dicey ↬ nomin

Ch.34

While Jeno was packing his bag, he was fortunately left alone by Jaewoo. He wasn't disturbed by him and he was relieved because he had expected questions to be thrown at him left, right and centre. But he didn't realise that Jaewoo wasn't confronting him because he was confronting Jaemin instead.

The others had scattered from the hallway to do their own things and when no one was there, Jaewoo backed him into a corner. "I guess you've joined the squad then?" He asked in an unbothered manner while picking at his nails. A small smirk was on his face but he refused to look at Jaemin's defiant eyes.

"Yup, a squad that makes the ratio four-to-one. Sounds fantastic to me." He glared at Jaewoo and brushed his pink hair off his face.

"Jeno actually hates people, if you haven't noticed," he rolled his eyes and moved closer to Jaemin. "So don't count on him to come through for you when you really need it. In fact, why don't you just take a step back and sit on the sidelines where you belong?"

Jaemin growled and felt his competitive streak surface. Jaewoo may have been taller, broader, smarter and a number of other things, but he certainly didn't care for Jeno as much as Jaemin did, and that made it an equal fight. "You're just pitiable. Those people you trick with a mask won't have your back and neither will those who aren't fooled, but at least I have Jeno's back. Who can you crawl to when you're locked up in a prison cell and you need connections to break you out? Mrs. Kim? Chenle? Hyuck? Jeno?"

Jaewoo' eyes glinted with a dangerous streak as his hand flew out to grab Jaemin's throat. But he wasn't able to when it was intercepted by a third party. Jeno had his hand around Jaewoo's fist and it was shaking with the force that the taller boy was pressing. "Mrs. Kim?" He called loudly, making Jaewoo drop his fist and huff like a teenager denied a packet of crisps. "I'm leaving now."

Jaemin was still backed up to the wall but his eyes were glaring at Jaewoo from behind Jeno's back.

"You guys didn't even hear me when I called out," Jeno said under his breath, but Jaewoo stalked off to his and Donghyuck's room to leave them alone. Mrs. Kim came out of the living room with Dongwoo hanging from her arm, having missed the whole ordeal. It was a good thing that Jeno had gotten there first, because he had managed to save his friend and put Jaewoo in his place for once.

***

"Have a great time," Ms. Kim smiled sweetly, her hand ruffling Chenle's hair and her arm around Jaewoo's shoulder as they stood in the doorway to wave the two boys off. Donghyuck was standing beside them, silently warning Jaemin not to try anything funny on Jeno while they were out. As they set off, Jaewoo's lurking shadow seemed to follow them from where they were standing until they completely lost sight of the building.

The walk to the house was pleasant enough, a bit on the chilly side, but comfortably so. And when they finally arrived, Jeno was holding his overnight bag in his hands and being weighed down by it while Jaemin stared up at the cute little house. It was a modern house, looking just like the ones along the stretch, and there were two strips of grass lining a narrow pathway beyond the gate, leading up to the front door.

Jeno stared in awe at the house, having recognised it on his way home many times. In a row of identical houses, this was the one that had always stood out to him because of the little hanging flower baskets and the row of pansies and other wildflowers growing on the grass. The other houses were dull and wilting.

"So this is home sweet home," Jaemin commentated and placed his hands on his hips, looking at it and then at his guest. "Just...don't freak out if my sister leaps at you, okay? She loves strangers."