walk with you.
summary | lee jeno has had you as his best friend for as long as he can remember. every step of the way, you were there, stuck to his side like glue. jeno always believed you’d be his best friend forever, so why is he starting to view you in a different, non-platonic light?
characters | lee jeno x reader(f).
genres | fluff, romance, slice of life, best-friends-to-lovers, childhood friends au, high school au, non-idol au.
warnings | profanity, johnny is jeno’s cousin, johnny is all-knowing and wise, mentions of alcohol consumption, jeno decides to avoid reader :((, unrequited feelings (but they’re actually requited and jeno’s just dumb), kissing at the end!!
word count | 5.6k
37.5MHz | walk with you by nct dream ⋆ beautiful by baekhyun ⋆ tiki-taka by crush ft. dpr live.
gonna be brutally honest idek what tf i was writing half the time so i rly hope the flow of this made sense!! 🥹🥹 but like f2l is lowkey difficult to write i’m never gonna do that again,, ep.02 of my candy! miniseries, but it can be read on its own!
“HEY SIRI, HOW DO I KNOW IF I LIKE SOMEONE?”
“Here’s what I found.”
5 Ways to Tell If You Like Someone
Here Are Seven Methods to Figure Out Your Feelings!
Take This Buzzfeed Quiz to See If You Like Them
Lee Jeno, a simple high school boy, clicks on the first link. The website opens immediately and the title stares at him in a fancy font. He scrolls, skipping the summary to get to the important part.
1. Does your heartbeat accelerate around them?
Jeno thinks back to a few hours ago, when he was walking you home after school. His heartbeat was a little off, speeding up whenever you flashed him a smile.
2. Do you think about them often?
Jeno ponders. He’s always thinking about you—you’re his best friend, after all. But does he think about you often in the romantic context? Hm, he’s not too sure.
3. Do you miss them when you’re not together?
Jeno nibbles on his lower lip. There have been many instances where he wished he didn’t move away and just had to walk up two flights of stairs to where you lived.
4. Do they make you feel good?
Jeno tilts his head. What does that mean? You definitely make him happy and bring joy to his everyday life, but does that qualify as ‘feel good’?
“Jeno! Come have dinner!”
The boy sighs, tossing his phone onto his bed. He scratches his head as he exits his bedroom, reevaluating his feelings based on the questions he just read. Jeno is eighty-seven percent sure the questions perfectly describe his situation when he’s around you. The remaining thirteen percent? He’s just misreading his own platonic feelings.
No, Jeno doubts he’s misreading anything. He’s just…unsure, considering this is the first time he’s ever liked a friend, much less his best friend of all people. He’s unsure if these feelings are even permissible. Can he like his best friend? Is that okay? Jeno’s seen plenty of friends-to-lovers in K-Dramas, and there’s always this hesitance in ‘ruining’ their friendship. What if the things Jeno feels will ultimately cause a rift between you and him? What will he do then? Die? He probably would, because Jeno finds it impossible to picture a future without you. (Some may say this is pure friendship. Donghyuck, the number one Jeno and Y/N shipper, says otherwise.)
This is a tough equation—it’s one of those questions where he’s solved a majority of the maths but needs some guidance on narrowing down the final answer to either three decimal places or two. Jeno is the struggling student, and his teacher?
“Bro, what’s taking you so long?”
Of course, who else other than Johnny Suh, his cousin and self-proclaimed ladies’ man from America?
Jeno shuffles out of his room, meeting Johnny in the hallway. “Can I ask you a question?”
The older man cocks a brow, lips shifting into an amused smile. “Shoot away.”
“Later, after dinner. Let’s go out for ice cream.”
“In this cold weather?”
“Or soju, if you’re okay with drinking alone.”
Johnny Suh’s character is full of surprises, to say the least. To begin, the Korean-American had bought two bottles of champagne back at the airport in Chicago as ‘housewarming gifts’ (“Wait, Jeno isn’t legal? That’s okay, I first drank when I was sixteen.”). Next, he went missing for a week straight (busy spending his nights at Gangnam and Itaewon), only remembering to send an i’m okay! be home this weekend :) text after Jeno’s mother threatened to report him missing. Then, he returned to Jeno’s place with a bunch of snacks from the nearby GS25, offering it as an apology for sending the household into chaos for the past week. Lastly, Johnny introduced a new outlook in Jeno’s life.
Or, well, he’s about to, considering his position in Jeno’s makeshift maths class scenario.
Johnny takes a swig of soju, releasing a satisfied hum after gulping the contents down. In contrast, Jeno nibbles on his ice cream bar, a little nervous to pop the question. He debates on how to word it but eventually gives up, deciding it’s better to be straightforward than to beat around the bush. “Is it…okay to like a friend?”
There’s a moment of silence. Jeno realises how ridiculous his question is. Johnny swirls his soju bottle. “Do you like someone, Jeno?”
“I—What—You can’t answer my question with a question!”
“Oh, I see,” says Johnny, a playful glint in his eyes. “This is about that friend of yours, right? That girl you’re always walking home even though she lives like thirty minutes away? What was her name again? Yonam? Yerna? Ah—Y/N?”
