fourteen days and twenty-eight kisses ; nct jaeno

day 13 ;

a/n: try to listen to "Say You Won't Let Go" by James Arthur while reading this.

-

Gravity is a bitch. Everyone knows that fact.

However, it seemed to become more of a bitch to Jaemin this day, because with every step that he took came a heavier force dragging his feet down deeper and deeper into the cold and cemented sidewalk, as if he was walking on quicksand in the middle of the dryest desert with the hottest weather that anyone could ever think of.

Along with his troubles with his walking were his troubles in breathing, thinking, and calming down. Doubts were threatening to cut the thread that connected him to reality, turning him into a seemingly tipsy idiot trying to make his way to school alive.

In simpler words, Na Jaemin was a nervous wreck.

It was already the day of their performance exam in Music, which meant that it was already the day where he was going to stand on stage in front of a group of people and sing while carrying the huge chance of fucking up on the spot.

Looking at it in a way, it was a shallow issue to fret about, but Jaemin had slight stage fright, so the speck of nothing in everyone's eyes was a piece of everything in his.

"Nana!"

Jaemin's what seemed like endless walking had finally came to a slow stop. He looked up and felt like his sinful soul was washed clean again at the sight of Lee Jeno walking through the crowded corridor with his signature smile plastered on his timeless-like face and his big baggage hung on his shoulders and hands.

"I almost thought that you ditched me," Jeno joked, grinning as he adjusted his hold on the handle of his guitar bag. "I got a little scared."

"You almost made me wish that I did," Jaemin retorted, rolling his eyes. "so you better behave before I change my mind."

"Yes, sir."

Anxiety was bringing Na Jaemin down as much as gravity was bringing down everything on Earth, but because he knew that someone as special as Lee Jeno had his back, he knew he was going to be alright.

-

Before the exam started, the students' Music teacher explained the rules and regulations of the waiting game, but even when her voice was loud and echoing across the lobby, Jaemin couldn't hear her over the loud sound of his heart palpitating in his chest.

At the moment, the young boy's hands were shaking, while his legs were slightly swinging in a restless manner. Despite the low temperature in the venue, small beads of sweat could be seen on his tensed face, amping up the uneasy look he was wearing.

He was basically becoming the very definition of nervous, and he hated it so much, because it seemed as if everyone else could sense it happening to him.

"Nervous?"

Well, maybe except one.

Jaemin turned to Jeno, ready to shoot a "What the heck do you think?" look at him, when he saw a glint of gentleness shining in his eyes, which caused him to feel slight frustration over the odd mixture of feelings messing with his heart.

"Yeah."

Jeno heaved a heavy yet silent sigh. His stare averted from Jaemin's eyes to his hand, then, as if the action was involuntary, he watched as their fingers intertwined, their hands fitting together perfectly like a pair of puzzle pieces.

"Me, too," Jeno admitted under his breath, looking back up at Jaemin with a ghost of a smile seen on his lips. "We can do it, though. We have to, technically, since we can't back out of this."