Beautiful // Nomin

~36~

"Jaemin-hyung, how's Jisung doing?"

The lively voice of Chenle reached Jaemin's ears in the school hallway on Monday. Jaemin smiled and turned around to face the boy. "I think he's gonna do fine. It's a place he'd adjust to quickly."

"That's great to hear," Chenle encouraged. "Are you planning on visiting him a lot?"

"For sure," Jaemin said.

"Can I come along with you when you do? I'd miss Jisung as well," Chenle admitted.

"Of course," Jaemin laughed. He'd already sensed Chenle's peculiar liking for his little brother and he thought it was cute.

Chenle checked his watch. "Well, I'll see you around, hyung. Gotta get to class early."

"All right, see you," Jaemin grinned as the younger boy ran off.

He turned back around to continue down the hallway but was stopped by someone's face unexpectedly close to his. "Oh sorry," Jaemin mumbled, "didn't see you."

He expected the person to move as it was an accident, but it wasn't, because the person—or the girl—didn't budge at all. Jaemin looked at her face and realized it was Jung Kiara. "Good morning, Kiara-ssi," he gave a slight bow and intended to pass her on the other side. She blocked him.

"Jaemin-ssi." She sounded upset.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk with you for a bit?" she said coldly.

"As long as you don't make me late to class. What do you want?" Jaemin answered lamely.

She took him aside away from the earshot of most students and put her hands on her hips. "Stop hanging out with Jeno."

"I only hang out with him when I have to," Jaemin defended. "We go to the gym because we're partners in PE. I've already cut down on the time we hang out together a lot."

Kiara looked disgusted. "So to avoid my thinking that the two of you hang out more than you need to, the two of you meet up at someone else's house and pretending you're just with other friends?"

"What are you talking about?"

"On Saturday!" Kiara fumed. "I asked Jeno what was up and he said he's going to some rando's house named Renjun, but later I find out that he was going there just to meet you! You're helping my boyfriend hide from me and cheat on me, don't you feel ashamed?!"

"My friends celebrated my birthday on Saturday, if Jeno is my friend, can't he celebrate too?" Jaemin frowned. "He's your boyfriend and I'm not trying to take him away from you, I'm just being a good homie. Chill, sister."

"You're just being the gay that you are, and stealing him regardless of whether you want to or not," Kiara retorted. "Stay away from him or else. Jeno and I have been planned together since we were born; don't think you can step into it. And if you go any farther, then expect things to happen," she threatened. "I—"

"I need to get to class," Jaemin interrupted. "See you." He put his hands in his pockets and walked off with his chin held up, that confident air that he often faked. Kiara scowled as he walked off. What an annoying bitch.

"Hey Kiara." Her boyfriend's cute voice snapped her out of her trance of watching Jaemin walk away. Her scowl melted quickly into a smile.

"Hii honey," she giggled and latched onto Jeno's arm.

"You looked upset for a second there?" Jeno asked casually.

"No, of course not, I mean—" She suddenly looked hurt.