On a Saturday afternoon, Jaemin was at the mall hanging out with his friends. However, their fun time has unfortunately been cut off short later on.

Renjun had been called by his neighbor to babysit their son again while they have to go run some late errands.

Meanwhile, Haechan received a spam of messages from his mom after he has been caught sneaking out– since he's supposed to be grounded today.

Because Jaemin didn't feel like going home right now even if his friends have to head out first, he decides to take a walk around and see if he can find something interesting.

So after parting ways with them, he walks around the third floor of the mall while holding a shopping bag that contains two new video games.

His tanned male friend was the one who bought them, being the game boy he is, he wanted the other two to atleast play some easy video games later.

Jaemin doesn't mind, he himself loves video games as well. So when he saw Haechan paying for them, he couldn't help but snicker at Renjun's annoyed reaction.

He slows down his steps on his way, passing the food court filled with strangers enjoying their meal together.

There was a small open waffle house right in front of it to his left, glancing to it, he ponders in thought if he should get one as a snack.

Shrugging his shoulders, he walks over to order and tells the guy what he wants after looking through the small menu in front of him.

Smiling, the guy nods and starts walking around grabbing ingredients and such to prepare his waffle while Jaemin waits patiently as he has nothing better to do.

However, while he was waiting, his ears twitch just by the sound of a familiar laugh.

He turns to his right where the sound was coming from and raises a brow when he just noticed his fellow project partner sitting on one of the tables.

The brunet boy wasn't alone, there was another boy across from him saying something– probably a joke– as the former chuckles.

Eyeing them, Jaemin couldn't help but observe the two. Call him weird and maybe a hypocrite, but there's something that's bothering him.

He watches the other guy reach out a hand to caress Jeno's cheek, the latter smiles shyly and looks at him straight in the eyes as he spoke.

Obviously Jaemin couldn't hear them as he was out of ear range and the loud chatters of other people in the mall doesn't help at all.

He almost flinches when someone taps his shoulder averting his eyes away from the two boys who seems to be having a fun date.

He relaxes when he realizes it was the waffle guy, holding up the small paper bag which contains Jaemin's order of Ham and Cheese flavored waffle.

Smiling awkwardly, he hands out the money he prepared as the guy chuckles at him, thanking him in the process before managing the next customer.

Jaemin pays one last glance at the two boys he was previously looking at near him before walking away, leaving them be.

𖤈

After almost an hour and a half of exploring the mall, finding some stores he didn't know that were here in the first place and buying another snack or two, Jaemin makes his decision to finally head home.

Stepping down the escalator, he was about to make a beeline towards the exit doors of the mall but slows down when he goes around the semi big fountain in the middle.

His eyes land on the same brunet boy he saw earlier, now alone and staring down at his phone screen.

If the brunet boy didn't sigh deeply with his shoulders heaving up before slouching back down along with his back, Jaemin would've thought he was a statue.

Speaking of, the blond haired boy didn't know what came over him but in a blink of an eye, his feet had led him towards his project partner.

His eyes instantly widen, a little shocked with himself as he was about to step away. But he stops when the younger boy in front of him looks up, acknowledging his presence.

"Oh, hey." Was the first thing that Jeno mumbles out.

And if Jaemin was fully paying attention to the sound of his voice, he's sure Jeno had a small voice crack.

However, he's more on focused on the look Jeno has right now– the latter probably not realizing he didn't clean himself up yet before facing the elder boy.

As Jeno was about to say something after a moment of silence, no response from Jaemin from his greeting, the blond haired boy says something else.

"Are you crying?" His question made Jeno flinch and starts fumbling around, searching something in his pockets– probably a tissue or a handkerchief.

Seeing him frantically searching his pockets and even his small sling bag in panic, Jaemin finds the heart to tap his head lightly.

Looking back up at him, Jeno eyes the elder boy for a second before his gaze falls down to the handkerchief Jaemin was holding out for him.

"He looks hesitant." Jaemin thought to himself, observing the younger boy's actions.

He sighs and inches his hand closer to wipe Jeno's flushed and tear-stained face himself instead, but he was put to a stop by the younger boy.

"I-I'll do it." Jeno croaks, eyes not meeting Jaemin's anymore as he takes the offered handkerchief.

After a few seconds, the brunet boy finished wiping his face as clean as possible.

Although, it's still sort of obvious he was crying earlier if you look at him closely; runny nose, flushed cheeks, puffy yet tired eyes and semi red nose.

He looks more decent than a few seconds ago.

"Why were you crying?" Jaemin begins to ask. So curious, so confused yet so concerned all at the same time.

The younger boy gulps audibly, almost too loud for both of them, as he shakes his head in dismissal.

"I-it's nothing, don't worry about it." He cracks a smile, still not meeting Jaemin's eyes while he zips his sling bag closed.

Standing up, he clears his throat and was about to walk away but almost squeals aloud when he was pulled back by his forearm.

He comes face to face with Jaemin again.

Usually he'd say a snarky or flirty remark, anything he's known for to annoy the hell out of Jaemin and his friends while it's the opposite to his schoolmates or flings.

But instead, he stays quiet and raises a brow, managing to contain his composure despite the tight grip Jaemin has around his arm.

"Where are you going?"

"Home." Jeno replies briefly, almost like he wants to leave or run away from Jaemin.

They've now switched characters; reversed conditions.

Jaemin cringes and bites his own tongue before he blurts out, "where's your date?" Noticing the flash of emotions in Jeno's eyes, although they weren't looking at him.

"I don't know." They both went quiet, pausing for a moment as other people either stare or walk pass them.

The blond haired boy hesitates, his stomach is churning and he doesn't know what to feel about this.

But a minute later, he knows for sure his friends are going to be mad at him when they find out as he then says;

"Let me walk you home, then."

𖤈

I finally wrote more Jaemjen interactions!

I'm sorry if there weren't a lot for the past few chapters, although they were project partners and such, could have had a lot of moments actually smh.

As it's my first time writing slow-burn in this way.

I didn't know how to properly do it, how long to do it and such.

So I hope it's not a bother and this chapter makes up for it as there'll surely be more after this.

This is the beginning I guess :)