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This is not how Jaemin expected to spend his birthday.
Sitting at a table in a cute old fashioned diner.
Two glasses of water in front of him.
One almost empty.
One completely untouched.
The afternoon sun warms the room, projecting a warm golden tone through the window. The chatter and laughter from the couples around him reminds him that this diner is one of the top recommended spots for cute dates. That is if your date actually shows up…
“Umm excuse me? Would you like to order now or are we still waiting?”
A soft, velvety voice brings Jaemin out of his trance. He has lost track of how long he has been sitting here—alone—staring at the condensation on the full glass of water across from him.
“You marked on your reservation that it’s your birthday celebration. We have a special complimentary birthday drink at our diner, would you like to start with that?”
“Yes, sorry,” Jaemin starts, tapping his phone screen to check the time. Thirty minutes have passed, he has already sent two texts to his date, who is still nowhere to be found. He feels pathetic being played like this, especially on his birthday . He feels a lump in his throat and his eyes start to burn. “You know what, nevermind. Sorry for taking up a table here. I’ll just go now.”
A few people at the table next to him look over to see what happened but Jaemin’s already up and out the door, leaving the server boy still standing there, looking like he was about to say something. The boy runs a hand through his messy black hair and pushes his thick glasses up his nose bridge a little before going to collect the two water glasses and menu from the table, but his eyes trail after the pink haired boy who almost bumps into a couple as he runs to his car.
The moment Jaemin slams his car door shut, his tears flow out like a broken faucet, his voice finally giving up and releases a strangled cry. He leans over to rest his forehead on his steering wheel and just lets everything break free from his body. Letting the emotions consume him and the cries break out. He doesn’t even care if the whole parking lot can hear him anymore.
He has always been cautious with relationships and going on casual dates, but it’s his 20th birthday and he wanted to try something new. He agreed to his friends setting him up on a blind date, but was only met with heartbreak before even seeing what the person looked like.
He was looking forward to having a nice date on his birthday. He went out of his way to find some popular places for first dates, looking through different reviews and asking friends for recommendations. He even went shopping for new clothes just so he could feel pretty for his special day. He always wanted to buy himself a nice pair of sneakers to pair with his ripped jeans, layering some fishnets underneath and throwing on a nice sweater on top. He woke up early to style his hair and put on some light makeup, tinting his cheeks with the new blush he just got and putting on his favorite lip gloss. He just wanted to feel loved and appreciated, but maybe that was too much to ask for.
All the confidence he built up the past few weeks leading up to today has been destroyed within the past half an hour. He tried so hard to ignore the server boy who kept looking over at his table, probably wondering why he was still sitting alone. He tried to block out all the cute pet names that the couples around him were whispering. He tried to tell himself his date is just running late. But he knew very well what it really was. He got stood up. On his birthday.
------
Jaemin wakes up startled and feels a cold shiver down his back. Although it’s the middle of August, it still gets cold once the sun sets. His vision is still a little blurry from sleep but he makes out that it’s already dark outside, only the lights from the diner still somewhat lighting up the parking lot. He bangs his head against the steering wheel one more time and rubs the sleep out of his eyes, still a little dry and swollen from crying so hard to the point he got so tired and fell asleep on his steering wheel. He fumbles around a little to try and find his keys when a knock on his window makes him jump.
“Hi! Umm, I noticed you’ve been parked here for a while now. So, umm, just wanted to make sure you’re okay?” The voice comes through the closed car door a little muffled.
“Oh...umm yeah, I’m fine- better. I’m better now,” Jaemin stutters, staring at the boy through his car window. It looks like he just got off work from the diner since he still has his work clothes hanging off his arm. He looks about the same age, but dressed awfully old fashioned for his age. Thick browline glasses, dark red hair gelled back, and a button up short sleeve tucked into his light washed high-waisted jeans. He’s really taking this retro theme to heart , Jaemin thinks to himself as he examines the boy in front of him. That doesn’t hide the boy’s beauty though, the sparkly eyes, the cute little mole under his right eye, and the pouty lips distracting Jaemin’s still clouded mind. There’s a weird tug in his heart, but he tries to ignore it for now. He has convinced himself that love at first sight is not real, but maybe he could be proven wrong.
