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He followed the two other boys over to the staircase next to their hallway, chatting happily to each other. Lucas was very talkative and Jaemin found it easy to speak to him since he did most of the talking, so the only thing Jaemin had to do was listen, which was something he knew he was good at.  Suddenly Jeno turned around with the back of his hands facing his chest and his palms covering himself as if he was protecting himself from something. The positions of his arms moved, left down and right pushing his soft-looking hair back. Jaemin followed all his movements carefully, anticipating the reason for Jeno’s change of direction. Lucas stood behind him and exchanged a look with Jaemin, both communicated with expressions of confusion before shrugging their shoulders and changing their focus back to Jeno. Jeno was scratching the back of his head nervously.

“Why are so many people looking at us?” his voice came out as a bare whisper.

Jaemin began looking around the area. Jeno’s statement was true, people were looking at the three boys, but he noticed how their gazes were mostly focused on himself. The looks he received were looks of mainly surprise. The feeling of uneasiness was rising from his toes and up to his fingertips, slowly reaching his chest, up to his cheeks. He had no reason to feel embarrassed, yet the color was so vivid on him.

“I’m not sure”, Jaemin voice quivered as if it was negative degrees inside of him.

“I’m going to class”

He took small steps away from the others and turned his head giving them a small nod before heading into his classroom. As he entered the room nothing, but stares were given to him. Trying his best to camouflage the unwanted attention, he kept his expression monotone, pretending as if nothing could faze him and walked over to his.

The class had a break after an hour and as he was sitting by himself, he tried his best to sharpen his ears, wanting to know the interesting happenings and hopefully find the answer he was so desperately searching for. The whispers overlapped each other, and he tried his best to keep his focus on one group.

The first voice,

“I don’t think he’s able to express feelings like that”

       Second voice,

             “Are we sure it was him?”

                       Third voice,

                                 “Jaemin”

He still couldn’t understand it. Why all that attention?  What was it all for? He continued doodling on his notebook just as a cough was able to be heard and a shadow began approaching him. The colors of his page turned grey from the lack of light, there he decided to look up.

“Let’s meet after class, I need to tell you something” he nodded at Jeno’s sentence and looked at the boy walked out of his classroom.

The whispers had stopped. He knew where their eyes were looking at.

--

Behind the left intersection between two hallways, next to the janitor’s closet, was Jaemin leaning up against the wall opposite of the closet, Jeno was standing in front of him.

“I know where the stares are coming from”

-“Yeah, from everyone around us”

“No, not like that”

         “I know why they keep on staring”

-“Why?”

“It’s because of you”

-“Me?”

          “Why me?”

“They say that they caught you doing an action you have never done before”

             “People got surprised and now they are talking”

-“Who are they?”

“My classmates”

-“and what did I do?”

“Something you should do more often”

-“What do you mean by that?”

Jeno the heels of his feet and without looking back, he walked away from Jaemin giving him a short wave as he went. Jaemin was left behind, deep in thought of the short conversation. What was it that he had done? What was abnormal enough to make others talk about him? He had no idea.

--

Classes had ended as Jaemin walked over to begin day two out of four. He was already halfway through the days of cleaning and he was more than excited to finally end the misery. He met up with Jeno and they both began to get ready, grabbing all necessities. The atmosphere between them was less awkward and felt more comfortable now. They copied their actions from the day earlier and managed to complete their duties, with a few interruptions, but nothing as vast as yesterday's interruption. Jeno would not tell Jaemin as to why people were acting the way they were acting. His expressions and movements remained the same no matter how many times Jaemin pleaded and begged for an answer. The thought kept on bugging him and he knew that he would not be able to get a good night's sleep if he didn't find the answer.

When they were done from their duties, they packed and headed to the bus stop. This time around, they got off on their designated stops, waving 'goodbye' to Jeno as he saw him step out of the bus and head over to what Jaemin guessed was his house. The bus drive was quiet and both did not say much. The same routine was replayed the next two days and the whispers in school slowly died down to quick looks. Jaemin was more than glad, that he did not have to listen to people talking about him anymore but he still noticed the quick glances people were giving him as he walked through the hallways. Jeno still would not answer him. Jaemin felt like giving up on asking him, but he knew that the answer would be possible to get out in one way or another, so he didn't give up just yet.

The weekend was now here as they finished all cleaning duties for the week. They were done, no more sweeping, no more cleaning, no more. They neatly placed everything inside of the janitor's closet, making sure to leave a good last impression before making their way through the school for the last time this week. Both boys were all smiles and the mood was on top. The weather was sunny as well adding to their thermometer of happiness.

"Let's celebrate" Jaemin looked over at Jeno.

        "Let's get something to eat"

Jeno nodded and tagged along as Jaemin lead the way. Without letting Jeno have a say, he guided him to one of his favorite places. It was a small ramen place, ten minutes away from school by walking. The place was settled in between a café and a small thrift shop. It looked worn out, its walls had some bare spots as the color was starting to tear off. But the thing that helped camouflage and cover up the bare spots was the row of fairy lights hanging on the short canopy sticking out of the building. They lit up the place beautifully creating a nostalgic feel. It looked like something out of an indie film, which was why Jaemin enjoyed the place so much. The atmosphere was cozier than home and it also felt like something else that he couldn't quite point out. This was the place he went to whenever he needed to celebrate or relax or just for whatever occasion he felt was fitting. The amount of ramen he had indulged in the restaurant was something he couldn't quite put into numbers, it was almost his second home.

He kept on glancing back and forth on the restaurant and Jeno, expecting a good reaction. Wanting a good reaction. Jeno looked over at Jaemin as if he was waiting for something. Jaemin took a moment to read Jeno's face before realizing what it was the boy wanted.

"Oh yeah,"

    "This is one of my favorite places, ever"

He pointed at the restaurant and used his hands as a pedestal, showing off the building with the widest smile possible.

Please like this place, please.

Jeno's face lit up after the sentence was completed.

"I'm not surprised by the fact, that you enjoy eating ramen" he chuckled.

Wanting to showcase the interior of the place, Jaemin grabbed Jeno's wrist and pulled him inside. The familiar clock rang as they entered the place and the indulging scent of different types of broth filled the entire room making his mouth, and hopefully also Jeno's, water.

A broad-shouldered male walked out from behind the curtains at the back of the room, looking joyful at the sight of Jaemin's face.

"Jaemin! Welcome!" Mr. Noh smiled happily at both boys whilst grabbing something from under the counter in front of him.

He stretched his back and handed them both a menu card, even though Jaemin already knew what he wanted.

           "Nice to meet you, I'm Mr. Noh" he reached his hand out for Jeno to shake, which he did carefully.

"I'm Jeno, nice to meet you too" he smiled as his hand tried to follow Mr. Noh's pace. Jaemin tried his best to hold back his laugh at the sight in front of him. Mr. Noh's energetic handshake was too much for the shy Jeno who seemed to try to be as sincere as possible.

"Please tell me when you are ready to order"

Both boys nodded and began to look through the menu.

"He seems nice"

-"He is,"

            "he's like a brother to me" Jaemin looked up from the menu.

                           "Is there anything you want?"

"The tsukemen noodles sound good"

-"You mean the tsukemen ramen, right?"

"Isn't it the same thing?"

Jaemin stayed quiet for a few seconds before proceeding to shake his head.

i've been crying since the teasers got released

also, another thing

Thank you so much for all the subscribes!! I hope you're enjoying the story and I really hope that it's not progressing too slow 

ily

-A