It was all fun and games at first, really, but Jeno knows some time soon it will turn personal. He knows his friends like the back of his hands, almost. That's why when the bottle spin and stops in front of him, he knows there's no backing out. Mark being the oldest, and lamest as Jeno loves to call him, suggested a good question and a good dare, Jeno knows so. 

"Oh, Jeno Lee. Truth or dare?" Mark ask, obviously very hyped about this game they're having so far. Jeno sometimes can't believe how childish this hyung is.

"I know you want me to pick truth because you want clarify if I really ate your lunch last Monday, so I'm gonna pick dare." Jeno answers, nonchalantly. Mark immediately sulks and butts in, "I know it was you! You know liars always want to defend themselves. Monday lunch meals are always the best. Screw you."

No one cared about Mark's complain, honestly. No one listened. They were all thinking what to do with Jeno. Chenle and Jisung, the two youngest, are both whispering to each other and laughing. Chenle with that dolphin laugh is too squeaky and loud at ten in the evening. But of course, there's Renjun and Jaemin who has the best ideas to reveal Jeno's deep secrets, and let's not mention the king of pranks, Lee Donghyuck. Yeah, he's here too. Jeno wonders why he seems so out of place and quiet this whole time. But before he continues his wandering, Jaemin caught his attention by the dare he's think of.

"Pick someone you want to kiss right now. Like, kiss him. Okay?" Jaemin tells Jeno, messily. Although Jeno undestands what he's going to do, it's just really overwhelming. He's seventeen, he gets that. But this, this is gonna be his first kiss, apart from his mother, grandmother, and, well, first time kissing a guy as well. It's not like he doesn't want to, he admits he's gay, everyone in there is probably gay as well but-

"So? Kiss! Kiss!" Jaemin cheers loudly,  enough to pull Jeno out of his train of thoughts. The others, dumbly follows.

Jeno, with the habit of biting his lip when he's nervous, fidgets. He could feel the cold sweats in his forehead. "Okay, but close your eyes." Jeno tells them, and of course, they do what they do when they oppose to what Jeno says, groan. 

"You big baby! Just kiss him." Mark whines, still teasing Jeno though. He points his lips to Jaemin's direction and winking at Jeno at the same time. Jeno really wants to put Mark in a headlock right now but he can't because he's trying to be good since it's Mark's last year in high school. Jeno's not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing. Mark is like his best friend but Mark's also the reason why he loses his , sometimes. But he loves his hyung. But he's not gonna kiss Mark for that. Just thinking of it makes him barf.

"Just. Please close your eyes. No peeking, please." Jeno tried to beg one last time, hoping it'll work this time unlike any other time he tried it. 

"Alright, alright. Everyone close your eyes. Jeno might cry." Renjun says seriously but slap Chenle's thigh lightly when he tries to disobey.

In Jeno's perspective, there's only one person he sees out of the six. He sees only one person he could possibly kiss, like, romantically. Jaemin never really mentioned where to kiss but he knows that he want it in the lips, because kiss on the cheek are lame and he doesn't want to be like Mark. Kiss on the forehead already sounds too intimate, but cute, though Jeno does not go that way. That's level three. He'll just go to number two now. 

"Dude, we're waiting." Renjun whines. Impatient little , Jeno thinks to himself. 

"Yeah, Jaemin is waiting Jeno. Don't make him wait any longer." Mark teases again.

"Shut up, Mark. I like you not Jeno." Jaemin suddenly blurts out. Probably because he's had enough of Mark''s teasing. Then follows everyone opening their eyes again. 

"You do?" Mark look straight into Jaemin's eyes amd Jaemin doing the same. Jeno doesn't need this right now. Jeno just wants to kiss this person right now. Can they just let him do that peacefully?

"Please, let's just finish this. Close your eyes, guys." Jeno groans. 

"Okay, okay. But don't kiss Jaemin. He's mine now." Mark openly warns Jeno, everyone almost puke. Jeno just rolled his eyes and tells everyone to close their eyes already.