The weird feeling is still lingering and he looks behind the boy at the diner. Something about it is throwing Jaemin off and he can’t seem to pinpoint it, not until he goes back to looking around his car does he realize there’s something different. Very different.
“What the fuck...my car?” Jaemin accidentally thinks out loud as he opens his car door, looking at it as if it’s his first time seeing a car door open.
“Umm, sorry?”
Jaemin is reminded that the cute boy is still standing by his car, a few steps back, now that the door is open.
“T-This isn’t my car?” Jaemin stutters.
“Uhh...I mean I wouldn’t know? But you seem to have gotten in fine,” the server boy says, hand scratching the back of his neck, not knowing what to say. Is he supposed to assume the doe-eyed boy with the pink pair stole a car just to sleep in it? But now that he’s looking at the boy in front of him, there’s something about him that doesn’t look right.
“I wasn’t quite thinking straight when I got in it earlier but I’m definitely thinking straight now,” Jaemin says, turning around to look at the car again making sure it wasn’t just his eyes that were fooling him in the low light. “Yeah my car is definitely not this old,” he mumbles as he pats his pockets to try and find his phone. He needs to call someone. He’s not sure who and what he’s going to say, but this isn’t right.
“Umm, your car looks pretty new?”
“ New? Are you kidding me, this looks like it’s from the 60s!” Jaemin gestures towards the interior of his car, climbing back in to see if his phone fell under the seat or something.
“I-I mean, you’re not wrong?”
A crazy thought pops into Jaemin’s head and he slaps his forehead to get it out of his mind. He turns around to see the cute boy worriedly looking at him now.
“Umm,” Jaemin starts. He eyes the boy’s name tag hanging from the shirt on his arm, “Jeno? Umm, what’s today’s date?”
“August 13th,” the boy—Jeno answers, still a bit confused about what's going on. He doesn’t know what brought him to walk over to the car where the pink haired boy was sleeping, but now that he’s looking at the boy, he notices the boy’s big eyes are a bit swollen. Even in the dimly lit parking lot, he notices the redness in the boy’s eyes. It makes him look like a lost bunny and Jeno just wanted to make sure he was okay. He doesn’t even know this boy but seeing him so lost and scared made Jeno want to protect him.
“What year?” Jaemin demands, startling Jeno a bit with the sudden harsh tone.
“Uhh...1963?” Jeno replies, sounding more like a question because he’s still so lost. It’s been eight months into the year and cute bunny boy still doesn’t know what year it is?
“NINETEEN SIXTY THREE??” Jaemin shouts, Jeno looking visibly scared at the boy’s sudden outburst. There are a few people in the parking who are looking over at them in confusion now, to which Jeno turns around to give an apologetic smile.
------
“It’s probably karma for me saying I hated 2020, but please believe me. I don’t belong here,” Jaemin pleads after rambling to Jeno and spilling everything that led him to the current moment. The planned blind date, the disappointment, the frustration. The whole story.
Per Jeno’s request, the two boys are sitting in the diner again. He figured it’s probably better for Jaemin to calm down a bit first before he figures everything that’s happening. Jaemin notices the interior being almost identical with what he remembers from the afternoon, except for the handwritten menu on the chalkboard by the register that’s now being wiped down and the jukebox on the table.
“I believe you, umm,” Jeno starts but realizes he doesn’t even know the boy’s name. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even get your name yet...unless you want me to keep calling you ‘cute boy’? Or baby bun? Sweetheart?”
“Oh my god,” Jaemin lowers his head at Jeno’s teasing, trying to hide his blushed cheeks with his hands. “I’m so sorry I just started rambling. I’m Jaemin.”
“Well, Jaemin, I believe you. I’m not sure how I can help you, but I’ll try my best.”
Jeno gives Jaemin a genuine smile, one that makes Jaemin feel his heart race for no reason. Well...one reason.
“I would get you our special birthday drink if we weren’t closing already, but hold on, I think I know what might be even better,” Jeno snaps his fingers and digs his hand into his pockets.
“What are you-”
“Aha, found some!” Jeno says excitedly, turning to Jaemin to give him a wink. “This is just what you need, sweetheart.”
Before Jaemin can even respond to the shameless flirting, he sees Jeno turn to drop a few coins in the jukebox on their table and turn a few knobs.
