The following Sunday, the dorm was unusually quiet, save for the hum of the vacuum cleaner echoing through the hallway. Jaemin had woken up early, feeling the need to get some cleaning done while the others were still asleep. He moved with precision, methodically vacuuming every corner of the living room, his expression focused and intent.

He enjoyed the solitude of the early morning, the sense of productivity that came with it. It was one of the few times he could clear his mind and just be. But as he pushed the vacuum across the floor, Jaemin didn't notice the soft footsteps padding down the hallway.

Suddenly, he felt a weight on his back, followed by a familiar chin resting on his shoulder. Jaemin stiffened instantly, his breath catching in his throat as he realized who it was.

"Why are you so loud this early in the morning?" Jeno's voice was groggy, laced with sleep, as he tightened his arms around Jaemin's waist, pulling him closer. His hold was warm and secure, and it sent Jaemin's heart into overdrive.

Jaemin's mind scrambled to catch up, and he stuttered slightly as he tried to form a response. "I-I'm just trying to clean up a bit. Didn't think anyone would be up this early."

Jeno let out a soft, sleepy laugh, his breath tickling Jaemin's neck. "I wasn't. But then you woke me up with all this noise." He nuzzled Jaemin's shoulder lazily, his embrace tightening ever so slightly. "You've got to be quieter, or I might just have to keep you company every morning like this."

Jaemin's cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink, his entire body tensing at the unexpected intimacy. He wasn't used to this-wasn't used to the casual, almost possessive way Jeno held him. It made him nervous, made his thoughts scatter in all directions. "W-Why are you hugging me?" he finally managed to ask, his voice coming out quieter than he intended.

Jeno didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against Jaemin's ear as he spoke, his tone laced with that familiar teasing edge. "Boyfriend privileges. You agreed to this, remember?"

Jaemin's heart skipped a beat, the words hitting him harder than they should have. He tried to compose himself, his mind racing to find something to say, anything that could pull him out of this situation. But all he could do was stand there, frozen, as Jeno continued to hold him, his embrace both comforting and unnerving.

Jaemin finally found his voice, though it wavered slightly. "I didn't agree to... all this," he mumbled, his face burning with embarrassment.

Jeno just chuckled, his grip on Jaemin loosening slightly but not letting go entirely. "You didn't say I couldn't either," he countered, his tone playful but firm. "Besides, this is what boyfriends do, right? They wake up together, do stuff together... hug each other like this."

Jaemin didn't know how to respond. Jeno's logic was flawless in its own way, even if it left him feeling completely out of his depth. He could feel his resolve crumbling, the walls he had carefully built around himself starting to crack under the weight of Jeno's words and actions.

For a moment, Jaemin considered pulling away, ending this strange new dynamic before it could get even more complicated. But as he stood there, feeling Jeno's steady heartbeat against his back, he found himself hesitating. There was something undeniably comforting about Jeno's presence, something that made Jaemin want to stay in this moment just a little longer.

Finally, Jaemin let out a soft sigh, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he leaned back into Jeno's embrace. "Fine," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "But don't blame me if I wake you up again tomorrow."

Jeno's smile widened, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes as he squeezed Jaemin gently. "I won't," he promised, his voice low and warm. "In fact, I might just start looking forward to it."

Jaemin rolled his eyes, though the gesture lacked its usual bite. "You're impossible," he grumbled, but there was no real annoyance in his tone.

Jeno just laughed softly, his arms still wrapped securely around Jaemin as they stood there, the vacuum cleaner long forgotten. And for the first time in a long while, Jaemin allowed himself to simply be-no overthinking, no worrying-just existing in the quiet, comfortable warmth of Jeno's embrace.

As Jaemin and Jeno remained locked in their quiet embrace, the tranquility of the morning was suddenly interrupted by the sound of shuffling footsteps coming down the hallway. A few moments later, a sleepy-eyed Haechan appeared in the doorway, his hair tousled in every direction and his pajamas slightly wrinkled.

