behind walls | nomin

4 | ch

jeno fakes a scoff.

"cant wait to see you murder him after school." mark smirks. "yo also, i heard you got a secret admirer." mark raises an eyebrow. 
"yeah. pathetic. she gave me a note this morning that i havent even read."
"well, why dont you? she might be the one you know... shes friends with winter so she must have a good reputation at least."
"she was ugly as fuck." jeno remorselessly states. he reaches into his pocket to locate the note.

hi jeno!<3
ive been observing you for a while now(pls dont get creeped out haha)... i feel like its finally time to make a move^^
i do find you rather frightening at times, but still you manage to stay so attractive in my eyes!!
i know i already messaged you but it just felt better giving you an actual irl note:)
i hope we can plan something out someday, id love to do anything with you!
/CH<<3

"ew. jesus christ how some people can be embarrassing." jeno mutters. he scrunches the note together before tossing it to mark, who lets out a loud chortle.
"seems like you got yourself your own little fangirl." 
"i dont like her." jeno coldly declares. mark immediately discerns what jeno has on his mind.
"but i guess she cant control her feelings for you..." almost wanting to defend his secret lover.
"she can control herself from revealing it." his tone beginning to lower. "she shouldve known there were consequences coming." 
"wait... c...h...?" mark re-reads the letters, racking his brain. "and... the handwriting is strangely familiar..." mark pauses. "shit! i know her!" 

"now i dont like her even more."
"okay wow now thats kinda gross. we were vibing last night as well..."
the cafeteria was beginning to empty. the noises were beginning to dampen. the blazing sun was hovering above the school roof. the wind was calm and the air mellow. 
"we both know the solution to this, but this time... im feeling like making things slightly different. slightly interesting." a vile look spread jenos face. 
"what do you mean..." mark hesitantly asks.
jeno shrugs and walks away.
"hey! i havent finished eating yet!"
"too bad."

"so, do you have any plans for the weekend?" chaehyuns cheeks glow in a light shade of pink. her tender, bright eyes beaming dreamily, meeting the stony, frigid gaze of the other male. 
"yeah. do you?" jeno takes a bite of his ice cream. disappointment instantly disperses chaehyuns expressions.
"oh... not really." she remains contented, although she had different hopes. "so what do you have planned?" 
"eh." jeno was not going to reveal his mothers situation. neither was he going to reveal his apathy. "im going to see my aunt. she lives in a different city."
"oh, i see." chaehyun understandingly says. "maybe another day then." she smiles shyly.
"yeah. i guess. how do you know minjeong by the way?" he disguises his question with an amiable tone.
"oh, we have korean and art class together, and were also both in the dance club."
"alright. i was just curious."

something is off, isnt it.

jeno scrutinized the murky night sky. he was sat in his soft bed, head empty of thoughts. in spite of as drowsy as he was, he was unable to even snooze. eventually, he managed to doze off, still wearing his uniform, and get half an hours sleep before his alarm clock rang, waking him up. he heads to the bathroom to wash his face, looking in the mirror, he cant help but to express repugnance after perceiving the sight of his own reflection. a gloomy day is what he would use to describe his sight in the mirror. he quickly pokes about his mothers drawers and finds a concealer stick, which he applies to make his dark eye bags as unnoticeable as possible. when finished, he grabs his bag and heads out. 

the birds were still chirping. the sun was waking up as the sleeping citizens. jeno was waiting for his personal driver to arrive. sitting on the parking lot bench, he suddenly catches a glimpse of an approaching figure at the corner of his eye. he turns to see na jaemin.

unable to remain antagonistic to the sympathetic other, jeno invites him for a conversation, slapping himself mentally for doing so.
"its pretty early jeno, school starts in over an hour. what are you doing here?" jaemin sits down beside him.
"i dont know... just woke up and got ready faster than i had planned. and yeah home... id just rather stay out here. kinda deep i suppose but sunsets are rare instances when i find peace in myself. and im here at the lot because my personal driver picks me up here every morning." jaemin was thrown off by how outgoing the cold, hostile jeno was behaving. "how about you?"

"oh i was just taking my morning walk until i spotted you. do you... live here?" jaemin felt himself grow more comfortable in the company of the suddenly changed jeno. he was however very aware of how he would change back to his usual self when seen, especially in school.
"not these blocks, but those, over there." jeno points at 5 particularly tall and wide apartment buildings, showing off its lavishness. 
"reasonable for you. i live right here." jaemin lets out a soft giggle before pointing straight towards the apartment standing ahead the pair.
jeno cant help the smile spreading on his face. he looks towards the other, silently observing him.
"i think you forgot to wash off some of your face mask, jeno."
"what do you mean?" jaemin replies with brushing his finger below jenos eyes, causing the product to come loose.
"fuck. please dont get grossed out. i mustve mistaken a face mask for makeup." jeno covers his face, slightly anxious of jaemins response.
"come on. lets wash that off and help you apply actual and correct makeup." jaemin smiles and reassures him, patting his shoulder.
"...i guess i gotta get back to my place, ...you wanna follow?" jeno doubtfully asks and  stands up, still hiding his face.
"wait, what? am i welcome to?" jaemin flashes a smile, tugging jenos arm, causing him to unhide his face. "dont worry, you dont have to hide it, its not that evident."
"yes, you are welcome." jeno seizes jaemins hand and pulls him up prior to heading off to his place, the sun fully rising behind them.

"wow..." jaemin was stunned by the abstract artworks hung in the pale hallways of jenos home. "are your parents home by the way?" the abrupt question causes jeno to pause his facial washing. thinking for a moment, he decides to reveal the background of the hospital visiting.

"im so sorry for asking... im sure she will recover and i really hope you do as well. but seriously jeno, i can tell that you havent taken care of yourself.., please... do."
jeno rinses his face once more, rinsing away his tears. "thank you." he mumbles. "can i ask you something though?" he asks once hes finished.
"go ahead." jaemin displays a small, mellow smile, secretly causing jenos heart to melt.
"so uhm... what were you doing there? you know.., at the hospital." jeno hesitantly questions.