story description :
> wherein jaemin would always bring out the best of him.

• • •

jeno was exhausted from all the exercising he did, and when he got home. the lights weren't working, and he just wants to rest.

' how sad. he was expecting for a hug from his bunny. '

he just closed the lights and went to the refrigerator to drink some cold water. the refrigerator wasn't working, so he thought that maybe his roommate and lover, jaemin, closed the panel box or something.

because it would be impossible for the power to be gone magically since they paid for their room just fine and the power from the other rooms outside were perfectly fine.

he then went to the panel box, sitting behind the door to their living room. he looked at it and he's right. it was closed.

' why would he close it though? '

he turned it on and, boom. the power were working.

"pssst! jeno hyung!" he heard a whisper. it sounded like it was coming from behind the sofa, so he went there to check.

"what?" he rubbed his eyes to make sure that no one was really there. "maybe i'm just tired." he closed his mouth as he yawned.

he went inside the bathroom to take a quick shower, but he heard a whisper again as he shut the door.

"hyung! why are you ignoring me?" the whisper sounded familiar to jeno's ear.

"chenle? are you there?" he asked as he opened the door, and was surprised to see no one. "my brain's messing with me." he looked around. he felt his feet step on something so he looked down.

he picked the paper up, and saw a message written on it.

'' we got a surprise for you! go to donghyuck's and renjun's apartment and see~ we'll be waiting for you, hyung! ''

'a surprise? for what?' he folded the paper neatly and placed it on his nightstand. 'i'll take a shower first.'

••

he just finished showering, and changing his clothes as well.

maybe he should check on jaemin, and maybe let him tag along as they go to renhyuck's apartment.

he knocked on jaemin's room before entering.

"jaemin?" he asked, but no one answered. he walked around the younger's room and saw a note sitting on jaemin's bed.

'' find me if you can~ love you ❣︎
hint : surprise ! ''

a chuckle came out of jeno's mouth. this was obviously jaemin's handwriting. 'he's probably with the others.'

it gave him more motivation to go to the surprise his friends told him.

••

"hyuck? renjun hyung?" jeno knocked on the door after he rung the doorbell.

he waited for a good few seconds before the door finally opens.

but strangely, no one was there when the door opened. it opened by...force?

"i'm coming in." jeno said. making sure that the two were aware.

the lights were off, and the whole room was dark.

'what the heck?' jeno went to the wall to search for the light switch.

and as soon as he opened the lights, he was surprised by the confetti that jisung threw and the cake that was held by donghyuck.

"happy birthday lee jeno!" everyone cheered. they then started singing the birthday song and after that they looked at jeno.

but jeno was still on his poker face.

"where's jaemin?" was all that he said. the others were a bit disappointed since they put all their efforts in making the surprise but all he asked was jaemin.

"he's gonna come a bit late. but for now, let's just enjoy your birthday." renjun spoke.

"here hyung, wear this." he gave out a pink colored party hat, and was designed with glitters and stickers with the letters 'l-e-e j-e-n-o'. "jaemin hyung told me to let you wear this."

and finally, jeno was smiling.

"ahh-- you're finally smiling! now make a wish!" donghyuck said, holding the cake out.

jeno put on the hat and looked at the cake. he just saw the details and everything was like made by a child.

"who made the cake?" jeno asked, and everyone looked at each other. they felt like jeno would be judging them if they said who.

the birthday boy looked at his friends. "uhm?"

"we all did! but jaemin did most of the decorating and stuff. do you not like it?" chenle blurted out. he took most of his confidence before saying that out loud.

the cake was a bit out of shape and the frosting on the sides wasn't perfectly straight. the design on the top was a lettering of a 'happy bday, ljn' using different types of candies.

"i love it. don't worry." jeno answered. he gave everyone a reassuring smile before making a wish.

"so? what did you wish for?" renjun asked.

"it's a secret." jeno spoke. he blew the candles and donghyuck raised the cake up.

"alright! let's start eating now!" but the cake fell and it landed on the ground.

everyone glared at donghyuck. "oops?"

••

it's already been an hour and jaemin still haven't arrived yet.

they are currently playing truth or dare. the game that everyone hates, but loves at the same time.

"okay, mark hyung! truth or dare?" chenle asked. but mark only blinked and stared at the chinese. "the bottle pointed at you, hyung. stop zoning out." chenle groaned.