Jeno thinks it's now or never, actually he's been thinking that for the last five minutes before Mark and Jaemin in. So he stands up from his position and the others heard the noise which made them more giddy, gladly no one opened their eyes. 

Jeno stands in front of, but not close enough to tower him, the person who was surprisingly quiet that night. He knows this guy since fifth grade and it's the first time he's seen him so quiet, practically invisible. Jeno kneels in front of him, puts his face on the same level as his. He moves closer, not enough for their lips to touch but enough for the person to feel Jeno's, still minty, breath on his. 

Jeno inches closer and closer. He can hear Donghyuck's breath shaking and his heart beating fast, just as Jeno's heart is beating. He moves closer, for the last time, as their lips touch. Jeno plants a light peck on Donghyuck's lips. It's not even a second and Jeno pull his lips away. Whispers to Donghyuck's ear, "Don't tell them." before going back slowly to his position in the circle. 

"Okay, you can open your eyes now." Jeno, shyly, instructs his friends.

As soon as their eyes open, their mouths open as well. Teasing loud enough for everyone being teased to be embarrasssed. Of course, the teasing is lead by the oldest. "Was it Renjun or Jisung?" Mark laughs at his own words but stops and looks at his eyes, sternly. "Don't tell me it's Jaemin?"

"It's not me. I can guarantee that." Jaemin quickly confirms, easing Mark's emotions. These two already a couple or what? Jeno wants to stay out of it but he can't those are his friends. While Jeno is worrying about the two. Mark continues to tease Renjun about it. Donghyuck on the other hand, keeps quiet. His mind keeps on repeating that moment with Jeno. 

*

The next day was an utter mess. Donghyuck couldn't sleep after what happened that night, considering they went home at one in the morning. Thankfully, their house are not far from Mark's place. While the others can't sleep because of 'hangover', it's weird because as he can remember they only had two liters of cola and one liter of sprite, no alcohol.

Donghyuck couldn't sleep, even for a short amount of time, because of what Jeno did. 
He's walking in the hallway with Jaemin, who is completely in heaven after hearing Mark's confession that night. Donghyuck can hear Jaemin's dreamy sighs. He also keeps blabbering about how Mark texted him a good morning text. He wish Mark could've just go with Jaemin to school so his morning can be less irritating. 

"Hey, anyway, I hope you had an alright night. I know you're not that close to Jeno, Jisung and Chenle. Still, it was nice of you to come instead of hanging out with your brother and his friends." Jaemin thanks him which made Donghyuck smile.

The day pretty much went like any regular day in school. Donghyuck together with his friend Sanha, who is too tall to be a junior, got into a minor trouble in math again. Math is his favorite subject but that doesn't mean Mr. Choi is his favorite teacher. In fact, he's kind of disappointed that Mr. Choi was chosen to teach their section. 

He  keeps on laughing, with Sanha next to him, at Mr. Choi's writing. Donghyuck absentmndedly look to his right where Jeno is sitting. He sees Jeno staring at him, his face stoic. He feels his face suddenly heating up and his throat drying, so he does what he does best on this kind of situation: look away. Donghyuck curse himself for being affected by this. By this he means Jeno, and his pretty pink lips. It probably means nothing to him. But why is Jeno looking at him? Has Jeno ever looked at him like that before? He hasn't notice it until now. Before Donghyuck knows it, the bell rings signalling the end of sixth period. 

Donghyuck swiftly packs his things, exiting the room even before Mr. Choi leaves the room. He doesn't even hear Sanha calling after him. Jeno, on the other hand, wants to follow Donghyuck so badly but he's a coward. He knows that all too well. He thinks it's not the right time to face him, but really he's just scared.

*

A few days of not talking to each other, and it's not like they're close or whatever. They're not. But it feels like everything has changed completely. Donghyuck, in all his might, avoids any eye contact with Jeno. He's glad there haven't been any pair work or they're both dead.

As surprising at it sounds, Jeno and Donghyuck are the only Lee's in the class. Most of the boys are Kims and Parks, Sanha is Yoon, and there's another who's last name is Kang and that's that. Donghyuck realizes how unfortunate he is just after the kiss. It couldn't be that Jeno is bad luck, no, it's not like that. It's just they're proably both thinking that the other is still not ready. Jeno thinks he's an idiot. Donghyuck thinks it's stupid to be feeling this way. They're both right actually.

