𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐄 ✧ l. jeno, n. jaemin ✓

twenty-two: jaemin

yujin picked jaemin!

"i choose...jaemin."

jaemin blinked at the ravenclaw's words and pointed to himself. "you chose...me?"

yujin nodded and jaemin tightly wrapped his arms around her with a grin. jeno chuckled at the sight of his two friends, "i'm glad for you both!"

"you're not mad or anything?" yujin asked.

"why would i be? i'm glad jaemin finally has someone, even if she didn't choose me!" jeno beamed.

yujin felt herself naturally smile and said, "thank you for everything, jeno."

✧ ✧ ✧

yujin plopped herself down on the blanket jaemin laid down.

the couple were on the astronomy tower preparing for a night of stargazing. jaemin suggested it after discovering that yujin found stars just as beautiful as he did.

"i can't believe O.W.L.s are so soon," jaemin said.

"and headmistress mcgonagall is pushing us extra hard!" yujin whined. "transfiguration was a step-up this year."

"definitely," jaemin chuckled.

the couple sat in a comfortable silence as they stared up at the night sky, glimmering with stars.

"i heard tonight has a shooting star near here," jaemin spoke. "so we'll be able to make a wish."

"really? i haven't been stargazing in a while," yujin responded with a smile.

"me neither, the most recent times i got to look up at the sky were during astronomy class," jaemin added.

yujin let out a hearty laugh, agreeing with jaemin's words. the slytherin felt a smile creep onto his face as he watched the ravenclaw he could now call his lover react to such a simple sentence.

"astronomy is one of the nicer courses, though," yujin grinned, looking into jaemin's eyes. "although it's still quite rigorous, watching the stars is surprisingly relaxing. better than history of magic, for sure."

this time, jaemin took the chance to chuckle. "i don't think anyone enjoys history of magic—not even professor binns!"

the couple laughed in unison at jaemin's short yet impactful comment. their joyous reactions echoed throughout the tower, filling the empty space with an upbeat mood.

a falling meteor shot through the night sky, catching their attention. "look, it's the shooting star!"

"make a wish!"

the couple sat together with their hands clasped and eyes shut as they thought hard about their wishes. once yujin finished, she slowly opened her eyes to find jaemin staring at her with a dopey smile.

"what is it?" yujin giggled.

"what did you wish for?" jaemin asked, still smiling brightly.

yujin thought for a moment, then stuck out her tongue. "that night when you made me make my decision, i told you guys what i was in the courtyard for first. so this time, you're answering my question first!"

jaemin chuckled at the ravenclaw's words, surprised that she still clearly remembered that night. "okay, ask away!"

"what did you wish for?"

"exact same question, huh?" jaemin teased. his smile faltered for a second before he continued, "if i'm completely honest, my wish was for a stable family relationship."

jaemin paused for a second, then continued, "you know, my whole life i've just been under my family's control and now i-i'm finally free. but it's just so hard to believe that it's finally happened. and yeah, i may hate my parents, but i've never really lived without them."

yujin intertwined jaemin's fingers with hers and glanced at the slytherin eyes, which were half-lidded and glossy. "i-i dunno, it's new but i'm not sure how i'll go on without any close family members. back when i suggested the name 'dream', this was the dream i was fighting for: to be free."

yujin hummed and jaemin turned to face her with softened eyes. the shared eye contact made jaemin feel like he had someone to trust, someone who could support him throughout his life.

jaemin knew the raw emotion of sympathy yujin held in her eyes was genuine and it would still be there even if she chugged a gallon of veritaserum. instead of looking away, jaemin found himself falling deeper into her eyes with every second.

yujin knew she couldn't look away. she was too engrossed in the slytherin's gaze on her. it made her feel safe, comfortable, and at peace—something she would have never expected prior to becoming official.

in a split second, yujin quickly pecked jaemin on the cheek. she turned her head away, blushing with embarrassment. why did i have to do that? bad idea, yujin!

but jaemin thought the opposite. for years, he had been deprived of any love from his parents to the point where his heart went numb without any signs of affection. but, a single ravenclaw caused the slytherin's head to run in circles. the action was so quick, yet it made jaemin want more.

"s-sorry, you probably didn't like that," yujin mumbled, still avoiding jaemin's gaze.

the slytherin simply held yujin's chin and gently averted her head to face him. "you're right, i didn't like it."

yujin felt a stab at her heart. disappointment clouded her head and she visibly frowned.

"i loved it."

the three words made yujin's spirits shoot higher than ever before. the ravenclaw mustered up the courage, with the help of jaemin' words, and looked back into the slytherin's loving gaze.

"hey yujin, can i be the apple of your eye?"

yujin felt her lips curl up at the simple yet touching phrase, sending butterflies throughout her body.

"you're already the apple of my eye."

- fin.