Technically, Jeno was aware the relationship between his two close friends was none of his business. And that if it really came down to it, he'd known a certain Na Jaemin for far longer than he had his cute, little boyfriend – for more than 10 years now – so there was no reason for him to think badly of his best friend.

But Jeno had always prided himself on being a good, just friend for everyone, especially guys as soft hearted as Huang Renjun.

He couldn't help it. Everything about the boy just awakened his protective instincts like he was born to do this, like he was made to ensure his pure, tender heart didn't get hurt in the hands of those that didn't deserve it.

Jeno wasn't in love with him, no.

Absolutely not.

He couldn't even imagine kissing him or seeing him as anything more than an adorable, dear friend he wanted to look after.

But that was the most curious thing, really. Because he knew that if he and Jaemin ever broke up and it ended with him needing to choose sides, he wouldn't have much difficulty in choosing Renjun's regardless of what might've happened between the two. And he'd known Jaemin for years.

But he couldn't just not choose Renjun either. Because Renjun... Sweet, sweet Renjun... He was special. 

He always pretended to be so tough and unbothered by everything, acting like he could take on whatever life would throw in his way. But in reality, he was silently hiding one of the most precious hearts in the world inside of him.

Jeno had seen it in his pure, child-like fascination for everything, and the air of innocence he effortlessly carried around him without even noticing.

There was just too much softness and care in his actions for it to not to bleed through, and he knew their other friends had noticed it, too.

It brought up this subtle kind of beauty in him that held your breath captive and made you want to wrap him inside a cocoon of blankets till he was warm, and safe, and out of the world's harm.

That kind of a feeling.

That was exactly what Renjun made him feel; he just wanted to keep the world away from him before it corrupted him, broke down his barriers and exposed his glass heart, only for it to get spat and stepped on in the hands of savages.

That was why Jeno felt obligated to keep an eye out for Renjun and make sure his best friend wouldn't hurt him by acting stupid.

Like kissing other boys while in a relationship with the aforementioned boy kind of stupid.

Jeno could hear the music of Renjun's favorite cartoon playing in the background – the one he'd watched far too many times to feel the need to pay much attention – while the older scrolled through his phone on the bed, nestled under a thick, warm comforter.

His face stayed passive despite the things happening on the screen, bordering bored, and it was clear he'd rather be left alone for today instead of being forced to engage in a conversation.

But really, Jeno just thought he looked like a cute, miffed little kitten.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair with a pained look on his face, barely holding back a groan. He could already see with his mind's eye the absolutely heartbroken look on the older's face when he finally opened his mouth and broke the news to him.

He couldn't bear the thought of seeing him crumbling down in front of him, his own eyes tearing up at the thought of his friend getting hurt for something so stupid as his boyfriend fooling around behind his back.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Renjun asked suddenly, annoyed, efficiently cutting off his stream of thoughts.

He'd been fidgeting by the door of his room for 10 minutes now, silent, looking like he had something to say. Renjun had figured he either didn't know how to bring it up or hesitated, which was mildly infuriating to say the least.

He hated hesitation. So much. Which was why dating someone as opinionated as Jaemin was really a blessing to his nerves. Jaemin would never be too afraid to say what needed to be said – he'd give it to him straight.

Jeno looked at him, startled, "I saw... I saw Jaemin kiss Donghyuck."

Renjun blinked, looking at him dumbly like he was waiting for him to continue with something after the revelation. Then he nodded and turned his attention back to his phone again, "Okay."

Okay? Wha– That's not it! That couldn't be it. Why was he saying 'okay' to Jaemin kissing someone else? Did he not hear him?

"I said, Jaemin kissed Donghyuck. Today. Earlier. Right here in our dorms, right in front of the door."

"Okay," Renjun repeated again, just as impassive.

"Renjun! How can you be like this? I literally just said Jaemin kissed Donghyuck right outside this room and I– he kissed him, Renjun. Jaemin. Your boyfriend! Can I get just a bit of reaction to that?"

Renjun put down his phone with a sigh, "Look, Jeno. I don't see the problem here, nor do I understand why you're so worked up about this. You know Jaemin is affectionate with people. He's kissed you on the cheeks, too. Multiple times. So what's the real issue here?"

What was the issue? What was the issue? What the , was he being serious or was this normal for people in denial?

"He kissed him on the mouth, Renjun. That's the issue."

"Oh," was all Renjun bothered to answer him with.

"Oh?" Jeno mimicked, apparently the only one actually offended about this. "I said your boyfriend was faces with someone else, and you say oh?"

Renjun's narrowed eyes met his so fast Jeno was worried he'd get whiplash, " faces? I thought you said kiss. Like a peck."

Jeno cleared his throat, "I mean– yeah? They kissed. Pecked. On the lips."