A soft tune starts playing through the old device as Jeno stands up and circles around the table to stand in front of Jaemin.
Oh, my love, my darling
I’ve hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
“May I have this dance, my darling?” Jeno slightly lowers his head and stretches his arm out to Jaemin.
Jaemin coos a little at Jeno’s seriousness and steps forward to place his hand in Jeno’s waiting palm. Jeno immediately pulls him in, large hands circling around Jaemin’s waist, holding him close.
“You said it’s your birthday today, and even if it’s not in your time , I hope this is still good enough of a gift from me.”
Time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
They slowly sway from side to side in the middle of the diner. One of the other server boys, who Jeno says is also his best friend, whistles at them as he walks around them to mop the floor. Jaemin realizes they’re the only ones in the diner along with the closing staff who are just trying to clean up and go home. He feels bad for getting in their way, but Jeno insists it’s fine, plus he doesn’t mind staying in Jeno’s warm embrace for a bit longer.
“So...umm…” Jaemin hums, looking a little uncomfortable now that they have no choice but to leave the diner since it’s closing.
“Do you know...uhh do you have a place to stay?” Jeno asks, a little awkward in the current situation too. He’s not sure if it’s too much to ask Jaemin to come home with him because he doesn’t want Jaemin to get the wrong idea, but he also realizes the boy’s situation is very confusing and probably has no clue where to go from here.
Jaemin looks up to meet Jeno’s eyes, and that’s when Jeno sees the tears threatening to fall.
“Hey, hey, no, don’t cry, please,” Jeno rushes over to wrap his arms around Jaemin. “Come home with me? Are you ok with that? We can leave your- umm, the car here. We’ll deal with that later.”
Jaemin knows his voice is going to crack if he tries to say anything so he just nods, burying his face against Jeno’s neck. He takes a deep breath of Jeno’s light fragrance. It’s oddly familiar and comforting, almost like it’s speaking to Jaemin, telling him everything will be fine.
It’s like everything is hitting him again. Jeno did an amazing job distracting him from his current time skip situation, but now that they’re no longer dancing to the slow jams, all the questions are coming back to Jaemin. How did he get here? Is he going to go back? Is it all a dream?
But a part of him now doesn’t want to wake up from this dream. And if it’s not a dream, maybe staying here, with Jeno, doesn’t seem like too bad of an idea. Jaemin doesn’t realize how fast he has fallen for this boy with the thick glasses and dark red hair. Something about him just makes Jaemin feel safe. Like everything is alright, as long as he’s with Jeno. And that thought alone scares him so much.
He knows nothing about the current time, the 19 60s . He barely knows anything about Jeno, other than the boy works as a server for the diner since his aunt owns the place. He’s 20 years old, just a few months older than Jaemin. He likes music and movies and wants to be a musician or director some day. That’s about all Jaemin knows, but somehow he still feels like they’ve known each other for longer. He can feel the connection between the two of them and can only hope Jeno feels the same too.
Jeno definitely feels the connection too.
He can’t explain why he even approached Jaemin’s car to knock on the window in the first place, but something in him told him he had to. It was like a thousand strings tied to his body, pulling him closer to Jaemin. He can’t even say it was love at first sight because it was more than that. It felt as if he found a missing part of himself. As if everything in the universe clicked in place the moment Jaemin woke up and their eyes met.
“How about…” Jeno tilts his head to think for a second. “Oh, I know! I have a place in mind.”
Jaemin is dragged by the wrist towards Jeno’s pickup truck, looking even older than the car he woke up in.
“I swear, if you’re kidnapping me and planning to murder me in the middle of a corn field or something, I will come back to haunt you, Lee Jeno.”
“Woah there, is that how the future minds work?” Jeno chuckles, reaching over to place his palm against Jaemin’s forehead, as if that will answer his question.
“Yeah...we’re pretty fucked up.” Jaemin takes Jeno’s hand off his head and intertwines their fingers. He looks over and is met with Jeno’s scandalized look. “I’m kidding...kind of… But it’s ok, I trust you.”
------
“Tah-dah! We’re here!” Jeno says as he backs into a spot and turns off his car engine. They’re parked amongst a few other cars in front of a big screen.
