Taeyong was sitting in a corner of NCT's prep room backstage, doing his best to pretend that he was most interested in his phone when in reality he couldn't help but send glowering glances towards Jaehyun across the room, every few seconds. In the week leading up to their Osaka performance for A-nation '18, he had noticed Jaehyun slowly distance himself from him yet again.

At first he hadn't noticed it, there had been the movie with Seungcheol and the others, then the flower show they had gone to and it was all so exciting, making new friends and trying out different coffee shops with them. It had been a rare week of laid back schedules and he had actually enjoyed himself immensely.

In fact, he had done nothing to piss off Jaehyun at all. He hadn't even said much to him. So, for Jaehyun to pointedly choose sitting with Johnny on the plane and then later, opt for Doyoung as a roommate was totally baseless. He had told himself that he wouldn't mope over this. No, two could play at this game of being aloof.

The only problem was that he just had a really weak resolve because only this morning, he had blurted, right in front of Jaehyun, to the waiter that Jaehyun liked grape juice instead of the apple juice that had been poured out for him. He wished he was as strong as him, so that he too could joke around with others while appearing totally nonchalant.

Like right now there Jae was, looking gorgeous with his fluffy lilac hair, laughing along with Haechan and Mark while not even looking towards him!? Taeyong didn't understand what came over Jaehyun every now and then. How was he supposed to know what Jae thought about him if he continued to be this way?

"Let's go, guys. We're next," Doyoung called out.

When they were standing on the wings, waiting for the go signal, Jaehyun spoke up, "How's Seungcheol, hyung?"

Taeyong frowned. Why ask about him at this moment, here of all places? "Wha-?"

The music started and before he knew they were already performing. He pushed the thought to the back of his head as he sang and danced, making a mental note to confront Jae later.

Later during the ment, Taeyong was rapping off all the Japanese he had learnt to thank the fans and converse with the other members. Jaehyun watched him talking animatedly and his heart clenched when he recognised that underneath all the excitement, Taeyong was heaving from exhaustion. It was probably a combination of the heat and his recurring knee injury. He had worried about this last night.

"Winwin-ah, could you make sure Taeyong hyung uses the heatpad before sleeping? I think his knee injury is acting up again."

Winwin nodded. "I'll do that but umm, Jae, why are you ignoring Taeyong hyung?"

"I'm not," he replied, defensively.

"Okay, I know it's none of my business but it's becoming really obvious. Even the fans are beginning to notice. He must be wondering what's up too."

Jaehyun scoffed. "I doubt. He has his Seungcheol. He's too busy to remember the rest of us."

Winwin tutted. "I thought you weren't the jealous type."

When he didn't say anything, Winwin patted his back. "It's okay, happens to the best of us."

Jaehyun looked away. "It hurts, okay? He's my closest friend and sure, he's busy all the time but I just--I don't want to feel this replaceable, okay? He no longer remembers that we have plans. He's just somewhere else. I don't want to be the only one hanging on to this. I'd like to walk away before he cuts me off, you know? So no, I haven't been ignoring him. I've just been giving him space. He needs it anyway."

"Sounds quite like jealousy." Winwin said but his face was lined with sympathy.

Jae laughed ruefully. "That's because you're just an idol, not a philosopher, idiot."

"At least, my English is better than yours."

"No, it's not."

"You know it is."

"What has English got to do with this argument?"

"Winwin-ah, want to grab some ice cream with me?" Yuta asked, walking up to them. "Oh is it secret discussion time?"

Winwin smiled. "It's getting over. I'm coming along."

Jaehyun made a face. "I hate how perfect you two are."

"You said you didn't get jealous!" his friend laughed.

Taeyong was breathing heavily but he was smiling at the crowd, happy to have made the audience happy. "Everyone, are you alright?"

Jaehyun just couldn't help it, the instinctual worry that guided his lips irrespective of the fact that they were onstage. "You okay?"

Taeyong stopped, his eyes wavering, shock evident on his face. Their eyes met for the briefest of seconds and Taeyong smiled shyly before answering, "Yes, I am."

Jaehyun's lips were forming the word good.

And then Yuta was talking to the audience. Their moment was lost amidst the euphoria onstage.

Backstage, Taeyong was the one who sought him out. "Hey, you okay?"

"Me? Yeah, I'm alright." There was a burning silence and suddenly Taeyong was regretting seeking him out like this. He was aware of Johnny staring at them, aware of the staff member waiting for them to move out of the way, aware of how his heart was battering against his chest.

"Uh, you want to grab an ice cream with me?" Jaehyun's voice was so low that Taeyong wouldn't have heard the question if he hadn't been hoping restlessly for a word from him.

His eyes lit up and he bumped shoulders with Jaehyun. "I would love to. My treat, okay?"

As they walked to the parlour, he hesitated. Something was changing between them and he wanted so hard to hold to what they had. He wanted the easy, comfortable relationship they always had. The one where they knew exactly what was going on in each other's minds. The one where he didn't have to hesitate.

Beside him, he could see Jaehyun's mind was somewhere else too.

He took a deep breath and slipped his fingers through Jaehyun's, holding his hand. "Tell me what you're thinking?"

He felt Jaehyun's fingers stiffen and then relax as a dull flush spread through his neck to his ears. He smiled, looking at his feet. "Taeyong," he said.

"Yeah?" Taeyong smiled encouragingly at him.

"I..." He closed his fingers around Taeyong's, gazing back into his concerned eyes. "Take care of your knee. I-I was so worried."

Taeyong looked taken aback. "Is that...ah, Jaehyunie, you worry too much. I'm fine. It's nearly healed by now."

Suddenly, almost imperceptibly, something eased between them and this time when they walked in silence it was a warm, comfortable silence, a silence that had the possibility of something more.

They stopped in front of the ice cream parlour.

"How quickly do you think you'll get free tomorrow?" Taeyong asked.

Jaehyun grinned. "Why? What do you plan to do with me?"

Taeyong reddened, flustered. "D-Dinner. I mean, dinner at the usual place? It's Friday."

"Yeah, yeah, I would like that."

"Good."

"So...which ice cream are you buying for me?"

"Go find a table," Taeyong said. "I'm going to surprise you."

Jaehyun raised an eyebrow. "Okay, just don't drop it on yourself this time."

"That was one time," Taeyong said, innocently. 

[ how are you all enjoying the jaeyong drama? ;) we are getting to the juicy parts of the story now...so stay tuned!

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