Jaemin the Icy Prince on Campus - Na Jaemin NCT

31. Cozying Up with the Enemy

"Don't worry about me, and I won't worry about you," Leean said to Jaemin as Junnie and I approached.

It was high school all over again, as they eyed each other, scowling, hands balled into fists at the sides.

"I'm not worried about you, but you're driving Mina, and that does concern me," Jaemin said. He waited as Leean took a long, pointed gulp of his beer. "But go ahead and finish your beer," Jaemin said, his mouth twisted nastily. "Luna and I will take Mina home."

"Not that it's any of your business, but I would hardly get drunk on one can of beer. So you can shove - "

"It's still beer."

Leean raised his voice, taking a step forward. "Shove your self-righteous, judgmental bullshit - "

"Whoa," Luna said. "No need to get worked up, Leean. He's just looking out for her."

"You'd think I was the fucking asshole between us," Leean spat.

"I'm not going to stand by and let you put her in danger. You can go guzzle a  fucking truckload of beer cans and go drown your sorry ass in booze and spill your fucking brains on the street for all I care, but there's no way in hell I'm going to let you put Mina's life on the line."

"Yeah?" Leean asked, leaning in dangerously close. "Why?"

"Because she's my neighbour," Jaemin said.

"Is that all?" Leean asked.

"Shut up, Leean," Luna said, pushing between them. "You're being an idiot."

Leean glared at me. "Am I, Mina? Am I an idiot?"

They waited for me to answer, Leean and Jaemin's eyes intently on me.

I went to Leean and slipped one arm around his waist as I placed a hand on his chest. "No. You're not an idiot."

Leean's heart beat strongly against my palm. Jaemin glared at me, at my arm around Leean's waist, at my hand resting on Leean's chest, and pushed up his sleeves, his forearms tensing.

"Don't," Leean said under his breath so only I could hear.

I looked up at him. "What?"

"You know what. Don't use me to get what you want." He peeled my arms off him and walked away as I stood there. 

"Hey, Leean," I called, but he kept on walking.

"Let's go for a walk," Luna said to me, glancing back at Jaemin. "Is that okay? I need to talk to her about something."

"Okay," he said, without looking at me. He kicked his foot moodily in the sand. Wisps of dust rose mournfully and swirled like powdery rain in the firelight. "Don't go far."

Luna looped her elbow with mine to walk down to the water. I wriggled uncomfortably. It was like cozying up with the enemy.

"Everything okay with you and Leean?" she asked.

"We're just friends."

"But he's so perfect for you, Mina." 

"He's not..." Jaemin's perfect for me. "He doesn't..."

"So who does?" she asked. "Aren't there any guys at school?"

"They're just boys."

"If you don't practise with boys, how will you handle men?" We stopped walking and she glanced back at the fire, at Jaemin. I didn't want to look, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to know where he was. How he was. Always. Even while he was shredding my heart. Jaemin looked back at us as he talked to Junnie.