Jeno’s eyes widen and his cheeks grow red. “No! She’s just a friend. We’re just…friends.”
“Sure, sure,” goes Johnny, dismissing Jeno’s weak claims with a fling of his wrist. “Let me tell you something, Jeno. Girls and guys? We can never be ‘just friends.’ It doesn’t work like that, you know.”
“But…” the younger falters. “Don’t you have a lot of friends that are girls, Johnny? I’ve seen your Instagram stories.”
Johnny sips his drink. “That’s different. We’re different. You, my good boy, are a high school kiddo with raging hormones. I am willing to bet my entire life that you like Yona.”
“Y/N,” Jeno corrects him. “How can I be sure that I like her?”
“You can’t, unless you face her with those feelings.” the Korean-American turns to him with a stern face. He presses a finger against Jeno’s chest. “You can hide your feelings from your crush but don’t hide them from yourself. Bask in the fact that you like her while sitting in her presence. Observe yourself. Think about the situation. Are you sure you like her, yes or no?” Johnny finishes the rest of his soju. “Your answer doesn’t lie with me, Jeno. It’s within you.”
Jeno’s heart skips at Johnny’s words, overwhelmed with inspiration. “You’re…pretty poetic, Johnny.”
The latter smugly smiles. “My roommate’s a literature major. He’s kinda rubbing off on me.”
The rest of the evening passes by in a blur, with Johnny drinking four more bottles of alcohol inside the brightly lit convenience store. Jeno drags his feet back to the family apartment with Johnny in tow, the older man’s weight significantly slowing him down. When he arrives, his mother forcefully wakes the Korean-American up and scolds him for drinking so much on a weekday. In response, Johnny hugs her with an intoxicated laugh and falls asleep on the couch. During the entire ordeal, all Jeno can think of are Johnny’s wise words.
It’s within you.
Johnny’s right. In Jeno’s makeshift maths class scenario, the student is Jeno, but so is the teacher. He is the key to the equation he’s struggling to solve.
Tomorrow. When Jeno sees you tomorrow, he’s going to face his feelings and categorise it accordingly.
Wednesday mornings have never been this frightening.
In fact, Jeno has never feared anything as much as facing his feelings while you’re sitting right beside him during the regular route to school. Not much has changed since Tuesday morning: he got on the same subway at the same station with (relatively) the same people for another similar day. Except, he’s ninety-nine percent sure he likes you.
Okay, so maybe a bit has changed since Tuesday morning: he got on the same subway at the same station with (relatively) the same people for another similar day but with newfound emotions.
Johnny told him to ‘bask in his feelings’ and ‘observe himself.’
Jeno is doing everything but that.
He’s a nervous wreck, to sum it up. Every time the subway slows to a stop and your shoulder brushes against his, he feels as if his heart is going to swallow him whole. Whenever you bring up a meme, he absentmindedly laughs as three-fourths of his focus is poured into acting normal. There is little to no eye contact; obviously, Jeno finds the advertisements far more interesting than your pretty face.
Or maybe, he is basking in his feelings and observing himself. The realisation hits him as an elderly woman sits in the empty seat across from him. Jeno is anxious around you. He’s conscious of the way he acts, smells, talks, walks—whatever. You’ve known him his entire life and have seen him at his worst (i.e., his emo middle school era), and yet, Jeno finds the mere idea of you seeing his bedhead horrifying. Such self-awareness is a blessing and a curse.
“Jeno?” you chirp, poking the boy’s side. He reacts with a hum. “You’re awfully quiet today.”
He gulps, trying his best to maintain a cool facade. “I’m just tired,” he answers with a tight voice. “Stayed up late tending to my drunk cousin.” It’s not a complete lie—Johnny was intoxicated last night.
You brush a stray strand of hair out of his face. “Johnny? He’s your American cousin, right?”
Jeno tries to stay calm at your gesture but his ears are heating up. “Mhm. He’s…wild.”
The conversation dies down immediately. Jeno is jittery, his leg bouncing up and down, eyes darting from one passenger to another. He’s too preoccupied to notice your concerned gaze; too busy presenting himself as normal as possible without realising how abnormal he truly appears.
For the remaining minutes, you don’t say anything, choosing to scroll through your social media feed instead. During the short walk to school, again, no words leave your mouth. Jeno glimpses your quiet figure. Silence is strange on you, but he doesn’t try to tug a sound out of you.
This is the first time the two of you have ever been enveloped in such a sheer layer of awkwardness. Never has there been an instance where it was suffocating to be in the other’s presence—never, until Jeno’s heart decided to think on its own and develop feelings for you.
There.
He’s said it.
Lee Jeno likes you, one hundred percent confirmed during the subway ride to school.
One foot has been in the puddle for the past few weeks, testing the depth below the surface. He tested, and tested, and tested, until he slipped inside, drenching himself in the water.
