That evening, the restaurant felt warm. Dim pendant lights, the soft clinking of cutlery, and the faint sound of jazz created the perfect backdrop for your dinner together. Jeno sat across from you, his broad shoulders leaning back against the chair, his low voice carrying as he talked about something that had recently caught his attention. But his words stopped. His sharp gaze followed yours, realizing your attention was no longer on him. Your eyes were fixed instead on a young man who had just walked in with his mother. Jeno's own eyes followed the direction of your stare, only to find a sparkle in yours... one he rarely saw when you were looking at him.

As if that weren't enough, he caught you nearly placing your dessert spoon into your nose by mistake, completely distracted. Then came the muttered words, soft and honest, your eyes glowing, "Oh my god… he looks so much like Mark Lee…"

Your idol. That was all it took.

Jeno felt something twist in his chest. His face remained unreadable, but his fingers clenched tighter around his glass before he grabbed it and downed the rest of his drink in one aggressive gulp. Without a word, he pushed back his chair. The scraping sound drew a few glances, but he didn't care. The bill was still on the table, dessert unfinished, and you were left frozen as he turned and walked away. His steps were firm, his shoulders stiff. He didn't look back once.

Jeno rarely got angry. But when jealousy struck, he became a stranger, cold, dismissive, choosing silence and distance over words. And just before the space between you two felt too wide, he stopped briefly at the exit. His voice came out low, sharp, laced with icy sarcasm.

"If he's that interesting, why don't you invite him to sit at this table instead?"

**[ WELCOME TO AU NCT! LEE JENO IS HERE! HAVE A GOOD TIME<3 ]**