Golden ◂ NCT Jaemin

59 ◂ Crimson

I believe in han daegang supremacy

◂ 59 ▸

Jeno watched the kids in admiration as they hectically prepared food in the kitchen. His unmatched, warm smile didn't waver despite Jisung almost setting the kitchen towel on fire numerous times.

"Jisung!" Renjun exclaimed in panic as he threw said kitchen towel at the youngest. "I swear to god, cooking with you is a safety hazard." 

Unsettled, Jisung looked at Chenle. Lost eyes, mouth open a bit in confusion. And at the sight, Chenle quickly shook his head. 

"You are doing great." 

Which Jisung accepted right away and quickly put his best friend's input above Renjun's. 

True friendship. 

"Are you sure Jie will be in the mood to eat?" Jeno questioned eventually. "She had a long day today, maybe she is tired." 

It was almost 3 am and the girl's shift was about to end. Since it was her last day of work today, the boys decided to prepare dinner. 

But one meal turned into two out of pure indecisiveness. Then two became four through too many of Chenji's 'wow this looks good! let's eat that too!' that accompanied Jeno and Jaemin as they tried to get the grocery shopping done. At some point, a simple dinner became a small feast. 

They even prepared dessert. 

Renjun quickly brushed off the older one's concern. "I didn't spend hours in the kitchen to let it go to waste," he pointed out. 

Haechan stopped in the middle of cooking, just to put a hand above his chest and proudly say,
"I will sacrifice myself and eat the leftovers if that happens." 

Chenle put his arm around Haechan's shoulders as he added in a voice that dared to crack any second, 
"I can't let him do that alone. I offer to eat Jie's dessert if she doesn't want it." 

Jeno frowned. "You guys are awful." 

"'Altruistic' is the word you are looking for, Jeno," Haechan corrected. 

"No. No, it's not." 

"Okay," Jaemin said as he walked over to the kitchen. He put a hand on Jeno's shoulder, making him look at the younger. "You look after them, I will go pick up Jie." 

"Drive safely!" Jisung shouted, back facing Jaemin as he focused on whatever he was doing. 

With a smile on his face, Jaemin nodded. He said a quick goodbye ere he left the house. 

This late there weren't many cars on the road. It was rather quiet. Barely any red lights, not much traffic to slow down the ride. A ride that only felt long because Jaemin was really looking forward to seeing Jie. He knew she was going to be tired and she was probably not going to say much. 

But that was okay. Tired Jie was cute. 

Eventually, Jaemin reached the bar and parked the car in front of it. Just as he got out, he watched the last few people exiting it. Most of them only stumbled clumsily across the sidewalk in an attempt to reach home, a few others decided to catch a cab instead.  

He rounded the car and leaned against the closed door to the passenger seat. Hands in his pockets, he watched the sparse stream of people slowly vanish behind houses and doors - until he was all alone, a few minutes past 3 am waiting in front of an empty bar. 

The sky was clear and the streets were resting in silence as, for a few moments, neither cars nor wind moved across them. 

It was utterly peaceful.