Jeno wasn’t sure of his feelings. At one point, he figured this more-than-platonic affection for you was just a hoax (don’t ask him why, he doesn’t know either). All he did was sit next to you, just like any other day, with slightly different feelings. And all of a sudden, he fell, and oh, did he fall hard.
He’s drowning even though the puddle wasn’t that deep.
Or maybe, it’s always been that deep. Jeno just failed to realise it before.
“Jeno. You’re scaring Jisu with that glare of yours.”
Huang Renjun is standing diagonal to Jeno’s desk with a small carton of banana milk in his hand. The said boy glances over at his classmate, Choi Jisu, who’s clearly intimidated from his hardened stare. He loosens his expression instantly, averting his gaze back to his friend. “What time is it?”
“Eleven,” says Lee Donghyuck, popping out from behind Renjun. “What’s up with you today? You’ve been staring off into space for the entire morning.”
Na Jaemin, sitting beside him, nods in agreement. “Yeah. Are you sick or something?”
Renjun snorts. “He’s probably lovesick as always.”
Normally, when any of the three boys joke about you and Jeno’s friendship like that, Jeno would always grow defensive and borderline shout, “She’s just a friend!” But today, he sits with his lips pursed, unable to refute the claim. Renjun, Donghyuck, and Jaemin simultaneously drop their jaws.
“No way,” whispers Donghyuck, his eyes wide. “No fucking way.”
“Jeno, you…” Renjun trails off in shock.
Jaemin slaps his shoulder. “You actually like Y/N?”
If a tomato were a person, it would be Jeno. His ears burn and he avoids looking any of them in the eyes, choosing to bury his red face into his arms. He can hear the boys cheering, creating chaos over his recently established feelings. Someone—probably Donghyuck—pats his head, proud of his accomplishment.
“When did you realise?” Donghyuck asks, prodding Jeno’s ear. “You were always so disgusted whenever we called you two lovebirds. Why the sudden change of heart?”
Jeno shrugs, still facing the surface of his desk. “It just happened.”
Renjun finishes his banana milk. “You asked Siri, didn’t you?”
The lovestruck boy whips his head up, bewildered at the correct statement. “How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.”
A groan tumbles from Jeno’s lips as he shrinks into his seat. “I’m so screwed. How am I supposed to face Y/N now? I can’t let her know about my feelings. It’ll ruin our friendship.”
“Why do you think that?” Donghyuck says with a sly tone. He observes Jeno’s actions with a playful glint in his eyes. “You never know, she might like you back.”
Renjun chuckles at the not-so-subtle hint while Jaemin simply nods again.
Jeno frowns, sceptically eyeing each of them. “She doesn’t. She recently broke up with Soobin from Class 3-4, so there’s no way she’d develop feelings for me in the span of a month.”
“To be fair,” goes Renjun, “Y/N and Soobin only dated for two weeks. That’s nothing compared to the years you’ve spent together.”
“I agree,” hums Donghyuck, now fiddling with his pencil. “Who cares if her ex-boyfriend is a good-looking guy? You’re okay-looking, so I think you have a shot.”
Jeno rolls his eyes at Donghyuck’s impish grin. “Thanks, Hyuck. You light up my world.”
Jaemin taps the pads of his fingers against his chair. “Why don’t you distance yourself for a bit? Organise your thoughts on whether you’d like to attempt at something or just fold your feelings away.”
The bell rings, indicating the next period’s start. Renjun and Donghyuck retreat back to their seats and Jaemin pulls out an English novel. Ms. Son walks in with a cheerful smile, happily greeting the class to which the students respond. She begins by announcing an upcoming English story competition for anyone who may be interested, listing the important details with a sunny voice. Finally, she moves onto the contents of today’s class, asking everyone to bring out their copies of The Outsiders. Jeno nearly misses her instructions, only grabbing the book from his backpack when Renjun lightly kicks his chair. He tries to pay attention this time, considering how challenging English is, but to no avail, fails. Once again, Jeno’s mind becomes clouded with thoughts about you—only this time, the concern surrounds Jaemin’s suggestion.
Organise your thoughts.
Jeno isn’t sure about where to start.
He sighs, flipping through the pages until he lands on the chapter Ms. Son mentioned. As if his current predicament isn’t headache-inducing enough, the English alphabet is seeking to destroy his peace.
Whatever, he thinks to himself, opting to just stare out the window instead. I’ll figure this out later.
jeno: sorry, y/n. johnny wants to hangout after school today
jeno: i don’t think i can walk you home
you: that’s okay!! i’ll see you tomorrow morning, jeno :)
Jeno feels a little guilty lying to you, but he needs to stay away from you right now. Whenever he’s near you, he buffers, unable to act like his usual self. Tonight, he’s going to lay in his bed and decide after thinking everything over. Tomorrow, he’s going to act upon his decision.
Jaemin sits across from him, going through a checklist of some sort. Apparently, the student body president managed to receive a green light for a ‘seniors only’ winter event, and Jaemin has been tasked with managing the necessary materials. Jeno knows his friend is displeased, but alas, he is only vice president, and whatever the president says, goes.
“You’re still here?” Jaemin suddenly inquires, looking up from the pages. “Didn’t Y/N’s club end ten minutes ago?”
