Jaemin gaped at his friend, and so did everyone else in the vicinity.

They stood around the two and the hallway became a little bit quieter, everyone waiting for the response from the new student.

Jeno seemed to be considering the plea, Donghyuck looking back expectantly. Never would Jaemin think that his already impulsive friend would do something like this. Never once had Donghyuck hinted his apparent want to be associated with Jeno Lee. Sure, he has talked about him after the two would see him and his small posé around the city, but that was the most of their discussion.

    “Donghyuck, what are you doing? Are you actually serious?” Jaemin growled, pushing past a few people to grab his friend's arm.

The shorter of the two ignored him and kept glued to his spot. Jaemin started to become impatient, so he started to pull Donghyuck to the direction of the cafeteria, but this time, he was met with a halting force and pleading, yet hard eyes.

    “Nana, let me do this,” Donghyuck whispered.

Jaemin wanted to give in.

So he did.

He let Donghyuck shake his arm off and return to his engagement.

    “Sure, if  you think you’re up for it,” Jeno said, provoking the tanned male. “Meet me tomorrow at the corner store by 16th Avenue at 1:00am. Wear dark clothes and bring rope.”

He whipped his head around towards the coraling students, making eye contact with each and everyone he could. “And anyone who shows up that isn’t supposed to be there,” he reached around to his back pocket and took something out. Jeno held the held the handle of the object loosely. Examining it, he gazed at the bystanders who looked at him expectantly. Jaemin willed himself to take a closer look, but immediately regrets it when a blade appeared in front of him. The switchblade was pointed at him and the owner of it stood a ways away, his arm outstretched.

Jaemin inwardly gawked at the mere sharpness of it, the blood quickly draining from his face as if he had been stabbed by the weapon. He looked towards Donghyuck, who only stared back at him with wide, worried eyes. Jeno rotated on his feet, making the people who were standing too closely jump back, not wanting to be the next victim.

Jeno’s own was downturned, casting a shadow over his eyes, and a small message insinuated in them; as if he was saying- “Don’t meddle with this .”

With that, the spectators finally found their cue to go and head to the cafeteria, many scrambling over one another to rid themselves from the scene and finally start their lunch period. The stampede flooded over the scene and Jaemin lost sight of the two. But thanks to his height, he was able to eventually spot them, slinking into a site of privacy.

The tall brunet was cemented to his spot, the fear from the unspoken threat resonated in the pit of his stomach. A numbing sensation crawled up his sides, his mind shaken and unfocused. He wanted to go to his friend but a foreign hand caught his arm. Jaemin looked behind him, surprised to see his younger cousin, Jisung. Wordlessly, his cousin pulled him away from the scene and carded through the sea of bodies.

Jisung stopped when they arrived into an empty hallway. Jaemin saw his mouth moving, but he was too immersed in his own thoughts to listen.

When did he ever even think of wanting to be a part of his posé? Why did he keep so quiet around it? We’re best friends right? I mean, I still hope so…

    “Jaemin!”

His head snapped up, unaware that it had fallen. Jisung stared at him worriedly, brows knitted as he combed through his blond hair in frustration.

    “Jaemin, what was going on back there? You were standing there like a statue ready to be crapped on! If Mark hyung finds out about what happened, he’ll explode. You know he’s protective,” Jisung snapped, clearly a little bit more than ticked at the older,

Any other time, Jaemin would’ve already punished the younger for being so rude, but half of the words the other had just yelled barely processed in his mind. He was just trying to organize his thoughts, then a rougher hand clasped on his shoulder. Jaemin’s irritation finally bubbled over and spilled.

    “Jisung Park you-,” he stopped suddenly.

He was met with Mark’s seagull brows that were raised in what Jaemin could assume was worry. Mark cast a glance or two over across the hallway, as if he was frantically searching for something.

    “Okay, I don’t know the full story, but all I know is that Donghyuck can’t be with Jeno. He just… can’t,” Mark said exasperatedly, a look of desperation in his eyes.

Jaemin felt even more worried now; not only does he have to deal with his best friend, now he has to deal with his best friend’s overprotective boyfriend.

    “I know you want to ask me some questions, but I’m as deep in the dark as you are. Not once has he mentioned anything to me nor has he hinted at it,” Jaemin said, facing his friend.

Evidently, Mark wasn’t satisfied with his reply amd started to pace around the hallway.

    “Okay, but what were you even thinking leaving Hyuck alone with Jeno? Do you have any idea what kind of reputation he has? Jaemin, how dim can you get?”

Mark was clearly on edge, but the tall brunet was not up to be insulted.

    “Well I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him, but did you? Where the hell were you? I know- not stopping his boyfriend from making a ty decision. On the flip-side, what makes you think I didn’t try to stop him?” Jaemin asked, hands turning to fists that he forced to stay down. He couldn’t believe his own ears.

He wasn’t one to get angry, but dare to insult his friendship and make toxic assumptions about him, and you’d be lucky to return crisply roasted.

    “You’re his boyfriend aren’t you? You spent an entire two weeks together and you always disappear to God knows where with him. He spends like, every other day with you,” Jaemin barked back. “Whenever it's time for us to hang out, he always says ‘-oh, Mark and I planned to go to the movies’ or ‘-we’re going to the new italian place.’ How can I get to know my best friend when he’s not even with me?”

