NCT Imagines

Jeno

Though we never really talked, your voice and smile will always be my favorite.

It was Monday, first day of the week, and you were running down the streets on the way to school. Eyes were on you but you paid no attention, all you had in mind was to arrive at school as soon as possible but despite your fastened pace, you came late.

By the time you reached your room, the teacher was already discussing. She stopped when you opened the door, seeing a messy you trying to catch your breath. Once again, all eyes were on you.

"I'm sorry. I woke up late." You apologized, bowing as your cheeks reddened from embarrassment.

"Ms. Y/n, you're always late." Your teacher said. "I bet the only time you're not late is when a guy asks you on a date."

Then a classmate commented, "A flirt."

The whole class laughed at you and all you did was to bite your cheeks as tears threatened to fall from your eyes. You felt humiliated but you decided to set your feelings aside as you walked to your seat.

The teacher proceeded on her lesson, but your mind was preoccupied. Little do they know, you tend to wake up late because you always sleep really late due to you, having work afterclass. Your mind was wondering off but was brought back when you heard the strong and sweet voice of the person who answered the question thrown by the teacher.

He was the guy with striking features. His cold gaze is intimidating but he has pretty eyes. He's tall, smart and handsome. He is everything but the thing was, he sat on the back row, making it impossible for you to observe him. Still, his voice was something you can never forget. Since then, he was the only one you've been thinking of.

The next day was almost the same. You came late, the first period ending in a few minutes, been humilated but the odd thing was, the guy was sitting next to your desk. You felt his strong gaze the whole time your teacher was spatting nonsensical words to you and as you heaved a deep sigh after sitting down, he tapped your shoulder and flashed a warm smile.

"You look too tired." He says right after your 'childish' teacher left. "Take some sleep, Mr. Kang is absent."

Surprised at the sudden conversation, you spaced out for a while and when he waved his hand in front of you, you shook your head. "I'm afraid they'll make fun of me once I sleep. They would call me a slut or something."

"Sleep." He looked at your eyes. "I'll watch over you."

Your heart began to race, it was very new to you, new feeling. As words stumbled smoothly on his kissable lips, you couldn't help but blush.

"Thank you, Jeno." You mumbled and quickly laid your head on top of your arms, to cover your embarrassing face.

You heard him chuckle and felt something brushing your hair. "Of course, Y/n."

It had become a usual thing. Jeno sitting next to you, watching over you as he told you to sleep, stare at you most of the time and give you a breathtaking smile everytime your eyes meet. You two barely talked, just asking some random questions to each other.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and months turned into years and yet, Jeno is still that lone person inside your heart. Your feelings strengthened and it was weird, how you never got the courage to confess.

You've gotten quite close to each other, still in contact despite moving into university. Surprisingly, both of you were on the same university, however, you barely bump into each other since you took a different course from him.

One day, as you walked through the halls, you've come across with him. He was with his friends and they are loud, you noticed. Jeno's eyes met yours and like what he usually do, he smiled and never broke the contact. You returned the gesture but you were the one to broke the eye contact.

You walked a few steps ahead from his group, trying to ignore the butterflies in your stomach but it was not possible. Jeno's effect will always be the same.

"I love you." All of a sudden, the same strong and sweet voice said behind you. You turned to look over your shoulder and saw him smiling at you. At that moment, you thought your heart was going to burst.

He said it in front of his friends, making you think of it as a joke or something you misheard but then he excused himself from his friends, making his way towards you. His eyes were staring at yours and you could almost hear your heart beating loudly as he approaches you.

Jeno smiled and grabbed your hand, he dragged you towards a quiet placeㅡ the garden.

"I'm not sure if I heard it right but did you..." You shyly asked him as soon as the two of you sat on the bench.

"I'm not sure if you heard it right but I did say 'I love you' to you." He courageously confessed, copying your tone but he looked away, avoiding your eyes.

"It's not a joke, right?" With that he looked at you, his cheeks getting red as he shook his head.

"I'm a hundred percent serious." Jeno intertwined his fingers with yours. "From the day I've first laid my eyes on you until now, I love you."

You were speechless and all you could do was stare at his pretty eyes as he spoke, your heart going frenzy.

"I've always remembered how you always arrive late with your messy hair and heavy breathing. You're beautiful even without trying."

"Did you just emphasized the word late?" You asked in disbelief. Jeno chuckled as he nodded.

"You're always late because you're working every night for your father, right?" Jeno brushed your hair with his free hand, the same thing he always does when you sleep in class. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not a stalker. I just happened to know about it."

"Stalker." You said as you pout and looked at your intertwined hands. "So that explains why you're always nice to me. Dummy boy, making me fall for you with those sweet actions."

"Oh and I knew about you liking me all this time." Your heart skipped a beat at his words. You looked at his face, seeing his silly grin. With your mouth agape, you've thought of thousands of reasons how he knew that. "You confessed once, while you were sleeping."

He then teased you, "So you dream about me?"

"I hate you." You took your hands away from him but he grabbed it back.

"You love me."

"No." He pinched your cheeks.

"Yes."

"I said noㅡ Jeno, stop acting cute!" You laughed when Jeno pouted. "Fine, I love you too."

And your favorite smile flashed in front of you as his soothing voice rang through your ears, "I'll watch over you."