여덟 - 8

[9.16 pm]

lele: hey nana

nana: what do u want

lele: let's go to the bar

nana: wait what bar

lele: you know what bar

nana: what the jisung went to THE bar bar?

lele: yes that bar

nana: why??? Are you trying to get yourself killed?

nana: what if those guys have mermaid sensors??

lele: we can use our powers to protect ourselves

nana: psh yea u can't even control your powers and flooded the hotel room

lele: i-

lele: that's LONG ago

lele: I've practiced. We're going to be fine. Just gonna go get some drinks.

nana: if u wanna get drinks SAFELY you'll go to a different bar

nana: Chenle PLEASE listen to me. If u risk your life going there, jisung will be very extra super sad

lele: I'm not talking about him right now. I'm talking about the bar

nana: CHENLE

nana: WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

lele: WELL YOU KNOW WHAT. I'LL TELL YOU

lele: I WANT TO GO THERE TO FUCKING KILL THOSE GUYS

nana: WHAT THE FUCK CHENLE

nana: YOU CAN'T JUST KILL THEM

nana: YOU'RE GONNA GET ARRESTED

lele: I'M NOT ACTUALLY GOING TO KILL THEM. I'M JUST GONNA TEACH THEM A LESSON

nana: BITCH YOU'RE A M E R M A N

nana: THE MOST PRECIOUS CREATURE IN THE WORLD RN. WE, MERMAIDS ARE FULL OF VERY UNLIMITED STUFF THAT IS HARD TO BE FOUND IN THE LAND OF EARTH

lele: LIKE WHAT?

nana: WE CRY PEARLS, OUR TAILS HAVE GOOD OIL

lele: SO?

lele: DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE ABOUT THAT?

nana: OH MY GOD CHENLE I'M COMING OVER TO KEEP U SAFE AND SOUND IN YOUR DORM

lele: NO I'M GOING TO THE BAR AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME

nana: Chenle don't make me do this

nana: I can get killed if u do this to me

lele: WHY? IF I COME OUT WILL YOU USE YOUR IMAGINATIVE TELEPATHIC CONTROLLING ABILITY ON ME?

nana: imaginative my ass

lele: YOU WON'T EVEN TEACH ME HOW TO DO IT

nana: Chenle please.

nana: stop

nana: that's bcs it's dangerous to do so

lele: IF IT'S DANGEROUS THEN WHY DID U LEARN IT

lele: WHERE DID YOU LEARN IT?

nana: I DON'T KNOW CHENLE

nana: I FUCKING. DON'T. KNOW.

nana: NOW SHUT THE FUCK UP. THIS IS NOT A REASON TO FIGHT ABOUT

lele: I'M STILL GOING THERE AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA STOP ME

nana: oh god Chenle

nana: Chenle?

nana: YAH BITCH

nana: YOU-

[10.03 pm]

lele: fine you caught me

lele: but why didn't u use your controlling ability huh?

lele: why did u just run on the roof and created an ice wall in front of me?

lele: huh? Why?

nana: do u fucking want to see me fucking die?

lele: like I care

nana: you-

lele: tell me why u didn't use the ability u learned?

lele: why?

nana: I just saved jisung yesterday. I can't use it often

nana: I'll die

lele: tch you're being childish

nana: YOU'RE the one who's childish here

nana: what's wrong with u Chenle

lele: because I can never believe that u have those controlling thing

nana: I don't fucking care if u believe me or not

nana: I just want u safe

lele: I'm gonna go now

lele: leave me alone for a while

nana: fine

nana: I'll give u as much time you need

Read 10.10 pm

Group chat

nana: I need a place to vent

nana: of course, not Chenle or Jeno

sunnyhyuck: what's wrong dear?

nana: i-

nana: anyone else?

nana: no?

nana: you know what nvm

sunnyhyuck: ???

sunnyhyuck: life's been interestingly weird

[10.16 pm]

injunie: are you okay, Jaemin?

Read 10.17 pm

[10.17 pm]

jenojam: hey

jenojam: what's wrong there

nana: what is

jenojam: the text u sent in the gc

jenojam: what's wrong

nana: I just got into a fight

jenojam: what fight

nana: me and chenle got into a text fight

nana: we didn't fight physically, we're fine

nana: just that emotionally, we're not fine

jenojam: are u okay?

nana: do I seem like I'm okay???

jenojam: I don't think so

jenojam: ...

jenojam: let's go to a convenience store

nana: for what?

jenojam: let's just go

jenojam: I'll treat you ramen

nana: really?

jenojam: yes

jenojam: will that make u feel better?

nana: yes, it will. Thank you

nana: wait which store

jenojam: c7, the one right across the campus

jenojam: meet u at the gate

nana: okay

Read 10.22 pm

-

Jaemin was rushing out to the gate after being teased by Felix that made him a few minutes late. He looked around and cursed at himself when he saw Jeno standing so attractively by the gate while scrolling through his phone.