Mark’s face twisted, then turned to confusion.

    “Oh come on, you’re his best friend Jaemin, I know you know everything about him. And what do you mean we disappear? We never even went to the new italian place, or went to the movies. We only hang out during the weekends!” Mark rebutted, patience clearly running thin and agitation seeped into his body.

Jaemin was this close to snapping. He didn’t get why Mark was so defensive about this. If anything, Jaemin the should be the one in defense. Plus, now he’s saying that his best friend is lying. Jaemin wanted to fight in behalf of Donghyuck, but a small, growing voice in his head prevented him from doing so.

Even if he is saying that, how far-fetched is it really? If he keeps secrets from you, he can definitely keep secrets from Mark.

Jaemin wanted to go against it. He wasn’t going to give in, not yet. Giving in would mean he betrayed his friend and truly shows the strength- or lack thereof- of his relationship. He needed confirmation.

    “So you’re saying that all those times that Hyuck squealed to me about you dates were all lies? That you two never went out? What’s next, are you going to say that your whole relationship was a lie?” Jaemin prodded, any sense of formality thrown out of the window.

Mark stopped in his steps briskly. His head turned slowly, enough for Jaemin to see a bonfire in his eyes. He looked at the brunet as if he was his prey, and like a predator, he striked. Jaemin was pushed against the lockers behind him in a breath. The force sent a small tremor down his body and sent the air gathered by his already shallow breathing ran to the unforeseen. Mark reappeared in his line of sight. Worry no longer evident in his expression, replaced by rage and displeasure. Every bit of it manifested into his hands that were clutched on the younger’s sweater. Jaemin could see Jisung try to approach the elder, but had fear to keep him from doing so.

    “Don’t ing test me Jaemin, don’t ing test me. You daring shi-,” a curt ringing jabbed through his words.

The three looked at the source of sound, seeing that it came from Mark’s pocket. Jaemin could see Mark contemplate in his head.

The latter tightened his grip even further, only to release him seconds later to get his phone. When he had finally fished it out of his pocket, his eyes widened, in the smallest, yet still noticeable amount. He grumbled a string of curses as he scratched at his head before answering the call. Jisung and Jaemin were too afraid to evacuate the area, not willing to risk another outburst from the older. The two noticed that Mark finally started to relax again, scrunched brows turning to relieved ones, and the tension flowed out of his body.

Despite the obvious mood change, the three still seemed to be in a stand-off, no one moving to approach or leave. Still on the phone, Mark finally turned to the two, but not before muttering to the caller that he quickly needed to talk to somebody.

    “I need to go, but Jaemin,” he looked at the brunet straight in his eyes, “get Donghyuck away from Lee.”

Mark left rather hurriedly, his mind clearly going faster than his steps and his voice lowered into a hush as he continued his conversation. Jaemin released a choked breath that rid him of any lingering strength in his body. His body wilted to the ground when his legs finally gave out from the apprehension that had all too quickly purged.

He had to do something, anything to- at least for the bare minimum- prevent Donghyuck from any harm. Jaemin knows he can’t do it alone. 

The lunch bell had finally rung, signifying the start of the second part of the day. Not to Jaemin’s surprise, he was unable to find Donghyuck nor trace any bit of evidence as to where he could’ve gone with Lee. His anxiety began to peak that he started to settle into a carefree state. To Jaemin’s relief, it went a lot smoother than his first two classes, his concentration was more competent, but that didn’t stop the lingering thoughts of Lee Jeno and Donghyuck. The intruding words of other students weren’t all that welcomed either since the confrontation. Rumors traveled around quickly and it didn’t do anything but put more gasoline in the already large fire that Lee has ignited. Some rumors flitted around the idea that Donghyuck was having an ‘affair’ with Lee, speculations that the the school’s married couple had been all a lie. That one in particular knawed at Jaemin in the worst ways. It sounded ridiculous, but a lot of people had already started to believe it, and having a furious and short-tempered Mark didn’t really help to ease the situation.

Jaemin had overheard a couple of his classmates conversing about it.

    “Yo, did you see them? I swear, Lee looked like he was about to cut someone if they touched Haechan, he must be possessive,” the person in front of him said.

Their hands were flailing about as he explained the story, and Jaemin knew it was a little rude, but he had to interfere.

    “Are you sure you saw that? I think you’ll need to get your eyes checked.”

The group turned around and Jaemin eyed them expectantly, he was unamused and tired from hearing it all twisted. “By the way, a little lion named Mark Lee already exists.”

When Jaemin couldn’t help but think that they were taking too long to answer, he went back to his worksheets with a frustrated grunt. Immersed in his work, he didn’t notice the door suddenly slam open and cause the already loud students to become even louder. People started to stand up, and since the teacher wasn’t in the room, no one stopped them. Jaemin was sat near the back left, opposite of where the door was, so he couldn’t be bothered to stand up and see what the cause of the ruckus was. Someone probably brought treats or something.

As he was still slaving away at his work, his classmates finally started to simmer down. Feeling relieved, he wanted to see if the teacher’s return was the reason. What he wasn’t expecting was looking up to a face full of smooth skin, roguish eyes and a knee-weakening eye-smile.

    “Miss me?”