"what!?"

jaehyun pulled away his phone and hissed before sticking the phone back to his poor ear. ❝can you like, not scream?❞

"can you like, not tell me a joke at fucking five am?"

turning the stove on, jaehyun placed a pan down before walking off to get oil from the cupboards. ❝i wasn't joking.❞

"what!?"

❝mark lee.❞ jaehyun clicked his tongue, already this near to ending the call.

"so you ran away from home, spent the night at a hotel, and now making breakfast at mr. lee's?" mark tried to explain with his mind getting confused first thing in the morning. "are you crazy?"

❝your fault for slapping me to reality.❞ mark didn't literally slapped jaehyun on the face or anywhere, but mark slapped him with his words. ❝and i thank you for that.❞

"you left home! i don't know what to feel about that!" jaehyun was the one facing the problem yet mark is the one acting like he's the one being put to the situation. "and you gave them a hint."

jaehyun now went to cut some leafy vegetables while still having a phone call with mark. ❝i only told them that it's a beautiful blessing.❞

"you made them curious!" the older couldn't see it but mark was pulling his hair to see if he could wake up from this dream. "you do know what you have gotten yourself into?"

❝yeah, i know.❞ jaehyun spaced out for a moment while having a smile on his face. ❝and i'm willing to be in this risky situation for them.❞

"i'm happy," mark's voice started to soften but then surprised jaehyun with a loud shout after. "but i'm also panicking!"

❝gosh,❞ jaehyun placed his phone down the counter and put it on loudspeak, knowing that he'd regret it later, and went to put his attention in making their breakfast. ❝they won't find out.❞

"they are fucking rich jaehyun." a loud sigh was then heard from the other line. "and please don't tell me you brought your car with you."

hearing that then made the senior student council president, one of the top students, had a lot of winning medals from competitions he had participated, top achiever jung jaehyun freeze from his spot. ❝how did you know?❞

"oh wow, i should probably replace you as the top student next time." shuffling sounds can then be heard from the line, jaehyun guessed that mark is already getting up from his bed. "goodluck, you need that. they are going to track you down."

❝then taeyong would also get in trouble.❞ jaehyun slapped his forehead and let out the groaned quietest groan he can release as he didn't want to wake the kids up, and especially the sleeping beauty taeyong. ❝does your father have a car?❞

"yeah, but it's quite old now. it's still working and dad uses that to bring me to—" the younger speaking from the phone paused after realizing what jaehyun was up to. "no."

he quickly disagreed without even letting jaehyun say anything.

❝please help me.❞ jaehyun begged. he almost frogot about the breakfast he made just because of this mistake he made. ❝i don't care if it's old. i bet your dad is going to like my car.❞

"what the fu—"

❝how many times have you cursed at this ungodly hour?❞ jaehyun said with his brows raised, totally forgetting that mark couldn't see him.

"glad you are aware that this is an ungodly hour." mark said after staying silent for a good five seconds before heaving out a sigh. "look jaehyun, your car is expensive as fuck and ours is just like, so simple and old."

❝shiny or not, old or new, i just want to switch.❞

"you're not admitting it but i know your inner rich ass self is disgusted by the thought of driving a car that doesn't match up to your high standards."

a pout was what is shown on jaehyun's lips. ❝but i'll get used to it. i have to, for them.❞

"you can just buy a new one." mark said as if it's that simple.

❝as you can see, i ran away. i don't think they'll be giving me my allowance any time this month, or even next month.❞ jaehyun sighed, ❝so i need to save for my family.❞

smiling at what jaehyun just said, he could see the older taking a very big change. it was good but he was sure that taeyong's going to be surprised at the sudden change. "you're doing so much."

❝of course,❞ smiling proudly, jaehyun off to cut meat for another dish he is making. ❝this is for the beautiful blessing in my life.❞

"i'll just message you when we arrive to school later, okay?" mark couldn't see jaehyun nod but he can already imagine the older. "by the way, isn't mr. lee awake yet?"

