₍˄·͈༝·͈˄₎◞₊ ! 𓈒∿ ∿
"Junnie, why do you hate him so much? Donghyuck seems nice!" Jaemin exclaims, locking arms with Renjun as they playfully tease each other.
"I don't hate him that much, he's just annoying." Renjun sighs but shortly after chuckles at his friend pouting.
"Have you actually ever talked to him properly?" Jaemin asks, kicking the tiny pebbles on the ground.
"Well—no.."
"Injun, you have to talk to him!" Jaemin huffs, staring at Renjun in disbelief while the other just gulps—seeing that Jaemin said Injun just screams he's in trouble. "You guys can actually start sorting things out.."
Renjun doesn't respond, letting Jaemin gather his thoughts for a moment as he knows he has a bit of trouble expressing things with words.
"I can tell you guys are going to be great friends!" Jaemin utters to which Renjun chokes on air.
"Wha—"
"I have a feeling, trust me okay?" Jaemin looks at him with desperation and Renjun just can't help but sigh and give in.
"Fine." Jaemin giggles. "You and your weird feelings."
ꗃ
"Are you sure you're not suspicious?" Jisung glares at Jeno, who just blinks in confusion—clearly not understanding what's happening.
"Sungie, I told you he's not a bad guy!" Jaemin whines playfully, tugging at Jisung's shirt.
"Yeah, if Jen is some suspicious creep, Nana wouldn't even be friends with him." Renjun mutters in amusement, all whilst Chenle is trying to catch his breath—the cause of laughing too much.
"Uh, well— I've been friends with Jaemin for seven years.. If that helps in anyway..?" Jeno hesitates, glaring at Chenle who just keeps wheezing.
"Hm, okay then." Jisung huffs out, crossing his arms. "I'll still be asking you questions though!"
"Oh no, not another interrogation.." Renjun groans, remembering the time Jisung had also interrogated him.
ᝰ 🐹 ᝰ
[ 2 Years ago ]
"Why does this kid keep glaring at me?" Renjun asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"Sungie, what's wrong?" Jaemin titled his head slightly in confusion as he looked back and forth between his two friends.
"That guy," Jisung pointed at Renjun. "he's suspicious."
"I'm not a kidnapper." Renjun rolled his eyes, pouting when Jaemin chuckled at the sight.
"Yeah Jisungie, he's fine!" Jaemin drags a seat to sit beside Jisung. "He won't hurt me or you."
"Uh, okay.." Jisung stared daggers at Renjun to which he just groans.
ᝰ ꗃ ᝰ
"Why do you keep interrogating Jaem hyung's friends?" Chenle wipes a tear away, holding his stomach as it hurt from all the laughing he did.
"I just don't want Nana hyung to be hurt.." Jisung pouts and Jaemin coos at him, squishing his cheeks.
"Jisung-ah you're so cute!" Jaemin giggles, hugging Jisung tightly.
"Hyung, stop babying me!" Jisung whines but doesn't push Jaemin away.
"We all know you love it, Ji." Renjun chuckles to which Jisung doesn't respond since technically, it is true—he does love it, but he won't admit that.
"Oh oh—how about this!" Chenle claps his hands. "I can tell you all Jeno hyung's embarrassing stories!" Jeno glares at him in disbelief.
"No way!" Jeno complains, scrunching his nose, giving a disgusted look at Chenle.
"Yes!" Jisung runs to Chenle to give him high-five. "Great idea Lele!"
"Oh no." Jeno deadpans, seeking at Jaemin for help but the younger just laughs.
ꗃ
"Oh. My. God." Jisung gasps, covering his mouth with his mouth for a more dramatic look. "Y-You dran—"
"Accidentally! I didn't drink it willingly!" Jeno utters, feeling deeply embarrassed.
They five were sitting in Jaemin's living room floor, courtesy to Jaemin's parents not being home because of their busy schedule.
"Oh yeah, there was also this one time with Je—" Jeno covers Chenle's mouth, glaring at him.
"Well now that you've met Jeno, we can finally all hang out now!" Renjun cheers, swinging his arms around in excitement and Jaemin giggles.
"Sure," Jeno props on his elbows. "my sister came home yesterday so she'll be the one taking care of Doyoung hyung now."
"Oh, Yeeun noona? Tell her I said hi!" Jaemin gets up and grabs the remote to switch the TV on.
"Are we gonna have a movie night?" Chenle giddily asks, helping Jaemin to pick a movie.
"We can make Saturday movie night day!" Jisung crosses his legs as he watches Chenle and Jaemin scroll through categories.
"Wow, you finally actually had a good idea for once." Renjun comes back from the kitchen, laying the chips and sodas on the table.
"What d—"
"Let's watch Penthouse!" Jaemin clicks on the drama and plops on the couch beside Renjun.
"Isn't that a drama though?" Jeno opens a bag of chips, pausing for a moment to look up and see Chenle eyeing the bag.
"Yeah but it's so good!" Jaemin rests his head on Renjun's shoulder as the first episode starts. "It's finally time you guys watch it."
And there they were, watching Penthouse.
Throwing fit of laughters and accidentally throwing food at the screen when they get mad at something stupid a character is doing.
"She's so.. Evil! Jeez, I hate her." Jisung scoffs, fake gagging at a certain character.
"I saw on a post that he—"
"No spoilers!"
ꗃ
After they've watched about a whole season, they decided to end their movie night there.
Jaemin coos at the sight before him, giggling quietly to himself when he sees Jisung and Chenle sleeping peacefully cuddled together and Renjun having also fallen asleep on the couch.
