Found | Nomin

Chapter 14: The Moon Festival

"Over here?" Jeno asked, placing down one of the many benches he had already placed that afternoon.

By this time of the day the festival preparations were nearly complete. Jaemin and Jeno were setting up the seating. Like rows of roses, multiple circles of ashwood benches surrounded the bonfire.

"Yeah. That's perfect, Jen." Jaemin smiled, laying down a silk cloth over the length of backrest.

"What about this one?" Jeno asked.

Before Jaemin could turn around and see what Jeno was referring to, he felt his feet leave the ground as he was lifted into the air. Immediately he panicked. Albeit only for a split second once he realised Jeno carried him in his arms.

"J-Jeno!" Jaemin tried to voice sternly but failed in doing so, a weakly held back chuckle leaving his lips. He lightly hit Jeno's back with a huff, "Put me down!"

Once Jaemin stopped squirming Jeno placed him back onto his feet, nothing but a grin making its way onto the older's cheeks. Jaemin tried to glare but even he couldn't with hold a smile.

"Come on. Stop messing around. We have to finish this." Jaemin untangled himself from Jeno's hold. He went and grabbed another silk cloth, patting it down of wrinkles.

Right. Hand holding only. Jeno reminded himself, walking over to Jaemin with a deep and almost tired or even sorrowful sigh. A slight drop in his scent, a nearly tangible coldness to it.

Jaemin smelt it too as Jeno picked up one of the last benches left beside him. He knew what it was too. Knew that he was the course of the unpleasant chill. It hurt him just as much as it did Jeno.

"Actually, why don't we head back? I'm sure we've done plenty." Jaemin suggested with an apologetic smile.

"Okay." Jeno nodded.

Jaemin watched as the other silently walked with his head down in front of him. The older was trying to shrug off the feeling. Shake whatever thoughts he had in his mind out. He hated the dropping weight in his chest. The doubt.

"Jen, wait." Jaemin called out.

Jeno turned around. Frustration simmered in the younger's throat instantly at the fake smile the alpha gave him. It wasn't intentional. He was just trying not to let on that he was bothered. Jaemin knew that. But Jeno didn't need to hide how he felt around him. He didn't want him to.

"Stop smiling like that. I know I upset you." Jaemin frowned. Jeno looked shocked for second as he opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by the prince.

"I'm sorry." Jaemin softly apologized.

He lightened as he saw Jeno smile at him. Not the horrible fake one that made him boil, but the genuine eye-creasing smile that made life a little better.

"I know." The alpha said contently. Reaching his hand out to the younger, he requested happily, "May I walk you back, your majesty?"

Jaemin smiled with slight shock at the other and perhaps maybe the smallest amount of flattery. He placed his hand in his alpha's hesitantly as the other looked at him with a cheeky grin.

Together the two continued to walk back. Jeno's scent rippened sweetly with his mood as did Jaemin's.

"You know," Jeno began, "My family would've loved you."

Jaemin looked at the other but only saw the alpha looking forward. He quietly looked back ahead of him at the road that climbed the hill to the castle.

"What happened to them?" Jaemin asked cautiously. He hasn't seen or heard about Jeno's family before. He could only assume something terrible happened to them. He didn't want to prod in an area he shouldn't. He didn't want to hurt Jeno.