Yohan stayed in class, watching Jaemin, who was nodding off behind his desk.

Yohan jumped up from his seat when he heard Sohyun's faint voice coming from the hallway, nagging himself about how clumsy he was for forgetting his things so often.

This is my chance to lower that guy's confidence completely!

As he approached Jaemin, he placed his lips on Jaemin's, but he was careful not to wake him by pressing too hard.

His eyes were closed, but he could hear Sohyun's footsteps getting closer. He remained in that position until he realized that Sohyun was gone.

Yohan then stood straight and smirked devilishly. I'm a genius!...

"Hyung, it's time to go home..." He finally woke Jaemin up.

Jaemin snapped his eyes open as he heard his voice and responded, "Oh! Oka–y..."

He sat up and stuffed his things into his backpack. When did I fall asleep?...

Jaemin hasn't felt well since lunch; he was feeling nauseous. His face and lips were pale, and his muscles were stiffened.

As he was about to leave, his gaze fell on Sohyun's pencil case.
So he picked up from his desk and then said, "Let's go."

Yohan frowned as he stared at Jaemin's hand, keeping the pencil case, but he put on a smile soon after. "Okay."

While they walked down the hallway, Jaemin noticed Sohyun and Minam walking downstairs.

He's still at school?!...

What was he doing up there with that guy?...

"Sohyun..." Jaemin called his name since he wanted to give him the pencil case.

As Sohyun glanced at both of them, irritated, he averted his gaze right away and quickened his steps to avoid them.

Jaemin walked towards Sohyun, and since his legs were longer than Sohyun's, he caught him with no effort. Grabbing Sohyun's arm, he said, "Wait. You le–"

"I don't wanna talk to you right now!" Sohyun gritted his teeth as he turned his head away and covered his face with his free hand. He didn't want Jaemin to see his crying face again.

Jaemin clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on his arm. "Can you stop your tantrums already?! I'm tired of this shit!"

Minam wrapped his arm around Sohyun's head from behind and pulled it close to his chest, then he grabbed Jaemin's wrist with his other hand.
"Let him go. He says he doesn't want to talk..."

The two of them glared at each other with intensity as if they were two Alpha's claiming their possession.

Yohan wondered as he watched them, annoyed. Why do they act like this for an eyesore like Sohyun?

"Step aside... This is between us." Jaemin scowled. "Sohyun, either you come with me now or never talk to me again."

Sohyun flinched at how Jaemin's voice was serious and firm. He turned his head to Jaemin and looked at him. His eyes had no mercy in them, which sent shivers down his spine.

Sohyun pushed himself out of Minam's arm and muttered, "Fine..."

Jaemin smirked as he glanced at Minam and then turned his gaze to Yohan. "Sorry, but you need to go home alone today."

Before Yohan could answer, Jaemin dragged Sohyun away and left already.

"Tch." Minam clicked his tongue, dissatisfied. Then, he walked downstairs and left.

Yohan threw his backpack on the ground, irritated. "Agh!... That bitch!"

~

While Jaemin was still pulling Sohyun out of school, Sohyun whined, frustrated. "Where the hell are we going? Just say what you wanna say!"

"Somewhere you can't run away." Jaemin grumbled.

Sohyun dropped his head, thinking about what Jaemin could possibly say.

Does he want to tell me that he's dating Yohan now?...

After walking for a while, they reached Jaemin's apartment. Jaemin opened the door and pushed Sohyun inside.

Sohyun turned around and glared at him. "What's wrong with you?"

Jaemin scoffed, irritated. "I should ask you this!"

Sohyun yelled, "Because you're an annoying bastard! You left me behind because of that jerk! You lied to me! You... You..."
He paused as he felt rage swirling inside him.

Jaemin threw the pencil case on the floor and grasped Sohyun's shoulders, frowning.
"I've never left you! You keep avoiding me! And... Lie?... When did I lie?!"

"You told me you two were friends!" Sohyun groaned angrily.

Jaemin asked, confused. "Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

Sohyun stared at him, annoyed. Then he scoffed, "Then you must have a kin for kissing your friends..."

"What?! I've never done such a thing!" Jaemin snapped at him.

"Don't lie! I saw you two with my own eyes earlier!" Sohyun raised his voice again as he got overwhelmed; his tears started to roll down his cheeks.

Jaemin's eyes widened. "When?"

"Earlier in class!"

Jaemin stared at him dumbfounded for a few seconds, but he then realized Yohan must've done something while he was asleep. That guy!...

He let go of his shoulders and sighed. "I guess there's a misunderstanding... I was asleep then."

Sohyun furrowed his eyebrows and mumbled, irritated.
"That jerk!" He then nagged, "I told you he's a hypocrite and has a crush on you!"

