Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Renjun thinks he made a mistake. He wanted to ask Jeno— wanted to question the whole situation that should’ve been impossible, but how could he? How could he ask Jeno anything when it seemed as if the android was only actively avoiding him? Short replies, further distances, blank gazes. Jeno hadn’t even let Renjun loop their arms together, softly requesting the boy to let go when he had tried. No more random glasses of orange juice, no more notes, no more goodnights, Renjun was getting annoyed.

For someone who was supposed to monitor over him, wasn’t Jeno being too distant?

Renjun couldn’t help himself from snapping once.

“Are you just gonna stand there? Are you not gonna help me with my assignments? Anything, Jeno?” Renjun knew that his tone was rough. He wondered if Jeno would even be able to pick that up. A part of him wanted Jeno to, wanted Jeno to just snap out of it already— for the boy to stop looking at him with such an empty look in his eyes.

If Renjun knew forcing Jeno to break a dumb rule would cause the andriod to act this way, he would’ve never left that dammed party.

Jeno only stood there for a moment before his eyes flashed with light.

“Do you need my assistance?”

Renjun hated that stupid formal language Jeno used as well.

Hadn’t Renjun told him to not speak so formally!?

He can’t even recall the last time the boy called Renjun by his name.

Renjun only scoffed when the boy spoke, twisting his chair to face his desk.

“Nevermind.”

Jeno hadn’t replied after.

Renjun wasn’t happy with the situation to say the very least.

Jeno had stopped sleeping in his room as well.

Renjun had caught the boy sitting on the floor of one of their living rooms one late night, his head leaning against the wall.

He wrapped Jeno in a blanket before heading back to his room.

The next day, Renjun woke up to a folded blanket on his desk’s chair, along with a single note in that same stupid neat handwriting.

‘You don’t need to do that anymore.’

Renjun grumpily tore the note apart before crumpling it, tossing the torn paper into the nearest trash can.

Fine! If Jeno didn’t want Renjun’s kindness then he wouldn’t receive it.

Yet, nothing made Renjun more frustrated than this simple fact: Only he was affected.

The feeling was one-sided, and Renjun was the only one who cared.

Renjun wanted to laugh bitterly. How fitting for Jeno, huh? To show zero signs of emotions. Zero signs of remorse and zero sense of thought. Renjun shouldn’t have expected more than that.

But still.

There were still small moments that left Renjun hoping.

Jeno still stepped in between if someone came too close.

Jeno still scanned the area with a cold glare and never strayed far from Renjun when they were in public.

Renjun recalls one night he had passed out on his desk while working.

The next day, he woke up in his bed— a glass of water beside him along with a single note.

Same neat handwriting.

‘Don’t overwork yourself’

Renjun remembers quickly stumbling out of his bed soon after, running through the halls with the note held tightly between his fingers. His breath was unsteady when he found the other rearranging the flowers within one of their hallways.

“Jeno!” Renjun called out the name. Somewhere along the way it began to feel unfamiliar to his tongue, as if it was a completely forgein language he’s never even heard of. The name leaving a harsh metallic taste sticking to the roof of his mouth. 

Jeno turned his head towards Renjun, staring for no longer than five seconds before turning his head back to the vase of flowers, repositioning a single iris before turning back to Renjun. Renjun held his breath as Jeno walked towards him, counting the boy’s steps as they echoed, lingering in Renjun’s head. Jeno paused in front of him— Renjun only stared through his eyelashes before swallowing carefully. Jeno looked on for another second. If looks could kill, Renjun might as well have already been declared dead, buried alongside a funeral that would be broadcasted to the world as everyone pretended to mourn the late heir. Renjun watched spitefully as Jeno attentively shut his eyes before bowing to him, his head facing the floor.

“Good morning.”

Those were the only two words Jeno spoke aloud before walking right past Renjun.

If Renjun focused hard enough, he could feel the light breeze as Jeno passed— could feel the way Jeno’s arm just barely grazed his own.

His jaw tightened, securing his grip on the single note in his hand, Renjun could feel his own nails dig into his skin.

That note, a familiar fate to the last one, ended up in the nearest trash can, filled with nothing but a sour feeling.

And now, at the current point of Renjun’s life, he found himself in the single place he felt the most free.