"ah, sorry. dare?" mark spoke. "wait-- i meant truth!" he mentally face palmed himself, he didn't want to do anything that day. he was mentally tired.

"you said dare first, hyung." jisung said.

"alright," chenle grinned as he look donghyuck then back to mark. "i dare you to sit behind donghyuck and back hug him until the game ends!"

donghyuck faced mark and looked down. he was a blushing mess but he didn't want to show it. he composed himself before looking back up.

meanwhile mark was too busy to think about anything so he just agreed. he stood up and walked behind donghyuck. after processing what chenle said, he immediately blurted out a "wait, what?!"

"a dare is a dare, hyung." jisung glared at mark. "and don't shout at chenle hyung like that." the maknae added.

mark just sighed and sat behind donghyuck.

"is it alright?" mark asked. "i mean, i don't want you to feel--"

"what jisung said, hyung." donghyuck shrugged.

mark sighed once again before hugging donghyuck from behind. he placed his head on the younger's shoulders and let his head rest.

"ah! hyung! that wasn't in the dare!" donghyuck yelled, which made mark flinch.

"i'm tired, hyuck..." mark muttered. "please?"

donghyuck calmed himself down first.

"alright." donghyuck said. "but just this once." he added with a threatening voice.

well that escalated quickly. but mark wasn't complaining. "thanks, hyuck." he rested his eyes as well. "this is why i love you." wait, what did he say?

"hyung!" donghyuck whined.

"alright, let's continue playing!" renjun interrupted the two. he spun the bottle, but jeno suddenly stood up.

"jeno?" renjun asked.

"i'm going outside for a bit, i need some fresh air." looking at the two being so lovey dovey made him jealous. just where is his jaemin right now?

the bottle stops and points at his direction. but he really needs to breath.

just as he was about to turn around. he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and his eyes widened upon hearing the voice of the owner.

"the bottle pointed at you, love. don't be such a party pooper." jaemin pouted. he let go of the hug and sat beside jeno's spot. in which chenle and the others made space for him.

"come, sit back down here." jaemin patted the floor. jeno listened and his face was all red from seeing jaemin's face again.

"so, jeno. truth or dare?" mark asked. his head still on donghyuck's shoulders.

"uhm..." jeno couldn't think properly. he was about to answer, when jaemin suddenly interrupts him.

"i'll pick for him! give him a dare!" jaemin gives a tricky giggle.

"what? no! i pick trut--"

"i dare you to...uhm..." mark stuttered, donghyuck told him to cut jeno off to make things dramatic. but the things is...he's not really the best at picking or choosing stuff so he takes a while to answer. but thankfully, donghyuck was there and whispered something again in his ears.

jeno looked at the angel beside him.

jaemin's smile was really wide, and he looks like he's expecting something fun to happen. but when mark spoke, his smile turned smaller and his ears turned red.

"eh, you know what? he said truth." jaemin humphed and crossed his arms.

"wait, what was the dare?" jeno asked, he was too busy admiring the figure beside him that he forgot to focus on the game.

"i dare you to sleep in one room and cuddle together every night for a week." mark repeated.

"jaemin's right. the bottle pointed at me, and i said truth." jeno stated, his ears turning red.

"oh, come on! what's wrong with it? you guys are together now, what's the problem?"

jaemin suddenly yawned. "i'm out. i'm suddenly sleepy." he slowly stood up.

"but you just got here hyung." jisung pouted.

"i would love to stay but hyung's really tired from everything that happened today." jaemin pouted as well. he turned around and walked away.

everyone looked at jeno. "what?"

and just as he looked at donghyuck, "the dare!" donghyuck mouthed.

"i chose tru--"

"just go!" donghyuck whispered.

jaemin was about to walk out the door when someone got the handle first.

"jeno?"

"they keep forcing me to do the dare. is it alright?" jeno looked away from the younger. "i could force them to stop if you want to..."

jaemin unconsciously smiled and shrugged. "let's just get this over with." he said opening the door with jeno's hands still in it.

"what, really?"

"don't you want to?"

"it's not that, but--" jeno stopped when he saw jaemin already walking away. "alright, fine." he found himself slowly smiling as he followed the younger behind.

'' i don't know how or why. but whenever your gone, i feel incomplete. you light up my world, na jaemin. and i will never let that light fade away. i'll make sure to keep you happy and safe all the time and i will always treasure you, as if my life depends on it. ''

[ end ]