A Basket of Sugar

Liquid of Truth

When Jeno finally felt better, he and all his friends went out to celebrate the fact that Jeno somehow managed to faint in the middle of a dinner party and not cause any disruption. They were just eating at the dining hall which they would do anyway; but this time they insisted it was special. Jeno didn't care, he really just wanted the whole thing to blow over.

He went to swipe his meal card and pay for his food when Jaemin reached out and stopped him.

"Wait Jen, let me pay for this. It's the best I can do for not being there for you at the investor's dinner night."

"Jaemin! I've told you like a thousand times I'm not mad at you anymore! I'd rather we just move on."

"Okay let me buy food for you just this once then I'll forget about it." Jeno wanted to protest but he figured free food wasn't the worst thing to have, especially as a college student. He nodded making Jaemin smile. He swiped his card for Jeno and the two boys went to their other friends who had already gotten their food.

"So Jaemin what happened to that Jisung guy?" Jisung was a guy who Jaemin met at a party. He was a bit older then Jaemin but he was still interested in him. 

Jaemin shrugged and readjusted his grip on his food tray. "I texted him but he never responded to me. He even started avoiding me when he saw me on campus."

Jeno looked at his friend, concerned. "I'm sorry Jaemin that sucks."

"Whatever." Jaemin shrugged again. "I'll find my prince charming. I feel like he's right around the corner."

Jeno giggled and the two boys sat down at the table with their other friends.

"No, no, no!" That's not how you pour cola!" Jaemin's hand reached out to stop a puzzled Renjun from pouring his drink.

"You need to pour it like this." Jaemin poured the cola while slowly lifting his arm up in the air. He splattered cola everywhere making everyone in the group groan at him.

"Jaemin you're getting it everywhere!" Jeno groaned and started wiping the table with his napkin.

"Yeah, and that's nothing! I've got better tricks up my sleeve." Chenle patiently waited for the group's attention before continuing.

"Watch this!" He picked up a cracker and spun it skillfully on his nose as if it was a basketball.

"I can do better! Watch me!" Renjun poured some water down his throat and started to half swallow, half gurgle which made him kind of sound like a seagull on crack. The only one in the group even remotely impressed was Jeno.

"It's like you're playing with your breath....breath play!" Jeno was proud of himself for coining a new term but he was confused when Renjun spit out his water and the whole group started laughing.

"Jeno...oh sweet Jeno. Do you not know what breath play is?" Jeno shot Renjun a confused look

"No? I have no idea what breath play is."

Renjun, Chenle, and Jaemin all exchanged knowing glances. Jeno was the most innocent of the group and therefore the easiest to tease.

Jaemin leaned into Jeno's ear and whispered something to him. Suddenly, before he was even done talking, Jeno's eyes widened to the size of saucers. He flinched away from Jaemin and everyone else at the table burst into laughter.

"Why would someone do that! And here I thought that the 'daddy' thing was bad enough!" Jeno looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Oh there's more." Chenle grinned and leaned in. "So there's this one other one related to orgas-"

"Nope, nope, nope!" Jeno screamed and covered his ears, finally having enough. The rest of the table burst into laughter. Jaemin hugged poor Jeno, rubbing his back to calm him down.

Suddenly, Renjun's eyes widened at something from over Jeno's head. Jeno looked at him, confused, and was about to turn around when Renjun stopped him. Renjun quickly gestured for everyone else at the table to settle down and act like normal kids.

"Guys! It's that Haechan guy! I think he's coming over here!" Renjun whisper yelled at everyone. Unfortunately no one seemed to hear him because he was too quiet. They all kept looking at him confused when Haechan came up beside their table.

"Hey." he patted Jeno's shoulder lightly. Jeno looked up at him with a piece of cantaloupe sticking out of his mouth. His eyes widened when he saw who it was and he swallowed the fruit whole.

"How do you feel?" Haechan asked.

"I feel okay, thanks Chan." Jeno blushed and looked away from him.

"We've been taking care of him so he's in good condition." Renjun piped in.

Haechan nodded. Then he spotted Jeno's lunch tray. It had all the essential foods you might need to go about your day in college, but it was missing something; something important.

"Hey you don't have any water." Haechan said. Jeno looked at his plate and shrugged.

"The nurse did say you need to drink lots of water right? It's not good to go against her orders." Before he could get a reply, Haechan took his own water bottle off his plate and put it down on Jeno's. "Here, take mine."

Jeno blushed even harder but nonetheless gratefully accepted the water. That made Haechan smile. He then turned to Jeno's friends to introduce himself.

"Hello Jeno's friends. I'm Heachan, I met Jeno at the investor's dinner party." Jeno wished he could melt on the spot like the Wicked Witch of the West right now because all his friends were embarrassing him by jiggling their asses off. Haechan acted like he didn't notice which Jeno was grateful for.

"H-hello I'm R-renjun!" Renjun sputtered out through his giggles.

"And I'm Chenle, and that's Jaemin!" Chenle gestured to the boy who was hiding his face behind his drink.

"Nice to meet you all." Haechan bowed politely. He and Jeno exchanged small goodbyes then Haechan went off to join his group who witnessed the whole thing. Haechan sat down and took out his food like it was nothing.

"Oh, Omega! Here, take my water! But this isn't just any water! This is promise water! It's a promise that one day I will give you an engagement apple juice!" Haechan rolled his eyes.

"Chill Jeffery, it's just water." He said, "And his name is Jeno."

Maybe Haechan shouldn't have said that because it led to him being mercilessly teased by his friends. They spent the rest of lunch inventing an elaborate plot of his inevitable love story with Jeno using culinary utensils. It included a charming wedding where they were wedded by a packet of ketchup, and the birth of a beautiful Beta french fry. When Haechan couldn't take it anymore he looked away from them and coincidentally looked back at Jeno. Jeno was looking at him too and shot him a sympathetic smile.

Haechan couldn't help but smile back.