Jaemin looks around the hallway, seeing none of his friends nearby that could walk up and accompany him instantly.

A guy with blue hair walks out the boys' restroom door, Jaemin recognizes him from one of his classes. But that's not the main point of what Jaemin's trying to do right now.

Walking in the second after, he ignores the faint smell of grape as he gets a glimpse of smoke from the lightbulb.

Assuming either that previous guy or someone else was vaping in the boys' restroom.

However, his current thoughts go away the second he sees Jeno drying his hands once he was done washing them, not really noticing Jaemin entering the room.

Walking towards him, the blond haired boy snickers quietly at Jeno flinching when he wraps his arms around him.

"Are we alone?" He asks in a whisper, his breath fanning Jeno's neck with warmth.

The brunet boy hums as he looks at the mirror in front of them. "Yeah, why?" Meeting those dark brown orbs filled with nothing but excitement and anticipation.

"Sure?"

"Mhm. That guy with the blue hair left after vaping for a minute. It was just me and him in here," Jeno reassures, hands slowly placing on Jaemin's crossed arms around his stomach.

"Did you need something?" Turning his head to the side to look at Jaemin's face closely instead of his blurry reflection from the dirty mirror.

Humming lowly, Jaemin glances at those plump cupid's bow as Jeno raises a brow at him.

"I know this isn't exactly a safe place to be seen together..." He starts off. "And I'm sorry for that– wait, you know what? nevermind I'll ask you about it later–"

Hearing him getting doubtful of himself and losing his positive energy, Jeno turns his body around to hug Jaemin back, arms snaking around his torso.

"You can ask, it's okay."

"But–"

"We're alone in the restroom, we have time." Jeno gives him a look, trying to bring back Jaemin's confidence as he meets his eyes, pupils slightly shaking in nervousness.

Gulping, Jaemin bites his lower lip. "What if someone walks in?"

"You literally kissed me last time, and we both didn't care." Jeno flatly says. "Come on, just ask me. Is it important?"

Nodding his head, Jaemin somehow loses his confidence to use his voice for a moment too.

Clearing his throat, he mumbles, "at least for me... I don't think–"

"Bubby," Jeno pouts, almost teasingly and exaggerating, knowing the effect and power he can give off.

Jaemin instantly freezes, eyes wide. Flustered when he hears what Jeno had called him.

Sure, the brunet boy has called not only him, but almost every boy in school with these pet names a bunch of times before.

Speaking of, back then, Jaemin wouldn't feel anything from it at all. Brushing it off or telling Jeno to shut up as it's so stupid to call him that when they literally have nothing between them.

He disliked it.

But now, after developing these genuine romantic feelings for the younger boy, it was like a big impact on Jaemin's beating heart.

The charms Jeno has that Jaemin used to find them stupid and nothing, now is something. He's affected by them now, and he won't do anything to stop it from coming.

Because dear Lord does Jaemin's entire body feel giddy when he heard Jeno call him with a simple yet stupid and cliché pet name.

"Oh my– are you..." Jeno's voice snaps him out of his daze, now realizing the corners of his lips curling up into a teasing smirk. "You like 'bubby'!" He calls out.

Jaemin's face is in a color of beetroot red; the tips of his ears, cheeks and his neck. If Jeno looks closely enough, he coul see the elder boy slowly starting to sweat.

Giggling, Jeno bites his lower lip trying to calm down and stop his teasing antics, reminding himself that Jaemin has something to say to him.

"Anyways, you said you have something to tell me." Bringing back the main topic before his teasing got the best of him.

"Well, if you're not comfortable of telling me here. Either you can tell me on the phone, or meet me somewhere." He suggested, considering Jaemin's comfort.

He doesn't want to peer pressure the elder boy, he gets it.

Jaemin isn't the only one nervous of being seen around Jeno, especially if it's his best friends.

Jeno can't blame him. No further explanation needed.

Jaemin glances at his watch, seeing he has time before one of his friends start calling him so they could meet up by the gate.

Due to being busy nowadays, Haechan has complained three times about them not "spending time" together anymore, not as much as before.

And seeing as the three of them are not busy today; with Renjun and Haechan excused from their school duties.

The tanned male didn't waste anything and saw that this as an opportunity to walk home together after a long time.

Pursing his lips, Jaemin gathers up the courage and starts off, "I just wanted to ask if..." Leaning in to Jeno's ear. "You're up for a little date at the mall?" Whispering lowly.

It sends a shiver up to Jeno's spine, his cheeks flushes as well. Heart beating faster than earlier while he's trying to not jump around in giddiness.

However, besides all that, there's still a warm feeling creeping up in his heart. Having him wanting to melt in Jaemin's arms instead.

"A-at the mall?" He blurts out, a little puzzled and surprised all at the same time. "Wouldn't... Isn't that..." Trailing off as he couldn't finish his entire sentence properly.

Sensing him growing anxious with the idea of their date location, Jaemin understands him too.

So instead of focusing on his own nervousness, he focuses on Jeno's.

Running a gentle hand on his lower back, calming him down ever so easily that has Jeno bracing himself and feeling overwhelmed by how Jaemin can make him like this with not much effort.

Sometimes it scares Jeno, but then it also reassures his worries away that he isn't alone and someone understands him without even telling them anything.

"I know, I can be a hypocrite sometimes." Jaemin jokes lightly, successfully having Jeno to laugh at his words.

"I don't want us to have our first date at your house or mine." He reasons and lets himself breathe.

"What about your friends?"

"If they find out... I'll give them the same excuse," licking his dry lips as the hand on Jeno's lower back pauses on its movements.

"It's for our journals." Jaemin pauses and soon adds.

"But if you don't want to go to the mall, then we can go somewhere else." He flashes a kind smile. "Just let me know how you feel."

𖤈

Jaemin smiles at the brunet boy approaching him in leisure steps, giving Jaemin time to scan what he was wearing.

Walking pass one of their family's security guards, Jeno was now standing in front of a smiling Jaemin. "Are you sure it's okay to go the mall today?" He pops up a question.

In all honesty, he's been wondering that since Jaemin had asked him out. A little hesitant about the location of their little date.

"I told you, if you're not comfortable with it, we can head to somewhere else." Jaemin reminds him.

Sighing in relief, Jeno looks at the hand that was extended towards him, "shall we start our date?" Jaemin said in a silly tone, joking around to rise up Jeno's mood.

The brunet boy instantly giggles, accepting the hand and squeezing it tightly, "shh, it's supposed to be for our journals." He winks.

Rolling his eyes as he scoffs out a laugh, Jaemin glances at the guard and waves at him kindly. Soon, he's walking with Lee Jeno by his side, his date.