[ cнapтer nιneтeen ➛ ѕтarт ]

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Christmas Eve morphed into Christmas Day, the general atmosphere of the world full of joy and cheer.

Jeno and Jaemin had been managing to stay somewhat civil throughout the break, but as soon as Christmas was over, they were back to their old spite, driving their mothers and friends insane.

When New Years had arrived, Chenle's parents hosting yet another party at their apartment, the Chinese boy was sick of fancy formal parties and decided he and his friends would go out instead.

All seven of them dressed up — as in traded sweats for fitted jeans and hoodies for button-ups that seemed to have a velvety texture or sweaters that only looked to be made of cashmere.

It was a generic party scene but held at a more authentic venue to avoid dangerous situations. The Chensung duo had run off, presumably spending the last moments of the year ensuring that they'd end up in hell when they died.

During the night of Christmas Eve at Chenle's apartment, nothing happened between the two, which disappointed Renjun further. They had just given up punching the door and had fallen asleep, waking up in the morning tangled in each other's limbs, bodies sore from the awkward positions in the closet. On Christmas Day in the early morning, a hired maid had come to clean the apartment and had unlocked the closet to see the poor boys stretching out their sore limbs.

Renjun had gone off to mingle with a kid named Nine — or Ten or whatever his numeric-based name was — and that group of friends, leaving Jeno and Jaemin to watch out for Markhyuck at the bar.

Jaemin had gone to the bathroom, Jeno left to call an old friend in a space where he could hear him, but upon their return, Markhyuck were drunk — thankfully not to a hazardous extent. The couple were downing shots to get intoxicated, but not enough to lose total control over body and brain functions.

"How the hell do you swallow all that alcohol?" Jaemin yelled over the music, slapping Donghyuck's hand away from reaching out to another shot glass, which the older whined at.

"How the hell do you not?" Mark asked, words slightly slurred as he smirked at Jaemin. "It's just like Donghyuck swallowing my cum. So Jae, don't be weak, go drink alcohol and get your mans Jen—"

He interrupted himself by hiccuping, and Donghyuck took over, laughing, a sound usually somewhat melodious, but when drunk made him sound closer to a dying donkey. "That's my motherfucker giving advice to stupid Jae."

"Why not fatherfucker?" Mark asked, grinning goofily at his boyfriend.

"Daddyfucker."

"Oh, daddy."

"Oh yes, daddy."

"Ew, don't bring Caillou into this," Jeno, who had been idly stirring a straw in his drink, looked up to scrunch his face in disgust.

"Jeno, stop being an assfart and save me from these dumbasses," Jaemin ordered, the older ignoring him and continuing his drink stirring.

Mark cheered, pumping his fists in the air, "Hell yes, Jaemin, get that ass!"

Suddenly, Donghyuck jumped off the revolving bar stool, weaving through the people on the dance floor. Mark stopped cheering to leave and follow him, leaving Jeno and Jaemin behind sighing in frustration.

At that point, Jaemin couldn't care less about what Markhyuck were doing or saying. He was having a terrible day, and needed something, anything, to spice it up so he could truly start the new year right. If only he could call Cardi.

The raven-haired boy yelled over the loud music, "Wanna go to the rooftop?!"

Jaemin shrugged and followed the older as they made their way through the dancing partiers and drunkards, going to the stairs and climbing up, finally able to breathe properly when walking out into the open, fresh night air.

Memories of that night four months ago when Jaemin had almost been raped began resurfacing in his mind, and he visibly shivered, hugging his arms protectively around himself.

He could never look or think about this sort of "city at night" aesthetic the same. The wind howling around him as cars whizzed in the streets down below, skyscrapers only a few storeys taller than him, the rest of the city bright blurred lights against inky black.

Jeno noticed the younger's discomfort and correctly guessed what he was thinking about. "You won't get kidnapped again, don't worry. Cue Jisoos."

The caramel-haired, whose face was only just illumined by the surrounding lights from inside other buildings snorted, but shook his head. "You weren't there when it happened. It was easy to forget and not worry about, and you saved me before anything could happen, but... they were fucking disgusting, Jeno. They kept calling me 'pretty boy' and told each other what they wanted to do to me, and how whoever is dating me is lucky—"

Unconsciously gritting his teeth, Jeno then interrupted in confusion, "They thought you were dating someone?"

Laughing, Jaemin remembered the first thing one of the three hooded guys had said to him when they whisked him away after his friends managed the fight and bolted away. "They thought I was dating you, ugh, ew. They were like 'That leather jacket sharp jawline hottie who fights good is lucky to be able to fuck you' or whatever. I almost puked and would have thrown hands if they hadn't cut off circulation to my arms. Ugh, it's pathetic how I still remember that shit."

The older scoffed. "Ew, I'm glad I fucking threw hands for you. And they actually have the collective IQs of expired nut butter, you'd be the lucky one to date me."

