Number Neighbor ➳ Nomin ✔

[Thirty-One]

A/N: He's so smol 🥺😭. Also the next couple of chapters aren't gonna have texting in them, but they're gonna be showing how Jaemin and Jeno are holding up after they fought last chapter. I'm such a petty author lmao. I'm sorry.

By the way these chapters aren't structured well because this story isn't really meant to be structured well lmao. For instance, there's a lot of dialogue when it's a non-texting chapter. I usually put a lot more storyline rather than dialogue, but this chapter is mainly dialogue.

(11/07)

"Thank you for this," Jaemin said as he and Renjun got in the latter's car.

"Well, this wouldn't be the first time I bought you a phone. So who's contact are you gonna put in it first?" Renjun asked as they started driving back to his house.

"Yours, Chenle's, and Jisung. Who else would I add?"

"What about Jeno?"

Jaemin sighed and looked out the window. "I will at some point," he stated. "I think he needs a break from me right now. I know I'm bothering him a lot."

Renjun nodded and turned on the radio, gasping when he heard Jaemin sniffle. "Are you crying?" he asked, turning it down and looking at his friend in concern. "Did Jeno say something to hurt you?"

"No," Jaemin whispered, holding his head in his hands as he couldn't stop himself from crying.

"Then what happened?"

"I think I love him," he mumbled into his hands.

"What?"

"I said I think I love him!" He unintentionally yelled, catching Renjun by surprise. "I-I'm sorry. It's just... I don't know. Why does the first person I genuinely have feelings for have to live on a different continent? Why does he hide his feelings from me and make me think that he doesn't even care about this relationship moving forward? We're supposed to trust each other, but he won't tell me what's going on."

Renjun thought about it for a moment before sighing and stopping at a red light. "You're gonna hate what I'm about to say, but it seems like he's just trying to figure out his own life, Jaemin. I mean I don't know him personally, but maybe he wants to fix himself before he puts the weight of his problems on your shoulders. Did you ever stop to think that maybe he's doing it for your sake?"

Jaemin never even thought about that. He just wanted to know what was going on with Jeno so he could help him, but maybe Jeno just... really didn't want him to know.