∆∆ ∆∆

Jeno slowly opens his eyes, focusing down on the boy in his arms almost instantly. His face brightens up when he sees the boy stir before him, Jaemin's eyes blinking awake.

"Wh-where..." He trials off, eyes scanning his surroundings. Jeno found it adorable. A sleepy, discombobulated Jaemin just screamed Big Baby Energy. Jaemin blinks a few more times, eyes making contact with Jeno's.

Jeno closes his eyes half way, making them lidded as he tiredly gazes at Jaemin. They had slept all day, and it was around 10 pm.

"You're welcome, by the way."

Jaemin gently raises a brow. "F-for what?" He sleepily stammers, making him even smaller than he already was. The close proximity was getting to him and he could already feel his ears turning red.

"Earlier, before we went back to sleep, you said thank you. And now I'm saying you're welcome."

"Oh...." Jaemin nods slowly, making Jeno's eyes shift into crescents and a happy grin appear on his face.

"You're so cute."

Now that got Jaemin's heart racing. He looks anywhere but Jeno, in fear that his blush would get stronger. That his heart would beat faster. "Sh-shut up." Jeno just laughs happily. He closes his eyes and just relaxes, listening to the steady breathing of the boy beside him.

"Wait, Jeno..."

"Hmm?"

"What day is it?" Because Jaemin knew that it still couldn't be Thursday.

"Friday."

"And what time is it?"

"Like 10 pm. Don't worry, I told Renjun to tell Chenle to tell Mark what was happening. You're fine."

Jaemin just nods and glances to the window, seeing the moonlight break through the silk, white curtains. The stars rising high in the sky within the sea of blacks and blues. Faintly, through the roofs and city buildings, Jaemin could see the misty clouds of the Milkyway. The stars and colorful galaxy wrapping around him in a comforting hold. Keeping him warm and safe. Every once in a while, he'd see a small star twinkle out, giving its final breath to the sky. Dropping down through the clouds, plummeting to earth and breaking through the sky. It leaves a streak, sparkling as it falls further and further till finally it's gone. Off to some other universe. Shooting through the sky, for merely a moment. It reminded Jaemin of what his sister used to say whenever they saw a shooting star.

'The stars shine for us Jaeminnie. They fly for us, and only us. You and me.'

"Look Je..." Jaemin lifts his body so he's sitting up fully. He points to the window, his direction poking through the curtains, creating a line between the bed and the stars. "A shooting star." He watches it fly past, the blinding light there for only but a moment. The glorious glow shoots across the sky; one moment it's all Jaemin can see, and in the next, it's gone. Never to return.

"They're beautiful, aren't they." Jeno sits up as well, his arms still around Jaemin's waist.

"Yeah...Hayoon always liked shooting stars. Right after she got diagnosed, she told me that as long as there were still stars in the sky and the moon still shone, then she would always be with me. No matter what would happen." Jaemin smiles as he sees another shooting star.

"You know," Jeno places his chin on Jaemin's shoulder, looking out to the sky. "They said there was supposed to be a star shower a few weeks ago. When it didn't come, they said that the scientists measured it wrong." He chuckles. "Yet here they are. Just a little bit late, but they're here."

Jaemin nods. "...Yeah..."

Jeno shifts a bit and brings the younger between his legs, smiling at the boy's face. Jaemin's eyes were full of wonder as he looked at the stars. The hope slowly returned to him. He was sparkling brighter than the stars, finally becoming himself once more. The grief leaving his body, even if only for a few hours. "You know, when I was 13 and all my siblings were in college, my parents would keep me in the house almost all the time. They tried to make me grow up restricted. Cut and formed into their perfect third son. Clearly that didn't work out so well. But at night, when the whole house was asleep, I would sit in bed and stare at the stars. Sometimes I would talk to them, in stupid hope that maybe my siblings would hear me and they would talk back. I wondered if we were even looking at the same stars." He smiles softly when Jaemin looks at him. "All my siblings studied abroad. Jaehyun went to America, Sooyun went to France, and Doyoung went to Japan. They didn't come back for holidays or summer breaks, they stayed where they were and studied hard. It paid off of course, now Sooyun is in charge of a chain restaurant business. She came back to Korea, started the business up with only a small restaurant in the heart of the city. She married and had a child, all before the age of 25. Amazing, isn't she?"

"What about your brothers?"

"Well, Doyoung and Jaehyun are finishing business school here, because dad wants them to run the company. They don't mind doing it though, so it's a win-win."

"What about you?"

Jeno looks away from the stars and to the boy in his arms. "Hmm?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Oh...I'm not sure really. I've always had a knack for medical stuff, and I enjoy helping people. Maybe a doctor or something."

"It would suit you."

"You think so?" Jeno laughs softly, raising a brow. Jaemin nods, humming to prove his point further. "What do you want to be Nana?"

