"Do you want to hangout after school?" Jaemin flinches at the sudden voice in the quiet bathroom.

Turning off the sink, he looks up at the mirror and gazes at Jeno's figure behind him from the reflection. "If you're free, sure."

He elicits an amused chuckle from Jeno, "if I wasn't, I wouldn't have asked." He states the obvious, having the tip of Jaemin's ears heat up from embarrassment.

"Uh yeah, I just– thought you'd be with your friends or something."

"You're acting as if you don't know," Jeno crossed his arms and pouts at him through the reflection. "They're busy with their own stuff anyways, you in?"

"Or perhaps, you're busy yourself. That's okay too, we c–"

"I'm free," Jaemin cuts him off, fully turning around to face Jeno properly instead of his reflection. "Where do you want to go?"

"Sounds like you're asking me out on a date." Jeno teases him with a cheeky smirk, stepping closer to trail a finger on Jaemin's flushed ear.

The blond haired boy coughs forcefully and shakes his head, not having the thought to push the teasing hand away from him.

Jeno snickers, knowingly. Stopping his flirty antics for a moment to ask, "I think it'll be too risky to go out somewhere else. Is my house okay or do you wanna go to yours?"

Jaemin was hit with a mild realization; they can't hangout properly, people from school would see them and it'll certainly cause something. Especially when his friends find out.

So the only option they temporarily have is to enjoy their time together in the comfort of their respective homes.

"Yours is good," Jaemin soon answers with a nod of his head. "I can excuse to my friends that it's for that journal thing..." Trailing off a bit.

Jeno hums, eyes flickering onto Jaemin's lips as he mumbles. "Feels like we're hiding something between us, love."

Jaemin's breath hitches, it really does.

A secret relationship? Possibly. If they were actually together.

But they're not. And quite frankly, Jaemin isn't sure to talk about it just yet. To put a label on what they are or what they have.

Fortunately for him, Jeno might understand and feel the same way. Because he hasn't talked much about it.

They're both quietly contented with what they have right now, no confrontations and serious topics about feelings.

Because if they were both being vocally honest with each other, they would say the same thing.

Besides, it's kind of peaceful in a way (if you brush off the negative thoughts). They're both away from drama so far, no one can butt in on them often.

Although it does suck to be sneaking around in fear and pressure, they make up for it in their hangouts. Just the two of them.

When Jaemin hasn't replied yet, just staring back at Jeno's irresistible gaze, the brunet boy leans in to peck his dry lips.

In shock due to the realization of them kissing outside of their respective homes for the first time, Jaemin didn't have time to kiss back to Jeno's soft touch.

Pulling away, Jeno smiles at him ever so sweetly that it pulls something in Jaemin's heart.

"I'll see you later, babe." A hush whisper, yet it sounded too loud for Jaemin in this very quiet bathroom.

They both know they're the only ones in there, or else they wouldn't have interacted in the first place.

Still, Jaemin feels a little nervous just by thinking someone could barge in at anytime.

If it did happen, Jaemin wishes it's just a nonchalant student who doesn't give a fuck if they're kissing right now.

It's better than his friends, Jeno's friends or anyone who spreads word of what they've partly seen.

Watching Jeno leave the bathroom, Jaemin lets out a breath he didn't even know he held in for a while. He takes a moment in there before stepping out as well to head back to class.

𖤈

Walking towards the front door of Jeno's house, both boys were flustered when the person who opened the door wasn't Smithers or Andre.

"Mom?" Jeno gasps, eyes blown wide at the smiling middle-aged woman. Shortly frozen on his spot as Jaemin has already regained his composure.

When the lady opens her arms to invite her son in a welcoming hug, Jeno finally snaps out of his daze and runs up to her arms.

"Is d–"

"Our little prince!" Jeno squeaks at the deep voice before his mother could even answer his obvious and expected question.

Pulling away, he squeals and runs up to the man behind his mother's figure, just a few steps away. "Dad!" Exclaiming happily while he lets himself get engulfed in strong pairs of arms.

Jaemin awkwardly stands there watching the three smile happily as they greeted each other, but his little awkwardness fades away when he sees Jeno's face.

He hasn't seen the brunet boy this happy before.

A second later, he blinks furiously when Jeno turns to meet his eyes. Smiling shyly, he pulls away from his father's arms and walks up to Jaemin.

"Oh? Who's this handsome young man?" His mother lilts, a little too teasingly for Jeno to keep himself calm.

"This is Na Jaemin," Jeno gestures to him with his hips swaying, Jaemin finds it endearing and he soon thinks it's a secret habit Jeno has when he's nervous and shy.

A rare occurrence for Lee Jeno at school.

But they're not in school, so Jaemin gets to see a different side of him he hopes not many people have seen due to their selfishness.

He feels special. In a way. And then there's this thought in him that's saying he's being selfish himself too.

"Jaemin, these are my parents." Gesturing towards the married couple, Jeno takes a breath as he waits for his parents to speak up.

"Nice to meet you, Mr and Mrs Lee." Jaemin spoke up first, stepping closer to extend his hand.

Flustered when Mrs Lee pulls him into a warm hug, "oh he's so handsome! Jeno-yah~" giving her son a look.

Jeno flushes, having Jaemin grin widely. He can't help it, this is a sight to see.

"Let's leave him be for now, darling. He's getting shy," Jeno's father chuckles as he shakes Jaemin's hand that's still in the air.

Clearing his throat, Jeno asks. "Why didn't you guys tell me you were going home today?" Pouting as he whines.

His mother giggles, "we wanted to surprise you." Then glancing at Jaemin who's standing beside her son now. "Why don't you invite Jaemin for dinner?"

"Tonight?!" Jeno shrieks, looking slightly mortified whilst Jaemin beside him bites back a smile. He's very much amused.

"Well, not necessarily. Whenever he's free of course," Mrs. Lee answers him with a teasing wink. "Just have to ask him out, sweetie."

"Mom!"

"That'd be nice, Mrs. Lee." Jaemin's answer has Jeno choking on his spit, "I think I can make it on Thursday. Is that alright?"

"Of course! That's perfect, we're vacant on that day as well." Glancing at her husband, getting a nod of agreement accompanied with a friendly smile.

"Now, were you guys here for a project? Study? Ohh~ I know," Mrs. Lee continues with her antics, an obvious teasing tone. "A study d–"

"Okay! No, we're here to hangout, that's all." Jeno interjects as he suddenly wraps his fingers around Jaemin's bicep.

"We'll be in my room now, uhm see you later!" Tugging a now laughing Jaemin with him up the stairs, leaving his parents shaking their heads at him.

"He seems nice." Mr. Lee giggles while his wife drawls out a hum.

Meanwhile, in Jeno's room, the brunet boy was glaring at a laughing Jaemin. "Stop it, it's not funny!" He whines, stomping his foot on the floor.

Jaemin calms down from his high and stares at him, chuckling and reaches to pinch Jeno's puffed out cheek as he leans in. "Never knew I'd get to see a shy side of you."

As if he was under a spell, Jeno flutters his eyes close when Jaemin's lips brushes against his. "Mmh~ neither did I." Giggling into the soft kiss.

Tables have been turned, small deja vu from the feeling Jaemin got earlier in the bathroom when they kissed in secret.

Both neither commented about the erratic beating of their hearts, the longer kiss they have compared to earlier, the now have been familiar position they're in.

Everything feels overwhelming, nerve-wracking. But it still feels so right and good.

With Jeno engulfed in Jaemin's arms as they explored Jeno's laptop in front of them, their concerns about it all slowly disappears.

𖤈

Hehe, thoughts??