Jeno normally does not move a lot in his sleep. Jaemin only knows that because of Yeeun, and of course the nap times they sometimes have on their date.

So, Jaemin is a little bit worried when Jeno squirms here and there beside him, fingers clutching on Jaemin's shirt so tightly it's like he's calling out for him.

Jeno sometimes curls himself into a ball, clutching on his stomach as if it hurts. He pauses, and then does it again, squirming a few minutes later.

Until when Jaemin was about to gently shake him to wake him up, Jeno's eyes blink open.

The blond haired boy squints, adjusting his vision until he can distinguish Jaemin's handsome face. Suddenly, he smiles and Jaemin is low-key freaked out but also relieved.

"You're here." Jeno croaks, nuzzling on Jaemin's chest before sighing. "Thank you for not leaving, hyung."

He was... Dreaming about me?

"...you thought I was going to leave?" Jaemin asks, a little confused if Jeno was referring to in-dream Jaemin or in real life Jaemin.

Jeno merely nods, looking up with an eyebrow lifted in question. "What time is it?" Fingers playing with the material of Jaemin's shirt.

Jaemin shrugs, "almost dinner time."

"You should be going home then?" Jeno says more as a question rather than a statement. Lips jutted out into a pout.

Jaemin licks his lips, "yeah," eyes glancing down to Jeno's lips for a second. Clearing his throat when he realizes, "Yeah, I probably should."

He wants to apologize to Jeno so bad when the sad puppy-like look he has on increases, obviously he does not want Jaemin to go so soon.

And Jaemin hates to admit it. So he doesn't.

He swallows back down the feeling of guilt, keeping it in there as he and Jeno bid farewells for tonight.

On his way home, Jaemin's head slightly hurts. Taking note to eat something the second he arrives as he's probably starving and tired.

❅

"Where the fuck were you?" Jaemin fights back the urge to roll his eyes at Mark.

"I was at Jeno's." He mentions the blond haired boy's name, as if it is a getaway card for himself.

Yuta's facial expressions changes, looking more calm than a second ago. Unlike Mark who stays the same– or if not, furrows his eyebrows even more.

"You should have told us, we've been trying to contact you for ages!" Mark keeps on scolding while Jaemin nonchalantly walks around the kitchen.

"We needed your help, and if you would have told us you were fucking around with Jeno, maybe we could've saved some time."

"Mark." Yuta shuts him up almost instantly.

Both of them didn't notice the way Jaemin tensed up at Mark's words, gripping on the plate of food tightly with his back turned.

He doesn't know why it offended him how Mark said it like that. But he surely doesn't like it.

"Don't be mad at Jaemin," Yuta glares at him, "he is just doing his part on the job."

"One part, Yuta." Mark emphasizes, "if he really is our partner, he should be able to keep up with us."

"That doesn't make any sense." Yuta scoffs at him, "if Jaemin is really our partner, he wouldn't betray us."

"Well he did today." Mark was quick to point out, Jaemin still has his back turned, and he honestly does not have it in him to fight right now.

"Him not being there because he was doing another mission doesn't make him a bad teammate, I literally said you could try to contact the others instead." Yuta argues with him.

"Fuck this mission, Jaemin could have either told us or ditch Jeno, but no he decides to do neither of those." Mark grits his teeth. "Fucking useless."

Jaemin finally turns around to face them, slamming a fist down onto the counter to his right.

"Say it to my face, not behind my back you asshole."

"Last time I checked, you were the one who was hyping me up about this mission, you convinced me to play along. And then suddenly you're against it."

"At first it was just you and Yuta fighting, but then you suddenly drag me into this– when I didn't do any fucking thing to you. Pick a damn struggle, Minhyung." Jaemin remarks.

He leaves them in the kitchen and heads up to his room, bringing along his plate of food as he doesn't really want to stay there with Mark in the same room.

He normally could care less of Mark's opinions, but somehow tonight, he crossed the line, got on Jaemin's last nerves and for what reason?

He doesn't know. Unfortunately.

Minutes later, Yuta knocks on his door. And because Jaemin low-key appreciates him for defending him from Mark, he lets the elder man in.

"Sorry about Mark." Yuta sits on the edge of his bed.

"I don't know what's up his ass recently. At first it was just a joke of him being moody, but now he's really crossing the line." Jaemin replies.

"Yeah... I don't really know for sure what is up with him. Especially after you and Jeno got closer, he just– changed." Yuta chuckles quietly, it's forced, so Jaemin hums.

"What? Is he jealous or something?" Jaemin quips, eliciting a snicker from the elder man. "But seriously, he needs to get his shit together. It's his turn now, not mine."

"And if that really is the reason, I don't know why he would get upset when I'm just making it easier for all of us like we planned, right?"

Yuta nods reassuringly, flashing him a small smile. "Of course you are, I never really told you how proud I actually am with the whole relationship thing because I've been busy."

"Damn... Feels like a real dad moment." He inserts a short joke that has Jaemin rolling his eyes.

"Anyways, we don't know for sure what's his mindset is nowadays. But today, he's just moody because we got in trouble, and Hendery got injured."

Jaemin winces quietly, "sorry..."

"Don't be." Standing up, he pats Jaemin on the shoulder. "Just try to ignore him as much as you can."

"I'll try... It's difficult though when he has so much shit to say." Jaemin grumbles.

"Not as much as we have for him." They both cackle before Yuta leaves the room.

❅

Thoughts??

This book is going downhill smh.

Like wtf am I even writing– they don't make sense 💀