"I can't believe it."

Jeno grinned down at his blueberry milkshake. He just broke the news to all his friends save for Jaemin. They agreed to pay for his milkshake as a congrats gift.

"You're really going to do it?" Chenle asked.

Jeno nodded at him. "Of course Chenle. This has been my dream program for three years, you know that."

"We do and we're so happy for you....but what about Jaemin?" Renjun questioned while stirring his latte with his spoon.

Jeno shrugged, "I'm going to break the news to him during my shift which starts in about half an hour. I'm not sure how he'll react to it but I think he should be fine with it. I mean it's only a couple months right?" Jeno was being partially dishonest. He knew Jaemin would probably be supportive but he was aware of how big a deal it was to be separated for so long. He didn't really know how Jaemin would react to it.

The other boys at the table exchanged a look.

"You're probably right Jen." Renjun said with a smile. "And you should probably leave soon right? You don't want to be late for your shift."

"Yeah I'd better go." Jeno licked his straw of the last bits of his milkshake and stood up to leave.

"Bye guys!"

"Bye Jen!"

"Congrats again!"

Jeno ducked out the door of the cafe and headed out into the busy streets, ready to face his upcoming shift and his upcoming boyfriend.

---------

Jeno walked out of the break room changed, and ready for a long shift. Just as he began setting up the concession stand Jaemin came walking through the door.

Jaemin smiled at him but before he could pass by Jeno grabbed his arm and stood on tippie toes so he could whisper into his ear.

"I have something important to tell you." Jaemin's eyes widened. He nodded at Jeno and went to the break room. What could Jeno have to say?

Their shift went pretty smoothly. There was one minor hiccup when Jaemin accidentally spilled hot butter on Jeno's hands who speaked and whined at the pain. Jaemin, of course, apologized profusely and kissed Jeno's hands over and over until Jeno was giggling and squirming out of Jaemin's grasp. That earned a few weird looks from customers.

Eventually the last show of the night started. Jaemin locked the doors so no new customers would enter the building. They just had to wait for the ones watching the movie to finish.

At this point in their shift they usually cuddled behind the concession stand and watched movies, or youtube videos on the company laptop since there were usually no customers to serve. Jaemin sat down in their usual spot and pulled Jeno down to sit with him. Jaemin was about to reach out to open the laptop but Jeno stopped him.

"I've got something to tell you, remember sweetie?"

"Oh right." Jaemin closed the laptop and turned back to Jeno. "What is it?"

Jeno shifted so he was facing Jaemin. They were holding hands across from each other. "Jaemin, I forgot to mention it to you but I applied to that flower program I mentioned earlier. I got in so I'll be gone most of the summer."

Jaemin's eyes widened with amazement. "Oh my god Jeno congrats! I remember how much you wanted to get into that program, this is so great!" Jaemin pulled Jeno into a tight hug. Jeno, relieved, complied with him.

"But," Jaemin broke the hug, "that means you're going to be gone the whole summer."

Jeno looked down, "Yeah it does mean that." He looked back up at Jaemin. "But I promise I'll call every day. I'll tell you everything that happens so you can feel like you're right there with me. I'll take as many pictures as I can, I'll tell you about all the great food I'll try, and oh! I'll even buy you a snowglobe!"

Jaemin smiled and squished Jeno's cheeks. "Okay Jeno. I expect you to deliver on each of those promises. I'll make sure to keep you updated on what goes on here too."

Jeno nodded with Jaemin's hands still at his cheeks.

"So should we go back to watching the movie? We can discuss the details when I walk you home." Jeno nodded and Jaemin pulled him into his lap. He opened the laptop and started a movie to watch. Jaemin didn't realize how tired Jeno was but before he knew it Jeno was snoring into the crook of his shoulder.

Jaemin looked down and held onto Jeno as tight as he could, because he knew that eventually he was going to have to let him go.

