( 1 )

 

Something’s always been brewing in the air, but it’s not something Jaemin had figured out yet.

 

If there were ever going to be a time wherein he could get his thoughts straight, lay down the facts and come up with some sort of explanation, then there was no time like the present. However, presently, he was also much too distracted—seated in the back of Mark’s family car with the older boy driving, belting his lungs out to the girl group song playing on the radio while Jeno dozed off next to him, it was a little hard to come up with a solid conclusion.

 

Other than trying to keep up with the radio, Jaemin was also distracted by everything else that happened in the tiny car he was in. For one, he found it weird that Jeno could sleep peacefully amidst the noise both the car and himself were making. There was also the case of how Mark could focus on driving well when the older boy was also humming along to the radio. Jaemin never pegged himself as the type who could multitask like that, and even just thinking of all those things at once made his head hurt.

 

So he focused on getting the lyrics to Sunmi’s Gashina correctly and left it at that.

 

( 2 )

 

“Are you sure this is the best idea?” Mark asked for what was probably the hundredth time that day. It was probably too late to ask though, since he was in the process of piling up their bags in the back of his dad’s car. His best friends in the whole wide world had managed to convince him to drive three hours up a mountain to escape the city heat. Where they were going wasn’t that much colder, but it was still colder somewhat, and they’ll take what they can get.

 

He blamed Jaemin completely.

 

The younger boy whined about the heat on a daily basis, until it eventually affected Jeno, who didn’t even mind the heat as much.

 

Honestly, Mark could just as easily blame himself, since he could never say no to Jaemin anyway. Not since they were kids, not even when they went to the same high school, and definitely not now, when they were both old enough to be called handsome instead of cute. It didn’t help that Jeno was added into that mix, too. That just meant there was an additional person Mark couldn’t say no to, and with both of them claiming that a weekend getaway was a must, well it took little to convince him.

 

It didn’t seem like a problem until Mark realized the younger two were going to enjoy sitting in the backseat, playing games with each other, while he had to drive by himself since he was the only one old enough to get a license.

 

“It’s absolutely the best idea,” Jaemin said, throwing in a bag filled with snacks that joined the ones that had their clothes. “Right, Jeno?”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

It took very little to convince him.

 

( 3 )

 

Not for the first time that night, Jeno found himself staring at his friend’s face for more than necessary.

 

They’ve known each other practically forever; it made no sense for him to want to memorize every inch of the other boy’s face like it was his first and last time seeing it. The way dark lashes framed even darker eyes, the golden hue of his skin, the curve of his lips—ah, well, that was dangerous territory for sure. Jeno usually shook himself out of it before things got worse. What kind of friend would stare at his friend’s lips, right?

 

He knew the answer, though.

 

The kind of friend who’s been in love in his best friend since practically forever.

 

( 4 )

 

“This isn’t how I imagined tonight to go,” Jaemin said, meaning every bit of it.

 

His eyes were still a little blurry, everything around him afflicting his senses more than usual. Whatever light that managed to enter the room felt like it was too bright, no matter how little, and it made him want to crawl under a dozen blankets and disappear. It was a tempting thought, followed by the realization that he could just as easily do so, if it weren’t for the weight pressing down on him right across his stomach.

 

How did he even get in this mess?

 

Not that he would call it a mess, exactly. Along with the dazed feeling he had, there was also the bubbly feeling of joy. Just that, pure joy, radiating happiness in the way Jaemin couldn’t help but smile. He’s been smiling so much his face hurt, but that was okay. It was fine, since he knew if he were to glance at his friends’ faces that they looked just as stupid as he was, with matching dumb grins. Friends. Best friends. Boy friends?

 

“Definitely not how I imagined anything would go,” he continued honestly.

 

“You and me both, Nana.”

 

( 5 )

 

Nights like these were what Mark lived for; after ordering pizza and chicken, all three of them settled on the couch, trying to decide on a movie to watch. Jeno named every possible superhero movie he could, but Jaemin was adamant about wanting an animated Disney movie specifically, which meant sooner or later Mark was going to be brought in to decide. It was kind of weird that he felt so happy about the situation, but it was less about how the other two bickered and more about just how he felt being with the two of them.

 

It always felt a little like it was where he belonged.

