♦ A/N: Please always take note of the date, it's really important and also to avoid any confusion of the timeline. Happy reading! ^^ ♦

→ APRIL 20, 2018 - FRIDAY

The sun has already set when the two arrive at the football field. They tredge along the four hectares of thick spring grass in silence and in complete darkness as the stadium lights were already turned off. Nevertheless, the moonlight above provided enough radiance for the two of them to see each other's moving figures. 

They were informed by their team captain Yuta that the soccer practice has been cancelled because their headcoach's wife was under labor. The team rejoiced to the happy news of course but Renjun and Jeno just wasn't in their proper spirits to join the rest of team.

After asking for permission, practically almost close to begging, to use the field from Yuta, Renjun asked Jeno to help him practice and to be his pretend goalie as he's aiming for the striker position this year. But clearly, that wasn't the redhead's intention and Jeno knew that from the get-go. Renjun was holding himself back earlier and he figured that a shower room packed with strangers and teammates alike wasn't a good place for confrontation. So here they are now, in an empty football field, frankly the place they both really love. 

Renjun was under displacement, so to speak. He's pissed off. But he just couldn't bring himself to lash out at his bestfriend and so he unconsciously redirects his negative emotions and frustrations onto another, less threatening way. And kicking a ball seems much more acceptable rather than punching Jeno on the face.

This is him doing something. This him intervening time. What happened before definitely cannot continue as 'prophecied' by the letter. Just like before, he doesn't have any clear plans, no blueprints at all on how to change the future. He's only hoping that this confrontation will create a different yet positive outcome in the future. Jeno's future.

He made a stop about a meter away from the goalpost while Jeno proceeds to the position he accepted, still no words has been exchange between them. Renjun plays with the ball on his feet, casually kicking it in random directions, as he awaits Jeno to put on the goalie pads that he borrowed earlier from another player in the team. 

By the time the latter was finished, Renjun finally breaks the silence. "You know, I didn't peg you as a traitor." He said then lunges his feet against the annular surface of the ball and it went zooming in directly to Jeno. He didn't even put an angle to it. It was really directed towards the guy in front of him.

Although Jeno catches it with ease, he felt the added strength from Renjun's kick. "In what ways did I betrayed you?" He sternly responded and then rolls the ball back to his bestfriend.

Renjun catches it with his feet, scoffs loudly as he's now effusing with rage at Jeno for not even recalling their previous conversation. "YAH!" He screamed. "I told you not to go out with Lami, didn't I?" And he kicks once more, doubling his strength than before.

The speed of the ball caught Jeno off guard so he just avoided it swiftly, letting the ball die down on the net of the goalpost. He retrieves back the ball and makes a response, "Why are you so against me and Lami dating? Why can't you just support me?" 

" YOU!" Jeno was surprise upon hearing the redhead cussed. "Why would I support you on something that you don't even like?" Renjun failed to see it due to the scarce light but Jeno's eyes lit up in astoundment from his response. And Renjun still continues to rant with fury.

"You don't even like her so why bother even going out with her?" 

"You ing betrayer!"

"You should've just followed what I said!" 

"YAH! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME STUPID LEE JE-"

"I DID THAT FOR YOU!" Jeno cuts him as he exclaimed with anger, then throws the ball with intense force that it hits Renjun on the chest, making the redhead stumble backwards. 

But being a pro on the sport, Renjun managed to capture it within his grips and landed safely on his bottom. "What do you mean?" He asked as he slowly gets back up, his chest still feels a little tight from the impact.

From afar, Jeno looks straight at him, not able to hold onto his emotions anymore as a single tear escaped. "I know you like Jaemin." He replied subtly, his voice almost like a whisper but due to the peopleless field, Renjun still managed to hear him all the same.

His eyes widened in shock as it all makes sense to him now. Why Jeno, both in future Renjun's time and now, decided to went out with Lami. Jeno have the emotional grace to back off and let the two of them build a relationship. He was saving their friendship.

