three is the perfect number || jaenoren (norenmin)

vingt-cinq

Jaemin's mouth was dry from sighing so much, but as Renjun hurried past him, again carefully not sparing him a glance, he sighed again, deep and miserable. They usually spoke and joked and sometimes even flirted whenever they could when serving tables, but today? Not a peep. 

It stung like hell. 

In fairness, Jaemin should have seen it coming as Renjun had not spoken to him all week, and also because Jaemin did have a growing suspicion that Renjun thought he and Jeno had a thing going on. Which, as much as Jaemin resented to admit, was definitely not the case. Jaemin admitted that being the noble person he was, he would never only get together with one of them even he got the chance. Going out with only Renjun or Jeno felt so incomplete he'd almost rather they get together instead. 

Watching Renjun smiling and putting plates of food down at a faraway table, Jaemin wondered how the hell he was meant to get Renjun to talk to him for long enough to convince him to meet Jeno after work. 

Jeno was onto his second attempt to try and confess to Renjun. It was, yet again, Jaemin's idea, and yet again, up to Jaemin to make it sure it happens. God, the stress. 

"Jeno? I think that Renjun thinks that we're dating."

Jeno turned bright red and started fiddling with the zip of the jacket he was wearing. "What? Why?"

"Well, along with ignoring you, he hasn't been talking to me either. And when you so kindly walked me to class, I saw Renjun look away when he saw us at the door. He must — Oh, he must be jealous. Remember when I told you how jealousy works? It's gone and backfired. It's the only plausible explanation."

Jeno wouldn't meet Jaemin's eye when he replied: "How do we... how do we fix it?" 

Jaemin swallowed the lump in his throat at the word fix. It was just a mistake, the concept of him and Jeno dating. "I'd suggest you try to confess one more time."

"Oh, no."

"Oh, no indeed," muttered Jaemin as he glanced at his watch and realised he had a solid minute to catch Renjun before they were dismissed. He went into the hallway where Renjun had suffered his unpleasant encounter with that one fucker (who was now banned from the restaurant) and shook out his limbs, mumbling nonsensically about how he had to stop being so supportive. 

He then saw Renjun stride quickly across the other side of the restaurant, like he was trying not to run, towards the staff exit. Jaemin's eyes widened and he scrambled after him, almost knocking over poor Dean, who had somehow maintained his patience with the newest workers throughout their career of careening into him. Jaemin whisper-shouted an apology and speed-walked after Renjun, who had now exited the building. He was probably going to take the goddamn bus. Jaemin thought back to the time he had blurted out that Renjun was bound to get hit on if he used it at this hour, and his entire face heated up in post-embarrassment. Well at least he got Renjun to agree to riding in his car on the way home. He just wished that they could have a little more time alone—

Jaemin watched in slow motion, in dim shock, as his own foot caught on the curb and careened forward into Renjun's back, sending them both toppling onto the ground. He landed with a thump and a grunt, just about administering that he had landed on cold, wet grass and that there was something leaning heavily on his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. He laid there in shock for a few seconds, then opened his eyes to make sure he wasn't dead. 

All he saw was an angel, so he thought in anguish that he really must be dead. 

Extremely dark eyes stared into his in concern. They were dilated in shock, and the almost-golden hazel rings, framed with unfairly long eyelashes and nonblinking, were only convincing Jaemin he was either ascending to heaven or descending to hell, because no such beauty existed on earth, no pit as deep as these that he could fall into.