❝he is sleeping so you better shut your mouth up or i'm going to track you down and let you eat tape.❞

"oh well," mark smirked as he found a game to play with jaehyun. "i'm simba! and i'm here to wakey wakey everybody—"

not letting mark complete his sentence, jaehyun had already pressed the end call button. mark had the guts to shout through the phone thinking that he could wake the whole neighborhood. sighing, jaehyun checked his phone and saw that it's time to wake taeyong up.

honestly, jaehyun haven't told taeyong yet.

maybe he's going to make this as a surprise when he wakes up. sure, taeyong is surely going to scold him for this but at least he's here. it can make taeyong happy, knowing that he wanted jaehyun to be there. and now his wish is granted, jaehyun can now be there till shits are going to go down.

for the meantime, we just have to appreciate and cherish the moment.

getting inside the bedroom quietly, jaehyun held back the urge to smile at the sight of taeyong spreading his body down the bed. it's quite rare to see him like this as jaehyun would always be greeted by taeyong already awake or is curling at one side of the bed because jaehyun is there on the other side. he looked free right now and jaehyun can't help but stare at how peaceful taeyong looked.

❝taeyong?❞ jaehyun called out softly, hesitating whether to wake the sleeping male up. he looked so unbothered and jaehyun somehow wanted it to stay that way.

checking the time, they still have enough left so it wouldn't hurt admiring a little bit longer. and that's what jaehyun is doing right now, admiring taeyong. not even a bit, jaehyun wasn't feeling pressured. he was taking all the time in the world to appreciate the masterpiece laying down on the bed.

❝so this is love.❞ jaehyun placed a hand on his chest and then could feel his heart beating so fast, and he loved it so much. ❝it feels wonderful.❞

the time slowing down, butterflies going crazy inside your stomach, your breath running out, it's as if the air is choking you, and it's all because of this one person.

damn, just damn.

jaehyun was loving the feeling of being in love.

his eyes then went to a specific detail on taeyong's face and can't help but gulp as he stared at it. it was plum, pouting, parted a bit, and it was calling out for jaehyun to taste it. jaehyun, feeling the need to do so, also leaned down as he wanted to connect their lips so bad.

❝why am i so nervous?❞ jaehyun mumbled to himself as he was already an inch close to their lips touching. ❝it's not like i'll be kissing him for the first time.❞

but he still felt nervous.

confident jaehyun no more. his hands were sweating and he can't help but gulp every second. the room was suddenly feeling so hot despite of the air-conditioner being switched on. it feels so weird, jaehyun wasn't used to this. not even before when kissed taeyong. he was so confident and didn't even bother thinking twice to smash their lips together. but now, it felt wrong kissing him without his permission.

love, it changes everything.

❝just a peck.❞ a peck won't change anything, it won't even wake taeyong up. a peck is perfect and jaehyun would already be contented with it.

closing his eyes, jaehyun had decided to finally close the gap between them—

until he heard loud knocks coming from the front door. jaehyun groaned as he quickly stood up. he ruffled his hair, trying to recall what he was about to do. glancing down at the sleeping male, jaehyun frowned when taeyong was still laid down there and completely unbothered.

another couple of knocks was then heard again and it snapped jaehyun out from his thoughts. he forced his foot out of the bedroom, closing it silently and carefully not to wake taeyong up, and made his way to the front door. he was frustrated, upset, and disappointed. he could have gotten his morning kiss without taeyong knowing (although he felt wrong doing it) but someone had to ruin their moment. he swore, if it was yuta, he'd kill him for sure.

❝what the—❞ jaehyun froze from his place as he watched someone unfamiliar standing in front of him. ❝who?❞

the guy was slightly shorter than him, he had a bright smile on despite of it being almost six in the morning, and the unidentified human being is now putting his hand out for a handshake. and who is jaehyun to accept that? the student only looked down at the hand with pure disgust and confusion before looking back up at the guy.

❝who are you?❞ it suddenly passed inside jaehyun's head, what if he's one of the guys his father sent to spy on him? impossible though, taeyong's house is quite far from theirs and he had never made it obvious that he's taking a road to taeyong's house.

but then again, they can track him with his car.

but all his thoughts faded away when the guys started to introduce himself. ❝i'm kim doyoung.❞ he said, taking a slight bow.

doyoung? it sounded familiar and jaehyun didn't like it one bit.

just as jaehyun had something to say, probably is just going to push doyoung away, the male had his eyes away from him and is settled behind him. jaehyun was about to turn around but it seems like he doesn't need to since he now knows what or who doyoung was looking at.