"Jeno, Jeno look!" Jaemin whispers at Jeno who's still awake on his phone, texting his sister—Jaemin presumes.
"They look cute." Jeno chuckles softly. Afterwards, they went to the storage room to get brooms and rags to clean up their mess—Jaemin following after.
"About earlier.." Jaemin trails off, grabbing a broom from the corner.
Jeno hums, waiting for the younger to continue.
"Jisungie's just protective sometimes, but he has good intentions." Jaemin takes a glimpse at him. "He's a nice kid, I hope you don't grow uncomfortable with him because of—y'know, earlier."
"I know," Jeno chuckles, glancing at the three sleepers. "I found it funny so I don't mind."
"Sungie's cute, right?" Jaemin bats his lashes at Jeno, trying to persuade him to say yes.
"Yeah but Chenle's cuter." Jaemin gasps softly, in disbelief at Jeno's words as he pouts.
"They're both cute." The two jump in surprise, looking at Renjun like they had just seen a ghost.
"What?"
"Holy shit, don't just.. Scare us like that..!"
ꗃ
It was Sunday, to which that means Jaemin had to go to the supermarket to buy ingredients for their next cooking lesson.
"Mom, is this the right one?" Jaemin hands her a bag of flour.
His mom shakes her head, seemingly trying to look for a specific brand.
"Get the one we have at home, we need more of those." His mom smiles at him sweetly as Jaemin puts back the flour.
"There's breadcru—"
"Jaemin?"
Jaemin looks up at the familiar voice and widens his eyes.
"M-Mark?"
No way.. Am I seeing things? Mark Lee?!
"It is you! Hi Jaemin." Mark smiles at him, which Jaemin feels like he could explode of happiness right then and there.
"H-Hey Mark.." Jaemin waves at him slightly, feeling nervous as he plays with the hem of his shirt.
"Oh, you must be Mark!" Jaemin's mom giggles.
"Hello Mrs. Na!" He bows to her. "You know me?" Mark asks, tilting his head a bit to the side and Jaemin silently coos.
"Of course, my son talks about y—"
"Mom! Didn't you say we had to shop quickly? B-Better hurry up!" Jaemin nervously laughs as his mom eyes him with confusion but finally gets it.
"Ah yeah, sorry we can't chat for longer."
"That's fine Mrs. Na, have a nice day!" Mark bows one last time and heads to another aisle.
"Mom!" Jaemin hides his face in his hands.
"What?" She chuckles, ruffling Jaemin's hair.
"You can't tell him that I talk about him to you.." Jaemin groans in embarrassment.
That was so close, if I didn't interrupt her, Mark would've heard—wait.. What if he did hear her..?!
"Aw sweetheart, don't worry. I don't think he heard it." Jaemin pouts as he hugs his mom. "Plus, isn't it about time you tell him how you feel?"
"I don't have the confidence to do that.." Jaemin sighs, feeling discontent with himself.
I wish it was that easy to confess.. But I'm scared..
"How about you take simple steps?" Jaemin pulls away and looks at her confused. "Make a few moves on him, y'know that stuff." She giggles as she cups her son's face.
"You think I can do that?" His pout softens when his mother caresses his cheeks.
"Of course, I was like you too you know." Jaemin's eyes sparkles. "Your dad was quite dense—don't tell him I said that though." Jaemin giggled.
"I was shy like you, but one day I decided to make a move on your dad." She trails off, pulling his son away from her embrace to which he immediately whines.
"I sent him a few flowers everyday on his desk and he didn't know it was me!" She pats Jaemin's head. "I even left hints—mind you, they were huge hints."
Dad was that oblivious? He chuckles to himself.
"After a while, he finally figured it out." She sighs in content. "When I confessed to him, I was scared."
"I thought he would reject me, that I would regret everything.." Jaemin could understand, he had experienced it too, way too many times. "But, he didn't." Jaemin blinks in surprise.
"I learned that he actually liked me back, but was just too scared to tell me." She laughs, grabbing a carton of milk to put it in her cart.
"Basically, you don't have to do it all immediately." Jaemin walks beside her. "You just have to take small steps towards bigger ones."
"You and dad are so cute." Jaemin coos.
"I agree." She pinches Jaemin's cheeks.
ꗃ
"So, why did you call us here again?" Renjun questions, glancing at Jaemin who's back is turned from them.
Jaemin had called them to an Emergency Love Meeting as Chenle calls it—in one of the empty classrooms.
The tables were sticked together, creating one long table.
Jeno and Renjun on one side whilst Chenle and Jisung at the other, Jaemin in front.
"I'm deciding to take the next step!" Jaemin turns around dramatically, slamming his hands on the table making the four except Renjun flinch.
"What next step?" Jisung asks, tilting his head as he was confused.
"I'm gonna ask Mark to hang out with me!" Jaemin exclaims, earning a few gasps and 'Finally's.
"Why are we here though—"
"It's obvious, he wants us to help him, duh." Chenle huffs out, chuckling at Jisung's realization.
"Do you have an idea how?" Jeno asks, tapping his fingers on the table.
"Well.. Not really.." Jaemin sits down, pouting.
"Don't worry hyung! We can help you, right gang?" Chenle shouts too loudly, making Jisung cover his mouth to shush him.
"Gang?" Renjun snickers but agrees anyways.
"Yeah! Also we have Jeno hyung! He has some experience." Jisung adds and the others nod.
"Not exactly, but sure." Jeno chuckles to which Jaemin sighs in relief.
"Great! We can start planning now." Jaemin claps his hands together as he begins laying out his ideas, the others nodding and giving a few other suggestions as well.
I'm so happy to be friends with you all.