Strawberry Pocky // Nomin

Ch. 3: Whispers

[Jaemin POV]

"Pssst! Did you hear? The new guy got accepted into the group of princes in under an hour!"

"Oh my gosh is that him? Why did they pick someone in glasses?"

"He looks so average. Why didn't they pick someone better-looking."

"Ugh. Ew."

"He looks like a nerd."

"You think they let him join just cause he was that desperate?"

"He must've begged like a dog. The princes are too good to turn down some hogger like him."

"He should go di--"

Jaemin stopped listening.

He was awkward enough walking to the cafeteria with all of his new friends. They were all stunning and he felt a bit misplaced walking beside them.

But forget them, I hope the cafeteria food is ACTUALLY good.

Jaemin could sense his new friends grow tense at the whispers about him. Thier walking began to look distressed. Some of them had balled thier hands into fists. He didn't want them to regret picking him or feel bad about him.

He tugged on the shirt of the person in front of him, Taeyong.
Taeyong gave him a worried look before Jaemin broke out his best sunny smile and asked, "Hyung, could I introduce you all to my older brother?"

Taeyong still looked worried, but agreed. Jaemin smiled again to do his best to show that he wasn't gonna let them get to him.
Taeyong pat his head.

"You were always the right person," Taeyong changed his worried look into a softer, more reassured gaze.

The cafeteria was huge.

So huge and high class in fact, it would be mistaken for a ceremony hall or a banquet floor.

The tables varied in size and shape. Some were very long, others were smaller circles. There were even small tables that would serve two people in contrast to the largest table that could serve up to 25 people.
The tables were drapped in white cloth and all had proper table settings arranged on them.

Jaemin was again amazed. But that didn't change the fact that him stomach called out in agony despite eating sweets all day.

"We have to go find Yuta and Doyoung..." Taeil mentioned.

"Okay everyone! Let's split and find them," Taeyong clapped his hands.

They all huddled closer.

"But Hyung, someone needs to save our table..." Haechan reminded.

"Ah... I can do it," Jaemin raised his hand. "I'm hungry and I'm waiting for my older brother anyways, so I can just save the table."

"Sounds good!" Taeyong smiled at him. "Okay, Dreamies! Search floors 1 to 6!"

"Okay!" Mark, Haechan, Renjun, Jisung, and Chenle sectioned themselves off from the huddle and exited the cafeteria.

"Next, Internationals, take floors 7-12 as well as the library and main entrance!"

"All set!" Johnny, Ten, WinWin, Kun, and Lucas headed out.

Taeil and Taeyong agreed on searching the music wing, gymnasiums, and offices, then waved to Jaemin as they left.

Jaemin sighed. He actually didn't want to stay alone, but he didn't want the whispers bothering his new friends.

His phone vibrated.

"Hello-- Jaehyung-hyung?" Jaemin widened his eyes. "Where are you?"

"I'm with Moonbin. We're heading to the cafeteria. Where are you?"

"I'm in the cafeteria holding the seats for--"

"The sixteen princes of Seoul Academy."

"Hyung how did you--"

"Its around the school already. Apparently news concerning them spreads like wildfire."

"Oh.." Jaemin sighed in defeat. "I'm at the 20-seated table. Meet me here?"

"On my way."

Jaemin hung up and thought for a while.

"Seventeen princes but..." Jaemin counted on his fingers. "Including me.. There's only sixteen here..."

Jaemin was dazed in confusion. Did they just count wrong?
He recounted many times and didn't realise that a group of girls had surrounded him.

Girls... But I thought this was an all-boys school...?

"Um--"

"Ah, here's the bug that annoys our princes. The fly," a girl glared at him in disgust.

"Minah, he's a dongsaeng, just tell him off all you want," another one elbowed.

Apparently, the girl closest to him, assumedly Minah, scoffed and grabbed his backpack.

"Oh~ how cute. You eat so daintily for a guy. Did you really have a lack of balls that was so embarrassing that you had to steal our princes to make up for it?" she poured the contents of his snack bag onto the table.

Jaemin was too stunned to say anything.

"Haha is that yours new kid? You eat like a girl!" a random guy stopped to laugh. "Hey! The newest prince eats like a girl!"

People started surrounding Jaemin quickly, commenting on his eating, glasses, and eventually, Jaemin was on the verge of breaking down.

He was nervous. It was his first day at school, and he was already awkward and uncomfortable.
But this.. This was too much.

"You eat like a girl~!"

"Does that make you a pig then..?" Jaemin looked up, teary-eyed at a bunny-looking boy. He had broad shoulders, and they seemed to sheild Jaemin from the huge gathering of people.

The guy looked back at him, and smiled.

"Ah, that's right. Prince, we were just about to stop them from doing this--"

"Shut up, Minah," a new, non-Korean boy stood by the bunny boy and glared at her. "I saw the whole thing. You can't lie about it."

"But--"

"Ugh! Get out of our faces! How would you like me in your face as of now?!" the new non-korean boy glared at them and stepped forward, body posture a bit more intimidating.

Jaemin gaped in amazement as the large crowd backed off.
The girls glaring at Jaemin as they turned away.

The non-Korean boy turned to Jaemin. Jaemin flinched a bit, but looked up to see a completely different person almost.

"Hi, I'm Yuta," his smile was pure and brimming with kindness. "That's Doyoung."

The bunny-boy, Doyoung, smiled and sat down across from Jaemin.

"Welcome to the group, 17th prince."
------------------------------------------------------
(a/n: 😕 Nope. 404 Jeno not found.  Don't worry, he's coming soon. 😉

Also... Anyone figured out besides Jaehyun and Jeno, who is the missing member...?               )