I Like You Too.

Jaemin just doesn't know when to stop.

 

 

 

 

Out of all the years Jaemin knew Jeno, the older boy was always receiving love confessions. From younger girls to older noonas and pretty much from everyone. And he may have a really bad habit of listening to every confession the older boy receives and he kills himself for it. It wasn't like he's a masochist or anything, he just wants to listen to those girls confess to his best friend. So it doesn't come as a surprise when Jaemin was on the staircase listening to a girl trying to tell Jeno that she likes him.

 

“You’re really nice and talented. I keep thinking about you,” she confesses, her voice becoming softer. “I just really like you, Jeno.”

 

Jaemin can hear Jeno sighing and Jaemin just knew that Jeno was going to break the girl’s heart. Jeno always rejects them no matter what, lying about basketball and the band taking way too much of his time and energy, an excuse that mostly has to do with trying to friendzone them because he couldn't accept their feelings. The girls just keep trying after all these years no matter how many times Jeno keeps rejecting them. Jeno was everything a girl wanted so what is there not to like about him? 

 

There was a long silence and Jaemin’s heart stopped for a moment.

 

“Look Hyeri, I think you're amazing too, but I’m not looking for a relationship right now. I hope you understand…”

 

Jaemin suddenly couldn't hear Jeno anymore as he slowly brushed the dirt off his pants and walked away, tightening the hold on his backpack. He already knew what was going to happen next so he didn't need to be there when the girl starts crying and asking why Jeno didn't like her. Why she wasn't enough for him. He made his way up the stairs quickly as he can before he gets caught.

 

Liking someone and being in love is totally different. In Jaemin’s case, it wasn't just a crush that he had on his best friend of probably 16 years. It was so much more than that. Yes, he spends his time hiding and eavesdropping on Jeno’s little confession times and he was probably was just too much in love with him that it pains him. It was hard to keep his feelings inside, yet those feelings were an example of how everything went wrong. He wasn't supposed to fall in love with his best friend. And he wasn't supposed to keep listening to girls telling Jeno that they like him and listening to him reject them. And he wasn't supposed to keep falling in love with Jeno as time passes. 

 

But he did it anyway because he couldn't stop himself. It was hard. When you're at this point of having a huge crush on someone, it can get out of hand.

 

Jaemin disappeared up the stairs and saw Jeno leaving the campus from the window. He just wondered when he would stop making himself suffer as he watched Jeno walk away. Jeno was everything he wanted in a boyfriend, but Jeno would never like him back.  

 

“Why are you still here?”

 

Jaemin looked behind him to see Renjun walking up to him. Renjun was the Senior Class President and really no one likes him very much because of his character and how he runs the whole school. Renjun wasn't exactly the nicest person out there.

 

“I'm about to leave now,” Jaemin said.

 

Renjun just kept staring at him, crossing his arm. “Alright.”

 

Jaemin quickly walked down the stairs and disappeared of out of sight.

 

Jeno and he text all the time and they love to tell each other about their days, talking about random things and whatever came to mind. Jeno also lived across from him and it was easy when they wanted to see each other. When Jaemin was laying on his bed after eating dinner, he his phone and checked if Jeno had texted him. He didn't see anything so he quickly put it down and opened his backpack. There were also times when Jeno was busy with basketball practice while he was busy with dance, leaving both of them really tired and stressed out at the end of the day. And talking to each other really relieved it.

 

After awhile, his phone rang and he picked it up. “Hey.”

 

“Hey, Jaemin.” And they have a little bit of a weird habit of calling each other every night when they did homework whenever they aren't over at each other's houses. It wasn't weird, right? Friends do this all the time right? It became a routine for the both of them although their friends thought otherwise. They could literally be on the phone for hours, talking about anything they wanted. It was just how they roll.

 

“What are you doing right now?” He asked.

 

“I just got done showering. It feels a lot better. What about you?”

 

“Just got done eating awhile ago. My mom’s cooking was the worse today. I can't believe she tried cooking my grandma’s curry. It was really nasty.”

 

Jeno chuckled on the other side. “Well cut her some slack. She tried.”

 

“Well, she should learn to not try when it comes to cooking.”

 

“Come on, maybe next time she’ll make you something that you really like. You never know.”

 

Jaemin just scoffed at that. His mom was the worst cooker ever and he really doesn't know how he survived this long with her cooking. People used to ask why he was so skinny and he blames his mom for it because he's never actually gained weight in like forever. “Do you understand what we learned in Physics today? I forgot to ask Haechan for his lab notes.”

 

“I’ll send it to you. I’ll even explain the lesson if you don't understand.” They continued to talk more about their homework while they did it. Jaemin loves hearing Jeno’s voice over the phone and likes the fact that Jeno can't see his love-struck face. When they are face to face, it was a totally different story.

 

After a few hours, they started talking about random things after finishing their homework. Jaemin likes these moments the most.