It's also like that for Jeno. He sees Donghyuck walking with Jaemin, sometimes Renjun, and he couldn't say hi to him. He never really did such thing before, but the awkward feeling made him feel like the two of them were close but not anymore. He can sense that Donghyuck avoids him whenever he can. Jeno's okay with that, he understand the younger.

Sometimes, though, he keeps reminding himself why he can't confess already. It's been six ing years already. It's a very cliche story, really. Jeno being the teenage boy that he is, realizes he's falling for Donghyuck because he loves how optimistic-that's Jeno descrive Donghyuck on his mobile diary back in seventh grade- and friendly the boy is. But what really captured his attention is how determined Donghyuck is on the things he want.

One time in Science class, he knows it's Donghyuck's least favorite subject but he tries, he tries to pass ninth grade Chemistry just because he really wants to make his parents proud. That made Jeno want to study harder, and that will possibly be his answer if someone ask him what his motivation is. He gets it. He fell too deep for Donghyuck. 

*

Second week of Project: Avoid Lee Jeno at All Cost, and it has been very successful. That's until Jaemin calls for a friendship lunch meeting. He can't say no because that will probably make them suspicious, but that's just his anxiety thinking. It will only make them feel bad for Donghyuck, for dragging him out where he's only close with three people in the group but Donghyuck loves thinking differently and making things complicated. 

A good way to ruin an already ruined day is his choir's urgent meeting as the teacher assistant and his brother, Dongyoung, says it is. It's about the competition to be held on the first week of May, which is a month away. "It's better talking about it now, Donghyuck. Do you want to lose against that-what do they call themselves? Oh right, Seventeen~" Dongyoung said it with how they usually say- sing it. Donghyuck waved him off blaming his brother why he's now late for lunch.

"You have friends other than Sanha? Are you sure?" Dongyoung shouts before Donghyuck shuts the club room door.

Again, the day couldn't be any more unlucky but wait, it can be. "Hey, you're here. Sit next to me." Jaemin pats the empty chair next to him, excitedly. Neither he or the others know, he doesn't want that seat.  But he does sit on it, his feet needs resting from running away from his brother. Jeno, unfortunately, is sitting across him, if you're asking why Donghyuck doesn't want to sit next to Jaemin. 

The two of them are no stranger to the term awkward, or uneasy, or uncomfortable, but surely this is a new kind of awkward. Donghyuck is going to have a stiff neck after this day ends since his head is tilt toward the others on his left. He's not even batting an eyelash at Jeno. Jeno can admit it hurt a bit. Only a bit, well, okay, a lot. It hurt a lot. He wanted to see Donghyuck's face the most that's why he came to the friendship lunch meeting. 

"Chenle curse in Mandarin awhile ago during History because he couldn't understand what Miss Ahn is talking about." Jisung tells everyone that made them laugh so hard, it feels very embarrassing because Jeno could feel almost everyone's eyes on them but who cares. 

"But Miss Ahn used to teach us Mandarin on tenth grade?" He hears Donghyuck intervenes, completely into the conversation.

"Exactly, hyung!" Jisung points out and they all started laughing again. Jeno smiles wide, that's how he usually laugh though, or sometimes he punch the person next to him but the joke's not that funny to do that. He looks back at Donghyuck, the corner of his eyes crinkling and his nose scrunching cutely. Jeno should not have looked at him. Donghyuck looks too adorable like this. Donghyuck looks adorable when he laughs, or does anything in general, in Jeno's eyes.

He couldn't stop staring that he doesn't realized Donghyuck is staring back quietly at him this time, his smile gone and only uneasiness in his faces can be seen. Jeno feels guilty again, he knows too well that it's because of him.

The two had a very awkward staring contest that they didn't noticed Jaemin observing them. Jaemin being the observant and caring person that he is, noticed the exchanged of emotions the two were having. Mark noticed it too but he thinks it's because they're not close enough to hang out amd then he goes back to joking around with the others.

