Beautiful // Nomin

~16~

Jisung was on the couch watching a k-drama on his phone when Jaemin returned. "Jisungie, good job with Jeno at school today," he praised and Jisung flinched at the thought of it. Jaemin threw his backpack onto a chair and asked, "So, what did you want to tell me?"

"So this," Jisung started, sitting up a little straighter, "Mark got-"

At the sound of the name, Jaemin knew he didn't like where this was headed.

"Mark got tickets for a big official dance event and he invited me. Can I go?" Jisung said hopefully.

Jaemin narrowed his eyes. "I thought Mark got arrested."

"He's...out now."

"Why are you suddenly asking my permission? It's not like you ever did before. And also, if you're talking about the really expensive Jeju street dance thing coming up, then-"

"It's that one," Jisung interrupted excitedly. "And I'm asking you because it's a week-long thing I won't be home."

"Where in the world is Mark getting 'trillion dollar' tickets?" Jaemin said sarcastically. "Not in any way that I want you involved in. And, you're coming to school more now. You can't be absent for a whole week."

"But hyung-" Jisung cut himself off.

"But what?" Jaemin said in an uninterested tone.

"But I'd already told Mark that I'd go..."

Jaemin threw his hands in the air, stood up, and headed toward the kitchen. "Then what're you asking me for?! You got yourself a different hyung you'd like to listen to!" he muttered, frustrated.

"But street dance isn't bad," Jisung tried to defend.

"Street dance is not bad," Jaemin huffed. "Mark is bad."

"No he's not."

"Well he's not an example you should follow. I've decided. You're not going," Jaemin finalized and with head held high, started banging around cabinet and refrigerator doors to prepare for dinner. Jisung was left dazed on the couch, still staring after his hyung. He'd wanted to go so bad...

"What're you sitting there for?" Jaemin said in a demanding mother voice. "Do your homework or something. Do you need to work on a project? Chenle told me about it."

"No..." Jisung mumbled indistinctly and slinked away to his room.

Jaemin sighed and cooked the dinner, although it was early. He had work later and didn't want Jisung to be home by himself without food, since he didn't know when he'd be back. He spooned the cooked food out into a big dish, wrapped it, and shoved it into the refrigerator. "Dinner's in the fridge. I'm going to work," he huffed outside Jisung's door before swiftly getting his bag and shoes and leaving the apartment room.

Today's afternoon client was a new one and had requested Jaemin to come to the house. Jaemin hated these locations but as said before, hours of this wretched job had worn down his previous acute sense of safety.

He took the bus across the city, wondering what his client would be like. The client had booked up Jaemin's whole afternoon and evening; man someone must be feeling extra horny today. He hoped that wasn't a bad sign.

The bus dropped him off in a better part of town, and Jaemin even had to enter a code to get through a gate into a neighborhood community. The boy tried not to feel discontent, but the grand houses and pretty landscapes made it hard.

Jaemin had to walk a long ways between every house, their lawns were so wide. He finally got to the desired house number, walked up a flight of brick stairs, and rang the doorbell on the porch.

As expected, a worker opened the door and let Jaemin inside. He motioned in the direction of the upstairs and said, "First door on the right." Jaemin nodded and mouthed a "thank you" before gingerly stepping up the clean stairs. He felt extremely out of place.

He knocked gently on the said door and heard a "Coming" and footsteps approached the door. The doorknob turned and opened. Jaemin was more than just shocked and taken aback at who he saw on the other side.
"J-jeno...?!"

Jeno smiled shyly and opened the door wider. "H-hey Jaemin. Come on in. Are you on a strict schedule? Maybe we could study, go to the gym...or just hang out today?"

Jeno felt embarrassed but triumphantly accomplished as he saw the younger's face light up. Jaemin was excited at Jeno's invitation, but extremely bashful at the random turn of events. So Jeno knew about his job and had even got his work phone from somewhere? Jaemin hoped his crush wasn't hiding disgust under a smile.

"Well..." Jaemin started, his mind still in confusion. "I mean...am I—I'm supposed to, uh, work but um-"

"It's okay, I booked it up," Jeno interrupted quickly. "Just relax today Jaemin. I know you work your head off every day. You're still in school. It shouldn't be this way."

Jaemin listened to Jeno, feeling emotional at how much the boy in front of him actually cared. "Wow...Jeno-ssi, really, thanks," he said softly and looked down meekly at his hands.

Jeno smiled wider, seeing Jaemin in such a glowing state, until-

"Oh, Jeno. You paid me," Jaemin suddenly said and pulled out his phone. "How much was it?"

"Ah no no no," Jeno hastily cut in. "It's okay, keep it. Please."

"Come on," Jaemin argued. "I'm not taking your money. I'm not even work-"

"Jaemin, what is your work?" Jeno interrupted.

The pink-haired boy froze at the sudden question. How to answer it without sounding terribly dirty. "Uh..."

"You get paid to make them feel good, yeah?" Jeno answered the question himself in a softer tone.

Jaemin squirmed and gave a small nod, ashamed.

"Well, I feel good when I'm with you."

What?

Jeno, you what??

"So keep your money."

As he spoke, it dawned on Jeno how his hasty choice of words would fall on Jaemin's (or anybody's) ear. His face started heating up in embarrassment. "Y-yeah...so just keep it. Really."

He looked at Jaemin's galaxy eyes that had gotten so big and sparkly with hope and happiness. "Jeno? You really like it when I'm around?"

"W-what? Of course!"

"I thought maybe I'd come off as annoying..." Jaemin sniffed.

"What! Never," Jeno said emphatically. "I mean in all honesty you're a really good friend."

"Thanks Jeno," Jaemin said bubbly and would have lunged at Jeno on the bed and given him a big hug and kisses, if it weren't for the quick mental reminder that Jeno WAS NOT SINGLE.

Well, a hug was okay, right?

Jaemin put his work bag gently on the bedroom floor before lilting "Samoyed~" cutely and jumping onto Jeno and wrapping him in a tight hug, rolling around on the bed.

"What-" Jeno managed to squeak as he flailed around in Jaemin's tight grip, caught off guard.

"You are a Samoyed," Jaemin informed, before snuggling his face savagely into Jeno's shoulder. "Jeno, I love you so much." The words he wished to say so much spilled out against his will.

"Huh?" was the immediate dumb reply.

"-As a friend, of course," Jaemin quickly tacked on, covering his mistake.

"Ohh," Jeno laughed. "For a moment, there..."

Jaemin snickered at Jeno's reaction. He was good at keeping a smile on his face. He slowly rolled off of Jeno and ruffled his hair playfully.

Yeah, as a friend...of course.