He slowly walked closer, trying to be as calm as he can and control his breathing.

"Hey." He spoke up and Jeno looked up to the pretty boy's face.

"Hey." Jeno said with a straight face while putting his phone into his pocket. "Over there, that's my car."

"W-wait, you have a car!?" Jaemin is surprised, how rich is that boy to be able to afford an apartment and a car?

"If I don't have one how can I get to the campus from my apartment? Get on." After finishing his sentence, he got in the car and Jaemin tiny ran towards the car like a little duckling and quickly getting into the passenger's seat.

He looked around at the inside of the car in awe, it doesn't look like a normal car, it looks like it was a very expensive car. How can a college student afford this?

"Close your mouth, Nana. The flies will get into your mouth." Jeno said as he started the car and the car started moving.

"Sorry." He pursed his lips but still looking around, the shiny texture on the radio buttons made him want to touch it.

He slowly inched closer to the buttons and pressed one, a touchscreen screen turned on and displayed there that it surprised Jaemin leading him to gasp in awe.

"First time seeing something like this?" Jeno chuckled at the younger boy's cuteness. Which made Jaemin gently blush and nodded.

"How did you manage to afford this though? It must be very expensive." Jaemin looked at Jeno with puppy eyes, his curiosity growing in him.

"I work."

"What kind of work do you do?"

"Can't tell you." He smiled then the car pulled over to a sidewalk. "Let's go, we're here."

They both got out and went inside the convenience store. Choosing some snacks to be eaten for the night.

They got their ramen and cooked them, then sitting outside at the table where the store had set up.

They ate together, it's just a silent and breezy night but eating warm ramen with someone that's willing to comfort you is the best quiet ramen eating night you could ever have.

They both finished and emptied their bowls, and sit there for a few minutes, a comfortable silence accompanying them while they enjoy the night sky.

"Can we go now, Jaemin?" Jeno asked and Jaemin nodded, they threw away the plastic bowls and head back into the car. Jaemin, who was still feeling awkward around Jeno, starts fidgeting with his fingers when Jeno started the car and began to drive.

"Calm down, it looks like someone is chasing you when you do that."

"Sorry, I get nervous quite easily."

"That's fine. But don't. Do. That." Jeno yanked Jaemin's hand away from his own arm that has actually been clawing on the other arm for a minute now. His voice sounded mad, "It's dangerous and unhealthy. You're going to bleed like that."

"I'm sorry." Jaemin then fell embarrassed because now his crush knows his weird habit.

"Don't be sorry to me, be sorry to yourself. You have to take care of yourself. I don't care if you're nervous, tired or crazy, just don't hurt yourself. Don't harm yourself. You need to learn to set a mindset that hurting yourself is a sin. Don't do it again or I'll tie your hands up."

Jaemin's eyes widened as his head slowly turned to Jeno with a shock expression on his face.

"Don't misunderstand. It's for your own good."

Jaemin then with a still shocked expression leaned back into the seat of the car, carefully telling himself to have positive thoughts.

They reached the campus in no time, said goodbye to each other and Jeno left with his car. On the way back to his dorm, Jaemin had been smiling nonstop, thinking about the quiet encounter they've just had.

He's been skipping his way there and humming a certain song, happy that he somehow got himself into a tiny date with Jeno.

He reached his dorm and skipped his way in, humming the same song. Felix noticed and called out his name and Jaemin looked shock for a second when he heard the voice.

"You haven't slept yet?"

"No, watching Netflix."

Jaemin looked over at Felix's laptop and saw a paused Netflix episode waiting to be watched. He shrugged and head to his bed.

"So, how's your date with him?" Felix said, not taking his eyes off Jaemin who is now flustered and his cheeks tinted pink, freezing in place.

"I-it's not a date." Jaemin hates when he does this. Stuttering will only make Felix think that it's really a date. He mentally facepalmed himself as his eyes shifted to Felix's now curious eyes.

"Not a date eh?" Felix asked teasingly, one of his eyebrows lifted. "You stuttered. Your face is red. Seriously?"

"Just continue watching your Netflix, it has nothing to do with you Felix." Jaemin said and threw a pillow at him earning a yelp from the other, then he jumped on the bed, covering his body with a blanket.

"Keep telling yourself it's not a date, when clearly it is." Felix smirked and put the pillow that was being thrown by Jaemin on his lap, clicking the play button and watch whatever is on the screen.

