Punches and Pirouettes |NOMIN|

Chapter 4

The next day at school, the whispers grew louder as Mark strutted down the hallway, a confident smile on his face. At his side was a boy with a mop of messy hair and a crooked smile that seemed to light up the room. It was Vernon, the new kid from America.

Jeno watched from his locker, his eyes narrowing as Mark made a beeline for him. "Hey, Jeno," Mark called out, his voice carrying over the din of students. "This is my friend, Vernon. He just moved here."

Jeno turned to face them, his gaze flicking over the newcomer. Vernon was tall, with a lanky build that suggested he was still growing into his frame. His hair was a wild mess of black and brown, and his eyes held a spark of curiosity that made Jeno's stomach twist.

"Hey," Jeno said, his voice a low rumble. He studied the boy, trying to gauge his intentions. Mark had a habit of bringing home strays, but there was something about Vernon that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Vernon offered a tentative smile, his eyes darting between Mark and Jeno. "Hi," he said, his accent unmistakable. "I've heard a lot about you."

Jeno's gaze remained unyielding, his arms folded over his chest. "Yeah?" he said, his tone flat. "What's that?"

Mark chuckled, a hint of nerves in his voice. "Just that you're the best fighter at the underground matches," Vernon said, looking at Jeno.

Jeno's eyes narrowed, the mention of the fights bringing a coldness to his gaze. "Is that right?" he asked, his voice a warning growl.

Vernon nodded, "Yeah, I heard you're like a legend around here," he said.

Jeno's eyes remained on the newcomer, his expression unreadable. "Don't believe everything you hear," he warned.

Mark rolled his eyes. "Come on, man, don't be like that. Vernon's cool. He's just interested in the scene."

Jeno's gaze didn't waver from Vernon. "The scene can be dangerous," he said, his voice low.

Mark clapped a hand on Jeno's shoulder, trying to lighten the mood. "Chill, Jeno. He's just curious. Besides, I'm starving." He looked at Vernon. "You wanna grab some food with us?"

Vernon nodded eagerly. "Sure, I could eat."

As they made their way to the canteen, the tension between Jeno and Vernon was palpable. Mark seemed oblivious to it, chattering away about the latest gossip and school drama. But as they approached the bustling room, Mark's eyes lit up. "There's Jaemin!" he exclaimed, pointing to a table where Jaemin was sitting alone, nibbling on a sandwich.

Vernon felt his heart race as they approached. the one who had inspired him to explore this new fusion of dance and combat. He couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves as they drew closer.

"Hey, Jaemin," Mark called out, waving enthusiastically.

Jaemin looked up from his book, his heart skipping a beat as he saw Jeno standing behind Mark. He offered a small smile, his eyes flicking to Vernon, who was beaming at him. "Hi, guys," he said, his voice a bit shakier than he would have liked.

"Mind if we join you?" Mark asked, already pulling out a chair.

Jaemin's eyes darted to Jeno, who gave a curt nod before sitting down. The sound of metal chair legs scraping against the linoleum floor was unnaturally loud in the cacophony of the canteen.

"So, you two hit it off at the studio?" Mark asked, his tone teasing.

Vernon's cheeks flushed as he took a seat beside Jaemin. "Yeah, we had a good time," he said, his eyes shyly meeting Jaemin's.

Jaemin's smile grew, the memory of their impromptu session in the studio still fresh in his mind. "It was something else," he agreed. "I never thought I'd find someone who'd be into that."

Vernon leaned in, his eyes alight with enthusiasm. "It was amazing, like nothing I've ever done before. It's like we were speaking a secret language with our bodies."

„I don't know anything, what happend yesterday?" confused Jeno asked.

Mark smirked. "You really don't know?"

Jeno's gaze flicked to Mark before settling back on Jaemin, his eyes narrowing slightly. "No, I don't," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Care to fill me in?"

Jaemin felt a blush creep up his neck as he realized the implications of what he had just said. "We just...danced," he mumbled, his eyes darting down to his sandwich.

Jeno's gaze remained on him, his expression unreadable. "Is that all?" he asked, his voice deceptively casual.

Jaemin's heart skipped a beat as he felt the weight of Jeno's eyes on him. "Yeah," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's just something new we're trying."

Jeno's gaze grew colder, his jaw tightening as he stared at the two of them. "I see," he said, his voice deceptively calm. The jealousy was a slow burn in his chest, a feeling he wasn't used to. Mark had always been the one to bring people into their lives, but there was something about Jaemin that felt...different.

Vernon looked between the two of them, his smile faltering. "Is there a problem?" he asked, his voice tentative.

Jeno's eyes remained on Jaemin, the question hanging in the air like a challenge. "No problem," he said, his voice tight. "Just surprised you didn't mention it."

Jaemin's heart raced, feeling the unspoken accusation. "It's not a big deal," he said, trying to keep his voice even. "We just met."

Jeno's eyes never left Jaemin's face, the intensity in them unnerving. "So, you're just friends?" he asked, his voice tight.

Jaemin nodded, his throat dry. "We just met yesterday," he repeated, hoping the simple truth would be enough to quell the storm brewing in Jeno's gaze.

Jeno's jaw clenched, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the edge of the table. The air around them grew thick with tension, and for a moment, it felt as if everyone in the canteen had gone silent, their conversation swallowed by the unspoken challenge hanging in the air.

Jaemin could see the storm clouds gathering in Jeno's eyes, the flicker of something dark and possessive that made his stomach twist with a mix of fear and anticipation. "Just friends," he repeated, his voice a bit stronger now. "Vernon's new in town, and I'm just showing him around."

Vernon's eyes widened, and he took a sip of his drink, trying to seem nonchalant. "Yeah," he said, his voice a bit too high. "It's all very innocent."

Jeno's gaze didn't waver from Jaemin's. "Good to know," he said, his voice still tight.