"Dad," He cries and runs up to his father who had a big smile on his face. They hugged each other tight as Jeno cries on his father's chest.

They haven't seen each other for months and Jeno has been in hell for quite awhile without his father. Although Renjun had helped him and had been on his side since they met, he still misses his father dearly.

They pull away with Jeno still clinging onto his dad. The latter chuckled and ruffled his hair, "how's my little boy doing?" He asked.

Jeno sniffled and wipes his nose with the back of his hand as his father leads them to the couch, "awful," he sighed, "but I made a new friend, a trusted one," he smiled.

His father smiled and turns on the TV, "how about school? How are your grades?" He asked again as he flipped through the channels.

Jeno pursed his lips, "I'm trying my best, and Renjun helps me a lot," he smiled once his father raised a brow from the first sentence.

The elder hummed, "atleast you're not failing, I don't mind if you're not an honor y'know? The important thing is you're able to graduate," he reassures.

Jeno nodded with a sheepish grin. This is why he loves his dad so much, he doesn't get upset when he doesn't have the highest scores, the highest grades, one of the top honors.

As long as he's not failing and he'll be able to graduate, that's fine. He knows his father is very supportive and proud on whatever he does unless it was actually wrong.

They talk for awhile with Jeno asking about his dad's work and vice versa. Except, they don't talk about Jeno's work at the bar, Donghyuck and his stepmom's negative treatment and most definitely about his so called relationship.

No, none of that. His dad is home and Jeno doesn't want him to stress and worry just because of his struggles. Renjun was already dragged into it, he doesn't need his parent to be in it as well.

Jeno kisses his father on the cheek before he says goodnight and heads upstairs. He walks pass Donghyuck's room and stops when the door opens.

Donghyuck scoffed at the sight of him making the raven haired roll his eyes, "just a reminder," the former glares and steps out to head to the staircase, "just because your father is home doesn't mean you're safe."

The tanned male goes downstairs to the kitchen to get some midnight snacks. Jeno sighed and walks in to his room and locks the door before falling face flat on the mattress and gets knocked out completely tired.

ꨄ︎

It was weird eating breakfast together, it always is. Jeno didn't want to eat together in the same table with Donghyuck and his stepmother early in a school morning.

It just ruins his mood everytime, but he had to, his father wanted to have a family breakfast together and even insisted on driving both of his sons to school like in the old days.

Jeno didn't want to upset him, so he sat there eating quickly and washing his dishes before anyone else finished first. His stepmother didn't fail to butt in some insults while he ate.

Like how he's too thin and should eat more, how he looks like a stick and his eyebags are really visible, Donghyuck even snickered at one of them making Jeno want to leave as quickly as possible.

Once they were done, they were all in his father's car. With his stepmother at the passengers seat and Donghyuck and Jeno at the backseat.

Awkward silence filled the car with the radio playing some music, his father then started random conversations with them while his stepmother was busy finishing her makeup to go to work.

Donghyuck snuck in some glares and remarks like he always did ever since they were little, Jeno just tried to ignore them and smiled a little when his father defended him and said the words, "no, he's not like that."

Jeno was the first one out of the car and rushes to his locker. Both because he didn't want to spend anymore seconds with his stepmother and stepbrother and also because Donghyuck wouldn't want to be seen with him.

"It feels like it was the first time," Jeno thought bitterly remembering the first time they had done this with Donghyuck going in the school last but still attracting many students while Jeno stood far away.

He flinched when a hand laid on his lower back, "you're in a rush," Jaemin chuckled. The raven clicked his tongue and shuts his locker.

"Donghyuck," he shrugs making Jaemin raised a brow, "it's just– something personal," he sighed. The caramel haired nodded before taking his hand as they started their act.

ꨄ︎

School was like always in Jeno's answer when his father asked how his day was, it wasn't bad and it wasn't good either.

He hung out with his best friend and his secret crush – except Renjun actually knows so it wasn't really a secret – while having to suck up his negative emotions whenever he's reminded with two things.

"Just because your father is home doesn't mean you're safe."

"Why are you freaking out about it anyway? We're just fake dating."

It doesn't help either when he has to go home and spend some dandy family bondings and the fact the Jaemin is still after Hana, who's seemingly playing hard to get or something like that.

Jeno's throat hurts from fake laughing, his cheeks hurts from smiling like nothing is wrong, his heart hurts whenever he's reminded of his reality.

This goes on everyday and every second he's with his family or Jaemin. And when he's with Renjun, that's where he breaks. Because that's the only time he can without worrying.

Family movie night had finished hours ago and Jeno still felt like it was just a second ago. He stumbles his way back home from the bar clearly in a rush since he has a test tomorrow.

Doyoung wished him the best of luck as well as Johnny who said he could take some day offs if he wanted even though he insisted that he can't, because he needs the money.

Ten had dragged him in to more clients than what he originally planned like always, but since it was now counted as the norm from the long time he worked here, it made him laugh.

The raven haired sneaks in to the house since he entered the front door instead of his window considering the fact that he had forgotten his keys again while he cursed to himself.

He was midway to opening the door to his room before another door opened, "what are you doing at 2 am in the morning?" Donghyuck's voice echoed through the hallway.

Jeno flinched and turns around with panic visible in his eyes. Donghyuck raised a brow and stepped closer before the former could even say something.

He looks closer and gasps, "is that a hickey?" Fuck. Jeno couldn't move, frozen as he starts to sweat as his anxiety raised up and he could feel his heartbeat fasten like it was about to burst through his chest.

Donghyuck scans the visible skin that wasn't covered by Jeno's clothes as he saw more marks on his steprother's soft skin. "Oh my god, you're cheating on Jaemin aren't you?" He exclaims.

Jeno blinked and shook his head, "no! I-I'm not cheating on him! He cheated first and we aren't even actually dating!" He protests as Donghyuck squinted his eyes.

Well he wasn't technically lying, they aren't really together and Jaemin cheated on him first – in public. While in reality, Jeno did.

The tanned male crossed his arms, "well tell me why you're home from who knows where at 2 am in a Wednesday morning with hickeys covering your skin like tattoos." He remarks.

Jeno picked on his nails as he bit his lips, "I-I'll explain later but not now," he mumbles and looks directly at Donghyuck's eyes, "and definitely don't tell anyone, please," he pleaded.

Donghyuck ponders for a moment before huffing and nodded, "fine, only because I'm curious," he said. Jeno brightens up a bit, atleast he won't tell anyone.

Jeno hummed and opened his door, "alright, night now," he said before Donghyuck rolled his eyes and said the same before heading to the kitchen and grab some water.