But Renjun doesn't find it heroic at all. If anything it was stupid on Jeno's part as he doesn't know that Jaemin harbors a romantic feelings towards him. And it was enough to tick him off as he went straight at Jeno while screaming his lungs out with anger. "AAAAAAHHHH!!!" The redhead goes as he attacks Jeno with outstretched hands, colliding with him as they both went down towards the net of the goalpost. "YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT! YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT!" He repeatedly cries out whilst holding onto Jeno's collar indignantly. "I ALREADY GAVE UP MY FEELINGS FOR HIM BECAUSE OF YOU! I ALREADY GAVE JAEMIN TO YOU!" 

Although he was pinned down, Jeno was able to find a way to release himself, gets up, and just punch Renjun in the face. "AND YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT EITHER!" 

Renjun quickly gets back up and punches Jeno first on the gut then on the face, clearly losing out of control now. None of them are really violent nature as both of them grew up in a respectable household. But their genetic forebears as men has turned them into a bunch of wildlings. 

"YOU'RE A ING !" Renjun said as Jeno was crouching down on his knees trying to get some air and subdue the pain from the redhead's uppercut now leaving a bruise on his face. "Don't even think for a second that what you did was ing noble. Because it's ing not! Dating Lami?! Jesus! You think you can just play with people's feelings!" 

After taking a minute to breathe, Jeno strikes again by pushing Renjun down, forcing his weight on top of his body. As he was doing it, Renjun fights back, slapping his head in various directions, trying to get him off of him by pounding on Jeno's back, his arms, his hair, basically any body part that his fist can reach. 

"STOP! STOP!" Jeno begs as he holds onto Renjun's hands. It was only when Renjun heard Jeno's quite sobs when he did stop resisting. "You're my...my bestfriend." Jeno cried out, tears dripping down on Renjun's face. "AND I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU THE SAME WAY THAT I HURT CHENLE!" And it was enough to leave an ache on Renjun's heart as he too cries along with him in silence. 

"I don't...want any regrets." Jeno continues, "On a multiple choice...I don't know what to chose and I don't want to be wrong. I've made bad decisions before and I regretted it." He said with great emotion as balls of tears are cascading down his purplish-red face. Those bad decisions, Renjun knew, was on the day when Jeno accepted their offer to come along with them, making him neglect his friend Chenle. Ultimately, everything that has happened roots up from that day. And Renjun still continues to blame himself for starting this whole mess.

"Stu-stupid ." Renjun muttered with his voice almost cracking.

"Yah! You've been cursing at me a lot today."

"And you deserved it!" He instantly hollered while looking at Jeno. "You already made a bad choice. You hurt Jaemin!" 

With the redhead's revelation, Jeno lightens his grip on Renjun's hands and removes himself from him. "Hey, why can you just...date him?" He asked as they now calm down from their brawl. "You would've treated him better than I do. Plus, you know him a lot. I'm at a huge disadvantage here. I don't know how to make Jaemin happy." Jeno said as he attends to his bruised face then winces upon touching it.

"YAH! Stop that!" He shouted as he stops Jeno from doctoring himself, making the latter jumped in surprise. Renjun takes a little bit of time to compose his thoughts and said, "Jaemin likes you, okay? That guy seriously never stops thinking about you! Just seeing you and his day is already complete. Your very existence alone is what makes him happy." The words left a bitter taste on the redhead's mouth as he said it. But he has learned how to accept it. He has already experienced dating Jaemin, well the other him from the future. Knowing that his feelings was able to reach Jaemin in another universe, it was enough to make him happy. This is him giving Jeno his turn. 

Jeno can't help but fluster at what his bestfriend statement. "Well, then..." Jeno started. "If I confessed to Jaemin that I like him, then you should do it too."

"NO WAY!" Renjun immediately opposed.

"Why not?" 

"My feelings doesn't matter here okay. You two should just go and date each other." Renjun replied with honesty. He has already removed himself from this bizarre love triangle. Scratch that, he knows that there isn't any triangle at all. Only circle of feelings shared between the two. Jaemin and Jeno makes out the outline of the circle, with their feelings whirling and spiraling each other making an almost perfect loop. Renjun, on the other hand, is the inside of the circle - all alone and empty. He no longer wants to intercede on what could possibly blossom between the two. But instead, he wants to help them see each other. This is what his future self begs him to do.

I noticed it from how Jaemin smiles around Jeno.

Somehow it's not the same smile that he used when he's with us. Not the same smile that I fell in love with.

But due to the bad circumstances that we were in at that time. The two's feelings never had the chance to reach each other.