He barely acknowledged the duo at first, his mind clearly set on one mission: getting to the kitchen. Without a word, Haechan trudged over to the cabinet, pulled out a box of cereal, and ripped it open with a practiced motion, grabbing a handful and shoving it into his mouth. He leaned against the counter, munching lazily as he stared blankly ahead, the picture of someone who was definitely not a morning person.

But then, as the sleepy fog began to lift from his mind, Haechan's gaze drifted toward the living room. His eyes landed on Jaemin and Jeno, still caught in their close proximity, Jaemin's cheeks still a bright shade of pink, and Jeno holding onto him with that infuriatingly smug smile. Haechan blinked slowly, processing the scene in his groggy state, and then a lazy smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

He didn't say anything, but the smirk spoke volumes, his gaze clearly teasing Jaemin in that subtle, knowing way only Haechan could manage. It was as if he was silently saying, "Caught you," and the implication made Jaemin's blush deepen even further.

Jaemin noticed Haechan's look and immediately tried to pull away from Jeno, but Jeno tightened his hold slightly, refusing to let go. "Relax," Jeno murmured, his voice low enough that only Jaemin could hear. "It's just Haechan."

"Morning, Haechan," Jeno called out casually, not bothering to move from his comfortable position. His tone was cheerful, almost as if he was showing off the situation.

Haechan raised an eyebrow, pausing his cereal munching just long enough to return the greeting with a half-hearted wave. "Morning," he mumbled, his voice still thick with sleep. He watched them for another moment, his smirk growing a fraction wider as he caught Jaemin's flustered expression. But instead of making a comment, Haechan simply shrugged, too tired to tease Jaemin in the way he usually would.

"Don't mind me," Haechan finally said around a mouthful of cereal, his tone nonchalant. "Carry on with... whatever this is." He waved his hand dismissively before trudging back to his original spot near the counter, focusing on the cereal box as if nothing was amiss.

Jaemin didn't know whether to feel relieved or more embarrassed by Haechan's indifferent reaction. Part of him was grateful that Haechan wasn't in the mood for his usual teasing, but another part of him felt like he was now in on something he couldn't quite escape from.

Haechan, meanwhile, continued to munch away, clearly uninterested in doing anything more than getting his morning cereal fix. But that lazy smirk didn't disappear, and Jaemin could feel Haechan's silent amusement hanging in the air.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Jaemin, Haechan finished his cereal and shot them one last look, his smirk still in place. "You two have fun," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and sleepiness, before he padded out of the kitchen, disappearing back into the hallway.

As soon as Haechan was gone, Jaemin let out a long, shaky breath, his body still tense from the whole interaction. "I can't believe that just happened," he muttered, more to himself than to Jeno.

Jeno chuckled softly, finally releasing his hold on Jaemin but not moving away entirely. "You're overthinking it," he said with a shrug. "Haechan doesn't care. He's too focused on his cereal."

Jaemin shot him a look, his blush still very much present. "He's going to make fun of me later, you know that, right?"

"Probably," Jeno agreed, his tone unbothered. "But that's just Haechan. You should know that by now."

Jaemin sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to regain some semblance of composure. "This is going to be a long four weeks," he muttered under his breath.

Jeno's smile softened as he watched Jaemin, a hint of something more sincere in his eyes. "Maybe," he said quietly. "But it doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Jaemin looked at Jeno, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. For a moment, he thought about what Jeno had said earlier, about how much he had missed him, how lonely he had felt. The guilt from before washed over him again, but this time it was accompanied by something else-something that made him want to try, even if just a little, to make things right.

"Yeah, well... I guess we'll see," Jaemin mumbled, his voice soft as he turned back to the vacuum, trying to focus on anything other than the lingering warmth of Jeno's embrace.

