Jeno is not exactly sure why he said that, has he gone crazy?

It was like some kind of thing got into him and took over, controlled his next words without even thinking.

Was he possessed?

One thing is for sure at the moment though, he certainly cannot tell Jaemin to leave or cancel it now.

It makes him feel bad, and he thinks he will look like a bad person.

Especially when Jaemin looked genuinely happy the moment he invited him over. Despite the shock and hesitation, he was for sure beaming at him.

So yes, he can't cancel it.

Not now, not when they are already at the front door of Jeno's house waiting for the ravenette boy to open the door, or at least someone has to open it.

Suddenly, Jeno snaps his head to look at Jaemin before blurting out. "I'm sorry," resulting Jaemin to raise his brow in confusion.

"I panicked and– honestly, I don't know why I said that– but, I also don't regret it." Jeno began to ramble to him, not meeting his eyes.

"So, uhm... My mom doesn't know I'm bringing someone over– please bear with her," Jeno sheepishly smiles at him, hand reaching for the doorknob.

Jaemin nods quietly, full of understanding of Jeno's state. He's nervous and shy, having limited friends due to his reluctant lifestyle that he had gotten used to.

However, he reminds himself that the ravenette boy is trying to quit that sort of lifestyle, he wants to be able to do things he himself wants.

He wants to be more free and easygoing. To relate to his friends' freedom as well.

Once Jeno pushes the door open and quietly beckons for Jaemin to follow him, they take their shoes off as Jeno calls out for his mother.

"I'm home!"

"Sweetheart! You're–" Ms. Lee stops on her tracks once she spots someone else who's standing beside her son.

Fiddling with his fingers, Jeno takes a deep breath. "Mom, this is Jaemin... He's my friend..."

Friend.

Jaemin smiles to himself.

This is the first time Jeno has labeled him as someone to him, instead of being just a stranger who follows him around with his flirtatious acts and is mutuals with his small friend group.

Ms. Lee eyes him carefully before beaming, a sweet smile adorning her face as her eyes crinkle into crescent moons just like Jeno's.

"Nice to meet you, Jaemin-ssi."

"I'm sorry I didn't inform you beforehand, mom. It was... Sudden... for us too." Jeno shyly admits while scratching his elbow.

The middle-aged woman raises a brow at the two youths but doesn't pry longer before she smiles again and gestures, "then, let's go eat shall we?"

Hearing her kind tone, Jeno is sure she isn't mad at him whatsoever. Which makes him a bit more relaxed now and lets out a breath.

Subconsciously, he takes Jaemin by the hand and leads him to the dining table where his mom's cooking has been displayed, ready to be devoured by their empty stomachs.

Jaemin behind him bites back a grin, discreetly giving a small squeeze on Jeno's hand a second before they pull away to take their seats.

Either Jeno didn't notice or he tries to ignore it.

But when Jaemin saw the faint blush on the ravenette boy's cheeks, he chuckles quietly.

𑁍

Needless to say, dinner and their first meet went well. Ms. Lee was very kind and welcoming, treated Jaemin as if she had known him for years.

Unfortunately, this includes her bold teasing towards the two boys. Saying things that easily makes Jeno embarrassed, whining for her to tone it down.

Ms. Lee was surprisingly open-minded. Accepting a lot of things about her son, one of them being that he is interested into boys only.

Thus, she couldn't help but tease Jeno to no end once they started eating.

"You finally brought someone over, you rarely do that." She had pointed out at first, a harmless approach as she was genuinely wondering anyway.

Jeno wasn't surprised nor bothered by this, clueless on the near future's cause sitting across from him.

"I bring Mark and the others over."

"Rarely." His mother emphasizes, "and you only brought them over because I invited them for lunch for the first time."

Glancing at Jaemin, she has a kind yet teasing glint in her eyes. "But now, it is different."

Jeno slowly pauses on chewing his last bit of food, "you brought someone over because you wanted to."

"Perhaps you could say that, mom." Jaemin side-eyes him with a slightly flustered look before feeling flattered.

The ravenette boy assumes by the look on Jaemin's face, he has so much to say when they're alone later. Possibly teasing him as well.

Jeno low-key badly wants to hit him right now. Reminding himself of his so-called signature instinctive move;

"The kick on the dick."

As what Yangyang had called it.

"And you possibly like him?"

"Mom!" Jeno shrieks, coughing a bit as Jaemin hands him his glass of water. "Don't say things like that!" Now Jaemin is definitely grinning teasingly.

Jeno quietly begs for him to not say a word in the midst of this conversation.

It's 2 against 1, it would be unfair.

"Why? I'm just guessing." Ms. Lee pretends to be innocent, pouting at him.

"Not when he is literally right here!" Jeno tilts his head to point at Jaemin, cheeks heating up again.

"Ah, so it is true?" She lilts with a small snicker.

"Mom, stop." Covering his face with his hands. He could hear Jaemin beside him laughing as well.

Giggling, the middle-aged woman nods and gestures her hands. "All right, I guess I should leave you two to it then."

Standing up as she brings their dirty dishes to the sink insisting she can do it herself, the two boys quietly stand up as Jeno invites Jaemin to his room.

That is definitely odd for him to do. And it doesn't fail to miss his mother's attention, seeing the look she's giving them, Jeno regrets saying it aloud.

"Enjoy your time, and no funny business without consent!"

"Mommy stop!"

"Just a reminder, darling!"

Walking upstairs as his mother's laugh goes faint, Jeno awkwardly welcomes Jaemin to his bedroom.

"May I get a room tour?" Jaemin asks him gently, deciding to not tease the younger boy yet and save it for later instead.

Jeno furrows his eyebrows, seemingly expecting for Jaemin to just go around his room and touch things without asking.

Something Donghyuck has done when they first met. A "bad habit" Jeno prefers to call.

Noticing the look he has on, Jaemin chuckles and reaches to pat Jeno's head gently. "I don't want to be a dick and make you uncomfortable."

He receives a small and thankful smile from Jeno before the latter starts giving him a small tour.

𑁍

Schedule recently is so late than usual lmao.

Thoughts??

I swear I tried planning to update early today, but I didn't have a good nap time in the afternoon so– my brain is messy.

and rn it's 12:26 am like wtf–