Jeno exits Genshin Impact on his phone. “I told her I couldn’t walk her home today because of Johnny.”
“You lied.”
“So I can figure out my desires,” Jeno adds in defence. “I’m gonna take your advice and distance myself for a bit.”
The vice president sets his pen down and leans into his chair. “You should at least tell her you want space instead of avoiding her with no words. She’ll get hurt, you know.”
Jeno licks his lips. “I know, but I’m scared she might catch on if I tell her that. It’s no different from outright saying ‘Hey, I like you.’”
“I guess so.”
The duo are enveloped by silence as Jaemin returns to his duties and Jeno opens Genshin Impact again. He’s setting up to continue his previous play when a message from Johnny pops up.
johnny: yo jeno, wanna go out for dinner? i’ll pay
Jeno sits up straight. “Seems like I wasn’t lying after all. Johnny’s asking if I’m free. I’ll see you tomorrow, Jaem.”
“Mhm.”
jeno: gatten sushi??
johnny: DEAL
It’s been approximately one week since that fateful Wednesday morning, and Lee Jeno has been actively avoiding you. No, he did not heed Jaemin’s advice; he’s too scared to confront you like that. Every morning, he’d hit you with the same excuse over text:
jeno: sorry y/n, johnny wants to hangout until he leaves
And you would answer him with:
you: go have fun with your cousin <3
Jeno’s lies are terrible, he knows that. Somehow, the white lie has become so warped that Johnny now (probably) appears to be an obsessive cousin who’s unwilling to stay away except for during school hours. Johnny wants to walk with Jeno to school and hangout with him afterwards. That’s the story the lovesick boy is sprinting with, and although he feels bad for painting such a strange image of his cousin, it’s not like Johnny’s ever going to cross paths with you.
At least, not in the near future.
Jeno leaves for school an hour earlier than usual. He knows you have no club activities before school and you aren’t a morning person. The earliest you will ever wake up is seven a.m., so the chances of accidentally running into you is approximately four percent.
Jeno’s been successful so far. You haven’t come looking for him either, so he assumes you’ve either realised he needs space or are too busy with extracurricular activities to care.
(He really hopes it isn’t the second one.)
Donghyuck stuffs a spoonful of bulgogi and rice into his mouth, a blissful expression on his face. He continues to inhale more of his lunch until he suddenly perks up. “Look, lover boy. It’s Y/N.”
Instinctively, Jeno turns at the mention of you. He catches your figure standing in line for food with Roh Jeongui and Kim Chaewon. Your eyes meet his, and he offers a sheepish wave to which you smile back. Jeno’s nape grows hot.
You’re too pretty when you smile.
He shyly diverts his gaze to his food, scooping up a portion of his lunch to distract himself. Renjun nudges him with a teasing “Ooh,” which Donghyuck snickers at. Jaemin shakes his head but an amused grin graces his lips. Jeno tickles Renjun’s side. “Shut up, Huang.”
“You know, the winter event for seniors will be happening in nine days,” mentions Jaemin, stirring his soup. “Why don’t you take Y/N as your date?”
Donghyuck claps at the idea. “Jaemin, you wonderful, wonderful man. That is one wonderful idea!”
Renjun chimes, “How romantic. Feels like a fairytale.”
Jeno hopes his cheeks aren’t as rosy as he thinks they are. “No way. I’d rather just go with you guys.”
“Who said we’d want to go with you, though?”
He shoots Donghyuck a glare. “Do you even have a date, Hyuck?”
The younger one proudly grins, his chest puffing up. “I do, actually. I have Renjun.”
The said boy sticks his tongue out. “Too bad, I’m going with your sister, my girlfriend.”
“Sorry, Renjun, but it’s seniors only.” Jaemin interrupts. “The student president wants it to be a special memory for the seniors. Also, we have a tight budget that barely covers the school’s third year population. So, a second year student can't attend.”
Renjun pouts, visibly dismayed. In contrast, Donghyuck’s face is shining with glee. “Guess you’re my date, then, Junnie!”
Jeno consumes the rest of his lunch, thoroughly thinking about Jaemin’s proposition (again). He wonders if he can just ask you to go with him to the event as a friend. Would that be weird? He certainly thinks nothing could be as weird as his feelings for his best friend.
The boy sighs, swamped by the confusing reality he’s living in. Whatever he’s doing cannot go on any longer. He needs to stop avoiding you and confront the yearnings of his heart. But there’s no way Jeno could just suddenly go back to acting ‘normal’ around you—even if he decides to bury his feelings to save the friendship, he’s still going to have lingering feelings and, with no doubt, you would ask him to tell you the truth behind his sudden aloofness.
Jeno is going to confess to you.
The bulgogi thinks he should.
It’s dangerous but he’s willing to take the risk, even if it means that the friendship may never be repaired and he may never be close to you again. But that’s okay, because he’d much rather stay truthful with you during the entire friendship instead of continuing a lie that will eventually bite him in the ass.
Jeno decides to set a deadline for himself: on the night of the winter event, he will confess to you.
