Epidemic ✦ Nomin

10

"Do you mind telling me what happened last night when you decided to pursue Jisung?" Jaemin inquires casually as he thumbs another page of his textbook from the opposite end of the long dining table.

"I had a talk with Jisung and Chenle. I managed to convince them to come back here, and we returned safely," Jeno murmurs as he mindlessly stirs his silver spoon around in his bowl of thick soup.

"Considering how both boys are indescribably stubborn, that must have been quite an exceptional feat," Jaemin remarks as he gently closes his tome and sets it on the table beside his own bowl.

"In a sense," Jeno brushes it off.

"How did you manage?"

Jeno's eyes flit up to the man across the table whom stares him back with a faint grin on his lips which he terribly attempts to suppress. Jeno furrows his brow as things slowly begin to make sense to him.

"I made a deal with Chenle," he responds flatly.

"And?"

"And Jisung already told you the rest, I assume," he murmurs in a monotone.

"Heavens, no. Jisung is not one to tell the secrets or business of others. He was not the one to tell me," Jaemin admits with great amusement.

"Chenle," Jeno sighs before scooping up a small bit of soup and taking a bite. To his surprise, it was actually quite delicious despite its appearance which very much resembled vomit.

"He was quite eager to inform me of how highly you spoke of me and his hopes that I was just as you described me to be," Jaemin's smile begins to spread, no longer fighting the urge to do so.

"Come off it, I only said those things to get him off the street," Jeno mutters bitterly.

"Statements like that do not simply come out of nowhere."

"Precisely. I thought of how Jisung views you and how you view yourself. From there I came up with a few nice things to say," Jeno tries to justify himself, "It is not as difficult as you would like to think it is."

"I am not sure I believe you are so creative as to jump into others' mindsets."

"Let me be clear: I am not fond of you or what you stand for. Accusing me of feeling or thinking otherwise is a feeble attempt at best to feed your intense need for approval and praise," Jeno snaps.

Jaemin continues to grin as he stands from his seat and slowly makes his way around to Jeno.

"I need not pretend you are fond of me when you clearly at the very least have respect for me," Jaemin hums as he stands beside Jeno, "And the sooner you admit such, the easier all of our lives will be whilst you work alongside me."

Jeno sneers, quickly losing control of his temper. He suddenly grabs ahold of Jaemin's black tie and yanks him down to come face to face with him.

"Try and convince someone else to care," he growls viciously, "I do not respect you, and I long for the day I am released from your hold over me."

Jaemin chuckles in a manner which is somewhere between genuine and condescending. Though Jeno tries to maintain eye contact with him to ensure he understands the seriousness of his words, Jaemin's eyes begin to drift lower. Jeno feels his anger abruptly switch to confusion as he tries to understand why his eyes are wandering. Was he not taking him seriously? Jeno did not know, but Jaemin's eyes quickly flit back up to meet Jeno's, perplexing him further.

"Mmhmm...I am sure you do..." he hums in a slightly lower register as his smirk refuses to falter.

Jeno is rendered speechless as he grapples at some sort of explanation as to why Jaemin was speaking and acting in the manner he was.

"I have to gather supplies. I will meet you at the carriage in an hour," Jaemin utters as he places his hand atop Jeno's. He ever so slowly slides it down until the tie slips from his grip. Jaemin then straightens up and fixes his tie.

"Be on time," he advises, and at this, Jaemin strides away, leaving Jeno at the table by himself. Jeno stares onward in the direction Jaemin had previously been, finding himself largely confused about the exchange and unable to believe it had actually happened.