 

Besides, sooner or later the movie was going to be forgotten once the drinks came out.

 

That was another thing he liked, too, although not one he often admitted. Mark wasn’t the type to go clubbing and get black out drunk—none of them were, but they did all have at least one instance of that happening, never to be discussed again—but a chill night of drinking and talking about life was always nice. They talked often, maybe even too much at times, but everything was just different with alcohol in their system.

 

For Mark, it made him way too giggly that it would have been downright embarrassing, but he knew neither of the other two would make fun of him for it.

 

Maybe that was what he liked the best, just being with people who wouldn’t judge him no matter what, people he loved and cared for, people he would give the world to if they asked. Well, if both of them asked, he would divide the world. Actually, even if just one of the two asked, Mark would probably still give the remaining boy a part of the world. That was just the way he thought about things and about Jaemin and Jeno, who were looking at him with matching curious expressions.

 

“What?”

 

“We were asking you for your movie choice for the at least two minutes now,” Jaemin said pointedly. “It’s either Marvel or Disney and no, I know Marvel is under Disney, but you know what I mean.”

 

Without missing a beat, Jeno added, “he had to add that clause otherwise we all know a Marvel movie would win tonight.”

 

Just like always, Mark never could choose.

 

( 6 )

 

“I call dibs on this bed!”

 

“Jaemin, that’s the only bed.”

 

His words were meant to sound annoyed, but Jeno couldn’t help but say them affectionately instead, as he watched the way Jaemin rolled around said bed with a pout on his lips. He didn’t really have a right to be annoyed, anyway, since it was his fault they ended up with a one bed room cottage instead of the supposed three. Well, he was blind without his glasses and they made him book the place at 2AM; the mistake was slightly justifiable. Besides, it wasn’t that big of an issue. The bed was large enough to fit all three of them and maybe even a fourth person if they tried. It wouldn’t be the first time they shared, either.

 

Mark let out a low whistle as he entered the bedroom after them.

 

“Still a pretty nice place, despite the situation,” he said with a pleased smile, patting the back of Jeno’s head as he passed by the younger boy. “Nice pick, Jeno.”

 

There it was again. Jeno mentally scolded himself at the way his body involuntarily followed after Mark’s hand, as he hoped the older boy didn’t notice. It’s been happening way too much and way too often. He didn’t want to be obvious about his feelings; actually, make that he couldn’t be obvious about his feelings, because Mark was his best friend and Mark was also clearly into Jaemin more and Jeno didn’t blame him.

 

Really, he couldn’t, since he was pretty sure he felt the same.

 

The difference with his crush on Jaemin and his crush on Mark was that the former was always there; Jeno had pretty much grown up fawning over Jaemin, something that he just never grew out of. Meanwhile, his crush on the older boy hit him like a truck all of a sudden. It threw him off, made him way too conscious all the time, and always unprepared for the wave of emotions he would get.

 

Jaemin? Well, Jaemin’s always been pretty and soft and sweet, despite the snark that came with it sometimes. He’s always been the same, always been so constant, and it calmed Jeno to know that he could count on that to never change. Meanwhile, there was Mark, who could act like he was younger than the two one day and then act like he was the manliest guy out there the next day. He wasn’t, for the record, and Jeno was sure ofthat.

 

His mind was sure of that, but his heart wasn’t, and threatened to jump out of his chest at the smallest contact.

 

( 7 )

 

At some point that night, Jaemin had given up trying to understand.

 

It was hard to keep his thoughts straight after he was just kissed by both of his best friends, who were in turn, currently kissing each other. Was this the missing piece he hadn’t figured out this whole time? Was this what was hidden behind Jeno’s lingering gaze? And the way Mark’s eyes would flick down to his lips in the middle of conversations sometimes? Jaemin felt like he wasn’t supposed to understand what was happening; like it just wasn’t normal, but truth of the situation was that he did understand.

 

Maybe a little too well.

 

The fact that he couldn’t keep his eyes away from either boys in front of him spoke measures about just how much he understood.

 

( 8 )

 

The first time Mark realized he had a crush on Jeno was during their high school prom night, a whole two years ago.

 

They all went stag—such was tradition—but that didn’t mean that the boys didn’t dress up for the event. It was still supposed to be a memorabl