"What does Yohan liking me have to do with you anyway? Why are you so invested in my business?! This isn't a good reason to treat me like shit!" Jaemin responded, frustrated.

Sohyun stared at him in disbelief and then groaned, unable to hold himself back.
"BECAUSE I LIKE YOU! YOU MORON!"

Jaemin was taken aback by what he said. His heart started to beat faster than normal, making him nervous. "Nonsense..."

"Huh? I'm telling you, I like you!" Sohyun repeated, annoyed.
Why is his reaction so different from what I had assumed?...
He looks... disappointed...

"You can't..."
Jaemin muttered and averted his gaze as his mind was filled with a rush of thoughts. His hands were sweating, and his breathing became shorter.

Sohyun clenched his fists and asked anxiously, "Is it... because... you also... like him?"

"You don't know what a gay relationship is... You like girls... You've never been interested in this... You're probably confused because of what we did at your house."

"Instead of blabbering excuses, answer my question!" Sohyun clenched his jaw as he gulped nervously.

Jaemin glanced at him, "I don't like him." He hesitated for a second and turned his gaze to the left, then he continued. "But I... I can't be with you either..."

This is the right thing to do, Jaemin...

I can't do this to Sohyun...

I really shouldn't...

I don't have the right nor deserve it...

Sohyun couldn't believe that he had been rejected by him. Deep inside his gut, he had a hunch that Jaemin was also fond of him, but it turned out to be in vain. He felt as if his whole world was crushed once again.

What did I expect?...
No one has ever loved me...
This includes Jaemin, too...

He dropped his head and dashed out of his place before saying anything, crying all the way home. Heartless...

~

Jaemin stood there frozen for a while, overwhelmed by his emotions. His heart sank in sadness as tears welled up in his eyes.

Judging by how his heart throbbed badly, Jaemin already knew what his true feelings were. However, he was in denial...

What was stopping him?...

Fear of Sohyun being straight?...

Fear of Sohyun's parents?...

Fear of hurting him again?...

Fear of Sohyun facing the same hardships that he had been through?...

Fear of breaking up in the future and losing him as both his lover and best friend?...

He wasn't sure...

He just wanted to avoid it...

As he felt sick in his stomach again, he rushed to the bathroom, throwing up.
He sat down on the bathroom floor and leaned his back against the wall.

"Fuck..."

~

[Tomorrow afternoon].

Ding Dong...

Yohan rang the doorbell, waiting for Jaemin to open the door. He waited for a few minutes before he rang the bell again. Why doesn't he open the door?...

Finally, the door was swung open, and Jaemin's silhouette appeared. "What are you doing here?"

Yohan replied instantly, "I got worried since you were absent today..." Then he walked inside Jaemin's apartment and turned the lights on.

"Are you sick?" Yohan finally could see Jaemin's pale face and the dark circles under his eyes with the lights on.

"I just don't feel good," Jaemin responded coldly.

Yohan stepped closer to him and cupped his face. "Why?"

Jaemin shoved his hands away and glared. "Did you kiss me while I was asleep?"

Yohan jolted back. "Ah... I... Hyung... I was just..."

Jaemin huffed, "So it was true, huh!"

"Hyung, I didn't want to do it! I just caught up in the moment, and couldn't resist it. Since I–"

Jaemin cut off Yohan's words and snapped at him, "Yohan! You can't do things like this without consent! Especially at school!"

He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated. Since Jaemin had experienced that traumatic unexpected kiss just months ago, he was completely frustrated by what Yohan had done.
An anxiety consumed him...

Yohan dropped his gaze to the ground, and said, flustered.
"I'm really sorry... But it's because... I... I like you... I want to... date you!"

Jaemin sighed in response as he rubbed his lips, exhausted. I can't take this anymore...

Yohan's voice took Jaemin back to the present.
"Hyung... P-Please say something..."

Jaemin looked at Yohan as his cheeks were red and his eyes were filled with worry. "Yohan, I'm sorry but I can't give you the answer you'd like to hear."

Yohan gritted his teeth and frowned.
"Is it because of Sohyun? Did he say something behind my back? Everything he tells you is a lie! He's a bitch! He hates me!—"

Jaemin shouted, "Yohan stop!" He then grasped Yohan's collar and said, irritated.
"Don't talk about him like that!!!"

"Hyung! We've known each other since we were kids! I'm the one who truly likes and cares about you! So, why are you treating me like this because of him?!" Yohan raised his voice, frustrated.

Jaemin stared at Yohan for a few seconds, and he then replied unconsciously,
"He's the most important person in my life. He's the only thing I have, my whole world... You can't understand this..."

I can't lose him...
.
.
.