-

"So... where do you wanna go after this?" Jaemin asked, sipping his coffee.

The café was empty and quiet in the morning, a perfect time and situation to be in if you wanna be alone, or with someone special.

Renjun took Jaemin out, it wasn't exactly a 'date' but Renjun just wanted to believe that it is.

"Let's hang here for a little more." Renjun said and crossed his arms on the table, staring into Jaemin.

They kept quiet, no one wants to start a conversation. Renjun's mind is full of questions on how and why, he chose that boy over him. His eyes started shaking as he clenched a fist in his hand. Thinking about it more just hurts him more. He shut his eyes tight, trying to get the bad thoughts out of his mind.

"Renjun? Are you okay?" Renjun felt a hand over his fist, his body relaxed and his mind instantly cleared away.

"I'm okay." Renjun answered swiftly, then looking up at Jaemin in the eyes. "Are you though?"

"Hm?"

"Last night... you said you wanted to vent. I texted you but you didn't..." Renjun's eyes shifted to the table.

"Oh that... Yeah I feel a lot better now."

"What happened?"

"Me and Chenle had a text fight. It's okay now."

"Did you talk it out with Chenle?"

"No, Jeno helped me out of it."

Upon hearing that one name, Renjun's heart started to break again. Why does it always have to be Jeno? I texted Jaemin first but why does it have to be him? Am I not good enough? Am I not being a good friend? Am I not as attractive as Jeno? Do I have to be the ignorant, hot-headed Jeno to make Jaemin love me?

"Renjun... You're out of it again." Jaemin snapped him out of it and saw that Renjun's eyes started to glisten. Tears forming in them. "Renjun, tell me what's bothering you."

Renjun shook his head no. But the tears that streamed down his cheeks say otherwise. He wanted Jaemin, he wants to be his. Make Jaemin call him mine.

"Please, Renjun. Why are you crying? Just tell me, no one's around here."

Renjun didn't answer and Jaemin walked over to the other side of the table. Picking him up from the chair and hugged him, rubbing his back. Renjun felt comfortable in the hug, the warmth that's embracing him comforted him, somehow fixed his heart a bit. But he knows Jaemin's not his. He shouldn't feel like this through a hug.

Jaemin broke the hug and grabbed another vacant chair, sitting directly in front of Renjun. "Now tell me what's wrong?" Jaemin held both Renjun's hands in his while looking at him with loving eyes.

"Can you stop doing that?"

Jaemin's confused. "Do what?"

"Making me fall for you."

Jaemin left a shocked face, Renjun continued on his explanation. "I don't like feeling like this. You've got a boyfriend but I still couldn't let you go."

"Boyfriend?"

"Jeno. Chenle told me."

"Since when did I- Chenle must've misunderstood. I didn't date Jeno." Jaemin said with furrowed eyebrows. "Why... you love me Renjun?"

"Is there another way to say it?" Renjun said between sniffles, looking away from Jaemin.

Jaemin sat up straight, letting go of the other's hands. Renjun looked up at the younger whose face displayed an expression that he couldn't read.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Is that why you're sad all the time when I'm around?"

Renjun couldn't feel what Jaemin's trying to say, he wanted to understand but only tears came out for the answer of Jaemin's question.

"I'm sorry Renjun, but... this won't be healthy for our friendship."

"I know." Renjun said, voice trembling as he wiped away his tears with the hem of his sleeve.

They both fell into a suffocating silence. The tension is thick and both of them just wanted to get out of this immediately. They want to finish this but couldn't think of anything.

They had a walk back to the campus instead of riding the bus. They cancelled all of their plans to go shopping and watching a movie later at night since it's really not a good time now. Everything just feels, uncomfortable.

The walk was unusually silent, their talk ended at the café and Renjun wanted to smack himself for misunderstanding and almost ruining their friendship of 3 years.

Jaemin broke the uncomfortable silence as he didn't like the atmosphere being too quiet. "Both of us need some alone time to think about this, don't you think?"

"Yeah..."

"I'll see you later." Jaemin dropped Renjun off in front of his dorm room, bidding goodbye.

"Mhm... Take care."

"You too." Jaemin heaved a sigh and shot a smile at Renjun, giving a last hug before leaving.

Renjun's heart felt heavy when he watched as Jaemin walked away from him, slowly getting farther and disappearing out of sight. He sighed, knowing he can't do anything about it now. Jaemin will always pick Jeno. He lost hope in it. And now with the amount of alone time that he's given, he wanted to embrace the thoughts, accept the changes. And forget about his feelings for Jaemin.

It's gonna hurt, he knows it. But mental health is just as important as losing someone he loved.

So, he decided to change his mindset about it.