Puppy Emoji ☺︎︎ ∫ JaemJen【✔】

☺︎︎ Chapter Nine

"oh hey Je–" Jaehyun greets as he opened the door of the gym room in their school to see their captain's best friend.

He sadly gets cut off when he was weakly pushed to the side with Jeno mumbling a small "sorry" before scanning the room.

The gym was reserved for the school sports teams today, especially for the basketball team.

They – especially the coaches and teachers – didn't want any distractions for them, not to mention annoying hormonal teenagers who come and go just to try and seduce the players.

Usually, once someone who isn't a part of any sports team steps foot in the big gymnasium room, they'd get kicked out for interrupting their practice.

However, Jeno spots his best friend and the person he was trying to find all day near the bleachers having a debate or whatever whilst Mark was holding his opened water bottle.

He beelines towards them before Jaehyun or Johnny could ask what he needed and for Taeyong to kindly ask for him to leave if it isn't anything important.

But it is important.

"Mark hyung!" He calls out as he jogs right up to them with his backpack bouncing on his back, ignoring the slight pain of his spine.

Said raven haired boy hums and turns to the direction of the voice and smiles, "oh Jeno, what's up?" He asked as he cuts off the conversation him and Lucas were having.

Now that wasn't important.

"Actually, I want to ask Lucas hyung something." Jeno answered briefly and places his backpack down for a while since it was heavy and he would probably get a scolding from his friend who is right in front of him.

Mark couldn't help but coughed awkwardly knowing where this was going considering of what had happened last Saturday at Jeno's apartment. Bless his ears.

He didn't really have a choice but let it happen, he knows he's being overprotective of his best friend, but maybe that's just an instinct because they've known each other since they were kids.

Now it was Lucas' turn to hum and made a gesture for Jeno to go ahead and ask him what he needed to ask while he grabs a towel to wipe his face.

"Is Jaemin back today?" Jeno spills and chewed his lower lip waiting impatiently for the response.

The tall basketball player ponders in thought with his finger on his chin before nodding, "oh yeah, he's back." He smiles.

"Why? Do you want to meet him again later?" He asked with a small wiggle of his eyebrows jokingly and expected for Jeno to tell him to shut up or something like his friends would.

But it seems like Jeno took it seriously as he beamed so bright with his pearly whites showing, like his first meet with Jaemin.

"Yeah!" He exclaimed happily and points to his eye that was all better but something was off. "He's my soulmate! Look!"

Lucas' jaw drops for a long time while Jeno furrowed his eyebrows in confusion on why the information made the tall basketball player react like that.

Mark had to splash his half drunken water bottle at his teammate with the latter coughing and trying to blow out the water in his nose and also to get rid of that stingy feeling.

"That's– that's really... Surprising. In a good and cool way." Lucas comments after he dries his face with his towel, again.

The brunet nodded excitedly, "isn't it amazing? I finally found my soulmate, hyung!" He squealed loudly that Yuta accidentally threw the ball at Winwin, hitting the boy on the shoulder.

"My love!"

"Fuck off!"

Mark placed a hand on Jeno's shoulder with a kind smile, "do you think he'll accept you though? I mean, you're likable and all but... What if he hurts you?" He asked in concern.

The brunet boy smiled back, just as gentle as Mark's, and laid his hand on top of the elder's own, stopping Mark's movements of rubbing his shoulder as a habit.

"Whatever his reaction is, what his personality is, or how he'll treat me. He's still my soulmate, Mark hyung." He stated.

"Yeah I know that, but–"

"I'll be okay, I'll try my best to make it work between him and I. Even if it takes a long time," Jeno said cutting the elder off.

"Besides, I've waited since I was kid to find my significant and fated partner, I can still wait even more for him to hopefully like me." He added.

Seeing how the elder just pursed his lips, contemplating on things and seemingly doubting of the fact that his best friend and this Na Jaemin dude are soulmates, Jeno laughed.

"I'll tell you and Haechan if he crosses the line. But if not, then I'll keep going." He coaxed as best as he could to make the elder understand his point of view about his now-founded soulmate.

He got a deep sigh in return, and seeing the way Mark's gaze changed just a tiny bit softer, it was still something.

"Fine." The raven haired mumbled. "Go meet him and tell me everything what happened afterwards in your apartment, I'm coming over for dinner because my mom is at work."

Jeno makes a small gasp and beams again, hugging Mark tightly around his torso and nuzzles his face against the elder's chest just like when they were kids.

That time, Mark had gave him a toy bleyblade as a gift even though Jeno wasn't allowed to have that toy considering his grandma thought it was dangerous for his lil old self.

Jeno lived with his grandma since he could remember, he doesn't have any memory of his parents and had never heard about them often unless he blurts a question about them to his grandma.

He doesn't mind that much though, his grandma was strict, yet very kindhearted towards him and to those who deserves it. He's just thankful to have atleast one family member keeping in touch with him rather than none.

A sniffle was heard and they both turned towards Lucas who was wiping a few tears on his cheeks, "you guys are so cute." He whined.

Jeno laughed at him while the raven haired boy rolled his eyes. "I'll be waiting outside at the entrance, Lucas hyung." The youngest amongst them said.

Said boy nodded and gave a thumbs up, "okay. See you in a bit after practice, and don't worry, Jaemin will be waiting patiently. As far as I know."  He chuckled.

With a small wave, Jeno picks up his backpack and leaves the gym, avoiding a few sports balls flying and getting tossed around as he ignored Taeyong's scolding when Yuta aimed one at Johnny, almost hitting Jeno's back.

After the brunet left, the raven haired boy turns back to his teammate. "Well, Lucas, you're going with him right?" Mark asked.

Earning a nod in return, Mark hums and puts his water bottle back in his backpack. "Make sure he's in good hands."

"My dear soulmate, here I come."