"Jeno, did you kiss Donghyuck that night? During your dare?" Jaemin ask, loud enough for their whole group of friends to hear, and turn to look at Jeno and Donghyuck. As they were about to react, the bell rings signalling that lunch is over. Donghyuck was the one to walk out, without saying anything to the group. Jeno follows Donghyuck, not listening to Mark when he ask if what Jaemin said was true.

*

Jeno sees Donghyuck walking rapidly to class. He trails behind him until he's close enough to grab his wrist. Once he did, he pulls Donghyuck to the boy's washroom. Not a very admirable place to talk but there's no other room close by. The janitor's closet is locked as well. He checks the cubicle if there's any student inside, when he found none he locks the main door of the washroom. Donghyuck was quiet the whole time, shocked at what Jeno is doing.

Donghyuck was pull out of trance when he feels the cold tiled wall on his back. He looks back at Jeno and was surprised when the other inches closer, enough for their lips to touch. He couldn't say anything, just stare at Jeno's jet black orbs. It's very pretty. Something so beautiful but also scary. He's okay with it. He loves it.

"I've been meaning to tell you this." Jeno starts and Donghyuck can feel Jeno's breath on his lips and on his cheek. His breath smells like strawberry milkshake. He's not crazy about strawberry, but he thinks it fits Jeno so much. Donghyuck swallows his words and just stare at Jeno. His eyes telling him, "Say it, I'm ready to hear whatever you're going to say."

"I'm sorry if the kiss was too sudden. And I love you. For six years now. I'm sorry for being a coward. You deserve the world and I couldn't-I don't have the-I want to give you everything but I thought I was just too young and it was like a cute crush but it ended up being more than that." Jeno pauses, breathes in and out and Donghyuck fights the urge to kiss Jeno right now. "Please say something." Jeno whispers to Donghyuck's lips. 

"I-I like you too." Donghyuck mutter, that made it seem like he's not sure what he's saying. So Jeno puts his forehead to the younger's and sighs. "N-No, really, I do. I kinda like you for a while now so I was kind of shocked when you kissed me that night-"

Jeno heard the word 'kiss' out of Donghyuck's mouth and he couldn't help but do it again, so he did. He kiss Donghyuck, longer this time. He puts his hands on Donghyuck's neck making the other shiver, Jeno smiles into the kiss. Donghyuck puts his arm around Jeno's neck while his other hand on Jeno's shoulder, his nails digging onto Jeno's skin. 

They both pull away after a minute, to catch their breath. The two of them look at each other, with hearts in their eyes if that's even possible. It probably is because Donghyuck couldn't help but point it out and Jeno smiling shyly about it. Donghyuck cooing how cute Jeno's smile is, couldn't help but pinch both Jeno's cheeks. 

"You know, Mr. Choi might think we're cutting classes." Donghyuck tells, as he caress Jeno's cheeks. Jeno shuts Donghyuck by kissing him again but before Donghyuck could kiss back, the other pulls away making Donghyuck a bit disappointed.

*

They ended their little talk after ten minutes, mostly kissing and telling each other how cute they look. It's only been fifteen minutes since Jeno locked themselves inside the boy's washroom but they already kissed more than they actually talked for the past seven years of being classmates. They walk down the empty hallway, slowly. 

"Will you go out with me?" Jeno pops the question that made Donghyuck stop walking. Jeno can admit, sometimes the way Donghyuck moves scares him, like now. He feels as though Donghyuck might say no.

"Will there be more kissing?" Donghyuck jokes but he guesses Jeno took that seriously because he's being pulled by the waist. Donghyuck thinks this is surreal. Like something that only happens in movies. But maybe he's luckier than those people in the movies. This is Lee Jeno we're talking about.

"Of course." Jeno whisper through his ears which made Donghyuck blush. Dammit. Jeno sure knows how to woo him. He can accept his defeat. 

*

They both came to class twenty minutes late. In the end, Mr. Choi gave them detention. Hey, more bonding time with each other, right?