CHAPTER EIGHT→ the confession

Na Jaemin stood in the calm darkness, staring into the bathroom mirror with only the faint light leaking through the doorway falling upon his features.

It was relatively late— although of the exact time, Jaemin had no clue. Jeno, unlike Jaemin, now lay peacefully on his mattress, having fallen asleep a while ago during the long binge anime session of which the two had partaken in.

Jaemin remained awake, unable to coax himself into sleeping. Instead he dragged himself over to the bathroom, not turning the harsh light on as to not disturb the other, and looked in the mirror. He turned his head to the side, finally willing himself to look at the sore spot that had been present for hours.

"Shit..." he muttered to himself, laying eyes on the dark red blotch that graced his neck, lightly placing a finger on it and pressing. He winced at the feeling, stepping back to observe it from a distance.

Jaemin took a moment to glance through the doorway into the main area, where Jeno slept quietly on the bed. Yet, staring at the older, Jaemin felt an emotion very opposite to annoyance wash over him, not at all displeased with his current state anymore.

He lightly padded over to the mattress where the other lay and quietly climbed onto it. There was no point in trying to not disturb Jeno by sleeping on the couch; he knew Jeno would only insist he take the bed anyway. This, not to mention he felt comfortable enough around the older boy to do this anyway.

Lying down beside Jeno and quickly pulling the blanket over himself, Jaemin couldn't help but turn and silently admire the other's features, scanning over the handsome boy's face with only amazement in mind.

Unexpectedly, Jeno suddenly opened his eyes, making direct eye contact with the still staring Jaemin.

Jeno, blinking a few times as he registered the presence of the younger, who was still frozen and thinking of what to do, smiled teasingly. "You're looking at me like you wanna eat me, you alright?" he said, noticing Jaemin's intense gaze.

"You're gorgeous, you know that?" Jaemin blurted out. He immediately realized that he'd said his thoughts aloud, and felt an embarrassed heat rise to his face. Jeno grinned.

"You too, cutie," Jeno said, reaching over with his hand and gently brushing some of Jaemin's hair out of his face. Jaemin lightly smiled, playfully batting his hand away.

"Um, so I got my friend to agree to bring me my stuff tomorrow," Jaemin mentioned quietly, trying to act unphased as Jeno brought his hand away from Jaemin's face and rested it lightly over his hand as they chatted.

"Good. The sooner you start staying here, the less chance we have or anyone finding out you're not actually from here." Jeno replied, giving Jaemin's hand a light squeeze. Jaemin, however, gained a concerned look, seemingly thinking about something.

"I don't get what everyone says about the dorm rivalry. Has anything even happened? I've been in and out of here so many times, yet..." he trailed off, glancing at Jeno, seemingly waiting for an answer.

Jeno nodded. "You haven't been here long enough to have seen anything. Stuff definitely happens. Fights, blackmail, robberies... you just don't want to get caught up in it," he spoke, thinking of past incidents and the such.

"What would happen if people found out..." Jaemin paused, not sure exactly how to put his thoughts into words.

"Found out about what," Jeno started, "this? Nothing would happen, I'd fight them," he said, smiling childishly as he rolled over onto Jaemin.

"Ah no wait, you're heavy— Jeno!" Jaemin whined as Jeno lay on top of him, wrapping his arms around the younger boy. "Seriously. You'd fight them? As if," Jaemin said, not accepting that answer.

"I'd fight anyone for you," Jeno said, knowing fully well how cheesy that sounded. Jaemin smiled bashfully at the remark, although not sure to what extent Jeno actually meant.

"Alright Feisty, calm down. If I think someone's hot, will you fight them?" Jaemin questioned, Jeno replying with a firm "Yes" accompanied by a curt nod.

Jaemin smirked. "Good luck fighting yourself, Lee Jeno—" he started saying before being cut off by an exasperated Jeno changing position to grip him tightly and leaning dangerously close to Jaemin.

"If you don't stop flirting, I swear to god I will snap," Jeno threatened, yet his voice was laced with a veiled promise. 

"Who's stopping you? I say go ahead," Jaemin invited, immediately taking the opportunity that was now laid out before him. Jeno, at this cue, leaned to the side of Jaemin's head, beginning to leave a trail of soft kisses along Jaemin's jawline that eventually spilled onto his neck.

Now focusing his attention on the younger's neck, he scattered about gentle yet playful bites and nibbles, adding in a few pecks here and there as Jaemin brought up his hand, tangling it in Jeno's dark hair. Jaemin began struggling to keep his breathing rhythmic, the strangely pleasurable feeling from earlier at school returning as Jeno continued, showing no signs of quitting soon.

"Hey... Jeno, stop. Jeno! I said stop," Jaemin demanded, gently guiding Jeno's head away from him by the grip on his hair, and letting go as Jeno raised his head far enough to look Jaemin in the eyes.

Jaemin spoke, nervously: "This... this isn't something normal friends do, this feels kinda—" 

"—good. It feels good," Jeno smiled, his gaze hooded as he leaned down to resume what he was doing.

"Jeno. You know what I mean. I'm saying that this suggests a certain type of interest..." Jaemin spoke, pausing as Jeno immediately snapped his head up, looking Jaemin dead in the eyes.

"Do you really think I don't see you in that way? You think I would just do this to any random friend of mine?" Jeno said, his tone quiet, yet letting a small amount of anger slip through in his words. Jaemin stayed silent, shocked at the outburst. 

"What? No! I just thought... it seemed too good to be true— and what do you mean by 'that way'?" Jaemin rambled on, trying to form a coherent statement.

"You want me to make it even more obvious? Alright. Na Jaemin, I am very interested in you in a completely romantic and non platonic way. That's the truth," Jeno started, the surprise on Jaemin's face becoming evident.

"I cannot believe that the most beautiful boy in the world just told me that," Jaemin whispered, a gorgeous smile forming on Jeno's face at the statement. 

"I mean it," Jeno muttered, resting his head in the crook of Jaemin's neck and lightly nuzzling him, "I really like you."

"I like you too," Jaemin admitted, wrapping his arms around Jeno, fighting to contain the pure joy that he felt within him. Jeno left one last peck on Jaemin's neck, then snuggled up against him.

"We should go to sleep, we have school," he advised, Jaemin murmuring in agreement. The two relaxed, comfortable in each other's hold, and finally drifted off into a warm slumber, both content with how their day ended.

This moment, one of many, showed what would soon become blatantly obvious to all:

Na Jaemin and Lee Jeno were in love.

CHAPTER EIGHT→ end.