ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡɪɴ | ɴᴄᴛ ?

| t h i r t y - t h r e e |

jeno felt relieved. he didn't deserve this, he knew that, but he was so damn happy he got the chance to make things right again. so was jaemin. it was nice, it really was nice talking with the guys again. jeno had not really realized how much he had missed them before he sat down in front of them. jeno and jaemin told them about how they were saving money to buy flowers for the girls they had hurt. they were going to sit down with them all and talk with them. even though they couldn't turn back time and change their ways, they could give the girls some closure at the very least.

after introducing them to their plan, they talked as if nothing had happened, and it felt nice. hyuck was cracking jokes as usual, earning high-pitched laughs and snickers from the others. chenle's contagious laughter lifted the mood even more than the jokes. jaemin and jeno could proudly say that they were enjoying themselves for the first time in a while.

only one person wasn't acting like their usual self.

jisung was a bit stiff, his laughter was a bit awkward and sounded more forced than natural. he wanted to say something, jeno could tell that much, and as the group finished up their hot drinks, jisung pulled jeno to the side. hyuck, chenle, and jaemin watched as the two stepped aside, and the three decided to exchange goodbyes while the other two talked.

"so, what about y/n?" jisung felt some of the weight being lifted off of his shoulders after having asked that question, and the older one of the two gave him a reassuring smile. jeno answered his question, "we're meeting up with her right after this."

the other three who had been exchanging goodbyes saw how much jisung's shoulders relaxed. how they dropped after having been tense almost the whole time. jisung nodded, taking deep breaths.

"before you meet up with her, you promise me with everything in you, jeno." last time he made jeno promise him something, he hadn't been able to keep it, but jisung was going to give him a chance to keep a new promise. jeno nodded slowly, waiting for jisung to continue.

"promise me that you'll make her happy, yeah? if you can promise me that, i'll put everything behind me, and we go back to the way it was." it was almost too good to be true. to be forgiven by the boys after fucking up as much as he and jaemin had. jeno nodded, feeling pathetic for tearing up a bit from jisung's words, "i promise."

this time he was going to keep it. with everything in him he was going to make you happy. it didn't matter the cost, this promise was not something he was going to break. jisung sighed, his eyes shutting in relief before he put his hand out for jeno to take, and the older one took it, pulling the younger one into a short hug. "thank you." left jisung as a whisper as he pulled away from the hug, and he patted jeno's shoulder before joining the others as they began walking towards the door.

jeno stood still for some seconds, watching the three leave before joining jaemin by the table, and when the realization that you would be showing up any minute hit him, the nervousness did as well. his heart began beating quicker, and for some reason the café got incredibly and almost unbearably hot in a matter of a few seconds.

"well, i'm getting nervous now." jeno said, and jaemin let out a small laugh at that. "of course you are, you're in love." jaemin sang quietly, only loud enough for jeno to hear. this only caused jeno to slap jaemin on the back of his head - he wasn't deying it, but to say it out loud like that was embarrassing in a way.

"hey." both heads snapped towards you as that one word left you, and you gave the two a small smile. not another word was spoken before jaemin stood up, quickly grabbing your arms and pulling you into a hug. returning the hug, you wrapped your arms around him.

"i'm sorry. i really wish i could tell you anything else, but there isn't much i can say other than that. you're one of the best people i've met, and you didn't deserve any of this shit. it's all on me and jeno, we're the problem, not you." you patted jaemin on the back, his words making your chest feel warm. swiftly he turned you while still hugging you, your back now towards jeno. then he pulled away from the hug, his hands gripping your arms still.