❝taeyong!❞

🔓

❝why is he here?❞ yuta crossed his arms as he watched doyoung and taeyong talk by the sofa.

jaehyun raised a brow and turned to the japanese to him. ❝aren't you the one who set him up on a date?❞

❝yeah, but this isn't the one.❞ yuta clicked his tongue at the sight of doyoung laughing together with taeyong. don't get him wrong, he's just worried to see taeyong getting comfortable with someone whom he had just knew for a day or so. ❝i set him up with mark tuan, not with this dodo guy.❞

and even then kids are getting close to doyoung, it's making jaehyun so uncomfortable. he felt as if his world was crushing down. back then, he would often wish to see this sight one day so he could finally leave taeyong alone but now.. it's different. he was starting to change, and he is willing to change for taeyong, for the kids, for his family.

"uncle dodo! you look like bunny!"

"i wanna squish uncle dodo's cheeks because uncle dodo is a cute bean."

"uncle dodo, do you know how to cook?"

the children's voice echoed inside the living room but yuta's attention was on jaehyun who's clenching his fists. he didn't know what to do to because he to wanted to see how jaehyun would react seeing taeyong be with someone else but at the same time, he didn't want to see a dead body on taeyong's living room.

❝calm down.❞ taeyong has to thank yuta later for stopping jaehyun from killing someone, which he can possibly do actually.

❝the fuck, you want me to calm down?❞ jaehyun turned to the babysitter beside him and yuta could see how mad he looked. ❝how can i calm down when taeyong is with someone else?❞

clicking his tongue, yuta looked away and fixed his eyes on the two together with the kids. ❝why do you care?❞

since when did jaehyun care? and why would he care? as far as yuta knows, jaehyun never had feelings for taeyong and he never cared for his family. he's just doing what he thinks is enough and that is giving support, the money, their wants, and their needs.

of course, yuta doesn't know about his feelings yet.

jaehyun just sighed and before he could say something to yuta, someone knocked the front door and cuts him off. glancing at the two, seems like the two of them are still into talking to each other to even hear the knocks from the front door. jaehyun yuta by the doorway that's separating the kitchen and the living room and stomped his way to the front door, opening it harshly.

as soon as he saw someone he knew, jaehyun went out of the house and pushed the student softly to have space for himself. he just hopes that taeyong didn't see what he did and who was outside of the house. what is jaehyun thinking, taeyong probably didn't spare a glance.

he was too busy with doyoung.

❝what are you doing here?❞ jaehyun questioned at the angry looking boy in front of him. ❝mark?❞

❝have you ever had that feeling of punching someone so hard?❞ mark grumbled, bringing his problem here in front of jaehyun. ❝so hard that you would leave him unconscious.❞

❝oh, i know that feeling so well.❞ jaehyun scoffed, already getting annoyed by seeing doyoung's face inside his head. but what caught jaehyun's attention was mark suddenly saying that. ❝who hurt you simba?❞

❝i went to pick donghyuck up from their house but seems like he doesn't need me.❞ mark clicked his tongue upon recalling the event. ❝he was talking to a guy and fuck, they were laughing as if something is really that funny.❞

it matches with his situation right now. ❝tell me about it.❞ but jaehyun was still curious about something, ❝why are you here?❞

❝here,❞ mark handed him the car keys as he pointed at the car that's parked in front of the house. it's not as bad as what jaehyun it would look. sure, it doesn't look that expensive, but it looks fine. ❝dad told me to give you this instead of the old one, he didn't want to let go of his precious old car.❞

❝i left my car keys inside the room.❞ jaehyun groaned, he didn't want to walk inside and see the sight again.

❝no, it's fine.❞ mark gave the senior a smile. ❝i told dad everything, well not actually everything. i twisted some things and he felt bad for you. he decided to give you the car.❞

❝did you drive this here?❞ jaehyun gasped. ❝mark are you even—❞

❝no one has to know. plus, i'm getting my driver's license this upcoming holiday.❞

❝are you serious?❞ jaehyun had his jaw dropped as he couldn't believe at mark's father giving him a car that freely as if it doesn't cost much.

❝yeah.❞ the younger nodded his head after crossing his arms across his chest. ❝by the way, you looked upset when you came out of the house. did something happen?❞

and thinking about it again made jaehyun frown. lucky for him, he now had someone to talk to about his problems.

❝why does love hurt so much?❞

⚊ t b c ⚊