He steels his grip around the utensils.
Nine days. Lee Jeno is going to confess to you on the ninth day of those nine days. The eight days prior to the ninth, he’s going to prepare himself for every possible outcome that could occur on Friday evening. He steals an egg roll from Renjun’s tray, to which the older one sputters in shock. Nine days. In nine days, Jeno’s friendship with you is going to accelerate into something more or crumble into pieces.
Nine days.
He’s got this.
Jeno does not have this.
Since when did eight days become equivalent to eight seconds? (The math is not mathing.) Jeno stares at the mirror, his reflection blankly blinking back. He’s dressed in a black suit and adorns a green tie for that pop of colour. It’s not exactly his style, but Renjun proposed the four of them match for their first and last high school event. Jeno decided to go green, while Renjun chose yellow, Donghyuck went with blue, and Jaemin used a colour generator to pick a shade (resulting in purple). He’ll probably find it tacky when he looks back in the future, but right now, he’s rather satisfied with the scheme.
Jeno’s mother blow dries his hair, brushing through the strands with her nimble fingers. She sets the drier down and runs a comb down his bangs, smiling at her beautiful son. “When did my cute son become this handsome?”
Jeno groans at the comment, bashful and embarrassed. “Mom,” he whines, “don’t say that.”
“What?” she laughs, finding his reaction entertaining. “It’s true. You were the cutest baby, I can’t believe you’re graduating soon.”
Me neither, Jeno mentally agrees.
“There you go!” she exclaims, clasping her hands. She steps back and lets Jeno examine his appearance.
“Beware of SM,” Johnny jokes from the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. He whistles, “You look great.”
Jeno grins. “Thanks, Johnny.” He thanks his mother for styling his hair and walks out of the bathroom, heading to the doorway. His father sticks a thumbs-up in approval from the dinner table. Jeno drags his coat on, plants his feet into his newly-bought dress shoes, and waves to his parents from the entrance. They tell him to have fun to which he replies, “I’ll try!”
(Because, you know, he’s going to confess tonight and that thought alone has him breaking into a cold sweat every five minutes.)
Johnny’s his chauffeur for tonight. His cousin offered to give Jeno and his friends a ride to the school and back, and although he states it’s out of pure love, the younger surmises that Johnny wants to go for a late night drive around Seoul. The two get into his father’s car; Johnny behind the wheel, Jeno in the passenger’s seat.
By car, the ride to the apartment complex where the rest live isn't that far. They arrive there in no time and soon, the car is filled with three teenage boys—Jaemin is a member of the student council therefore having to arrive before six—and one young adult singing along to Big Bang’s Bang Bang Bang the entire ride to school.
“I’ll come by around ten p.m.,” says Johnny, leaning out the window. The boys nod, give their thanks, and run into the building.
“Jaemin!” Renjun shouts, garnering the attention of their friend.
“You guys are early,” the vice president notes, bumping fists with Donghyuck. “Did Johnny drop you guys off?”
Jeno nods. “He’ll be back around ten to pick us up, but let your mother know you’ll be back by eleven. Johnny said he’ll take us out for McDonald’s after.”
“Nice.”
The four of them head down the hallway toward the gymnasium, where the winter event is set to take place. The large room is decorated in golds, whites, and blues, with streamers and balloons hanging from the walls. A long table of snacks and drinks line the wall adjacent to the entrance and a DJ booth is situated in the centre of the stage. Many students have already arrived, even more filtering in as the clock ticks closer to seven. And when the little hand strikes seven, Jeno sees you walk in.
“Holy shit,” he whispers, awestruck.
You look stunning.
You’re walking with Chaewon and Kim Sunwoo, chatting excitedly over God knows what. He’s too focused on your presence to realise Donghyuck’s snapped a few photos of his dropped jaw and wide eyes.
Have you always been this pretty?
“Jeno, you’re staring.” Renjun teases, poking his cheek. Jeno comes back to his senses, ears furiously blushing. He rips his gaze away and clears his throat. He made a mistake. The boys are never going to let him live this down.
“Let’s check out the food!” chirps Donghyuck as the DJ starts blasting music. Renjun happily follows and Jaemin heaves Jeno along.
Jeno is going to confess to you.
Even if the school is burning to the ground or a sinkhole opens below, Lee Jeno will confess his feelings to you by the end of the event.
But first, he’s going to make the most of tonight with his best friends.
Nine p.m., and Jeno has not crossed paths with you once. There’s a lot more students in his year than he’d thought.
“Jaemin!” he hollers into the other’s ear. “I’m gonna go out for a breather!”
Jaemin is too busy dancing the macarena with Donghyuck.
Jeno squeezes himself past the throng of seniors, repeatedly muttering “excuse me” and “sorry” as he seeks to escape the loud crowd. When he manages to stumble through the exit, he runs into you standing in the hallway with a cookie in your mouth.
“Eh-noh!” you beam, chewing on the dessert.
Butterflies erupt in his stomach. “Y/N,” he utters. “What are you doing out here?”
