"So, can anyone tell me the answer to question number twelve?" Looking around, the teacher carefully eyes his students; some interested, others not so much.

Apparently, one of them is;

"Ah, Jaemin." His face lights up a bit when he finally chooses a student of his.

However, he soon gets confused when the said blond haired boy didn't acknowledge him, even when he starts mentioning his name several times.

Jaemin was just staring at the textbook, not realizing his surroundings and definitely on which question they're at now.

Fortunately for him, their current teacher in this subject isn't too harsh and strict. In fact, he approaches the blond haired boy and gently taps his shoulder.

Flinching, Jaemin looks up to meet the middle-aged man's gaze filled with concern. "Jaemin-ssi, are you feeling okay?"

A little caught off guard, Jaemin clears his throat and nods his head. Not fast enough to form coherent words of excuse due to his teacher commenting.

"You're spacing out a lot, are you sure you're doing alright?"

"Yes, sir. Sorry, I was just– thinking about something." Though, as if he senses his teacher's obvious concern, he quickly adds on. "But it's nothing to worry about, it's something stupid."

His teacher looked doubtful at first, but he thankfully doesn't push it further as he nods his head. "Well, I hope it'll get sorted out for you," wholeheartedly speaking.

When he turns around to head back to the front of the classroom, choosing another student, Jaemin quietly exhales in relief.

However, weirdly enough, he feels a heavy gaze behind him. Someone staring at the back of his head while biting on his pen.

But Jaemin doesn't dare to turn around to meet the intense gaze, not even for a quick second while their teacher is busy.

Because he knows it'll be harder to turn away from those dark brown eyes filled with so much mystery, something that excites and scares Jaemin all in the same time.

Not now, not in class.

But maybe later. Where there's time for him to stare back into those eyes, let himself get lost without anyone disturbing him– them.

𖤈

"Do you want to go to my house?" The brunet boy in front of him snaps his head up at the sudden question. Eyebrows furrowed yet he seems a bit delighted.

"Oh? So sudden?" He muses, the corner of his lips slowly curling up.

Jaemin huffs with a roll of his eyes, although the tip of his ears are slightly turning red; never missing the younger boy's eagle eyes.

"I'm just asking. If you don't want to, we don't have to." He grumbles out as an excuse.

Chuckling, Jeno shakes his head at him in silly. "That's sweet of you, babe. And I'd love to visit your house, I was just not expecting you suddenly inviting me over."

Clicking his tongue, Jaemin glances around, trying to be as discreet as possible and mutters. "Stop calling me that."

Already knowing what he meant, Jeno giggles before he heads off first, Jaemin quickly catching up to him but also a bit cautious.

"You're cute, love." The brunet boy hums, walking confidently with such an aura that both intimidates and gets people's attention.

𖤈

Sitting on Jaemin's bed; somewhat a bit smaller than his own back at his house but nonetheless, it's comfortable. Both of them were quiet for a moment.

There's that part in Jaemin's head again that's yelling at him. For letting Lee Jeno come over to his house, to which he so confidently swore to his friends not to ever do that.

But here they are now, in Jaemin's room, on his bed, just inches away from each other.

Jaemin doesn't know if he's thankful or not that his parents are out right now. Leaving him alone with Lee Jeno.

Well, atleast he can kick him out whenever he wants like what Haechan said back then.

"Tell me everything," finally, after a long pause. Jaemin says aloud, "everything that you know– what you meant." Tone firm as he looks at Jeno.

The younger boy softens, despite knowing the atmosphere in the room. He can't help but feel a bit pitiful of Jaemin's stressed out mind; all because of him.

"Where do I start?"

"Any. Just... Don't miss a detail."

Nodding, Jeno takes a deep breath while Jaemin waits patiently, legs criss crossed on his neat bed.

"Most people have masks on, especially at school." Jeno starts off. "To hide who they truly are."

"But, I'm jealous to those whom don't have any masks on, confident and happy of who they are."

Jaemin catches Jeno's fingers, starting to pick on his skin as he sits with both legs curled to the opposite side of where Jaemin is.

"Renjun and I..." He immediately averts his eyes away from Jeno's fingers up to his face once he hears his best friend's name.

"We used to date."

The small confession was enough for Jaemin to choke on his own spit, so unexpected and odd to hear.

"What?"

"Renjun... He's my ex boyfriend. My first ever real boyfriend." Jeno elaborates, "not a fling or whatever. An actual boyfriend."

"But... How– I mean, that's– sorry, I'm just so shocked right now." Jeno chuckles at his words, nodding in understanding.

"Renjun and I met long ago, started dating in freshmen year but broke up after a few months."

"Why's that?" Jaemin couldn't help but ask, getting even more curious each second.

Jeno sighs, and for a moment, Jaemin feels bad. Because the Lee Jeno in front of him, sitting on his bed, isn't so snarky and quick-witted.

He looks sad and guilty.

"Some guy tried asking me out," Jeno starts off in a mumble. "But I rejected him... He didn't liked it."

Pushing his tongue against his inner cheek, he continues. "Long story short, the guy kissed me and told everyone we were together. Obviously Renjun heard."

"But were you?" Mindlessly inching closer, Jaemin gulps. "Were you guys together?"

"Of course not." The brunet boy immediately looks up at him with a slightly offended face. "But Renjun already believed the rumors."

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?"

Jeno chuckles at his question, not even trying to hide how fake it sounded to Jaemin's ears. "I tried, but he chose to believe them."

Going quiet, Jaemin takes a moment– not only for him, but for Jeno too. Before he asks again, "what else did you mean by most people at school having masks on?"

"Exactly what you think it means," Jeno was quick to reply. "A lot of them are fake, if you think I am too, they're faker than me."

His words gave Jaemin a click in his mind, and Jeno notices by the way his facial expressions change. "Yes, Alissa is one of them too. Stop thinking about her, she transferred to another school."

Jaemin almost laughs at the way Jeno said it, rolling his eyes as well in annoyance. "Why are you with those people?" Another question was muttered out.

Jeno hums, not hesitating to reply as if he had already seen this coming.

"Simple, well– for us it is. But you're a little clueless," he said, however, Jaemin wasn't even a bit offended by that.

"In our school, once people have an idea of what kind of person you are, actually correct or not, you're most likely going to have to live by that image."

When Jaemin was about to say something, Jeno beats him to it. "Hence, there's me. Kissing and flirting with every boy in school, begging for attention."

"Because of what happened..." The blond haired boy trails off, remembering what Jeno said earlier about him and Renjun.

"Yes," the younger boy smiles. It's visibly fake. "Because of that, everyone started thinking I was a whore. For cheating on my boyfriend and having a hard time to say 'no'."

The last part made Jaemin curious, "you... struggle to reject?" Assumption on point when he gets a firm nod.

"Do you really think I enjoy kissing those bastards?" Jeno raises a brow at him in amusement.

"That's dangerous, Jeno." Jaemin lowers his voice, "you could–"

"I assume you think I've lost my v-card by now, huh?" Jeno's question makes Jaemin flustered. Face flushing as he becomes speechless.

Rolling his eyes, Jeno reaches to pinch Jaemin's nose. "I'm a virgin, you idiot." If Jaemin's face wasn't red enough, it sure is now.

Clicking his tongue as he then adds, "I don't actually end up in bed with them. I only give them a blowjob or a handjob, that's it."

"Wait... But Haechan sa–"

"I don't know if you're aware, Na Jaemin. But your best friends have masks too," Jeno cuts him off with so much seriousness in him.

And for once, Jaemin believes him.