. She has him whipped, head over heels, wrapped around her finger, and everything else to describe someone in love, but he is well aware of it and doesn't care that he is all those things. After all, it is the truth.
"Oh, by the way, Shotaro's hosting another party at his parents' house this Friday... as usual." He brings up as he stops at a pedestrian to let an old woman cross.
"Let's go then." She says, which makes a frown appear on his face.
"But I wanted to have some me-and-you time this Friday." He whines and turns to her with those puppy eyes he usually uses to convince her to ditch her schoolwork to cuddle instead.
"You can have me all to yourself the next day," she pauses to briefly peck his lips that are jutted into a pout, "and the day after that. So clingy, aren't you?"
"Only for you, my love."
God, he's so madly in love with her it hurts.
CHAPTER ONE
Start from the beginning