Jaemin smiles, looking back out to the stars, only a few were left shooting across the sky. "I'd like to help people as well. I want to either work in child trauma and abuse cases, or being a child psychologist."

"Why children?"

"No one should have a grim or traumatizing childhood. Because from what I've seen, it really changes you." Jaemin sighs, remembering an old friend of his. "I knew this guy when I was younger. He was my sister's and I's best friend. His name was Kang Yeosang, and he was two years older than us. His parents were abusive and one day, when me and Hayoon were 12 and he was 14, we found him hung up in his room. He had commited suicide. The trauma had eaten away at him over the years. He was never the same once his parents began to beat him and it just became too much. I don't think any child should have to go through what he did. They don't deserve that."

"You really are so strong Nana..."

"I have to be."

"I know...I know..."

"......I'm hungry." Jeno laughs, making Jaemin glare at him. "I mean it! I haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning!"

"Ok ok, let's go down and make something to eat. We just can't wake up mom or dad." Jaemin nods and slides off the bed, immediately shivering at the cold temperature of the room. But only now did he realize that he wasn't wearing his clothes anymore.

"Jeno...did you change me!?"

"Hm? No, don't worry. You were half asleep but you changed yourself. You might not remember though." Jaemin just nods, only half believing him. "Come on, Sooyun went grocery shopping yesterday." He leads the boy downstairs, not even noticing he was holding his hand.

Jaemin, upon seeing the fridge, opens it and looks around. He makes a tiny 'aha' sound and begins pulling out ingredients. "Je, get me a pot, a knife, and a cutting board."

"Aye-aye captain."

Pretty soon, the smell of ramen and green onions (aka scallions) filled the faintly lit kitchen. The padding of tiny feet makes both boys freeze in their spot. Chan comes around the corner, a tiny, orange blanket trailing behind him.

"Uncle Nono, Uncle Nana?" He rubs his eyes tiredly, blinking to make out the tall figures before him. The two boys slowly turn to look at the little boy.

Jeno and Jaemin share a look, the older having no idea what to do and the younger scared shitless.

"Channie...what are you doing up?" Jaemin takes action first and crouches in front of the little boy.

Chan sniffs and continues to rub his eyes. "I had bad dream. It was really scary." He pouts and looks up to the honey-haired teen who brings him into a hug.

"You poor thing...Did the bad dream wake you?" Chan just nods and weakly clings to Jaemin as he stands. He holds Chan to his chest, rocking the toddler to calm him down. "Me and Uncle Nono were just about to have a late night snack..Do you want to sit with us?" He looks to Jeno who just shrugs. He was too preoccupied with how Jaemin called him Uncle Nono.

"Y-yeah." Chan nods again, lifting his head to look around the kitchen. "What you make?"

Jaemin smiles at the baby's broken korean. "I made us some ramen. You can only have a little bit though, I don't want you getting a tummy ache." He chuckles and pats the boy's tummy affectionately. Chan giggles and nods. "Ok, I'm going to set you at the counter. You and Uncle Nono can wait while I put the noodles into bowls." He gestures for Jeno to take the baby from his arms. The black haired boy nods and holds Chan by the counter as Jaemin quickly finds the bowls and serves them.

He places the bowls down and the 3 begin to eat. Well, Jeno eats while Jaemin feeds Chan.

"Uncle Nono why are you looking at Uncle Nana like that?" Chan questions after a few minutes. Jaemin raises a brow and looks at Jeno who was just staring at him.

"Yeah, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you're beautiful."

Jaemin groans and covers his red face. "Shut up~" He honestly had no idea what had gotten into Jeno, but now he was so confident. And it wasn't playful either, Jaemin knew Jeno was being serious in everything he did. Which was probably what was causing his heart to beat and bloom as it did. Jaemin didn't know what to think of the older, but he knew that Jeno was more than just a friend at this point. That week away from him really taught Jaemin a few things. One being that he had gotten really used to Jeno being by his side almost everyday.

"I'm not lying Jaemin."

"I know." Jaemin's voice was muffled as his face was still covered with his hands. He slowly removes them and doesn't look in Jeno's direction. He silently continues to feed the baby, who was eating quite happily. Jeno just smiles and watches the small interaction with pure adoration. He made a promise to himself, he would do anything to make Jaemin his.

∆∆ ∆∆

∆I...I HAD A WHOLEASS BREAKDOWN LAST NIGHT BECAUSE OF THIS FANFIC I READ AND IM SAYING THIS EVERYWHERE BUT SERIOUSLY I FUCKING CRIED OH MY GOD IM TOO ATTACHED THIS ISN'T OK :(( anyways, I hope you all liked this chapter even though it's kinda weird. When I get emotional then my chapters tend to get wonky so idk if this turned out ok or not. Lmao thank you for reading and getting this book to over 880 reads. Fucking crazy yall my god. I'll see you soon∆