blue gasoline ✿ nomin

047

Jeno was beginning to get quite worried about Jaemin, seeing as the latter hadn't contacted him for several days. After their outing, he figured the younger would be glued to him any time the chance arose, but it was quite the opposite. The phenomenon was certainly abnormal, and the officer was trying his best to figure out a way to ignite a conversation.

"What's on your mind?" Yukhei asked, snapping the ravenette from his thoughts.

"Jaemin," he responded instantly.

The older's face morphed into a smug look, causing Jeno to regret his decision to be upfront. Although he and Jaemin were getting a bit more serious, they were still pretty private about their not really relationship—or Jeno was, at least.

"So you've finally realized you're in love with the kid?" the brunette smirked, casting a side glance in his fellow officer's direction.

The younger laughed softly, thinking back on his and Yukhei's conversation a couple of months ago. Honestly, if it weren't for Yukhei's encouragement over the course of all this, it was highly doubtful he would be in this situation right now. He could've easily still been sulking in his apartment because he refused to act on his emotions, but now he was some sort of lovesick puppy—a very, very happy lovesick puppy. "Yeah. We went on a date last week," he said proudly.

"Jeno making big boy moves!" Yukhei cheered, taking one hand off the wheel to pat his comrade on the shoulder.

The ravenette chuckled, blushing lightly at the praises, but it didn't last long as he thought back on their lack of communication since that night. "We've not talked since then, though...it's got me worried. I can't think of anything I did wrong, but I very well could have."

The older hummed and shook his head semi-dramatically. He clearly thought of himself as a relationship advisor of sorts, and he took his job very seriously. "Well, did anything happen? Something out of the ordinary that he just didn't mention?" he inquired seriously.

"Well...the waitress did give me her number..." Jeno responded after a few moments of thought.

"What did you do with it?"

"I put it in my pocket so I could throw it away when I got home. Why?"

All at once, the younger officer was being bombarded by slaps until Yukhei swerved and nearly killed them both.

"Jesus Christ, Yukhei, what was that about?!" the black-haired male screeched once the rush from almost dying wore off.

"Why would you keep it?! That's exactly what he's upset about; he thinks you called her!" the other officer hollered in reply, completely ignoring the fact he almost induced a car accident.

Jeno sighed and facepalmed. Of course, that's what Jaemin was angry about—how could he not know? He hadn't thought anything of taking the number with him, but it was ridiculous of him to not think Jaemin wouldn't. "How do I fix it?" he groaned.

"Just talk to him," the brown-headed male advised. "That's the best thing you can do."

The younger nodded and started planning how he would confront his lover. Hopefully, they wouldn't get in another argument—but who could ever tell with them?

🔴🔵

"Wow, you look like shit," Donghyuck chuckled as he maneuvered into the passenger's seat of Jaemin's Porsche, propping his crutches up on the dashboard.

"Thanks, just what I wanted to hear," the younger joked in return, but it was clear he wasn't feeling like his usual peppy self.

This wasn't strange to Donghyuck, though. After their years of friendship, he had become accustomed to his best friend's highs and lows. Obviously, he was in an extremely intense low right now—hence why they were off to get their hair dyed and one of them was obviously blown.

"I don't think they'll be open to doing your hair when you're higher than a kite," the brunette commented, trying to make it seem lighthearted. The last thing he wanted was for them to fight, but acting like everything was completely normal and acceptable would make him the shittiest type of friend.

The pink-haired boy glanced in his friend's direction before he shrugged. "I'm Na Jaemin, who the hell are they to deny me?"

Donghyuck zipped his mouth shut and looked out the windshield. There was no getting through to Jaemin right now, so it wasn't worth it to even try. Now, he was focused on what color he was going to dye his hair instead of his irritable friend.

By the time they left the hair salon, Jaemin ended up with pastel blue hair and Donghyuck with purple. The latter was beaming at his new look, but the younger didn't feel a single thing. What was supposed to be therapeutic in a way did nothing, so now he was just stuck with blue hair that didn't even do what it was supposed to.

"What do you think Jeno will think about your new hair?" the now purple-haired boy wondered cheerfully.

Jaemin shrugged and started the engine of his car. "Who cares?"

"Oh...did something happen with you two?"

"He's not into me like he said he was."

"How do you know? Did he say so?"

"Let's stop talking about him, okay?" the blue-haired boy smiled lightly, but the message was anything but soft. It was one that said 'if you don't stop talking about him right now, I'm going to blow up and you're going to regret saying anything at all', and it was well-received by his best friend. "How are you and Mark?"

Ever since Jaemin claimed he slept with Mark, the grape-haired boy felt slightly uncomfortable talking to his best friend about his boyfriend—which he felt shitty for, but he couldn't help it. Nonetheless, he rambled about the Canadian boy until they arrived at Jaemin's house, where they were to hang out for the remainder of the day.

As soon as Donghyuck left late that evening, the blue-haired teen practically deflated. His best friend had provided a nice distraction for a while, but now he was right back to where he's been for several days. He was so tired with himself that when he got the urge to hurt himself again, he didn't even try to fight it. The pain he inflicted upon himself was hastily becoming another awful habit he was getting sucked into, but who cares? He certainly didn't.

If he had any sort of grip on his life, he was losing it—and very quickly, at that. He was doing nothing short of spiraling, and he didn't know what else to do other than his acquired vices.

If he were to say he didn't contemplate calling Sehyoon, he would be lying. However, as appealing as that idea sounded, he knew it wasn't what he wanted. He wanted, no needed, Jeno—but that was off-limits.

Jeno didn't love him. Jeno didn't want to be with him. Jeno should be with that girl. Jeno, Jeno, Jeno.

Fuck, he was going crazy.