"Lucas hyung!" Jeno calls out, slamming his locker door shut with a loud sound, resulting the people around him to flinch.

He didn't notice yet, as he was too busy getting the said elder boy's attention away from the vending machine nearby.

Lucas finally acknowledged him and smiled, quickly grabbing his can of Coke he had just gotten from the vending machine before approaching the younger boy.

"Hey, Jen." He greets, opening his soda can with a pop as some of the liquid fizzled to the top, spilling a bit on his hand and onto the floor. "Shit." He cussed.

"Please clean that up, Mr. Wong." A teacher said, passing by them without a single glance but still had to call the basketball player out.

"Yes, ma'am." Lucas replied drowsily, feeling embarrassed especially with his soda still fizzling.

Jeno reaches behind him, unzipping his backpack and taking out a few tissues. "Here," he hands out. "I bring some just in case Bongsik's fur got stuck in my clothes and I inhale them."

"Thanks." With a smile, Lucas takes it with his unoccupied hand and cleans up the mess on his other one, before proceeding to kneel down and wipe the floor.

It's not much of a mess, just a few droplets, but still. It can be risky.

Throwing the used and soaked tissue into the nearby trashcan, Lucas finally takes a sip on his (thankfully) slightly cold beverage, ending it with a satisfied sigh.

"Oh yeah, what did you need?" He asked, coming back to realization that Jeno had called him for something, and that something was probably not getting embarrassed by him in the school hallways.

"Is Jaemin waiting at the back of the building?" The brunet tilts his head to the side, eyes filled with excitement and hope.

Lucas couldn't help but coo at the sight of Jeno's soulmate mark. His dream soulmate mark.

It wasn't a secret to the basketball team about their captain's best friend having such hope and wonders to find his fated partner.

So he's not surprised to see Jeno being.... Jeno.

Although, he is still wondering why the younger boy didn't seem scared or bothered about his in-denial of a soulmate. Especially after what happened yesterday.

Is he really not bothered to see Jaemin? After landing a punch on his eye (leaving said soulmate mark), being kind of an asshole towards him, pushing him away?

"Yeah..." Lucas drawls, gulping down his drink and asking again, "do you want to see him?" Carefully watching the younger's reaction.

The brunet smiled, "yes please." He answered confidently. Seemingly firm as well, making Lucas can't help but question.

"Are you not bothered he was an asshole towards you? Not just yesterday but... So far... You know?" He pursed his lips, hesitant about his question. Not wanting to upset the younger.

Jeno shook his head with a small 'mm-mm' and shrugged his shoulders. "Why would I be bothered?" He asked, genuinely confused.

The elder blinks, "I don't know...." He stammered.

Just, how persistent is Jeno on making his love life a success?

"But, I'm just saying, what if he's going to get physical this time? I mean, Jaemin is low tempered, and hard headed sometimes. Mark would kill me if he found out I just let it happen." He mumbled.

He paused before widening his eyes, "Holy shit- Mark's going to kill me." He panics and almost drops his can of soda, almost creating another mess, almost having to clean up again.

"Mark hyung won't kill you if you don't say anything," Jeno shrugged, already grabbing Lucas by the wrist.

"What are you-"

"Just let me do the talking," the younger coaxed, dragging him along towards the exit. "Now let's go." He chirped while Lucas was mentally praying for help.

Apparently, he's that persistent.

☺︎︎

Arriving at the back of the school, Jaemin was already there. This time, sipping on a cup with a straw on it. He stops abruptly before growling.

"What the hell-"

"Hi soulmate!" Jeno squealed happily as he lets go of Lucas's wrist before approaching the elder boy who seemed now irritated than the peaceful look on his face before.

"Don't step anywhere closer." Jaemin scolds, pointing an accusing finger at the younger who obediently stopped just a few steps away.

"Ohhh, boundaries. I understand," the brunet smiled, mentally taking note that his soulmate probably doesn't want to be bothered by him if he's busy.

"Why are you here?" The mysterious dark haired boy scowled, glancing at Lucas who scratched his nape before gulping his soda down.

"I wanted to see you!" Jeno answered, swaying his shoulders side to side. Lucas cooed aloud, making them turn towards him.

"Oh, sorry. That was cute though." He shrugged.

"Shut up." Jaemin rolled his eyes. He turns back to the brunet and tsked, "well you've seen me, now go home."

"Can't," Jeno said.

"And why not?"

"Because, I've just arrived." He giggled, finding his soulmate silly for sending him home this early.

Hell, even Haechan spoils him to go out to the arcade late at night, while totally ignoring Mark's scoldings.

"That's ridiculous." Jaemin grunts and takes another sip of his beverage, Jeno watching him with his eyes trailing down to his adams apple bobbing.

"What?" The dark haired boy raised a brow, finding it weird this kid is staring at his neck like an animal.

"Nothing." Jeno smiled before glancing at the cup of whatever it was on Jaemin's grip. "What are you drinking?" He asked, once again tilting his head.

"Raspberry juice." Jaemin emphasized while shaking the half drunken cup, hearing the straw click around the plastic inside from the action.

"Oh, that's tasty!"

"Awww, you guys are having a conversation." Lucas butts in, wiggling his eyebrows at Jaemin who groans.

"We're not."

"We're not?" Jeno pouts, staring at him with big doe eyes.

It doesn't help with that soulmate mark on his left eye, emphasizing and reminding Jaemin of that one specific emoji on his phone. He just can't remember what it was.

"We're not." He grits his teeth, "I'm simply answering his questions. Not wanting to but forced to. Now, you can go home now, kid. You've been here for a few minutes already."

"But I want to stay more," Jeno whined, crossing his arms as he stared back into Jaemin's eyes.

Jaemin wanted to try something, but for some reason, he couldn't. Like as in he really couldn't do it to Jeno. What the hell was preventing him?

"It's okay, Jeno. You can still go hangout with Jaemin, especially on this Friday." Lucas said with a grin on his face.

The mentioned latter glared at him, muttering something incoherent, probably telling him to shut the fuck up or he'll punch him next.

But Lucas decided to ignore him anyway.

"What's on Friday?" Jeno asked, now softening his facial expression and uncrossing his arms, lazily draping them down his sides.

"Lucas..." The dark haired boy drawls the elder's name, as if a warning (it is) before he'll regret it after.

"Oh you must know." The elder continued, totally getting confident and shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

Jeno raised a brow in anticipation, what was going on this Friday?

"It's Jaemin's birthday." The basketball player grins even more wider as Jaemin groans aloud while Jeno gasps softly near him.

"My dear soulmate, this is great!"