My home (NoMin)

3

As a few weeks have passed now, Haechan is finding his independence. He's been following Jaemin's advice to the tee and it's helped a lot. He even saw Mark in the store today and other than an awkward start to their conversation, he can say he's moving on. His feelings are still there of course, it was his first love but he feels like he can say that he's ready to explore his options.

When Jaemin is sitting outside after work one day he sees Jeno and decides to try to talk to him again.
"Hi Jeno. How are you? Did you get settled in?" He asks as he crosses the street.
Jeno nods and shows a small smile.
"Yeah. I've got all my boxes unpacked now." Jaemin smiles brightly.
"Good, then you won't be too busy? Will you please come for dinner tomorrow? You can bring your boyfriend or boyfriends? If you want." Jeno chuckles and turns his pink cheeks away.
He shakes his head no as he hears Jisung and Renjun call out his name.
"I'm uh, I don't have a boyfriend." Jaemin looks puzzled at him with the other two now clinging to him.
"This is my little brother, Jisung and this is my lifetime bestie, I mean friend, Renjun." He frowns after saying all that. He's not sure where the need to explain himself came from but why he said bestie is beyond him. He clears his throat and changes his expression from soft to irritation without even trying.

"I don't know if I can." He says as Renjun asks what he's referring to. Of course after finding out he speaks for him.
"He can, he's available." Renjun says quickly. He doesn't even flinch when Jeno secretly pinches him.
"Oh? Great! You two are invited too, so please come?" Renjun frowns.
"Is your friend going to be there? He's cute." Jeno gasps and Jaemin just chuckles. Jisung has long excused himself, at least mentally from this conversation.
"I'll ask him." Renjun smiles wide.
"Ok we will come too then." Jeno secretly pouts in his head while Jisung does it for everyone to see.

"Injunie why did you do that?" Jeno asks with the biggest baby voice they have heard in a while. Renjun smiles at Jisung and They air high five behind his back.
"Hey baby, listen, you need to get out there and we will be with you the whole time ok? Remember, you are just making a friend." He nods but still pouts and allows Renjun to hold him as he lays with his head in his lap and his arms around his waist.
"He makes me nervous." Jeno says softly.
"Oh yeah? Good nervous or bad nervous?" Jeno rolls his eyes.
"Is there an actual difference?" Jisung laughs.
"Of course, good nervous means he makes your heart flutter when you see him and you want to impress him and you want him to pay attention to you. Bad nervous is, do you think he will hurt you? Will he be a creepy murderer?" Jeno shakes his head.
"I know the difference in those, it's just that even good nervous is terrifying." Renjun pets his head and kisses his cheek as he lays in his lap.
"But still, it's good nervous isn't it?" He asks softly. Jeno nods with a shy smile.

"Haechan, you have to come to dinner tomorrow. I've invited Jeno and his brother and best friend are coming. You know? The best friend?" Haechan hums.
"Ok." Jaemin smiles ear to ear.
"That was quick." He says with a smirk present in his voice.
"I haven't seen him up close in a long time." Jaemin's smirk makes Haechan suspicious.
"What?" He asks looking around.
"He said you are cute! He specifically asked if you were going to be there, then said you are cute." Haechan pales.
"Fuck, now im nervous. He's so pretty, what if I don't live up to his standards?" He asks.
"Hey, I will not allow you to degrade yourself but also, you can't date him yet. You still haven't had your rebound." Haechan pouts.
"But Jaem, I'm over Mark. I just really like this guy." Jaemin raises his brow.
"You've seen him once through the eyes of a broken heart and haven't spoken to him since. Just aim for friendship. It's a good start." Haechan finally caves.
"Ok fine. But if my heart falls tomorrow, there is no stopping it." Jaemin smiles and hugs him.
"You really are cute." Haechan makes a pouty face that truly is irresistible.

"Hi, thank you for coming." Jaemin greets happily as Renjun walks in first and Jeno is holding Jisung's hand as they walk in together. He quickly lets go when he sees that Jaemin notices.
"Im just happy Jeno has good neighbors here. This move was important for him." Jeno frowns at Renjun and shakes his head.
"Ok, Haechanie is in the dining room, helping to set the table. Come in and meet him?" Renjun, again is first in line. Jisung and Jeno chuckle over his enthusiasm.

"Haechan? This here is Jeno my neighbor, his brother Jisung and of course you've met Renjun." Haechan smiles softly. He holds his hand out to Jeno first.
"It's Nice to finally meet you. I'm sorry I haven't been in a place to stop by but I'm getting better." Jeno feels a genuine connection to him, almost as if they are meant to be friends, it's weird because he hasn't trusted anyone that quickly for a long time.
"It's fine, you can stop by whenever." He says happily. His eyes starting to form little crescents before he stops it in its tracks.

"Jisung? Nice to meet you too. I'm sure I'll get to know all of you better soon enough." He just nods and backs away toward Jeno.
"Renjun? Hi, nice to see you again. At least this time my face isn't puffy and ugly." He says cutely.
Renjun's eyes brighten.
"I'm pretty sure you could never be ugly. You are even pretty when you cry. But way prettier when you smile." He says boldly.
Haechan blushes and turns to Jaemin.
"I'll go get the food." He quickly runs off and everyone chuckles.

They spend the evening talking and getting to know each other. They find that they click well together, if nothing else they could be great friends. Jaemin still feels like Jeno is hiding himself but he still feels like he knows him a bit better.
When they are preparing to leave Jaemin traps Renjun in the kitchen.
"Hey, listen, you flirt a lot with Haechan and it's fine except he's coming off of a break up and he's much better but I don't want to see him get hurt. Please don't play with his heart?" Renjun smiles.
"It's Nice that you care so much about your friend and as a friend of a broken person myself? Please do the same?" Jaemin frowns.
"What do you mean? Jeno?" Renjun smiles stiffly.
"Don't hurt him or I'll cut your dick off." Jaemin is taken aback by his level of protection, whatever happened in Jeno's life must have been bad for him to threaten violence like this.