 

“Are you coming to watch the basketball game this Friday?” Jeno asked.

 

Jaemin bit his lips, thinking. He was pretty sure he was free. “Yeah. I’ll come watch.”

 

“Thanks Jaemin.”

 

Jaemin laid on his stomach, staring at his phone. “So any new confessions today?”

 

He heard Jeno laugh for a few seconds and smiled at that. He loves Jeno's laugh the most. "Just one. She was cute and all.”

 

“You rejected her?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Why don't you date them?” He asked.

 

“Because I just need to wait for the right one.”

 

“How do you know who is the right one?”

 

“You just know Jaemin.”

 

Jaemin’s smile faltered for a moment. You just know. It seemed liked the easiest thing ever, but what if the right one doesn't like you back?

 

Jeno’s new confession happened during lunch when a sweet and pretty girl came up to him at their table and asked if she could talk to him. They all knew that she was going to confess and they weren't really surprised about it.

 

Jeno nodded at her and they both went out of the cafeteria room to a more private or quiet place he guessed. Jaemin on lips as he watched them go.

 

“So how are you feeling right there?” Mark asked, leaning closer to him.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Oh come on. It takes one to know one. Why don't you just tell say something to him instead of being heartbroken every time a girl takes him away?”

 

Jaemin just frowned at him while Haechan and Chenle continued eating. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

 

Mark just snorted as Jaemin stirred his straw into his milk. Jaemin suddenly sighed, getting restless. "I’ll be right back. I'm going to buy some snacks at the vending machine.”

 

“Oh get me some chips, Jaemin,” Haechan said. “I'll pay you back.”

 

Jaemin just nodded. “Alright. Anyone else?”

 

Mark and Chenle shook their heads. Jaemin got up and walked out the cafeteria. He knows it might be risky but he can't help himself from just hearing a bit of what was happening with the two of them. He found them near one of the science classrooms near the gym. Jaemin sighed as he walked closer and hid behind the wall.

 

“I’m sorry Hina, but I actually don't want to have a relationship right now.”

 

“Is it because of basketball season?”

 

Jaemin can hear Jeno shuffling his feet. “Not just that.” Jaemin knew that it was a lie; Jeno starts to move around whenever he lies. It was one of the perks he grew to know about him. “I'm sorry.”

 

“It's okay.”

 

“Confessing isn't easy and thank you for coming up to me and telling me how you feel. I'm sorry that I couldn't give you a chance.”

 

The girl was quiet for awhile. “I've just liked you for a long time. Better now than never right?”

 

Jaemin was too busy leaning his head against the wall to hear them that he didn't realize someone was walking towards him.

 

“Oh hey Jaemin!”

 

Jaemin quickly turned around and almost panicked. He pulled his friend away from the wall and away from the gym. Crap. They must have heard him. Jaemin bit his lips when they were far from them and his friend, Jisung, looked a bit confused.

 

“Why did you drag me all the way here? And what were you doing standing next to-”

 

“Nothing. I wasn't doing anything.”

 

“Sure you weren't.”

 

“Look, I was just getting some snacks.” Jaemin walked over to the vending machine nearest to him. “Don't need to make any more assumptions.”

 

Jisung just stared at him. “Okay.” They went their separate ways and Jaemin sighed, leaning against the vending machine. That was a very close call.

 

When he got back, Jeno wasn't back yet so he sat down and handed Haechan his bag of chips.

 

“What took you so long?” Mark asked, looking at him with a raise of his brows.

 

“I met up with Jisung and we talked for a bit.”

 

“Oh right. I get you,” Mark muttered, but then Mark smiled at him, knowing that there was something else that he wasn't saying. Like he knew that he wasn't telling the whole truth. Mark was smart and Jaemin needed to be more aware of him. 

 

“Anyways, what are your guy’s plans today?” Jaemin looked away from Mark to face his other friends.

 

Jaemin had never confessed to anyone in his life and he wasn't gonna start today. Confessing was a damn scary thing, but he just wondered how those girls had the guts to ing confess. It was amazing. He was nothing compared to them. Those girls who confessed to Jeno deserved a chance and Jeno really shouldn't be breaking so many hearts days after days, but Jaemin didn't want him to date them either.

 

The basketball game was on today and Jaemin frowned as he watched Jeno talk to a girl, her ponytail high up and she had a smile so bright. She also seemed like Jeno’s type.

 

“Do you you think he said yes?” Jaemin asked, looking away and glancing back at his friend, who was too busy texting on his phone.

 

“Did he say yes? Has he ever said yes before?” Haechan snorted. “Don't ask stupid questions.”

 

Jaemin rolled his eyes, looking at his phone. “Who are you even texting?”

 

“This guy in my class.”

 

Jaemin suddenly grabbed his phone out of his hands. “WHO?” Jaemin looked at the name ID and grimaced. “Why are you flirting with Jihoon?" Jihoon's one of Jeno's good friend who's also apart of the school band. "What