"I'd be lucky to get hit by a bus if I was dating you."

"Bitch! Anyone would kill for my dick—"

"And be disappointed because you don't have one."

Jeno shrieked, leaping at Jaemin, "I'm the one who roasts your dick, not the other way around!"

They were on the ground now, again, a frequent occurrence where they'd begin to fight and wrestle, throwing half-assed punches and slaps to ensure not leaving bruises that would get them in trouble.

Before they knew it, a countdown to midnight of December 31 had begun and was quickly approaching zero. It could be just heard from the random open windows where people in parties were screaming numbers in unison.

Jeno shushed the younger, having him locked under his straddle him as Jaemin tried to shove the older off of him so he could look around and hear better.

"—Three!

"Two!

"One!

"Happy New Year!!!"

Cheers and whoops erupted, Jeno still sitting on Jaemin as the caramel-haired stopped struggling to lay his head on the rough floor of the roof.

"Fucking worst New Year's ever," the younger complained, "I'm being topped by a little fuckstick without dick."

Jeno growled and threw another punch which Jaemin narrowly dodged.

When they were able to calm down and cease their fighting, they sat at the edge of the side of the rooftop that presented a scenic view of the city and spread out twinkling dots beyond it.

Legs dangling over the edge over the streets, they quietly observed the world past them, and could barely hear anything now except for the whistling wind.

Jaemin snaked his arm around Jeno's waist and leaned into the older boy, needing warmth because he felt so cold. It was a stupid idea wearing a thin button-up when it was fucking winter.

Shocked at the contact, Jeno almost jumped off the roof but was able to wrap an arm around the younger's shoulder and hold him so their sides were pressed flush against each other.

"Happy New Year, dumbfuck," Jaemin murmured, the tiniest of a smile on his face.

"It's like, 1:27am, but okay," Jeno said back, somehow unbothered by their proximity that wasn't due to fighting. "Merry 20-whatever-teen, you headass."

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"I'm fucking trying to fucking study you fucking fuck, fucking turn down your fucking music!"

"Fuck you! Fucking leave the fucking room if you fucking hate my fucking music that fucking much!"

School had tragically begun again, and with exams at the end of the month of January, students all over campus were stressed, depressed, and food obsessed.

The hype and excitement brought over from winter break died out fast as students had to transition focus onto textbooks and music, trying to retain all information they could in order to pass and pace the way for a hopeful future.

New Years had been long forgotten, Jaemin and Jeno aggressively hating on each other again. Neither could focus on studying with the other around, which resulted in procrastination, concentration on swearing at each other instead.

Thankfully, the sad stage of exam season passed, and it would be another five months until the disgusting tests would appear again. Students could breathe, and friendships were stronger than ever. The first semester at the school was always more difficult and stressful than the second.

When January had become February, the Dreamies were in bliss as this meant their class schedules changed. All seven boys had had their academic classes, as well as vocal, instrument, and music theory classes in their first semester. Starting from February, they would still have music theory, but dance classes instead of vocal or instrument, which particularly Jeno, Jaemin, Jisung, and Donghyuck greatly appreciated, all four having a strong passion for dance.

Dance classes were going fine, however, Valentine's Day was fast approaching which presented a challenge to Jaemin.

He wanted to do something significant and beautiful for Renjun but didn't know if he should disguise it as just a friendly gift, or disguise himself as a sort of secret admirer. And he didn't even know what the physical gift should be. Chocolates and flowers and teddy bears were too common and predictable, but also classic types of gifts that anyone would appreciate.

The caramel-haired had accidentally been pontificating the topic aloud one day, and Jeno had overheard from where he was in the room, seated at his desk organizing his things for the second semester.

"You're a fucking nerd," Jeno snorted, and Jaemin whipped his head up from the valentine's day gifts youtube video he was watching on his phone.

"Shut up," Jaemin ordered. "I have a plan."

Jeno stayed silent, allowing Jaemin to continue, "I'm going to send him letters! And say it's from a secret admirer and all the dumb shit. I'll hide them where he can't miss them, and maybe by Valentine's Day when he's wondering who they're from I can confess--"

His idea had been rudely interrupted when Jeno burst out into laughter. The older found it amusing how much the younger seemed to care about Renjun, and how much thought the younger had put into his idea. God, he was whipped for that Chinese kid.

"Good luck with that, don't go crying in the club when he rejects you 'cause you're pathetic."

"At least I'll have a chance at not being lonely like you on Valentine's."

"Don't bring Sistar into this, please."

"Oh shit— I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry."

"So is Starship Entertainment. I think. I hope."

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[ cнapтer nιneтeen ➛ end ]

a/n: thank fuck i take it back wattpad isn't tHat big a hoe.

bless up i better be able to use wattpad properly on phone now

also bless my battery percentage:')

hope you enjoyed the chap!! ilysm, prepare for sum shit thatll happen in the next chap ok bye<3