Chapter Text
Jaemin rolled over in his bed, sunshine streaming through the open window blinds, and decided that today was going to be a good day.
He had just agreed to sign up for the track competition that his high school was hosting, a competition that he had agonized over for for more than three weeks.
It wasn’t that Jaemin didn’t want to sign up, per se, he just didn’t know if he was ready to go back to running.
~
Ever since he was little, Jaemin‘s dad used to make him watch the games with him, saying, ”Watch with me. See how good they are? See how hard they worked to be here? If you work this hard, too, you can go there some day, Jaemin. You can be on millions of screens across the world. And you can bring Korea glory.”
When he was 7 years old, little Jaemin has looked at him with wide eyes and asked him why he would ever want that. His dad had laughed at him and just pulled him close. “I think you’ll be surprised, Jaejae.”
And, when he watched his first Olympic Games, just like his dad had said, he fell in love with a sport. Running. He had been fascinated by the way the athletes had run like lightning across the track, feet flying, barely touching the ground at all.
He went to his first track meet on his 8th birthday, his dad smiling at him from the bleachers, flashing him a thumbs up as he stretched on the starting line.
After that, track became Jaemin and dad time. His dad would go and cheer him on while Jaemin poured his heart into the sport and into improving.
Then the next Olympics came rolling around and, when they sat down to watch the opening ceremony, Jaemin’s dad had looked at him with a sad, sad look in his eyes. And somehow, Jaemin had known that whatever his dad said next was going to be bad. That nothing was ever going to be the same again.
Two years later, when Jaemin was 13, his dad passed away from cancer. That was the day Jaemin decided he wasn’t going to run again. He wasn’t going to compete, he wasn’t going to go to meets, he wanted nothing to do with it; he was done with track.
~
Now, six years after his father’s death, a boy with warm brown eyes that curve up into crescents every time he smiles is the reason Jaemin decided that he needed to stop hiding from the shadow of what could have been.
Jeno convinced him that his dad would have wanted him to keep running. “You know your father wouldn’t have wanted you to give up track just because of him. He would want you to continue doing what you love. Even if you have to do it without him.” And that was what it took.
“I’m so curious, yeah~”, Jaemin hummed along to a song playing on his phone as he started getting dressed for school. He looked for Jeno’s hoodie that he had stolen from the older boy a few days ago, grinning when he found it.
Jaemin loved stealing the black-haired boy’s clothes. They were comfy and smelled like him, making Jaemin love them more. Why he liked the smell of his best friend, he had no clue. It probably just comforted his subconscious or whatever. He totally hasn’t been harboring a crush on him for years. Of course not.
“Tonight! Shinee’s in the House! Ho, ho~”. Jaemin stared intensely into the mirror, studying his reflection.
His orange hair was tousled from sleep, but not messy enough to require combing. Black ripped skinny jeans adorned his long legs, the edge of his white t-shirt just barely peeking out from the edge of Jeno’s sweatshirt.
Satisfied, he grinned and walked over to his end table to grab his phone and backpack from the floor. Heading downstairs, he kissed his mom on the cheek before skipping out the door.
“So give it up, give it up, give it up for Shinee~!”
Oh today was going to be a good day, Jaemin thought.
~
“Sup nerd,” Jaemin greeted Jeno, setting his tray down next to he other boy’s and plopping down beside him.
“How many times do I have to tell you and Donghyuck that,” Jeno replied, not looking up from his textbook,” just because I study for tests, doesn’t mean I’m a nerd.”
“You know I’m just teasing, Jen,” Jaemin cooed, squishing the older’s cheek. Jeno scrunched his nose up and made a face at him.
“Really, Nana?” he pouted, punching Jaemin lightly.
“Ow!” Jaemin rubbed his arm and looked at Jeno balefully.
“You deserved it!” Jeno crowed.
“Not really!”
“Yeah really.”
“Okay, maybe, but did you have to punch me?” Jaemin whined, shooting puppy eyes at Jeno.
“Nope, but I wanted to!” Jeno looked way too amused.
“I hate you.”
“I love you!” Jeno cooed, eyes curving up into crescents.
In three seconds, Jaemin simultaneously:
1.) Combusted from Jeno’s cuteness
2.) Died because the words “I love you” came from Jeno’s mouth and were directed at JAEMIN
3.) Completely forgot about the argument because, really, it was stupid, and who could resist Jeno’s eye smile? Like damn!
“Finally!” Donghyuck yelled, plopping down across from them and smirking. “I wondered if you two were ever going to quit beating around the bush.”
Both of them blushed scarlet red and avoided looking at each other.
“Nana knows I love him,” Jeno mumbled. Jaemin died again. Okay maybe I DO have a crush on Jeno, he decided
“Of course he does,” Donghyuck agreed mildly, not looking like he agreed at all. “Anyway,” he continued, “did you sign up for the track competition, Nana?”
“Yup.” That had been the first thing Jaemin had done when he got to school.
“Good.” And with that, Donghyuck turned his attention to his lunch and started devouring it.
“Hey losers,” A voice said. Jaemin looked up to see Renjun standing there. The oldest of the group was smiling angelically, his expression contrasting drastically with his greeting.
“Hey Injoonnie,” Jeno replied, still reading his textbook.
“Whatcha studying?” Renjun sat down next to Donghyuck.
“Physics.”
“I hate physics,” Donghyuck grumbled, seemingly done destroying the cafeteria mac and cheese.
“Amen,” Jaemin replied, grimacing. The conversation gradually shifted to other topics and Jaemin tuned it out, head drifting into the clouds.
He was brought back to earth by Jeno’s voice. “C’mon, Nana, the bell just rang.”
Jaemin shook his head to clear it, taking his backpack from Jeno’s hand. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Jeno smiled at him. “You know,” he said, “if you’re not busy practicing for your track competition, after school, do you want to come over?”
“Really?” Jaemin asked excitedly, as they walked down the hallway. He hadn’t been over to Jeno’s in a long time. Well, three days, but that’s a long time for the two of them!
“No, I’m just asking you so I can tell you no and crush you,” Jeno replies sarcastically. “Yes, really.”
“Yeah absolutely! I was gonna practice for an hour-ish, but I can definitely come over after.”
“Sounds good!” Jeno smiled his eye smile. “See you tonight then, Nana!” He turned and ran down the hall to his calculus class. Jaemin smiles fondly at his retreating figure, before stepping into History.
A good day, indeed.
~
Jaemin had forgotten how much he missed track. Sure, he had ran outside to exercise, but he hadn’t stepped foot on a track-track in years. It felt nice to run the stopwatch again and just lose himself in the sound of his feet pounding on the pavement.
After an hour of practice, Jaemin walked over to the showers and rinsed off, happy to get all the sweat off. The one thing he hated about running (and exercising in general, really) was sweating. It always made him feel gross.
Now, fresh and clean, Jaemin walked off the athletic field, texting him mom that practice was over and he was headed over to Jeno’s. He knew she wouldn’t mind. His mom wouldn’t be home from her waitressing job until late that night, anyway.
Jaemin pulled his headphones out of his pocket, plugging them into his phone and putting them in his ears. As he walked, he sang along to the music, immersing himself in it.
He was crossing the road in front of Jeno’s house when he saw a massive truck speeding towards him, completely ignoring the stop sign. Jaemin let out an unearthly screech and tried to run out of the way, but he wasn’t fast enough.
The truck hit him. Jaemin heard a scream of, “JAEMIN!” and felt a searing pain in his lower back and legs before he blacked out.