Night Shift // nomin

2:56am

happy birthday jaemin!

—

After what I witnessed the other night, that one phrase kept floating around in my mind: 'Set him free.'

I've been trying to decipher it for the past few nights (Jaemin didn't come those times).

Obviously, setting him free means he's trapped or being held back by something.

"Jeno?"

I snapped out of my gaze, meeting the tired boy's eyes.

"Sorry." I apologized, scratching the nape of my neck.

He handed me the cash and I popped opened the drawer of the register.

"Jeno, can I ask you something?" the dirty blond spoke softly.

"Shoot." I replied, dropping the change into his palm, which he slipped into his pocket.

"Are you tired of me?" he asked, his eyes darting down to his fiddling fingers.

"Tired of you? Jaemin, where'd you get that thought?" I answered, furrowing my eyebrows a little.

"It's just I come here all the time, I thought you would probably be sick of my presence." he muttered back.

"No, no, no. It's totally fine Jaemin, I never get tired of you here. I actually expect you all the time and when you don't come it saddens me a little."

His eyes lifted to lock with mine.

"Really?" his eyes widened a little, shock being an underlying tone in his voice.

I nodded in reply. "I'm only stating facts."

"Also about what you saw the other night when Renjun came. I'm sorry about that."

A light shade of red arose onto his cheeks, probably out of embarrassment.

"It's alright. I didn't mind."

There was short moment of silence between us.

"Jaemin, can I ask you something?" I spoke up, ending the quietness.

"Mhm?" he hummed, reaching up and running his fingers through his hair.

"Why do you always ask if Renjun comes here or not?"

His lips parted, but now words came out.

"He's watching me." he said after a few moments. "He's making sure I'm alive."

He grabbed the pint off the counter.

"Thank you Jeno."

He slipped out of the door, to fast for me to say anything back to him.

—

happy birthday to the dearest most precious nana! celebrating his birthday with a not so cheerful chapter, but he's doing well irl and that's what matters :)