You finish your cookie. “Got too stuffy in there,” you say while dusting the crumbs off your fingers. “I’m guessing it’s the same for you?”
“Yeah,” he mumbles, shuffling closer to you. Under the dim hallway lights, your eyes shine brighter than the stars. “Uh, wanna go for a walk with me?”
You smile. “I’d love to.”
You’re patient, Jeno thinks as the two of you walk to the staircase. He’s been avoiding you for nearly two weeks and yet, you haven’t asked any questions. You don’t pressure him into spilling the beans or confront him about the blatant lies. You understand him, you’re considerate of him, you’ll never make him uncomfortable. Jeno likes that about you. He likes how you and he have opposing qualities that fit like puzzle pieces. He likes how you and he can never run out of topics to converse about. He likes how you and he have a bond that is difficult to severe.
Most of all, Jeno likes the way you smile at him.
Oh, he’s so head over heels in love.
You enter your homeroom, Jeno following suit. Your body moves to the window seat at the very back, glancing outside at the snowing scenery.
“It’s so pretty,” you say, referring to the white night. “I think winter is my favourite season now.”
Jeno hums, leaning against the desk. “I still like springtime more. The cold is too difficult.”
You roll your eyes at his response but he catches your small grin. “Of course, flower boy. I wouldn’t expect anything else.”
Your gaze stays fixated on the falling snow. Jeno finds it hard to look away from you. He drinks in your appearance—from the way your hair flows, to the line of your nose, to the curve of your shoulders. You’re so perfect, carefully crafted by Aphrodite herself. Everything about you is beautiful, more beautiful than anything in the world. If he could, Jeno would build a museum just to display your beauty.
You finally glimpse at him, tilting your head at his stare. He finds himself getting lost in your eyes. “Jeno? You okay?”
It’s time.
Jeno is going to confess to you.
“Y/N, I like you.”
Jeno just confessed to you.
Your eyes widen and lips part in shock. You furrow your eyebrows at first and then loosen them when you realise he’s telling the truth. Even though the only illumination being provided is the moonlight, Jeno doesn’t miss the way roses bloom on your cheeks. You gulp. “You like me?”
He smiles. “Yeah.”
“I—” You lick your lips, playing with the fabric of your dress. “This feels like a dream.”
His heart jumps. “Y/N?”
You refuse to look him in the eyes, opting to stare out the window again—but this time, with a timid expression. “I…I like you too, Lee Jeno.”
Jeno feels like his heart is about to implode. You like him back. You like him back.
“Are you serious?” he breathes, stepping closer to you. You fervently nod, still maintaining eye contact with the snowfall. Jeno laughs in relief. You let out a yelp as he envelops you in a soft hug. “I like you so, so much, Y/N.”
You return his embrace, hands flat against his broad back. “Did you avoid me because you liked me?”
His breath hitches at your correct assumption. “Y—Yeah. Jaemin suggested I distance myself to figure out my feelings before I come clean.”
“I was really upset, you know.” You raise your head and pout.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, stroking your head. “How can I make up for it?”
Your gaze trails from his eyes to his nose to his lips then back to his eyes. You surprise him with your boldness. “If you give me a kiss, I’ll forgive you.”
Jeno doesn’t need to be asked twice. He gently bumps his lips against yours, cupping your face with both of his hands. Your arms wrap them around his waist, drawing him in closer. You taste sweeter than candy.
Jeno wants to be drunk on this euphoric feeling forever.
He’s about to deepen the kiss when you break away, face redder than the setting sun. “Too fast. That was my first kiss.”
“Same.”
You raise a brow in suspicion. “You were a little too good for this to be your first kiss, Jen.”
Jeno laughs at your statement, poking your forehead with his pointer finger. “I researched a bit.” (Undisclosed: “I watched the K-Dramas my mom put on TV.”)
A serene atmosphere settles in the classroom as Jeno and you simply drown in each other’s presence, drinking in the beauty of tonight’s happening. Your hands play with his loose tie and his fingers graze the small sequins sewed to your dress. “Y/N,” he whispers, “will you be my girlfriend?”
You tug at his tie, bringing him closer. “I’d be stupid to say no.” And you kiss him for the second time.
Love? It’s always been the feeling that reminded Jeno of his best friend, but now, it’ll only remind him of his girlfriend.
bonus: the aftermath.
Two days since the friends-to-lovers scenario, and Jeno is walking you home for the first time in nearly three weeks. Not much has changed—the same subway, the same bus, the same pathway. But then again, everything has changed.
For instance, instead of walking side-by-side with a small distance in-between, Jeno’s left hand is intertwined with your right hand, finding warmth in his jacket pocket.
Monday’s have never been better.
“It feels strange to walk with you as a couple now,” you giggle, snuggling into your scarf. “To be frank, I never thought this day would come.”
Jeno frowns. “Why is that?”
You blow out a puff of air. “Because you’re popular with all of the girls at school. You know, Jeon Heejin fancied you for quite a while! I was scared you’d like her.”
He snorts. “I don’t think you have the right to say that when you dated Choi Soobin from Class 3-4.”