Jeno watched him for a moment longer, a small, satisfied smile playing on his lips, before he finally let Jaemin go about his business. But the tension in the room hadn't dissipated; if anything, it had only grown, a quiet promise of something neither of them was quite ready to name.

Just as Jaemin was finally starting to get back into the rhythm of his cleaning, the vacuum's hum filling the room, Haechan unexpectedly reappeared in the doorway. This time, he looked slightly more awake, and there was a spark of mischief in his eyes that Jaemin knew all too well.

Jeno and Jaemin both turned to him, Jaemin's hands freezing on the vacuum handle as he braced himself for whatever Haechan was about to say.

"Hey, by the way," Haechan started, his tone casual but laced with that playful energy that always made Jaemin a little nervous. "Renjun and I are heading out to the arcade for a bit. You know, date stuff." He grinned widely, clearly enjoying the fact that he was rubbing it in. "And after that, we're thinking of picking up my sister from her tuition classes before we head back. So don't worry, we'll be gone for a while. You two have the place to yourselves."

Jaemin felt his heart skip a beat, his mind immediately jumping to all the implications of having the dorm to themselves for an extended period. The idea of being alone with Jeno for the entire day, especially after everything that had already happened this morning, was enough to send his nerves into overdrive.

Jeno, however, seemed completely unfazed. "Sounds like a fun day," he replied, his tone light and easy. "Give Renjun my best."

Haechan's eyes flicked between Jeno and Jaemin, his smirk growing as he picked up on the tension in the room. "Will do," he said with a wink, clearly enjoying the effect his news was having on Jaemin. "And Jaemin," he added, pausing dramatically as if he was about to drop some life-changing advice, "try to relax, will you? You look like you're about to explode or something."

Jaemin opened his mouth to retort, but nothing came out. Instead, he just stood there, flustered and struggling to form a coherent response.

Haechan chuckled at his reaction, clearly finding the whole situation entertaining. "Anyway, we'll be back by evening. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he added, throwing in a playful eyebrow waggle before he turned to leave again.

"Like that limits anything," Jeno called after him, his tone full of amusement.

Haechan just waved over his shoulder, not bothering to reply as he disappeared down the hallway again. The sound of the front door opening and closing a few moments later confirmed that he and Renjun had officially left.

Jaemin let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, his mind racing with a mix of relief and anxiety. On one hand, Haechan's departure meant that he and Jeno wouldn't have to deal with any more teasing for the rest of the day. On the other hand, it also meant that he was now truly alone with Jeno, with no distractions or interruptions in sight.

Jeno seemed to sense his unease because he leaned back on the couch, stretching out as if settling in for a long day. "You heard him," he said, his voice taking on that teasing edge again. "We've got the whole place to ourselves. What should we do?"

Jaemin's eyes darted around the room, trying to come up with something-anything-that would keep his mind off the growing tension between them. "Uh, I still need to finish vacuuming," he mumbled, grasping at the first excuse that came to mind.

Jeno just chuckled, clearly not buying it. "Alright, you do that," he said, though the look in his eyes told Jaemin that this was far from over.

With a resigned sigh, Jaemin returned to his vacuuming, but his thoughts were far from the task at hand. The knowledge that Jeno was watching him, combined with the idea of spending the entire day alone with him, made it nearly impossible to focus. And though he tried to ignore it, he couldn't shake the feeling that Haechan's departure had only set the stage for whatever was about to happen next.

Jaemin let the warm water cascade over his head, hoping the steady stream would wash away the mounting anxiety he felt. As he lathered up his hair with his favorite shampoo, the familiar scent filled the small bathroom, offering a brief moment of comfort. The sound of the shower was loud enough to drown out the noise from the rest of the dorm, and for a few precious minutes, Jaemin felt like he could finally relax.

Just as he was starting to lose himself in the rhythm of his routine, there was a sharp knock on the bathroom door. Jaemin froze, his hands still tangled in his hair as he tried to process what he'd just heard.