So please be a good friend. And help them see each other.

Jeno cannot help but drew his lower lip between his teeth, now finding Renjun's statement incredibly irritating. "Of course it matters. It's Jaemin! You like him for so many years now. Don't you think it's about time that you tell him about it? Your feelings does matter here." Renjun was surprised at Jeno's statement as he never really thought of it that way.

He contemplated it for a while. He looks deep within himself and asked if it's really okay for him to see Jeno and Jaemin dating without him even trying to tell the latter his affection. He exasperated with annoyance. He has already thought about this before. Even planned his confession. But actually doing it makes him anxious; although, he already knew the outcome of his action. 

"Fine!" Renjun bellows as he slams both his hands in the ground, then Jeno flickered with glee. "I'll do it even though I already know he'll reject me."  He boldly exclaimed but soon enough anxiety gets him. For the first time, he's going against his future self's wish about not to confess his feelings to Jaemin.

"Of course he'll reject you." Jeno said quite happily while laying down on the turf of grass with both his arms outstretched. "Jaemin's mine." He said teasingly and then pretends to hug an invisible Jaemin on his arms, rocking left and right with the full intention of mocking the redhead in front of him.

Renjun was baffled at his bestfriend and so he just playfully slap the latter's abdomen, making Jeno ticklish. "Yah! Just because Jaemin likes you doesn't mean you're more handsome than me."

Jeno sneers, still laying on the grass. "Of course it does. After all...you did say so yourself that I'm the one he's been thinking lately." He finished with a conniving smile. 

With that, Renjun attacks him again but this time not with clenched fist but with an affectionate , messing his hair and tickling every body part that his hands can land on. They roll around laughingly as their voices echoed across the desolate field. Their battle earlier has long been forgotten by the two bestfriends. Now, closer than ever before. 

"Stop, stop, I need to breathe." Jeno begs and they both get up from their sprawled position. 

"Hey, Jeno." Renjun called out, still breathing heavily as he stared at his bruised, messy, yet completely jovial bff. 

"What?" Jeno managed to ask. 

"What do you want for your birthday?" 

→ APRIL 22, 2018 - SUNDAY

No letters arrive come Sunday morning and Jaemin is prancing in various directions on his room. Tomorrow would be Jeno's birthday and he has no idea what to give him as a present. He desperately needs the letter and for some unknown reason it hasn't pop up in his desk. Jeno's birthday is quite important so what could possibly be the reason for the delayed delivery now?

He contemplated on asking Jeno about what he wants but the scenario last Friday haunts him. When he came home that day, he skipped dinner earning a questionable look from his mother. He just told her that he's not really hungry and thankfully his mom lets him off. He locked himself up on his room, drinking the orange juice that Jeno gave him until the box is thinned out of its orangy contents. Frankly, he didn't get to taste the sweetness of the juice, only the bitter remnants that sprouts from his raging emotions. 

Then, he wondered what happened to his note - to his response to Jeno's hidden message. Did he manage to read it at the end? If not, then they're back at square one - Jaemin just helping him out of friendly gesture. If so, then he's dead meat. Jeno now knows that he likes him. Hence, the reason why he couldn't bring himself to chat him. It would be weird and awkward, especially now that Jeno and Lami are dating. Well, at least that's what he thinks as he doesn't have any update on whether or not the two are officially dating. 

He feels ashamed for harboring such a deep romantic feelings for the latter. Not because he's a boy, he's already way passed that point, but because he's already taken. And he definitely doesn't want to be the kind of person waiting on the sidelines. And today is yet another grim reminder that his feelings should cease to exist as Lami invited Jeno for family dinner. It's only their first date and the girl is already letting him meet her family and that fact alone says that their relationship is serious. 

Now, he just realize that this is the first thing that the letter mentioned that he didn't get to change. Except, of course, when future Jaemin told him to bid for Jeno instead of Kun but that one is highly accepted as it turned out to be a good one. So, what good would come out with Jeno dating Lami?

Aside from the two dating, he's really worried on what would happen to Jeno in the future. Especially now, that things happening from before is slowly transpiring today.