"So... no make out sessions then? Just... a peck?"

"Well... Yeah."

Renjun nodded to himself, locking his phone and turning around to properly face him this time. Unlike the hurt Jeno had expected to find in his eyes, he only saw a hint of his own exasperation mirrored back at him.

"I'm telling you, you're worried for nothing. I trust Jaemin."

"That has nothing to do with this anymore!" Jeno sputtered, eyes wild. "He kissed someone! Jaemin! Screw the trust! He– He– He took advantage of your trust!"

Jeno knew he was getting frantic, but he didn't know how to stop it at this point. He was so furious, so disappointed that his friend could possibly do something like this.

Renjun looked at him with a worried face, his teeth gnawing on his lower lip like always when he felt conflicted.

Then he freed his lip, the blanket falling off of his shoulders, down to the floor, as he stood up and came up to him, cupping his face with his soft, vanilla lotion scented hands.

"Jeno, I need you to calm down. Please. You and I both know that Jaemin wouldn't do something that would hurt me. What you saw was just a little peck, right?"

Numbly, Jeno nodded.

Renjun's face brightened, like he was the one trying to console him and not the other way around, "See? He does that. That's his thing. Nothing to get worried about. Really, I promise you."

"But he–"

"Jeno."

"He–"

"Jaemin's good."

"But–"

"You don't trust him?"

"I–"

Jeno sighed, dejected. He did. Always had, following his decisions like they were straight out of some golden handbook of life.

But this was about Renjun.

Renjun with a few exclamation marks behind his name every time he heard it mentioned. Renjun and his heart. And he'd seen Jaemin kiss someone else with his own two eyes and– Jeno just couldn't let this world crush someone so precious as him. He kept insisting. 

"Yeah, but I saw them kissing."

"And that was just Jaemin pecking Donghyuck on the lips? That's all?"

"Well– yeah."

"Then that's that. End of story. Jaemin pecks all of his friends, I'm sure you already know that."

Jeno was about to protest again, mouth open and a finger poised in the air, but then he stopped. He didn't, he suddenly realized. He might've seen it, heck he might've even been kissed himself for all that matter now that he really thought about it.

So how come he'd never paid any attention to that then? How come seeing him kiss Donghyuck had triggered a response like this? Why did he feel so cheated on when he'd walked on them like that?

Renjun gave him a gentle, genuine smile, "Thank you for telling me and for being so worried about me, Jeno. I couldn't be happier to have a friend like you to stick up for me, but Jaemin really didn't do anything wrong. You need to trust me on this one. I know what I got myself into when I first started dating him."

Jeno wasn't convinced, not yet, far from it, but how could he argue with him? Renjun was so sure of himself that he found it hard to stand his ground.

"Can we just please go ask him first? I need to be sure, and I know he can't lie when he's confronted by us both."

"But–"

"Please? Just to make sure everything's fine."

"Fine," Renjun agreed somewhat reluctantly, as if this wasn't even his relationship they were arguing about.

Jeno was really starting to question whose sanity he was doing this for, his or Renjun's. Nevertheless, he still followed the older like a kicked puppy till they stopped in front of the locked bathroom.

"Jaemin?" Renjun asked as he knocked on the door.

"Taking a . Don't come in."

"Yeah, sure. Anyway, Jeno said you kissed Donghyuck today."

".... Yeah?"

"On the lips."

"I did."

"I see. And that's just your way of showing affection?"

"Yeah."

Renjun nodded, not that he could see anyway, and turned back to look at Jeno now that they'd clearly gotten their answers. Jeno seemed dissatisfied with it though, pointedly crossing his arms and motioning for him to go on, one of his legs impatiently tapping against the floor.

Renjun sighed, resisting the urge to just turn around and go back to his room so he wouldn't have to deal with this, especially today out of all days. He was not coping that well with life at the moment.

"Jaemin? Still there?"

"Obviously."

"Right. So. The kissing. It was completely platonic, right?"

A pause. Renjun knew that at this point, he had Jaemin's full attention. Whatever games he'd been playing, whatever videos he'd been watching, they were completely forgotten now.

There was no one that took their relationship more seriously than Jaemin.

"Renjun? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just answer me, please."

Jaemin stayed quiet, but a moment later they could hear him flush and wash his hands. After he was done, he unlocked the door, stepping out and flicking his hands in the air for a few times to dry them off before wiping them on his pants and directing his attention to the little audience outside the bathroom.

"Okay, so, what's up?"

Renjun scrunched his nose a little because yuck, but quickly shook his head, deciding to go straight to the point instead.

"Jeno doesn't like you kissing other people when you're dating me and claimed you were cheating on me even when I explained that that's not how it works between us."

Jeno gasped, looking betrayed. Judging solely by the expression on his face, you'd think Renjun had just thrown him to a pack of wolves to save himself.

