Chapter Text
Jeno still remembers the first time they met.
It was a week before Christmas, and he and his family were out shopping for gifts. Twelve-year-old Jeno, dressed in a fluffy navy blue winter coat, had been sitting on a bench outside a toy store as he waited for his parents and sister to finish whatever they were doing. Normally, he would be with them inside, buying some toys for himself as well as for his friends, but it snowed earlier and the streets were adorned with pretty festive lights that flicker and change colors. It was beautiful, and he was content to just sit there and watch as people passed by.
Swinging his legs slightly, he hummed a soft tune, one hand tracing small circles in the snow on the bench beside him. Jeno was so focused on what he was doing that he didn't notice a fluffy white dog stop in front of him until it barked at him. He let out a surprised yelp, immediately turning to the dog - a Samoyed - and staring at it in confusion. It stared back at him expectantly, wagging its tail happily, and it took Jeno a few seconds to understand what it wanted.
Laughing giddily, Jeno slid down from the bench, kneeling in front of the Samoyed on the snow covered path as he patted its head. "Hey there, cutie, are you lost?" He asked, not really expecting an answer.
Then, as if on cue, a blur of pastel blue stopped beside them. Jeno tilted his head upwards slightly to regard the stranger - a boy around his age with chestnut brown hair and a cute pair of front teeth - huffing and pouting at the dog barking happily. It didn't take him long to realize this boy is the dog's owner.
"Why did you run off so suddenly?" The boy asked, dropping down to his knees to squish the Samoyed's face in between his hands. "Do you know how dangerous it is to run off on your own?! You could have been kidnapped!"
The boy seemed to not have noticed Jeno watching him lecture his dog quietly, until Jeno couldn't stop himself from chuckling at how adorable the boy was being. Surprised, the boy blushed. "Yah, stop laughing!"
When Jeno didn't stop, he huffed, "Why are you laughing?"
"You're so cute." Was Jeno's only reply, which made the boy blush even more, but he mumbled a barely audible 'thanks'.
He opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by the Samoyed barking at the direction of the toy store. It was Jeno's parents and sister, walking out of the store with bags of toys. Almost immediately, Jeno stood up, starting to walk towards his family, only to be stopped by a lithe hand grasping the back of his coat.
"Wait." The boy said, making Jeno turn to him in surprise. "Don't you think it's rude to just walk off without saying a goodbye? I don't even know your name." He pouted.
This made Jeno tilt his head in confusion. "Why do you need to know my name?"
"W-well, it's common courtesy!" The boy blushed, then he huffed and let go of Jeno's coat, crossing his arms. "But if you don't want to tell me, then fine!"
"I never said that. I just asked why you need to know my name." Jeno chuckled. "Anyway, it's Lee Jeno. Now what's yours?"
"Jaemin. Na Jaemin." The boy said, then turned towards his Samoyed sitting patiently between them, "this is Riceball."
Jaemin stood up and extended a hand to him, which he accepted and shook. "It's nice to meet you, Jeno!"
"Nice to meet you too."
And with a breathtaking smile, Jaemin waved a goodbye to him, wishing him a Merry Christmas! and I hope we can see each other again sometime in the future!
He hoped he would see Jaemin again too.