"Alrighty, Jeno–"

"Why are you here?" The raven haired boy raises a brow, staring at the tanned male in front of him standing on his front porch right this very morning.

An odd thing in his opinion, Donghyuck barely likes to get out of bed on weekdays.

Mark who sort of sensed Jeno's slight confusion, answers him briefly. "He saw me on my way here, and he was getting yelled at so he decided to book it out of there."

Shaking his head at the tanned male, he tugs on his backpack straps and closes the door behind him. "Where's Yangyang?"

"He's absent this morning, he'll attend afternoon classes though." Mark continues to answer every question Jeno points out.

Meanwhile, Donghyuck on his other side then heavily drapes an arm around his shoulder, grinning at the 'oof' grunting sound that escaped Jeno's plump lips.

"Anywho, I just want to tell you that I will be helping you throughout this challenge... That you've weirdly started and accepted." He adds the last part in a murmur.

Jeno snaps his head to him with his face scrunched, "huh?" Glancing over to Mark as if asking for an answer.

Unfortunately, Mark just shrugs his shoulders. "Well, he told me what happened– but I don't know what he is planning this time." He responds.

Donghyuck snickers and snaps his fingers to gain their attention again, "what I mean is, I will guide you throughout this wonderful journey."

Jeno's eyes then follows the way Donghyuck's free hand gestures around, making a big circle that has them wincing when they accidentally pass the beaming sunlight.

"So like a tour guide?" Mark flatly comments.

The tanned male scoffs, as if he took that as an offense before shaking his head. "I prefer to be called as your... Coach, yes!" He exclaims. "Or if you want, call me your mentor!"

"Who in the fuck would want to call you any of those things?" Mark spoke up with his face showing grimace.

"Jeno will! Right, Jen?" The tanned male looks at the said boy, almost begging for him to take his side instead of Mark.... For once.

However, Jeno shrugs his shoulders. "Whatever, I'll prove you wrong, Mark. One day, not only will Jeno be the one to call me his mentor, but a shit tone of people!"

"Mentor for what? How to get a fucking migraine and lose your sanity?" Jeno makes a sound hearing Mark mentioning that.

Donghyuck glares and reaches over to flick the elder boy's forehead, "shut up, Mark. You're scaring my apprentice!"

"Good! At least he has time to think for an escape plan!" Jeno quietly snickers in amusement, listening to the other two bickering.

Mark trying to save his ass even in the slightest bit he can do while battling against an egotistical and stubborn Donghyuck.

He then gasps, exaggeratedly so, and stares at Jeno who inches his head away, flinching in surprise from the look he was getting.

Donghyuck looked like a psycho in his opinion, especially with his eyes blown that wide like he had won a jackpot.

But considering who is talking right now and not to mention is Jeno's friend, a little bit to his dismay in this situation, he isn't that surprised.

Rather, he is concerned with what crazy ideas Donghyuck has in store– for him, of all people.

Bad timing, he could say.

"Today is your first day! So I think we should take it easy, aye?"

"I thought Jaemin would do the first move?" Mark says aloud, gaining their attention.

Meeting his gaze, Donghyuck raises a brow but then gets the message. Joining in on Mark's intentions.

"That dickhead is too busy right now, apparently he's still talking to Jaehyun hyung about his schedules." He starts off first, sounding very natural as if he doesn't have anything to tease about.

But then he continues with, "so why let Jeno wait? Hm? If Jaemin's gonna take so long, then I'm going to snatch his man before he knows it."

"You're such a homewrecker, Hyuck." Mark teases in a lilt.

Suddenly hearing the tattoo artist's name being mentioned, Jeno practically chokes on his spit and tries to play it cool.

But it's difficult when his two friends are already snickering on either sides of him once they see his weirdly panic state.

Cheeks heating up in beetroot red while his eyes are frantically looking around their surroundings, Jeno wants to go home, if not just rush to school first leaving his two annoying friends.

"You guys are ri-ridiculous-s." Jeno stutters, almost tripping on the way due to his thoughts suddenly going chaotic.

Luckily he doesn't have any important tests today, but that doesn't mean he can lay back and lose his focus.

"Why? I'm just saying if Jaemin is going to be a total slug on making a move on you, he'll be late." Donghyuck winks.

"What?" Jeno blinks several times, "what are you saying?"

"Jaemin told you he likes you, didn't he?" Mark furrows his eyebrows. But he's low-key panicking, thinking if they've fucked up already and spoiled the fun.

"Well, he did..." Jeno's face turns red for whatever reason he's feeling when he remembers the said event.

"But that doesn't mean anything!" He quickly adds, voice raising up a little than his normal voice.

Mark and Donghyuck share a look before the latter deadpans, "yeah it does, you know what it means. Come on, he has a crush on you."

"Yeah, b-but that doesn't mean I l-like him back." Jeno grumbles, basically sulking as he tugs his backpack straps again.

Sighing, Donghyuck brushes off the problem for now as he changes the topic, "right, anyways! First challenge is, be late!"

When Jeno was quietly wondering what he meant, Mark finally goes back to answering his questions. "He means we're going to be late for school."

"Ha?!" Jeno instantly panics.

"Off to Starbucks! Mark, you're paying!"

"Wait– hold on, I can't be late!" The raven haired boy stops on his tracks while Donghyuck frowns at him.

"Yeah you can!"

"No, my attendance–"

"Don't worry about that! This is part of the challenge, and to your luck it's really easy!" The tanned male attempts to hype him up.

Mark nods in agreement, helping him out. "Yeah, come on, Jen. It isn't a total bad thing to be late– hell, it ain't even illegal!"

"You've been having perfect in attendance since you started going to school, you gotta try to be late."

Donghyuck then ruffles Jeno's hair when he sees the latter hesitating, "this is the easiest and most simplest one– it's literally a normal thing."

Humming, Mark wraps an arm around Jeno's waist and smiles. "Just five minutes tops, it won't be too bad. And we'll tell Jaemin your first obstacle!"

And before Jeno knows it, he's being dragged to the nearest Starbucks place possible– Donghyuck felt bad so he chose the one that's just around the school area.