<><>

Jaemin walks through the hallways of his school happily. Donghyuk came back two weeks ago and since then, things have seemed so much brighter. It was easier to get up in the morning, and he found himself actually enjoying his classes for once. Heck, even dealing with Jeno was getting easier. Although he was still a total asshole.

Jaemin knew something had happened to Jeno...he could feel it. And as much as he didn't want to care, his "soulmate instincts", as Donghyuk called it, made him worry. He never said anything though, never questioned why Jeno would come in late with his eyes bloodshot from crying. Never questioned why the older was less snarky towards him and seemed to have just given up instead. Jaemin didn't question the silence, or the tiredness. He didn't think about Jeno's prominent eye bags or messy bedhead every day. Whatever was happening with Jeno didn't concern Jaemin, nor did he want it to. Jeno said not to talk to him unless necessary, and this wasn't necessary.

Jaemin closes his locker and swings his backpack over his shoulders, making his way towards the school exit. He stepped out onto the pavement and made his way towards the gates, taking out his phone in the process.

Jae, Jae & Tae

Nana:
Hyungs,, do you want me to pick up some food while I walk home ?

Taeyongie:
....me and jae were actually planning on going out tonight,, sorry kid

Jeffrey:
You can buy yourself some ramen or kimchi right? Or if you want we can bring you home some dinner...although that might be a wait

Nana:
Oh okie
I'll just buy smth for myself,, but bring me back some dessert (unless its fancy, i dont want fancy)

Taeyongie:
거기 너 I fancy you
Sorry :)))
But sure lmao we'll see what we can get

Jeffrey:
Sound good kid ?

Nana:
Yeah
I'll see you guys later tonight then :)

Jaemin locks his phone and makes his way down the road towards the local convenience store, deciding to just pick up some doritos and whatever else came to his fancy.

Walking into the store, Jaemin hears a groan and a "oh you have got to be kidding me." He raises an eyebrow and turns to the store front...and there stands Jeno at the cash register. Glaring right at Jaemin. The younger rolls his eyes and just goes to grab the snacks he wanted.

Jeno sits at the register, waiting for nothing more than to go home to his room where he can do his work and eat his popcorn in peace. He knew his mom wasn't home tonight, so he didn't have to worry about dealing with her. His stomach grumbles, echoing through the store, Jeno just groans in response.

Jaemin grabs his food and heads back towards the front and shifts his backpack before handing over the money to the not-so happy Jeno.

"Any day you could come in here and it just had to be the one day I work." Jeno mutters under his breath, not caring if Jaemin heard. He did, though.

"Well apologies, Not my fault my brother went out tonight." Jaemin snaps back, grabbing the plastic bag from Jeno's hand. He leaves the store in a hurry, ready to head home and eat his food.

The older rolls his eyes and sighs, watching his soulmate's receding figure before looking back down at the counter. His eyes widen when he sees a bag of doritos laying in front of him. Written on the bag in sharpie, messy enough that Jeno knew that it was written quickly, was a note.

Your stomach is loud. And so are you -_-
-Jaemin

Jeno rolls his eyes at the rude remark, but opens the bag of chips and eats them anyways. A bag of chips was a bag of chips, no matter who it came from.

<><>

The thing that Jaemin hated the most about having a soulmate, that he has come to realize, is the instinctual feeling of needing to protect them. He didn't want to give Jeno his precious bag of doritos, but his gut told him otherwise....he did balanced it out with the snarky note though; so he tried not to think about it too much.

But he still didn't like this feeling. The feeling of needing to protect his soulmate, of needing them to be happy. Jaemin knew, for a fact, that he did not like Lee Jeno. But that didn't stop his stupid-ass soulmate instincts from kicking in. Jaemin just wondered if Jeno was struggling as much as him with this shit.

<><>

Jeno tries his best to not worry about his mom, but he couldn't help it. She hadn't been home for two days now and Jeno was getting anxious. Of course, this isn't the first time she's been gone for a long period of time. Once she was gone for almost a week.

But knowing his mom, anything could be possible; and he didn't mean that in a good way. Sighing and figuring that he wouldn't be able to finish his work, Jeno closes his science notebook and leans back in his chair. Who cared about physics anyways?