"Jaemin?" Jeno's voice came through the door, light and teasing, as if he wasn't aware of the havoc he was wreaking on Jaemin's nerves. "Hey, do you want to go out with me today? Maybe grab some lunch or something?"

Jaemin blinked, the question catching him completely off guard. His hands dropped from his hair as he stared at the door, his mind racing to make sense of the situation. Of all the times for Jeno to ask him out, it had to be now?

He clenched his jaw, trying to ignore the way his heart skipped a beat at the thought. "Jeno," he called back, trying to sound as irritated as possible, "why are you disturbing me during my personal time? Can't this wait?"

There was a moment of silence, then Jaemin heard Jeno chuckling softly. "I could, but where's the fun in that?" Jeno's voice was closer now, and Jaemin could almost picture the smug grin on his face.

Jaemin let out an exasperated sigh, turning his attention back to rinsing out the shampoo, trying his best to ignore the way his heart was still racing. "I'll be out in a minute," he mumbled, more to himself than to Jeno.

True to his word, Jaemin wrapped up his shower quickly, drying off and slipping into his comfortable clothes. As he stepped out of the bathroom, he was greeted by the sound of Renjun's voice drifting through the dorm. It was unmistakable, even with the door closed.

"See you guys later! Don't burn the place down while we're gone!" Renjun's playful warning was followed by the sound of the front door closing again.

Jaemin shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. But his good mood was short-lived when he noticed something off. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the bathroom counter, realizing that his shampoo bottle was nearly empty.

"Jeno," he groaned, his annoyance creeping back as he made his way into the living room. "Did you seriously use up almost all of my shampoo? This stuff isn't cheap, you know."

As he turned the corner, ready to continue his complaint, Jaemin nearly walked straight into Jeno. The older boy was standing much closer than Jaemin had anticipated, his hair still damp, and a towel draped casually around his shoulders. Jeno's expression was as laid-back as ever, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes that made Jaemin's heart stutter.

"Sorry about that," Jeno said, though the smile on his face suggested he wasn't sorry at all. "I'll buy you another bottle if it bothers you that much." He reached up, absently ruffling Jaemin's hair with the corner of the towel, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Jaemin swatted his hand away, trying to ignore the way his cheeks were heating up. "That's not the point," he muttered, though his voice lacked the usual bite. He turned away quickly, hoping Jeno wouldn't notice the telltale signs of his flustered state.

But, of course, Jeno noticed everything. He always did.

"You know," Jeno continued, leaning against the doorframe with that infuriatingly calm demeanor, "you didn't answer my question. What do you say? Lunch with just the two of us? It'll be fun."

Jaemin shot him a sidelong glance, trying to keep his expression neutral. "And why would I want to do that?"

Jeno chuckled, his smile widening. "Because you secretly enjoy spending time with me, even if you pretend otherwise. Plus," he added, leaning in just a fraction closer, "it's not like we have anything else planned for the day, right?"

Jaemin opened his mouth to argue, but the words died on his lips. Jeno was right-he didn't have any solid excuse to say no, and the idea of a quiet lunch with just the two of them was... tempting, even if it made his heart race for reasons he didn't want to examine too closely.

"Fine," Jaemin finally relented, his tone begrudging. "But you're paying for lunch. And don't think I'm letting you use any more of my shampoo after this."

Jeno's grin was nothing short of triumphant. "Deal," he said, tossing the towel over his shoulder as if sealing the agreement. "I'll even throw in dessert. Consider it an apology for using your precious shampoo."

Jaemin rolled his eyes, but there was no hiding the small smile tugging at his lips. "You better," he muttered, turning away to grab his phone and keys. But even as he moved around the room, he could feel Jeno's gaze on him, warm and teasing, and maybe just a little too fond.

And as much as Jaemin tried to play it cool, there was no denying the flutter in his chest, the anticipation that made his pulse quicken. Spending the day alone with Jeno... maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.