Several weeks later, there was a sudden knock on one of Jeno's bedroom windows. The raven haired boy who was arranging his bookshelf, got startled.

Adjusting his glasses, he places the current book he was holding, down onto the carpet floor and carefully walks up to the window.

Just as he was about to discreetly check what or who it was that knocked on his window at 9 pm, he squeaks quite loudly when a person just randomly shows himself.

"Hi Jeno!" The sweet greeting was muffled due to the window barrier.

Jeno blinks at the wide grin flashing at him, taking a deep breath as he regains his composure before opening the window.

"Mark hyung, what the frick?" He whisper-yells, especially at the last part when he blurted out the censored cuss word.

When the elder boy only snickers mischievously, Jeno looks down and gasps when he spots three more boys down on their lawn.

"What the–"

"Do you wanna go out with us?" Mark practically slurs a little.

Jeno doesn't question the elder boy's state right now, but more concerned about the fact that Mark's on the roof and could probably slip and fall if he isn't careful.

"What? Where? And why?!" Jeno rambles, bombarding him with questions as always.

Yangyang waves at him as a signal, "we're going on a late night walk, come join!" He yells for Jeno to hear.

The raven haired boy immediately shushes him as he felt embarrassed and low-key panicking, what if his mom barges in the bedroom?

The pink haired boy beside Yangyang glances at Jeno for a moment before eyeing Mark, "Mark, get down for a second. Let's all talk at the front door."

"But why?"

"You're going to fall with your dumbass, and I'm pretty sure Hyuck won't catch you in time."

"I'm not even going to try, dude." The said tanned male mutters while recording Mark on the roof.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jeno attempts to help Mark get down as much as he can. And when the latter was safely back on the ground, he shuts the window close.

Rushing down the stairs, he widens his eyes when he spots his mom already answering the front door. Coming face to face with his mischievous friends. Plus Jaemin.

His mom glances over her shoulder when she felt a presence behind her, "oh honey, your friends are here." She smiles sweetly at them.

Jeno forces out a smile, although it looked a little awkward; it's because he's nervous. "Uhm.. yeah they–"

"Mrs. Lee, we were wondering if Jeno could come and join us on a late night walk." Donghyuck asks ever so politely.

Yangyang rolls his eyes at the tanned male's sudden change of attitude, mocking him quietly at the back as Jaemin tries not to laugh.

Mrs. Lee ponders in thought for a moment before smiling as she nods her head, "sure."

"Really?"

"What?!" Jeno shrieks, puzzled and shocked all in one as he stares at his mother weirdly.

"Where will you guys be going?" Mrs. Lee asks, ignoring her son's reaction.

"Just a quick walk around town, maybe stop by some quiet areas like the park or something. Get some fresh air." Donghyuck answers with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Okay, just be careful out there and make sure Jeno is with you." Mrs. Lee replies, "don't get home too late, contact me whenever." Adding at the end as she eyes her son.

Jeno was speechless, didn't really have time to react (again) as Mark suddenly pulls him by the hand while Mrs. Lee hands him Jeno's coat.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lee, we'll see you later!" Mark happily says while he skips off with Jeno first.

Jaemin was the last one to follow, staying back just a little bit to smile at Jeno's mother. "I'll take care of your son, Mrs. Lee."

The middle-aged woman thanks him as they waved goodbye, watching the group of youths walk off as she giggles at her son trying to get Mark off him.

𑁍

"This is ridiculous." Jeno mutters under his breath as he glares holes at his friends' heads.

He was then startled when someone speaks up beside him, "what's the matter, sweetheart?"

Turning to glare at the pink haired boy next, he replies in a harsh tone. "It's late at night and I'm out here wasting time–"

"Don't talk about those studying shit again, doll." The elder boy cuts him off, "seriously, no offense. But take this as an advice, don't be so hard on yourself."

"I'm not." Jeno denies in the next second.

He gets a look from the elder boy, "you're studying so much and pressuring yourself to do these things perfectly. To the point you don't even know what you want to do."

Jeno stops on his tracks, his initial plan to stay with the group (minus Jaemin) has now gone south because of the boy in front of him.

To his dismay, Jaemin doesn't let him talk for a second. "Who told you to do these things, Jeno?"

Instead of answering whether or not to be honest, the raven haired boy instead asks back deflecting the question. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I care about you." Jaemin instantly replies, no hesitation or lie laced in his voice.

"And why?"

"There's a lot of reasons as to why. One of them is because I like you."

"Why do you like me?"

"Same answer, a lot of reasons." Jaemin then raises a brow, "why are you wondering?"

Jeno shrugs his shoulders and suddenly starts walking off, zipping his jacket close when he shivers from the cold wind.

"Hey, wait up." Jaemin jogs up to him,

"We're going to get lost, the others are way ahead." The younger boy grumbles, fastening his pace.

However, Jaemin grabs him by the arm and takes a deep breath, "don't mind about the others." He says.

"Mark chugged some beer earlier, Yangyang will take care of him." Gently taking Jeno's hand in his, he winks. "We've got time."

When Jeno raises a brow at him, he continues. "I'll take care of you– I already promised your mom that earlier."

"Excuse me– you what?!"

"Besides the point," Jaemin quickly changes the topic before Jeno could nag at him. "Don't worry about it, let's walk together."

"But–"

"I want to get to know you more, honestly." Jeno's breath hitches either from what Jaemin said or the charming smile that the elder boy flashed him.

Because he doesn't know why, but he lets Jaemin lead him around in a slight daze, steps slow yet somehow not boring to be with the elder boy.

Jeno doesn't realize it, but later on, he was sharing stories after stories to Jaemin. The latter smiling as he listens to his babbling about whatever.

Jaemin got Jeno home at exactly 11:15, when the latter yawned as he rubbed his eye when they were at the park. The tattoo artist decided to take him home.

Obviously he let the others know about their leave, rolling his eyes when they teased him about it.

Jeno flashes him a shy smile when he steps inside, "thank you." He mumbles as he waves Jaemin goodbye.

Weirdly enough, the raven haired boy enjoyed his first ever late night walk. With Jaemin of all people too. Deep down inside, he wishes he could do it again.