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chapter 9 🕸 mark pee

Jaemin bolted down the stairs, all of his concentration and thoughts directed straight at the book. No wonder, he thought to himself, jumping down the last step and urging the other two to hurry up. No wonder they fought, he broke his neck — like all for a book? 

The ground floor was deserted as always, except for the tiny voices that flitted back and forth. Jaemin halted in his tracks, one hand still holding onto the railing and the other coming up to wipe the bead of sweat that rolled down his forehead. He'd never felt this alive since coming here, maybe the caffeine was kicking in a bit late? Either way, he stood there staring into the dark from where the hushed voices seemed to be coming from.

" . . . you think so?"

It was Jeno, Jaemin if possible was stricken even more.

"Yeah, I really do."

Renjun was speaking in that tone. The tone that he never used on anyone unless he could help it and if he was using it now on Jeno — a complete stranger till their encounter this night— that meant that something must be definitely up, and Jaemin once again boiling with jealousy didn't know who he wanted to be more. Jeno or Renjun? 

The thing was that Jaemin really, really liked Jeno and for a person who usually falls in and out of love as easily as the night changes, this was different. For once he was actually considering about the whole dating experience, for once he actually craved for the other's attention. It was innocent, he knew that but it was frustrating at the same time. Feelings were supposed to be easy not a complicated mess like this, he should've fallen for Jeno not feel jealous over how Renjun seemed to be so close— probably closer than what they saw. This angered him for seriously, he crushed on Jeno first and as childish as that sounded, he still called dibs then why the hell wasn't Jeno noticing him and why was Renjun being so suspiciously close?

Before he could eavesdrop on the conversation more, a force so solid and hard rammed his back, causing him to involuntarily stumble a few steps forward. The two who had come running down the steps in hurry hadn't been that lucky however, Mark and Haechan were on the floor, sprawled on top of each other with their limbs tangled, groaning as they tried to pry themselves off.

"I told you guys to hurry! " Jaemin said, stretching out a hand towards Mark who grabbed on but lost grip due to the constricting force over him. "Not to fucking tumble down like a pair of hooligans with no shit for brains!"

"Gee Jae, you're literally the sweetest munchkin aren't you?" Haechan mumbled, roughly grabbing Mark's leg and pushing it off him and then with a bit more groaning was up on his feet. "Here."

Mark took hold of Haechan's outstretched arms almost immediately, hoisting himself up and then placing his hands on his hips, panting a little. Naturally the both of them turned to look at him, he nevertheless couldn't handle the irritability his nerves were tingling with. Here he was, and yet that dumb cow goes and flirts with Renjun, he would willingly leave the two to rot here once he finds how to get out.

"Well stop staring and get moving!" he snapped, waving an uneasy arm as he ushered them back into the green velvet room. Jaemin was glad that he wasn't hallucinating, Mark too had noticed that the room looked different.