The dance studio on their third floor.

He had learned ballet from a young age. He was only four when he woke up one day before being escorted into a room surrounded by mirrors. A young lady with curly hair was in the corner performing movements Renjun never knew possible. He watched with awe at the time, a spark of admiration blooming in his chest. He only learned names afterwards.

His parents wanted him to quit when he turned twelve.

Renjun refused, fought for the one thing he was passionate about at the time, and since those restless nights of crying and empty promises, he continued learning the art to that day.

So, there he was.

Renjun inhaled a deep breath before he took off.

Graceful movements paired with fluid directions. 

Renjun felt unrestrained, empowered as he stepped from one foot onto another. Renjun felt as light as a feather. Air ran through his hair gently, and suddenly the room was spinning. He landed smoothly, a trickle of sweat dripping down his jaw as the music slowly faded into the background, his heavy breathing being the most prominent noise in the room. 

A ringing in his head as Renjun stumbled onto the ground, stumping down to the floor as he leaned against the wall. He breathed in, breathed out, and reached for his water bottle. Renjun must’ve gulped down half of the bottle before he pulled away, taking a couple more heavy breaths. He closed his eyes, feeling as the AC’s air blasted against his heated skin. He stayed there catching his breath for, at the very least, a couple minutes. 

He opened his eyes to an illusion.

“Ah.” Renjun reached forward, the mirage feeling only so much more real as his hands made contact, “You’re in my head so much these days, I think I’m starting to see things.”

He ran his fingers over warm skin.

“Jeno.” Renjun’s eyes stared directly into the one’s in front of him, “You’re really making me go insane, huh?” 

“You’re not disappearing.” Renjun hummed, pressing his fingers into the boy’s skin, “How strange.”

The boy in front of him only pressed his lips together in a straight line, shook his head before lifting his own hands and placing them over Renjun’s.

Renjun takes note of their warmth.

“I’m real. I’m here, Renjun.” The boy in front of him whispered, looking into Renjun’s eyes.

“Oh.” Renjun only mumbled before pulling his hands away, “You said my name… That doesn’t fit you anymore.”

Renjun simply blurted out his thoughts, no room for any bitter feelings. Maybe he was too tired at that point. Out of the blue, Jeno appeared as if he hadn’t been giving Renjun the cold shoulder, but Renjun couldn’t find it in himself to be angry like he was at first. Didn’t want to put in the effort to scream or act out. So he only sat there, staring at Jeno with hooded eyes, refusing to blink as if the boy in front of him would cease to exist if he did.

“I’m sorry.”

The words rang in Renjun’s ears, echoed throughout the large studio. Renjun only closed his eyes, almost as if he needed a moment to process the words entering his head.

“...Why were you acting so cold?” Renjun whispered, his voice calm despite the emotions whirling throughout his body, “Is it because I made you go against a rule…? I’m sorry, I won’t do it again. I’ll stay put next time no matter how much I hate it.” 

Jeno opened his mouth, and was that hesitation Renjun saw? 

“Renjun, what happened that night shouldn’t have been possible. Even now, me being here shouldn’t be possible.” Jeno admitted something Renjun already knew, along with something he hadn’t.

Renjun, with all the feelings ready to burst out of his body, only said the first word that came to his head.

“Why?”

Jeno brought his eyes down to the floor, a smile on his face.

Yet, it was different from the ones Renjun has seen beforehand.

This one felt so mixed, so complex— so bittersweet.

“Everything programmed into me says so,” Jeno confesses softly, “I shouldn’t have let you leave, but I did. I didn’t just let you leave, I helped you leave. I actively went against what I was told to do. Everything inside me felt like a blaring alarm, a warning to not make that mistake.”

Jeno shook his head before he looked back to Renjun, who only watched the boy with furrowed brows, confusion swimming in his eyes.

“But I did make that mistake. I made that mistake, and I only made it worse.” Jeno continued to speak, “Your parents questioned me, and I lied to them, Renjun. That’s not something I was ever programmed to do. My AI shouldn’t have ever been able to learn that, but for some reason, I did. ”

“Everything rewired itself to fix those mistakes. My coding suddenly told me to be cold and reserved, not show any signs of emotion or care, and that was the easiest thing to do.” 

Jeno’s voice went hushed.