Jaemin looks around in awe, lowering his window to peek his head out. Drive-in movie theaters have always been on his “cute date night ideas” list, but he’s never been able to check it off the list. In fact, he hasn’t been able to check anything off that list until tonight. He’s already knocked two off the list so far. Slow dancing to old songs? Or current songs in this case. Check. Late night drive-in movies? Check.
“Come on, I just set up the back,” Jeno waves excitedly from outside the driver’s side window. Jaemin didn’t even realize when Jeno got out of the car, but he jumps out and follows Jeno to the back.
The set up is nothing like the aesthetic Pinterest photos captioned “retro 60s movie night vibes”, but it is everything that Jaemin could ever dream of. Jeno has a blanket laid out on the back of his truck, his jacket rolled up to be a makeshift pillow, and two glass bottles of Dr. Pepper he snuck from the diner.
“I know it’s not much, but what do you think?”
Jaemin met Jeno’s expectant eyes, looking like a cute puppy waiting for a praise.
“I love it.” Jaemin hops on to join Jeno on the blanket. Jeno scoots over a little to give Jaemin the rolled up jacket for cushioning, but Jaemin pulls him back and instead settles himself on Jeno’s arm. He has his head resting on Jeno’s upper arm and his arm and leg slung over Jeno’s body. The blanket doesn’t do much to cushion the trunk floor and he can feel the ridges dig into his ribs a little, but everything feels just right.
“But Dr. Pepper? Really?”
“Hey! Don’t judge me. That’s my go-to drink to snatch from the diner!” Jeno whines, reaching over to grab the bottle and clutch it against his chest.
Jaemin fake gags but grabs himself a bottle too.
Jaemin isn’t paying much attention to the movie. The audio from the car radio was a little muffled and the video quality was definitely nothing near what Jaemin is used to, but he wanted it to last a little bit longer, just so he can stay in Jeno’s arms. Jeno would make small comments about the movie or laugh here and there, sending a vibration through his chest to Jaemin’s cheek. Jaemin wanted to pinch himself to make sure everything is real, but at the same time, he didn’t want to know it was a dream. He doesn’t want to wake up from it.
The movie comes to an end and Jaemin can feel his eyelids get heavy, but he doesn’t want to sleep and waste the time he has with Jeno. He’s scared of what’s going to happen once he does fall asleep. He’s scared he’s going to wake up and Jeno wouldn’t be there anymore.
“You can sleep if you want to, baby bun,” Jeno whispers in his ear, making Jaemin shrug his shoulders a little from the tickling breath.
“That’s cute.” Jaemin smiles to himself, gently placing his hand on Jeno’s cheek to rub circles on his cheek bone.
“What is? You? Because you sure are a cute one, my darling,” Jeno says, leaving a small peck on Jaemin’s cheek.
Jaemin feels all the blood in his body rush to his cheeks. The spot where Jeno’s lips touched burning. He turns his head closer to Jeno’s neck to try to hide his blush.
“No, I meant the names,” Jaemin muffles. “You come up with cute names.”
“Is that so, my angel? My darling? Baby bun? Which one do you prefer, hmm?” Jeno teases, placing more kisses on the parts of Jaemin’s face that he can reach.
Jaemin doesn’t answer and just continues to hide his face, but even if he were to answer, he doesn’t know which one he likes best, because as long as it’s coming out of Jeno’s mouth, they all make his heart flutter.
------
“Is it hard for you to sleep, my darling?” Jeno wraps his arm around Jaemin’s waist under the duvet.
They eventually came back to Jeno’s small studio apartment after Jaemin was about to fall asleep on the back of Jeno’s truck. But now that they’re washed up and settled in bed, Jaemin can’t bring himself to fall asleep. Or maybe, deep down, he doesn’t want to sleep.
“Jeno?” Jaemin starts and Jeno hums back to let him know he’s listening. “I’m scared.”
“I’m right here, baby.” Jeno’s hand starts rubbing soothing circles on Jaemin’s waist. “Don’t be scared, I’m here.”
“What if-” Jaemin chokes on the tears that came rushing. “What if I’m not here anymore? W-What if you disappear? What if I wake up and it’s just- it’s all a dream? What if you aren’t with me anymore?”
“I’ll always be with you, my baby bun. Always.” Jeno looks down to see the moonlight reflecting in Jaemin’s eyes, lighting up his whole world. He moves his hand to place it on Jaemin’s cheek, thumb softly brushing against Jaemin’s slightly parted lips. He leans in a little, looking between Jaemin’s eyes and lips.
