A/N: This is it, the last chapter (there will be an epilogue but idk when I'll post it up though lol Please anticipate it though 'cause it is hella amazing and cute). I know I promised I'd post the last chapter right after the previous one but I wanted it to be special so I changed and added a few stuff to make this more memorable.

It was a tough ride but yeah, it's ending. TAC had been my escape when school related stuff became too much to handle and I'm happy that alot of you guys read it. At some point, I was kinda dissatisfied with it and wanted to delete it instead 'cause istg the first few chapters were ty af (idk why y'all keep reading this tbh) but nah, I wanted to finish this and here we are. :)

Me and axidreinn started writing this after NCT Dream debuted and now we're ending it with them coming back. Keep supporting those kids, okay? (And the rest of NCT as well). 

Thank you for reading this story, I met awesome people because of this. I even talk to some in twitter and I find it to be quite fun. I keep saying this and I think I'll never stop, y'all are the real mvps and I appreciate every comment and vote. Thank you. 

- Kiiesaa

Jaemin wasn't going to lie, it hurt. Every single word that spewed out of Jeno's mouth, accidentally or intentionally, it pang his heart and it stung— really bad. Was Jeno even aware of it? But, seeing the way Jeno's once gentle orbs glint in distrust and silent melancholy made Jaemin realize that he wasn't the only one— Jeno was pained as well.

Jaemin was quick to admit that it was his fault why Jeno had turned out like that and there was no cure that could heal their mutual wounds. Perhaps it was karma's way of saying he had ed up big time and there was no way out? Jaemin wanted nothing more than the misunderstanding to end already. Jaemin felt too tired, too numb to cry, but silent tears were clinging on his cheeks, and it took him everything he had to clench his teeth instead, bottle away the grief and to wait just a little bit longer. Everything will be alright, he told himself repeatedly like an overused mantra. But maybe ... that was a lie as well.

When Jeno attempted to leave, prompted to take a step back, Jaemin's hands immediately flew and held Jeno by his arms, securely, afraid that he'd go away. Jeno had turned to him, eyes questioning yet waiting, anticipating what Jaemin's next move would be.

"I don't want to be your friend, Jeno," Jaemin finally said, with every ounce of conviction he had left in him. Jeno looked stunned and disappointed at the same time with his statement, and Jaemin was glad that he was. He was not going to allow Jeno to do whatever he wanted like that. "I don't want to be just your friend." Jaemin corrected. "I don't want to be at the same level as all your other friends. I don't want to be like Mark who you are closest yet can't freely talk to, like Chenle, or Taeyong-hyung, or anyone else for that matter," he enumerated one by one. "I don't want that. I want something more."

"But—"

"Jeno, listen to me," Jaemin beat him to it, before Jeno could make up another excuse. He was going to make Jeno see reason; he was going to make Jeno listen no matter how hard it was. "If this is about your past, I don't care. Those stuff? They don't matter. You don't live there anymore, you shouldn't let what happened before dictate how you live your life now. What matters is right now; you, me— us. We matter, Jeno." Jaemin swore he almost choked on his own words when he let all of it out in a huff, almost frantic, hurriedly wanting Jeno to comprehend. Where did I get this sudden gush of confidence from? "I know a lot of people had hurt you but I won't do that. I won't leave you like they did."

"How could you be so sure? How would you know?" Jeno turned abruptly to look straight at Jaemin, lips tugged down into an obvious frown at his statements. "My parents, they—"

"I'm not them, Jeno!" It was impulsive— his instincts were getting the best of him again— and crude. Jaemin didn't mean to shout out loud, to stun Jeno but he did; he couldn't stop himself. Jaemin was getting relentless and frustrated the more Jeno tried to box him out. "I'm not like your parents, I'm me! And stop thinking that we'll end up like they did. We're not them, and we will never be. I— I won't leave you." Jeno parted his lips to retort, to argue back but before he could, Jaemin continued on rambling almost incoherently, "Okay, I'm sorry since I already did but I promise I won't do it again. I swear, with all my heart," he breathed. Jaemin bit his lower lip nervously as sudden flashes of what he did to the slightly older male flooded his mind. But the deed was done, Jaemin knew that; someone had already suffered. There was no use trying to take back all the agony and foolishly wish that he could turn back time and make things better. "I'm done with running away, from you or from my own feelings. I just— I love you, okay?" It should have sounded sweet, or romantic, or anything within those lines but it was strenuous at some point. Our confession shouldn't have happened this way. "So please, give me a chance, give us a chance."

"I already did," Jeno answered. Jaemin could feel his heart clenching painfully in his chest when he saw Jeno's pained expression though the latter tried to mask it out by remaining detached. Jeno's words had the ability cut him like knife and Jaemin wasn't sure how long he'd be able to handle it. "Wasn't it enough?"

"Then, one more time, one more chance," Jaemin trailed off, voice was starting to crack. , not now. "P-please?" Jaemin's throat was dry and he stuttered in between dialogue. A