“In my defence, I dated him to get over you! Though, I do feel sorry but I don’t think he liked me that much anyway. He’s dating Hwang Yeji now.”
Jeno stops walking, to which you automatically halt, and he leans over to steal a kiss. “I’m glad you never got over me, Y/N. I’m only ever going to walk with you for the rest of my life.”
Lee Jeno needs to stop making your cheeks hurt.
© NABI (2023); ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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These posts keep getting longer. A dream, and accessing and exploring Wyrm's Crossing.
Tae meets up with the Emperor again. This time, not even intentionally - their mind had been wandering. They're melancholy, thinking of their lost... lover? Friend? Still unsure, but she certainly seemed important to them.
Tae is still wary because of the whole... you know maybe you should have mentioned you're a mind flayer thing, but still sympathetic, because even if they're a mind flayer, they're still hurting.
Back in Rivington, Halsin is pretty displeased with what he's seen of modern society. To turn away people in need is, in his mind, something that needs harsh judgement. They've been able to help Yenna, but she's just one kid...
Tried to enter Wyrm's Crossing. It... doesn't go well.
*...quietly reloads*
Let's try a different approach! Sneaking down a path that runs alongside the crossing reveals a few things - some smuggling parties coming into conflict:
tf you call me
A cave entrance that connects to the ones earlier, where we go pick up one (1) clown torso...
And another cave, revealing some old friends!
Well, one old friend (hi, Barcus!) and one old shitheel (hi, Wulbren!).
The urge to punt Wulbren into the Chionthar is still nigh overwhelming.
Anyway we take the bomb. Not necessarily to use on the Gondians, who are probably as much victims as anyone else, but it might be useful on, idek, Orin or someone. We promise Barcus to talk to the Gondians first, at least warn them long enough to get out of the foundry!
Approaching the crossing from beneath, Wyll is deeply upset at the current state of his city.
Into Wyrm's Crossing, then! The first stop is the flophouse, somewhere Astarion knows well: "I found so many victims for Cazador here. They're the kind of people no one would ever miss."
It's a pretty miserable place. Two major points of interest here - a hidden room, accessible by the flowery key, containing a body and a list of victims, including the priest at the Ilmater temple. Key evidence - it was not a refugee, but a Bhaalist plot. (Jaheira in the background going "ahh shit here we go again" presumably.)
And, downstairs, an unpleasant but necessary reunion for Astarion.
Get sunburnt idiot.
To save Petras getting turned into a crisp, Dalyria reveals that Cazador is planning on doing the ritual in a hidden chapel under the palace proper. Astarion tells his siblings he is going to kill Cazador.
That said, he's still. Kind of a walking red flag. Tae gives an Ultimate Non-Answer and they go on their merry way, albeit with the knowledge of where the ritual will be under their belts.
Whew. That's gonna be a Persuasion roll and a half, to come XD;;
Next stop: Sharess's Caress. We have a couple of meetings here! First, though, a celebrity:
Mamzell Amira says... uncomfy things. "Another drow for my feasting eyes. In darkness bred, yet no less delicious for it. Elegant, decadent, and oh-so-dangerous."
Tae just standing there like, "...I'm from the surface, I'm a druid who's usually covered in dirt, my favourite pastime is having conversations with cute furry animals, and also my girlfriend is standing right there? (You know, the one with the giant battle axe?)"
Anyway. Tae reports the body found in the flophouse - one of the workers here. Mamzell Amira is shocked and appalled at one of her workers being killed! ...she earned so much money. Pensive emoji. I'm getting the feeling that this part of Baldur's Gate is a bit. Rough at times.
On to our next meeting - Valeria, the investigator. Tae presents their evidence, gets brushed off, gives Valeria a Look, and finally gets instructions to talk to Devella in the Elfsong Tavern in the Lower City.
A cute exchange as we... get lost:
Karlach: "Wouldn't mind a dancing axe of my own."
Gale: "A simple movement charm wouldn't be too hard to apply to such an object. I could conjure one up for you if you like?"
Karlach: "Yes! I like!"
Gale: "Very well, then! Once the city is saved, Karlach's Kinetic Cleaver will be first on my list."
Somehow completely failing to find the stairs going up, we end up at the Harper safehouse instead. Downstairs is a rather nervous - read: fucking terrified - young Harper, giving Jaheira a weirdly formal greeting involving some kind of code word. Jaheira catches on, and notes to Tae that one of the other Harpers reminds her of their old friend Marcus. You know, the Absolutist who tried to abduct Isobel?
Yeah, aside from Geraldus, the young Harper, they're all doppelgangers. Time to fight!
At the end, Geraldus explains what happened - they were following up on Jaheira's orders to investigate the cult (and some other matters), only to be investigated - and infiltrated - in turn. The doppelgangers kill the rest of the Harpers, aside from Geraldus, and order him to report to Jaheira, leading her into a trap. Thankfully, at this point, she has the rest of the squad - otherwise, it might have ended poorly.
Jaheira isn't pleased about Geraldus not fighting back, and questions his place in the Harpers, but Tae convinces her to go easy on the poor kid.