It was just Jaemin. But then again, maybe that was just as bad.

"Aww, that's adorable," Jaemin cooed, pinching Jeno's cheeks and then squeezing them so that his lips puckered and he was left looking like a fish. Jeno fought himself free. "Didn't know you cared that much about our relationship. How precious."

He didn't, not really. Jaemin could go himself for all he cared, he'd be fine no matter what. Jeno was more concerned about Renjun and how he'd take it if something happened.

"I just... I don't want you to play with his feelings, okay?"

Jaemin turned to Renjun with a raised brow, wondering when he'd ever given the impression he would. Renjun shrugged, "I told you, he won't listen to me."

Jaemin let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head a little as if disappointed. "All right, fine. Since you probably won't believe either of us, let me demonstrate. This, is how I kiss my friends," he said as he took a purposeful step towards Jeno, who immediately took a panicked one back.

"No, don't–"

But then Jaemin was already pressing his dry lips against his.

It lasted only for a second, and then they were gone again, just lips quickly pressing together like the way your mother would kiss you when you were young, how Jeno's mother still kissed him when she got the chance to.

It left a tingling feeling on his lips, and Jeno couldn't help but to lift his fingers up to his face, pressing against the spot Jaemin had kissed, mind dazed. He barely registered Jaemin's triumphant look before it was too late.

"And this, is how I kiss my boyfriend."

Renjun had seen it coming, he really had, knowing his boyfriend like the back of his hand. B he was still caught off guard by the sudden, almost predatory look in his eyes when he finally turned around to face him.

Either Jaemin was more offended by those claims than he'd first thought, or then this was just his pure love for showing off speaking in volumes.

Renjun didn't know or really care which, if not both, it really was. Jaemin was already towering over him with both his height and confidence, pushing into his personal space with a wicked grin on his face.

It came almost naturally, the way the younger slowly made him back off against the wall. Renjun felt like he was under a trance, captivated by the way Jaemin always enjoyed seeing him cornered between him and another surface, something about it tickling the animalistic part of his brain or something.

Jaemin didn't stop till he'd pressed himself so close against him that Renjun could count all of his lashes separately.

His cheeks tinted red at the sudden intimacy, and he almost risked making himself a stuttering fool to tell his boyfriend to behave in front of their friend.

But then Jaemin dove in for a hungry kiss, surprising him with the roughness of it. It was full of teeth clashing before Jaemin finally repositioned himself, his teeth gnawing on his lower lip, pulling on it and drawing out a startled noise out of him.

If Jaemin was a wild animal, Renjun imagined this would be equal to getting pissed all over. It was like he was trying to eat him alive. Not that he minded, really, too busy relishing in the feeling of Jaemin's hands digging into his waist, his grip bruising.

It didn't take long for Jaemin to genuinely get into it, slowing down to really enjoy it. It was now less teeth, less need to show off and prove himself, and more about making out with his hot boyfriend that was struggling to keep down the small noises that only spurred him on.

He angled his head just a bit better, pushing even closer as he continued to devour his mouth with heated passion, making Renjun feel all tingly and giddy inside as he returned it with his own, starting to feel the heat building up inside of him.

He could feel himself melt against the wall, the bad mood from earlier leaving in a hurry as he surrendered himself to the younger, letting him direct the show as he pleased, eyes shut, mind blank.

He wasn't sure how long it went on, but there was a thin trail of saliva trickling down his chin from when he'd started to whimper needily against Jaemin's lips, letting him swallow the noises he made after the younger had swiftly moved one of his legs between his, adding pressure in all the right ways, driving him wild.

"OKAY! Okay! Fine! I get it! Jesus..."

They parted, panting from the lack of air, just staring at each other's heated, hazy eyes, smiling.

After they'd finally caught their breaths, they turned to a beet red Jeno covering his face, the palms of his hands digging forcefully against his eyes as if he was trying to burn away the image of them making out in front of him.

"Gosh, you two are so indecent. You should be ashamed."

"Hmm, yeah, okay, I'll think about it. But did that answer your question, or do we need to go even further to get our point across? Maybe you'd like to come watch in the bedro–"

"NO!" Jeno immediately yelled to stop him from saying those cursed words out loud. "God, I just– I'll just go, thanks. And sorry. You don't– You don't need to prove anything to me anymore. Just... Get a room, will you?"

With that, he quickly turned around, leaving as fast as his legs would take him. Jaemin and Renjun watched him go, chuckling and cooing at his clear embarrassment.

After he was gone, Jaemin turned to his boyfriend, a wild glint in his eyes and a lazy grin on his lips, "So, wanna before the rest come back?

Renjun didn't hesitate, taking his hand and pulling him after him, "We don't have all day."

"I'll be quick."

"Shut up."