-------

The day of Jeno's departure came faster than Jaemin realized. It felt like he had all the time in the world but before he knew it one day his phone chimed with Jeno's text detailing his plan for his trip to the airport. He was going to walk to Jaemin's house directly. Then from Jaemin's house Jeno would call a cab. Jaemin didn't understand why Jeno insisted on dragging his stuff to Jaemin's house when Jaemin could easily walk to Jeno's but that's what Jeno wanted so Jaemin complied.

Jaemin was standing outside his apartment when he saw Jeno scoming down the sidewalk dragging his heavy suitcase behind him. Jaemin went over and gave him a hug.

"I've already called the cab for you." Jeno nodded and the two stood hand in hand waiting for the cab to come.

The cab finally arrived and Jeno loaded his stuff into the trunk. Jaemin walked around to sit in the cab and saw Jeno walking around to the other door. But he didn't sit down like Jaemin thought he would. Instead,  he put his knees on the seat and inched in a bit.

He turned to the cabbie.

"Can you wait here for a couple minutes?"

"You got it kid."

Jeno leaned into the cab and kissed Jaemin on the cheek. Then he pulled out to run back to Jaemin's apartment.

"Where are you going Jeno?" Jaemin stuck his head out of the cab to watch him run back inside.

"I've got one last quick thing to do before we leave! Don't worry about it now Jaemin just sit tight!" Jeno disappeared inside the building. Jaemin shrugged and leaned back. Waiting for Jeno to come out.

-------

"I can't believe this is goodbye."

Jeno grinned at all his friends. They were standing outside the gates to security, which was the farthest any of them could go without a ticket.

"You guys are so dramatic. I'll be home before the end of the summer." Jeno smiled.

"But you're gonna be gone for so long! I swear this is the first time since Mark moved here that we have to go through summer break with someone in the group missing!" Chenle dramatically clutched his chest.

"Jaemin's here this time to take my place." Jeno smiled up at his boyfriend who currently had his arm slung around Jeno's shoulders. He had barely let go of Jeno the whole way to the airport.

"That's right." Jaemin smiled and turned back to the group. "We'll have fun. And he'll be back before we know it."

Jeno looked over his shoulder and glanced at security, "Guy's not to be a buzzkill or anything but I should really leave before the line to security gets too long."

"I guess that's our cue." Jaemin leaned down to kiss the top of Jeno's head before they all went in for a group hug. When they separated again Jeno went to get in the security line. He waved at his friends multiple times before turning away to take off his shoes. Jaemin turned back to wave at Jeno one more time but he wasn't looking back. Instead he was focused on fishing his laptop out of his suitcase to put on the conveyor belt.

Jaemin couldn't lie. He felt a tiny sting from that.

The entire ride back to his apartment his head was clouded with thoughts he had been staving off the whole day.

What if we can't handle long distance?

What if we get into a fight we can't solve because we're separated by an ocean.

What if we break up?

What if Jeno finds someone who's more handsome than me and leaves me for them?

All these thoughts clouded Jaemin's mind while he trudged up the stairs to his apartment. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a package sitting at his doorstep.

Jaemin approached the package cautiously. It was obvious it was delivered by hand because it had no postage tags on it. It was a cylinder shaped package wrapped in magenta and white polka dot wrapping paper, with a light pink ribbon tying it up nicely. Jaemin sat down against the wall and pulled the package into his lap. He slowly untied the ribbon with stiff fingers and gasped when the contents fell out into his lap.

They were socks. Four to be exact. Each one had its own color and letter. When you held them all out together they spelled out love. They were the same socks Jaemin chucked out his window in a fit of anger months ago. He thought they were lost forever.

A tiny note slipped out from between the socks and landed on the floor.

Jaemin tilted his head to the side and looked at it. Then, he reached down and flipped it over to see what it said. It was obvious who it came from:

I will wait for you.

"Jeno you son of a bitch." Jaemin grinned from ear to ear. He got to his feet and went inside the apartment, gripping the socks as tight as he planned to hug Jeno nine weeks from today.

A/n: There's gonna b an epilogue as the last chapter