∆∆ ∆∆

Jaemin rushes out of his classroom as fast as he can. He slings his backpack over his shoulders and turns down the hall towards his locker, trying his best not to run into any other students. He skids to a stop when he reaches his locker. Jaemin unlocks it and grabs his books before slamming it shut and running back down the hall towards the exit gates. His math teacher had kept him 30 minutes after class and he was going to be late for work if he didn't run.

He catches the bus just in time and settles in the back, taking deep breaths. The bus ride lasts 5 minutes before Jaemin is off and running again. He worked at the local bakery, and even though it was small, it was popular. Every hour was rush hour at the establishment, which meant all hands on deck at every shift.

Jaemin enters through the employee's door, quietly greeting his coworker. The older man smiles at him and walks up to Jaemin. "Hey, kid." He ruffles the boy's hair gently, making Jaemin squinch his face. The older man laughs and takes his hand off Jaemin's head. "Did your teachers keep you again?"

"Yeah, something about my past test grade." Jaemin sighs, putting his apron on and heading to the kitchen area. Even though he was only 18, he worked in the kitchen. He was a naturally good cook, and after learning the recipes and a few tricks from the owner of the bakery, Jaemin easily became one of the best bakers that worked there.

His coworker followed him into the kitchen, also putting his apron on.

"How many customers do we have right now Sicheng hyung?" Jaemin asks the current baker whose shift he was taking over.

"Not a lot, but there will be a crowd coming in since school just got out for the day. Of course, you'd know that." he smiles and leaves the kitchen with a final goodbye to his two coworkers.

Jaemin turns to the older man beside him. "Alright Yuta hyung, let's get baking."

∆∆

Jeno enters his house with a sigh. His parents wanted him to come to the company after school to see how things were run. Jeno and his two older brothers were all there while their sister was off with her husband.

He climbs the stairway to his bedroom and falls onto his desk chair, completely worn out from his parent's lectures. He lifts his head slightly and mutters a 'come in' when someone knocks at his door.

His first oldest brother, Doyoung, pokes his head in and smiles. "Hey."

"Hey hyung, what's up?" Jeno gestures for his brother to come in and sits up.

"Just got a call from Sooyun, she's staying here while her husband is away on a business trip. You, me, and Jaehyun need to clean her room up since she hasn't stayed here since the wedding."

"Why doesn't she just stay at her house?" Jeno wonders and walks out of his bedroom and down the hall.

"Not sure, but it'll be nice to see her again, won't it?" Doyoung says as he follows the younger boy towards their eldest sister's room.

Jeno opens the door and sighs at the amount of dust that littered the empty dresser and bed frame. "Looks like we have our work cut out for us." He puts his hands on his hips and walks into the room, turning on the light. "Where's Jaehyun hyung?"

"He's coming."

"Alright...well, let's get cleaning."

∆∆

"Tell me again, why we're here the night before exams?" Jaemin asks rhetorically as he slumps into a booth of the club.

"Because," Mark sits beside him with a drink. "We need to loosen up a bit. We've all been studying like crazy the past week and it's time we let loose." He smiles.

Jaemin rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Right...shouldn't we celebrate after the exams?"

"Eh." Mark shrugs. "I'm not the only one who thought of the idea. I mean, look around." He gestures to all the high school students that littered the club's dance floor. Jaemin sighs but he can't argue with his friend, everyone was out tonight.

"Alright well," Jaemin starts as he stands up and stretches. "I'm gonna head to the roof again. I don't feel like partying tonight. Watch our kid for me."

"Will do captain." Mark salutes and Jaemin laughs. He leaves the table and makes his way to the back of the club. Jaemin climbs the stairs to the roof and opens the door.

Although he was surprised to see that Jeno kid again, he doesn't let his face show it. "Oh, didn't think you'd be back."

∆∆

Jeno turns at the voice, eyes widening when he sees the same boy from last week. Na Jaemin.

"I could say the same to you." He says after a moment. Jaemin only hums in response and sits down a few feet away from Jeno. "What brings you up here?" He asks after some silence.

"Exams. Don't feel like partying the night before a big test but I can't just leave my friends here alone."

"Ah."

"What about you?"

"Same reason. Stress from exams and stuff." Jeno looks up to the night sky tiredly. He wanted to go home but he also didn't at the same time. It was strange, missing the same place that you want to leave. Because it's the only thing you know, it's your familiarity, even if you don't like it, you feel like you need it. That's what home is to Jeno; a place where he's caught in the middle. Can't stay, but won't leave.

"What are private school exams even like?" Jaemin breaks the silence, not quite comfortable with the quiet boy beside him.

"Stressful. 3 full days of exams, 2 hours of exams each class. Every day is a half-day. It's really annoying. Although I suppose public school exams are the same way."

"No, they just shove us in the gym and give us our exams for each class. Once we finish one exam, they give another. We get all our tests done in 1 day. It's crammed and super stressful. Although we can leave whenever we finish our exams: some kids could be gone at lunch while others leave at like 4:30."

"Wow, that sounds...confusing."

"You get used to it after a while," Jaemin says, now also looking up at the sky.

"Jaemin.."

"Mm?"

"You said, when we met, that you have a house, not a home..."

"Did I?"

"Yeah..." Jeno pauses, choosing his next words carefully. "I think I know what you mean now."

"Do you, now? Mm, good luck then." Jaemin chuckles coldly.

"I mean it...Like, it's hard to explain but I know what you mean."

"It is hard to explain, isn't it? A tough balance that we have to work out for ourselves."

"Yeah, I guess," Jeno says quietly, looking at his lap in thought. Jaemin turns to the boy beside him and gives him a lop-sided smile.

"It's a tough world out there. I guess this is just another way to prepare us because not everything will feel like home. Might as well start that feeling early." His sentence gets quieter at the end as if he was truly speaking from the heart; which Jeno guess he was. Jeno didn't know much about the struggles of the regular world, with everyone doing things for him, he was always put to the side. Always told someone else could and would take care of it. Never getting a chance to make his own decisions or his own mistakes.

"What time is it? My phone is dead." Jaemin asks quietly.

Jeno takes out his phone and unlocks it. "12 am."

"Ok..thanks." Jaemin begins to stand and brushes his legs off. "I should make sure my friends get home. Good luck with your exams."

Jeno watches Jaemin walk away. "You too."

"See you around Jeno." Jaemin leaves the roof. Jeno stays where he was for a half-hour more till he leaves back home as well.

∆∆ ∆∆

∆Hey guys, here's the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading this book, I'm glad you like it. I'm not fully sure where this is going but it's going somewhere lmao. Ok, see you soon∆

EDIT: for some reason this never published??? or maybe it did and im just confused. anyways- here ya go lmao