The Hidden Card || NCT MAFIA

Chapter fifty-six: Lies feed selfishness

"Jaemin?"

The whisper came from the left side of the room. In the darkness, Jaemin couldn't see anything but he still turned his head in direction of the voice.

"Jeno?"

"Hey," he said, this time his voice much closer.

Jaemin didn't move and waited for his brother to take a seat next to his bed. In the dark, he could feel Jeno move next to him, sitting on a chair.

"How are you feeling, Nana?"

Jaemin was still in the infirmary, Doyoung had insisted he slept one last night there just in case the wound re-opened.

"Better, thanks."

"We were all worried about you, but the others said we had to let you rest, so we did."

Jaemin smiled, even thought he was well aware that Jeno couldn't see it.

"You guys can stop worrying, then. I'm feeling great."

"Jaemin," Jeno facepalmed, "you got stabbed."

Jaemin scoffed in his head. Really? He thought, mockingly, I didn't know!

"So?"

"So it would be completely normal for you not to feel good."

"Pff," Jaemin scoffed. "Of course I feel good! Great, even! I could run a marathon!"

"You hate running," Jeno reminded him.

"That's beyond the point," Jaemin waved Jeno's comment aside like one would do with a fly, "My point is, I'm invincible."

Jeno made a weird noise, between a snort and a cackle. That made Jaemin laugh, and he instantly brought a hand to his wounded side.

"Don't make me laugh, idiot," he whined.

"Sorry," Jeno laughed softly.

For a few seconds, neither one of them spoke, simply enjoying each other's presence in silence. The ticking sound of the clock filled the room, until Jeno spoke up again.

"What were you doing?"

Jaemin frowned, then remembered his brother couldn't see his face.

"What do you mean?"

They were whispering, too scared to wake the other members up.

Jeno paused for a second, searching for his words, "Outside. What happened? Doyoung-hyung only told us you got stabbed but refused to give us any detail."

Jaemin let out a sigh. That was the real reason of Jeno's presence here, they were finally getting to the part that Jaemin had most feared.

He didn't want to lie to his brother. But Taeyong and Kun had asked him to keep his mouth shut, and no matter how much he hated the idea, he trusted his older siblings. His heart clenching, Jaemin's brain tried to come up with a believable lie.

"I was in town when I passed by a dark alley," he began, now grateful for the darkness hiding his face, "and then I heard someone. They sounded weak, and I walked closer. Turned out it was only a trap and a I got ambushed by two guys."

He let out another heavy sigh and went on, "As you know, I'm not the best fighter and I got my ass kicked."

Next to him, Jeno clenched his fists on his thighs.

"Did they know who you were? I thought Mark-hyung and I were the only Dreamies exposed."

"I don't think they did," Jaemin lied again.
He remembered the second man and how focused he had been on Iseul. He had definitely known who they were, "I think they were just pickpockets or something, they tried to steal my wallet."

"Really good pickpockets, then," Jeno said through clenched teeth, "I know you're not the best in a fight, but you still know how to defend yourself."

Jeno didn't sound suspicious, but rather... confused. Jaemin didn't know what to say.

He was a spy; his job was to lie about everything about himself to other people and strangers in general. He was really good at it, and the lies came out of his mouth so naturally that people always hung on his every word.

But with his own family, with Jeno, he could be himself. He had never played a character, had never lied. To use his skills on his brother hurt him, but Jaemin knew he didn't have a choice. He just really hoped that Taeyong knew what he was doing.

"I guess I was quite distracted," he simply said after a while.

Jeno turned his head to him, "Distracted?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking about Iseul and everything..."

Good, he congratulated himself, change the topic, make him focus on something else that will catch his attention just as much.

One of the keys to be a good spy was to observe and know the person you were talking to.

That way, you could orientate the conversation to your will while slowly becoming the one to lead the talk, without the other person even noticing. Jaemin knew Jeno, and Iseul was a good way to make sure he would stop thinking about his previous lie.

"What about Iseul?" Jeno asked.

"I'm wondering if we made the right choice by welcoming her in our family."

Jeno didn't hide his surprise. "What?"

"Don't get me wrong," Jaemin quickly recovered, "It's just that... we're criminals, Jeno. Our lives are dangerous, and I know that Iseul is a big girl and can take care of herself but..."

"But you're scared she'll leave us eventually, or even worse, get hurt," Jeno finished for him.

"Yeah..." Jaemin said quietly.

"She deserves better, doesn't she?"

Jaemin could feel the pain behind Jeno's words. He felt the same way.

"She does."

"But what can we do?"

"Nothing, I guess. I mean we both know her, the girl is as stubborn as a mule, nothing and no one can make her change her mind."

They both laughed softly.

"It's her decision, after all."

"We're selfish, aren't we?" Jeno asked, his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.

"For wanting her to stay despite it all? Yes, we are."

"I don't know about you, but I don't mind being selfish for once, as long as Iseul stays close to us..."

Jaemin didn't reply, but he agreed. Iseul had been there for him when he needed a normal life. He intended to be there for her when she'd need to adapt to her new one as well.