Beautiful time (Noren)

36

Jaemin is nervous. For most people, the impression he gives off is that of a goofy extrovert who loves all forms of attention, but a large percentage of the time that is just so people can't see who he really is. A cover, that few people have seen underneath. Jeno, Renjun and Mark and a handful of others know what he's really like but he doesn't show it to just anyone.
He sits in his lonely apartment quietly contemplating where to take Chenle on their date. He's only known him for literally a weekend but he really wants a chance at true love and he loves the time they spent together. His past has haunted him for so long that he never believed he deserved a good relationship, but now that him and Jeno have reached an understanding, and he was forgiven, he finally feels like he can try to be truly happy. He really needs to get this first date right so he can have another one. They talked a lot during their weekend together, in and out of the sheets so he is going to have to base it off of those things. When he finally figures out the perfect date he gives himself a pep talk to give him a call.
"Hello?" Chenle questions into the phone since his number isn't saved yet.
"Hi, it's me." He says nervously.
"Jaemin? You sound different." He says as Jaemin sighs, disappointed that he could hear his nerves.
"Sorry, I'm nervous. I think I came up with the perfect idea for our first date." He says feeling the nerves die down a bit.
"You mean our date, saying our first date implies that there will be a second one and that is getting a bit ahead of yourself." Chenle won't know how bad that stings.
"Yeah, you're right sorry." He chuckles feeling the nerves all over again.
"Anyway can we go out on Saturday? It will be a laid back kind of thing, like very physical but also laid back." Chenle chokes, as much as he plays off their time together as a mistake he thinks unholy thoughts of the other when he speaks a certain way or gives him a certain look. Before they met up at Renjun's place he spent the whole week regretting his life. Not because he slept with him but because he never got his number, so of course he had to do his best to play it cool in front of him.
"Uh, what exactly do you mean?" He asks hesitantly.
"Not what you're thinking, but that would be fun too." Chenle clears his throat.
"Ok, we can meet up somewhere?" He kind of questions.
"I want to pick you up, please let me? Even though it's going to be a chill day I still want to do it right." Chenle nods his head as he says ok.
"I guess it's fine." Jaemin silently cheers.
"Im coming in the afternoon so make sure you eat your lunch then we will work up our appetites again before we go to my place where I will cook you an amazing dinner. Bring a change of clothes, you will need to shower when you get here." Chenle hesitates but agrees none the less.

Jaemin of course spends the next few days in quite a bit of distress. He really wants this to go well but the closer it gets the more the doubt creeps in.
"Do you think he will like it? I'm so worried he's going to hate it and I want to see him again." He says with a pout to Renjun and Mark as they sit eating their lunch.
"I think it's perfect." Renjun says patting the back of his hand.
"If he's apprehensive about this, then this will be a good way to talk and play and just have fun, besides you know I have an affection for it anyway." Jaemin smiles softly.
"Thanks for listening to me guys. I'm sorry if I'm being a downer today, I'm just so nervous." He's truly happy to have supportive friends in a time like this.

When Saturday arrives he busies himself with small tasks. Cleaning his apartment again, he's cleaned it every day. He knows Chenle has been here before but this is different.
He drives to Chenle's place a little early just in case there is a lot of traffic. He nervously plays with the small bouquet of flowers he brought, he contemplates throwing them away not being sure if he will like them. When he finally gets his courage up he knocks with shaky hands on his door. He watches as it swings open and is unpleasantly surprised when it's someone else.
"Oh hi, you must be Jimin, Jaemin? I don't know, you must be here for Chenle?" Jaemin nods with a forced smile. He feels slighted as he figures Chenle probably barely uttered his name since this fool doesn't know it but he will put on his best persona and push it aside.
"Please come in. I'm his roommate Jisung." He walks in slowly and looks around. He notices it's pretty sparse in decoration but nice.
"You want a drink or anything? He'll be out in a minute I'm sure." Jisung walks away when Jaemin says no and bangs on what he's assuming is Chenle's bedroom door.
"Your date is here, hurry up." He shouts before smiling awkwardly then leaving the room. Jaemin's eyes nervously flit around the room, not knowing what to do with himself. He so relieved when Chenle comes out dressed in athletic shorts and a t shirt, just like he told him to.
"Hi." Jaemin says simply as he holds out the flowers. Chenle stares for a minute before he slowly walks up and takes them. He smells them and goes into the kitchen to put them in a vase.
"Thank you." He says softly as he walks out and sets them on the coffee table. Jaemin has to push down his nerves, he's feeling like they are going to swallow him whole. He's never felt these feelings before and he's wondering if it's all worth it.
They get to the gym after a mostly silent ride, barring a little small talk here and there.
"This place comes highly recommended from Renjun." Jaemin says watching Chenle's eyes widen in surprise.
"He wouldn't go to a gym for anything." He says making Jaemin laugh.
"You can ask him when you get together but yeah this is how he met his boyfriend." Chenle is a bit slack jawed as he knows Renjun was always the smart artsy kid even in elementary school.
When they enter the basketball courts Chenle smirks, at least he listens when he talks, he thinks to himself.
They play a game of one on one which Chenle wins since he plays more than Jaemin. Neither one held back, both were equally competitive and Chenle definitely appreciates that.
"Do you have it in you to play another round or have you worked up an appetite yet?" Jaemin asks, trying to catch his breath.
"How about best two out of three? And the loser has to do whatever the other tells them to." Chenle says with a smirk. Jaemin catches it and finds it really attractive, he smiles and nods his head.
"Yeah, sure. If I win, you go on a second date with me." He smiles proudly as Chenle scrunches his brow.
"If I win, we will go back to the original plan, and I will decide based on this date." Jaemin purses his lips in thought. It's still not a no so what can it hurt?