Marck:
Hey asshat
H e y
B r u h
Dude
A n s w e r m e

NoJam:
What >:|

Marck:
Well....
jisungiscryinginmybedroomrightnowsoisuggestyoucomeover

NoJam:
Ok
omw
Whats he sad bout

Marck:
Idk he wont talk to me
He just came to my door repeating a bunch of "it hurts" before collapsing on my bed and bawling

NoJam:
wtf

Marck:
Idk man but i suggest you hurry

NoJam:
Yeah yeah im almost there

Jeno continues to speed walk down the street. It was moments like these that he was grateful for his and Mark's close proximity. He runs up the porch steps before entering Mark's house, knowing very well that the door would be unlocked.

He enters Mark's room quietly, and finds the older sitting on the bed, trying to comfort Jisung. "Hey..."

Mark looks up. "That was fast."

"You told me to hurry." Jeno rolls his eyes before sitting on the other side of the bed. "Jisung?"

"It h-hurts." a muffled voice comes out from the bundle of pillows and blankets.

"What hurts."

"M-my heart."

Jeno raises an eyebrow at Mark, who just shrugs his shoulders in response. "Why does your heart hurt?" Jisung only shook his head in response. Jeno sighs and tries again. "Jisung...what happened?" His voice was soft but still demanding, signaling to Jisung that he needs to tell them.

The young boy sits up, rubbing his tear stained cheeks and sniffling. "My oldest brother Taeil...was kicked out of the house because..." Jisung chokes up before he could finish. Jeno and Mark share a worried look. Taeil was 25 and practically a mother to Jisung. They knew how much the two brothers loved each other, so to hear that the boy was kicked out of his house....

Jisung regains his composure. "He was kicked out because he didn't want to run the family business. Mom and dad didn't like that obviously, so they cut him off from all of us. Especially me. I don't even know where he is now." Jisung begins to cry again and covers his face with his hands.

"Holy shi-"

"Mark." Jeno gives his friend a glare before turning back to Jisung. "Do you have any idea where he might be?"

"N-no...I have no clue. One morning he was just gone. His room was empty; it looked abandoned and dark. Mom and dad didn't say anything except that night, telling us that my sister Hana, was gonna take over the company." Jeno nods in understanding, Hana was second oldest to Taeil, 21.

"So he's just...gone?"

"Y-yeah And it hurts because now it feels like I have no reason to go home anymore." Jisung says sadly. Mark and Jeno look at each other, before they share a nod.

"Well Sungie, you know how my parents are never home, so you can always stay here...or at least when you don't want to go to your house."

"Really?"

Mark smiles and nods. "Of course kid. Anytime." Jisung smiles, grateful he had friends like Jeno and Mark.

<><>

Jaemin groans into his pillow and pulled his blanket up farther over his head. He knew Jaehyun and Taeyong loved each other, but did they have to be that loud? At 3:00 am? On a Friday? Jaemin sighs and continues to flip around on his bed, trying to get the sound of his oh-so-sweet brother moaning 'daddy' at 3am.

As you can tell, Jaemin didn't feel strongly on the topic.

He takes his phone out, opens spotify and puts in his airpods (because he don't speak broke smh), blasting his music at full volume. Jaemin then gets out of bed, and puts on some sweatpants and shoes before leaving the house.

He didn't care if it was 3 am, Jaemin did not want to know what Taeyong's orgasms sounded like. He walks down the familiar sidewalk, earbuds blasting and the stars shining brightly over the otherwise dark streets.

Humming along, Jaemin walks through the park...but he pauses when he hears some crying.

"Hello? Are you ok?" The teenager walks towards a bench where a dark figure sits, hunched over. "Sir?"

The man looks up, his cheeks stained by his tears. "I left him...I left Jisung."

With that, Jaemin immediately begins to calm down the man in front of him.

<><>

Jaemin soon finds himself texting probably his least favorite person at 3:30 am; Jeno. The man, who Jaemin now knew as Taeil, sits beside him, sniffling.

Jaemin:
Uh we kinda got an issue

Jeno:
Tf you texting me at 3am for

Jaemin is surprised at how quickly Jeno replies.

Jaemin:
-_-
Just bring Jisung to the park by the elementary school

Jeno:
You planning my murder ?
I swear if this is some prank

Jaemin:
......
Taeil's here

It shows Jeno read the message, and after 30 seconds he replies.

Jeno:
omw

<><>

<Hey guys! This chapter is kinda wonky but I really don't wanna rush the romance, since they're like basically rivals ....but boy-oh-boy do i have some good ideas *wink wonk* also thank you for over 370 reads!! Like wtf i literally blinked and this got a shit ton of reads. It makes me so happy omg i love you guys sm! Oh and one final thing: THAT PIC AT THE TOP IS SO FUCKING CUTE I MEAN HIS SMILE BITCH IM CRYING>