He sighs upon thinking too advance and so he plops down on his bed rather aggresively. He then reverently rubs his fingers along the silken mattress, hoping that the tingling sensation he gets from it would wear off his anxiety. The comforter was soft and irresistibly smooth, so much so like a billowing cloud. He toppled onto it, releaved that it's soft confines somehow did calm his nerves down. And it was when he buried himself faceward when he hears his phone notification ding. He lazily scrambles to get his gadget and on his screen pops up a message from Renjun.

>>> Did you received your letter?

Of course, the redhead would asked him that. He replied with a sullen mood.

<<< Nope. TT__TT I don't know why and I don't know what to give him tomorrow.

Almost immediately his message went on seen then Renjun replied.

>>> Back then, none of them knew it was Jeno's birthday.

>>> Only my future self knows that.

>>> But the me before didn't get to greet Jeno on his birthday as he was out sick for some reason.

>>> Well, that's what my letter said.

He gasps in surprise. So that's why he didn't receive any letters despite it being an important event. Because future Jaemin doesn't have any knowledge of Jeno's birthday. 

<<< Ohhhhhh. So, what should we do?

>>> I already arranged a surprise birthday party for him tomorrow. 

>>> Donghyuck's in charge of the cake while Mark's for the party poppers 

<<< Way to go soccer king. Jeno would've love that.

>>> Yeah...I know he will.

<<< Now, please help me with my birthday present :((

>>> Hmm...

>>> A soccer bag?

>>> That's what Jeno needs at the moment.

His eyes glinted with gratification at Renjun's suggestion. A soccer bag would be perfect. Jeno's been struggling at bringing his sports attire every time he feels like playing. 

<<< TYSM <3

→ APRIL 23, 2018 - MONDAY

Jeno's birthday came and the group of friends are hustling and bustling inside the classroom, preparing with the very short time that they have left before class starts. They post up various colored papers on the window shapened to the age of Jeno - 18. Amongst the letters are five letters with special birthday messages written by them for Jeno to read. A cake baked into perfection by Donghyuck's mom is settled in one of the chairs and all of them are wearing ridiculous party hats. 

"Are you sure he's going to come early?" Donghyuck nagged for about the fifth time to Renjun.

"I did, okay?" Renjun beckoned iritatingly. "Yah! Yah! He's already on the stairs. Position your selves!" Renjun said as he acted like a captain ordering his shipmates. Everyone then positioned themselves by the door - each one holding a small party popper to surprise Jeno once he opens the door. 

The room went completely silent and all attention are turned towards the nearing footsteps by the door. By the time it swings open, they all pull the string of the party poppers causing a mini explotion in the air. And together they exclaimed happily, "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" 

Bits and pieces of papers and foils landed on the birthday celebrant's face and Jeno could hardly concealed his delight judging by the shimmer on his eyes. 

But, when they look at him closely it was then that they saw Jeno's swollen face.

"Yah, what happened to you?" Donghyuck asked because ironically, they're the ones who got surprise.

"SHE SLAPPED YOU?!" Donghyuck blurted out maddeningly, soon after Jeno told them about the story of his reddening face. "THAT ! How could she do that your precious face?"

"Yah, calm down." Mark tried to relived the tension but was rejected as Donghyuck snaps his arms away from him. 

"Well, that's what I get for not showing up on a date." Jeno said quite calmly. 

After finding out that Jeno cancelled his family dinner last night with Lami, Jaemin doesn't know what to feel. Well, he does know but he doesn't know if it's okay for him to be happy about it, despite the fact that Lami practically er punched the guy that he adores.

"Hey..." Jaemin started quite awkwardly. "You said she just slapped you but what's with this other...bruises." He said as he tentatively pinpoints the purplish red mark across Jeno's cheeks. Well, it wasn't just on Jeno's cheeks - his lips, the side of his eyes, and the corner of his jaw were all discolorated. He looks like he had been on a fight and it greatly concerns Jaemin.

"Oh..." Jeno started. "I fell down the stairs real hard last night. Can't keep my eyes off the phone." Jeno reasoned while scratching his head timidly. Jeno did not believe an ounce of it. He no longer falls on a yet another facade that Jeno puts up. He really feels that there's a different side of that story and he's more than determined to find out about it. For now, he decided to dismiss it.

"Why didn't you went on a date with Lami then?" Mark asked. Which is what Jaemin wanted to asked from the very beginning.

Silence then hungs in the air like the suspended moment before a