She concedes.
Jaheira thanks him, then explains to the others what the other search mission was for - finding an old friend. Karlach has a Category 5 Fangirl Moment.
Jaheira explains that they parted under duress. Tracking down what was becoming the Cult of the Absolute, Minsc had charged in alone. Jaheira had to make a choice - leave him to his fate and escape, or go in after him, and risk all knowledge of the cult dying with them. She chose the former, returning to the Harpers and having them start working against the cult, and now she seeks to find what happened to Minsc.
Finally we make our way upstairs in Sharess's Caress! I did the plot-relevant bit first and the other bits after, but will switch that around here.
Broke into a room, interrupted a Moment. Said Moment got significantly more Interrupted when the client turned into a mind flayer. Fight!
...Alas, turns out the worker was into that kind of shit. Whoops.
You know what good on you Naoise may you have many consensual monsterfucker experiences.
Next room: tragically, Gale has no comments on it being called 'Elminster's Library'. We steal a large quantity of presumably lewd books.
It's the third room which has our next point of interest! Here, we meet up with Voss, and the person he thinks might be able to help free Orpheus...
Oh. It's you. Dammit.
He temporarily blocks the connection between Tae and the Emperor, so they can speak freely, and explains the deal he's proposing. He'll give the group a way to destroy the Elder Brain, via freeing Orpheus from his prison, using a weapon called the Orphic Hammer. All he wants is a teeny tiny little loot drop nbd - he wants the Crown of Karsus, the super-powered artefact that the Chosen are using to control the Elder Brain. All he wants to do is rule the Nine Hells as Archdevil Supreme! Every place has to have a leader, right? :)
This seems like a Really Bad Idea. On the one hand, agree to the deal, get the ability to immediately free Orpheus, who hates the Elder Brain more than he hates a few people infected with tadpoles. He'll be pissed off, but he'll still protect the Brainworm Squad from ceremorphosis as he goes up against the Elder Brain itself. In return, Raphael becomes the leader of the Nine Hells.
Or, keep trusting the Emperor to keep Orpheus imprisoned, get the Netherstones from Orin and Gortash, and, presumably, get the Crown at the end.
Tae refuses the deal, and Raphael says he'll stick around in case they change their mind. Outside, Lae'zel is pretty pissed off at Tae refusing the chance to free Orpheus, but proposes a third option - break into the House of Hope in the Hells and steal the hammer. Sounds like a plan!
Gale decides Astarion isn't the only one who can have red flags and gets a little too excited over the idea of the Crown. But first, they need to check out a book collection and tbh, a bit relatable.
The Emperor, with the connection restored, gets back in contact. Tae begrudgingly explains that it was Raphael blocking them, and that he wants the crown. When they ask what Raphael was offering, though -
(Okay I am running out of images. Have a transcript instead!)
Emperor: "I thought I'd lost you. Something was blocking me from hearing your thoughts."
Tae: "It was Raphael."
Emperor: "Raphael? Well - thank you for your honesty. Of course. I should have known the devil would come sniffing. The stench of impending chaos is irresistable to them. And what did he want with you?"
Tae: "He wants the Crown that's on the brain."
Emperor: "Giving a devil what he wants sounds like a brilliant idea. And what did he offer you in return for bringing it to him?"
Tae: "Does it matter? I said no."
Emperor: "I'm glad you had the sense to turn him down. But it certainly does matter. Anything that threatens our alliance, threatens our chance of destroying the Elder Brain. So I ask again - what were the terms of the deal he offered you?"
Tae: "That's between me and the devil."
Emperor: "I see."
You feel the touch of the Emperor's mind peeling at the edges of yours, trying to gain access.
Tae: "You're the one who's always talking about trust. If you trust me, you'll stop this right now."
Emperor: "That is… a fair request."
You feel its presence withdrawing from the fringes of your awareness.
Emperor: "I shall respect our privacy on this occasion. But know that if you have jeopardised our mutual project, I will be forced to reconsider our alliance. Now come - we have an elder brain to destroy."
Yeah that could be awkward. On to meet up with Voss again, who really, really hopes we took the deal. Tae says they didn't, but they're still going to find a way to get the Hammer and free Orpheus. He'll be hiding out in the Underground in the mean time. Which is probably a good thing because dude looks rough.
Back to camp, briefly, to recoup and recover. And oh, Halsin wants to talk! That's nice, he's a good sort and - ah.
Tae's just, ".........Is this a bad time to mention I see you as a grandfatherly figure?"
Why is that third option so mean. Anyway, he still cherishes his friendship with Tae, and they do with his. Friendship is great!! Don't downgrade friendship!!
So, awkwardness aside, our tasks, at this point:
Attend Gortash's coronation and really ruin his day.
Track down Orin via the Bhaalist murder investigation (next step: talk to Devella at the Elfsong Tavern).
Destroy the Steel Watch foundry.
Find Minsc.
Kill Cazador.
Rescue Shadowheart's parents.
Break into Raphael's place in the Hells and steal the hammer.
nbd!!
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