Jaemin can feel the warm breath hitting his lips, making his heart beat even faster. He closes his eyes and leans forward to meet Jeno in the middle. Soft lips melting together as they hold each other like they’re about to slip away the next minute.
“You can’t leave me, Jeno,” Jaemin says, peppering Jeno’s whole face with feathery kisses, fingers threaded through the dark red hair.
“I won’t, my darling.”
Jaemin leaves one last lingering kiss on Jeno’s cheek, right on top of the pretty mole, as if he’s leaving his mark on his Jeno. He sinks back into the bed with his face tucked under Jeno’s chin.
“You have to stay with me.”
“I will, my darling. Wherever you are, I’ll be there. I promise.”
Wait for me, wait for me
I’ll be coming home, wait for me
------
It’s August 13th again. Jaemin’s birthday. The year 2021. A whole year since he first came to the little diner.
The diner that holds both good and bad memories. But even the good memories are bittersweet.
It’s been a year since he met Jeno.
It’s been a year since he last saw Jeno.
He thought about going back to the diner to see if there’s any way he can get back to his Jeno, but he was scared to be met with disappointment.
It’s his birthday again and he finally thinks it’s time to start fresh. Maybe going back to the diner and seeing how it is in his current time will give him some closure. He’s been holding on to too much hope and being too scared of reality.
He takes a deep breath and steps out of his car.
The diner is exactly how he remembers it, except there’s no jukebox to play him some old songs and there’s no Jeno to hold him and dance with him.
“Hi! Welcome! For how many?” A cheery voice greets Jaemin as soon as he opens the door. The girl seems to be a high school student who’s still in the phase of being excited for work.
“Umm, just me, thank you,” Jaemin gives the girl a small smile as she leads him to a table by the window, coincidentally the same table he was seated at a year ago.
“Your server will be with you in just a moment. In the meantime, would you like something to drink?”
“I’ll just have wate- Actually, Dr. Pepper please,” Jaemin responds.
He looks around the diner, knowing it’s stupid that he hopes to spot the boy with the thick glasses and cute eye smile, but he still tries. But as he should’ve expected, none of the servers in the diner look familiar.
Jaemin feels obnoxious that he even had the thought of seeing Jeno again. Here he is in 2021, while the Jeno he fell in love with will forever be stuck in 1963. The only thing left over is his broken heart and lingering memories of the night he spent with Jeno.
“Hi there, I’ll be your server today. Here’s your Dr. Pepper,” A soft, velvety voice interrupts Jaemin’s thoughts. “Great taste by the way! Dr. Pepper is my go-to drink too.”
Jaemin’s eyes shoot up to look at the server boy standing in front of him. Black hair a little messy and unstyled, thick glasses perched on his nose bridge, but somehow accentuating his dark eyes. Those eyes .
“I’m Jeno, by the way,” the boy says with a smile, eyes turning into crescents. “What would you like today?”
“You-” Jaemin chokes on his words, pinching himself under the table to make sure it isn’t a dream. The world is fucking with me again.
“I mean, sure, if you want me,” the server boy, no, Jeno , jokes. “But I think you should get started on some food first and you can have me later,” Jeno finishes with a wink.
“Y-You’re Jeno..I-I’m Jaemin. I-”
“Nice to see you again Jaemin. I guess coming here is a birthday tradition how, huh?" Jeno asks with a small laugh. "Let me get you that birthday drink this time.” Jeno spins around on his heel to head towards the kitchen, leaving Jaemin dumbstruck at his seat.
Jaemin is convinced the universe is playing with him. This Jeno cannot be the same as his Jeno. Can they be? How is that possible? But again, how is anything he experienced in this past year possible? Is he hallucinating? Did he time travel? Are there multiple Jaemins too?
He turns to look at the kitchen door where Jeno disappeared through, wondering if he just made up that whole scene in his head. But the door swings open and Jeno comes back out again, still looking as attractive as ever with his messy black hair and thick glasses. He takes out two straws from the big pocket on his apron and slides a large glass that looks like it’s packed with a whole year’s worth of sugar to Jaemin.
“Happy birthday, my darling.”