drama⚘⚘ nomin

two

The angry stares won't stop. And it's getting unbearable. I've always hated attention, and now this much of it is the worst. It's Jeno's fault and I should hate him for that. But I can't. He keeps being nice to me and invites me over again and talks to me when nobody else does and protects me from the stares. I still feel them when he's around. But they seem to be less harmful, less terrifying.

❃

After a while of meeting up with him, I get less anxious around Jeno. He's treating me gently, never dragging me to do anything, keeping an eye on me even at school. He must have noticed how most of our classmates treat me and it seems like he doesn't know how to deal with that. Some days, he sticks around me at any possibility, some days he completely ignores me except for some worrying glances. And I don't know how to deal with that.

We finish our project after six weeks but since I don't want to stop meeting him, I keep coming up with stupid ideas or parts of our text I don't like.

I mean, it's good. We both like what we did in the past six weeks. It could be better, it always could. But what I'm doing definitely isn't necessary. And Jeno notices.

He calls me after reading my message about one of the scenes I wanted to go over a few times already. I answer hesitantly, waiting for him to start talking.

"Look, Jaemin," he says in a soft tone, "if you want to continue talking to me, you could just ask."

"What?! No, that's not what I want! I just, I just want to change it-"

"Jaemin-ah," he smiles, "it's the third time you've mentioned this part. You're lying."

I sigh. "I can't ask you, the popular boy, to spend time with me, the most unpopular one."

"Can I, then?"

"What?" Oh, you're a genius, Na Jaemin. Such a genius.

"Can I ask you?"

"I mean- I- I don't know?"

He chuckles gently. "Jaemin, I enjoy spending time with you. Would you mind continuing even though our project is finished?"

"No," I mumble, "I'd like to."

"Great." He sounds a bit relieved. "What about tomorrow?"

"What? Again? Oh, I- I think I can arrange that." God, why do I have to act this stupid around him?

"Awesome." I can hear his smile. "After school?"

"Sure."

"With food?"

"M-Maybe..."

"Perfect. See you tomorrow, Jaemin."

"Yeah, see you..." He hangs up.

He didn't. He didn't just ask me to ...to be his friend, did he?

He can't. It's impossible. He's Lee Jeno, I mean... he can't be serious.

And still, it makes me happy. Happy enough to finally sleep soundly again.

❃

Being at school has always been awkward. But now, with Jeno around, it's even worse. I like being with him, but his shield of stare protection doesn't work when he's not around. So I keep getting watched, no matter what I'm doing. If they didn't hate me before, now they do. Everyone. And I would be lying if I said it didn't scare me.

So I should have expected this. I really should have. But I didn't, being blinded by finally having a friend.

Hyuntae and Minseok approach me right after the break starts while I wait for Jeno to leave the classroom, he told me to wait for him before getting lunch. I just wish he'd be here. Please, Jeno, finish cleaning up quickly.