Jeno bites his lower lip, confused and worried about the blond haired boy beside him. Right on his heels as they walk up the stairs, heading to Jaemin's bedroom.

Once the door was closed, he approaches the elder boy and hugs him around his middle. "Sorry to ask, but the look on your face is bothering me. What's up?"

Jaemin melts in his hold, smiling at him. So little and forced, yet it was enough for Jeno to frown in return.

Hugging him back, a tired sigh escapes his lips. "Just had a talk with Renjun and Haechan..." He trails off, still thinking about what happened.

"And? How did that go?" Jeno asks, curiosity filling his dark brown eyes that gets a hum from Jaemin.

"Still bad, they asked why I was with you at the mall and we kinda blew up at each other." Pursing his lips, Jaemin averts his gaze towards his computer desk.

He couldn't meet Jeno's eyes for this part, a disgusting and annoyed feeling in his gut just by thinking about it.

"They keep talking bad about you, and it really frustrates me when they tell me things–"

"Warnings?" Jeno guesses before Jaemin could even finish his sentence, knowingly as ever due to Renjun being his ex boyfriend.

The blond haired boy nods curtly, and Jeno can feel his tired and frustrated state, tightening his arms around Jaemin's middle as he makes himself comfortable.

The arms around his shoulder blades tightens as well, a gesture that has Jeno biting his lower lip again, tasting a bit of his chapstick that was applied on his cupid's bow.

"It's as if... They're pulling me away from you." Jaemin emphasizes, stressed out. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I hate it."

"I don't want anyone to pull me back when there's nothing to hate towards you." He moves his gaze to Jeno again, seeing a glint of adoration in his eyes.

"Because there's so many things to love about you."

Jeno slowly curls his lips into a smile, shy yet happy. Feeling giddy by Jaemin's simple and sweet words.

"It's not ridiculous, by the way." He mumbles out, intending to what Jaemin previously said. "I hate it too, it sucks to hide our interactions from a lot of people."

"Do your friends mind?" Jaemin asks, raising a brow in curiosity. Just remembering that Jeno's hiding their relationship too.

It's not just Jaemin. He was too occupied and worried about his friends finding out that he almost completely forgotten about Jeno's friends' perspectives.

"I'm not too sure, but... Amy kinda has an idea..." Jeno sheepishly admits, cringing when Jaemin widens his eyes at him.

"What?"

"She saw us walking to my house hand in hand and also noticed my chapstick was smudged when I left the bathroom..."

"Jen!" Jaemin wasn't mad, instead he found it hilarious as Jeno's face started to turn red in embarrassment.

"What else did she say?"

"At first she just told me her observations. But then she said if we were official, then she doesn't mind." Jeno replies, not missing a beat.

Jaemin blinks a few times, "what about the others?"

"I don't know... Hopefully it won't be too bad– gosh, this is like hiding something from your parents." Jeno rolls his eyes afterwards, getting a chuckle from Jaemin.

Their conversation was then cut short when a ding was heard, furrowing their eyebrows at each other as Jeno quickly takes his phone out from his back pocket when he realizes it's his.

Jaemin watches him type something after he reads the message, waiting patiently with his hand moving down to Jeno's lower back.

Soon, the brunet boy inserts his phone back in his pocket and sighs, "what's up?" Jaemin asks softly.

Jeno looks up and shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know if we can meet up tomorrow after school, we're having a party at my place."

"That is, if you actually want to. Then I can find a solution, sneak out I guess, end the party early or something." Jeno suggests vocally, pondering in thought for more ideas.

Jaemin listens to him for a moment before he spaces off to his own running thoughts. Until he then shushes the younger boy with a finger.

Jeno's eyes crosses when he looks at the finger on his plump lips gesturing for him to quiet down, making him dizzy due to his vision.

"I have a better idea." Jaemin announces, feeling confident and determined by his said idea.

All he needs is Jeno's approval.

Jeno raises a brow at him, ears open to whatever Jaemin has to say. "What if I'll go?"

"Huh?"

"I'll attend the party." Jaemin says, emphasizing what he meant.

It has Jeno blinking several times, flustered while he takes a step back to look at Jaemin fully, scanning him as if he was a totally different person.

Can you blame him?

"You're insane– I mean, are you sure? Like, t–"

"I'm sure." Jaemin cuts him off, stepping closer low-key missing Jeno's warmth although the distance wasn't that much big of a difference.

Jeno eyes him, almost suspiciously. "Why though?"

Jaemin takes a deep breath before he asks, "Jen, I know we've been hiding whatever relationship we have, especially from our friends. But.. I want to ask just to make sure..."

Placing his hands on Jeno's hips, he gulps nervously. "Are you ready to not hide anymore?"

There was nothing but silence, almost unbearable that it makes Jaemin feel more anxious than he thought he would be.

As soon as he was about to say something, change the topic even because Jeno wasn't saying anything after that, the latter spoke up.

"Can you... Elaborate... I mean, I don't want to misunderstand..." hesitation laced in his voice.

Jaemin softens without himself noticing, but it's not like he cares anyway. "It's exactly what you're thinking." He briefly says.

"I'm not just attending the party, I want to see you. Even with all those people around us, I want to be seen with you because I don't care anymore."

"I want us to be free, even for just a little bit in that party." He pauses before asking, "don't feel pressured or forced, I want an honest answer from you. Are you in, or not?"

Jeno ponders in thought, thinking carefully as so. And Jaemin waits, patiently for whatever answer Jeno will have, he'll respect it.

If Jeno doesn't want to, then it's okay. It's understandable and they'll continue their ways of being secretive.

If Jeno however, accepts. Then it'll be a whole bumpy road ahead of them, but it doesn't matter, because not everything is easy.

The brunet boy snaps him out of his daze once he snakes his arms around Jaemin's neck, inching closer until their noses brush against each other.

Jaemin holds him close, although his legs feel a little wobbly just because of Lee Jeno, he glances at his bed for a moment.

The brunet boy connects their lips, it has Jaemin actually stumbling on the spot; embarrassingly so that gets a muffled chuckle from Jeno whilst kissing him.

"You better dress up nicely, because I'll be waiting for you at the party, Bubby." Jeno mumbles, looking straight in to his eyes.

Jaemin grins, ecstatic as he lets himself fall onto his bed, bringing Jeno along in his arms who squeals from the action.

𖤈

May I know what's on your mind now?

Lmao idk I'm bored and curious, feel free to comment on each chapter of what you think!

Although be nice and respectful :)