“But I didn’t want to do that, Renjun.”

Renjun abruptly felt a hand wrap around his own, he only watched with widened eyes as Jeno carefully encased his hand around his.

“For the first time, I had a concept of wants and desires. Even right now, when everything is telling me to get away from you,” Jeno’s eyes met Renjun’s, and Renjun’s eyes followed the glowing spark that traced Jeno’s irises in a perfect circle, “I... don’t want to leave you.”

Renjun paused, finding himself lost with the whole situation.

“...Does this mean you’ll stop ignoring me?” Renjun whispered the most curious thought in his head.

For the first time in a while, Renjun saw a genuine smile fall upon Jeno’s lips before the boy nodded.

And for the first time in a while, Renjun felt his heart beat harshly against his chest.

“No… I don’t think I could do that anymore,” Jeno slowly let go of Renjun’s hand, bringing his arm back to his sides. His next words came as a hushed noise, barely audible, “Not when I know being with you feels so much better.”

◇▢□▫▣▫□▢◇

Things hadn’t exactly gone back to normal after that.

It hadn’t been distant— that wasn’t the way to describe it. Careful? That fit the situation better. It was as if the two were tiptoeing around the other, scared to do something that would cause any complications or mishaps. It was the type of careful that wasn’t ideal, but it was the most comfortable to follow. Jeno started giving him notes again, made him breakfast in the morning, and would mumble at him to not stay up so late. 

But Renjun hadn’t wrapped his arm around Jeno’s anymore. Yet, he always made sure to stay close. Their arms often brushed against each other as they walked through the halls. Donghyuck would often tease him for being glued to the other boy.

That day shouldn’t have been much different.

But it was.

And for once, Renjun found himself caught off guard again.

“Can we talk outside?” 

Renjun lifted his head, only to be faced with a girl.

Renjun wouldn’t lie— the girl was pretty. A slim face with long blonde hair framing her pale skin, big bright eyes staring back gently. The girl was biting at her bottom lip.

This case wasn’t unfamiliar to Renjun, but it’s been awhile since the last confession. He never knew how to properly deal with another person’s feelings, especially when they seemed so abundant and genuine. Renjun would only politely decline the other’s feelings before returning to his usual schedule.

Renjun shook his head, “I’m sorry. I’m not-”

“Not you.” The girl interrupted when Renjun spoke, nodding her head in the direction behind him, “Him.” 

Renjun furrowed his eyebrows at the girl’s tone, not used to someone speaking to him with such haste. He narrowed his eyes at the girl before twisting his head to his right, his eyes met with no other than—

“Jeno?”

Jeno looked away from his conversation with Jaemin upon the call of his name, facing Renjun who watched as the android’s eyes sparked with a light for a single moment before he smiled softly at him.

“Renjun, do you need something?”

“Jeno?” The girl hummed before she took a step forward, Renjun gave her a suspicious glare as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, her face going red. The girl gave Jeno a smile, one so sickeningly sweet, Renjun wanted to wipe that look off her face. Renjun already decided that an enchanting smile like that didn’t belong to someone like her.

She batted her eyelashes at Jeno, “...Can we talk outside?”

Jeno only blinked back once, the smile falling from his face.

A moment of silence.

All eyes in the room were on them— that wasn’t a question.

Renjun’s eyes were sharp, his glare cold enough to freeze the whole room.

No one tested Renjun— everyone knew that. It was a bad idea to mess with someone like Renjun. In a school full of the most powerful and the most wealthiest, Renjun was on the top of the food chain. Renjun never liked that premise, but for once he wouldn’t have minded if the girl took notice of the atmosphere that surrounded him. Renjun was dangerous, and everyone was to know that. It hadn’t helped that Donghyuck and Jaemin hadn’t looked too at ease with the circumstances either, eyeing each other waringly. With all their moods mixed together, a vicious ambience filled the air, the whole group dripping with an unpleasant feeling. Renjun only twitched his head to the side with a single chuckle before he sat up from his seat, slamming his hands on their table.

“That’s enough,” Renjun smiled at the girl, his voice laced with venom, “Don’t you think it’s time to leave us alone? Provoking any of us isn’t a fun game.”

Renjun’s smile dropped and a glare found its way onto his face, 

There were chills that filled the room to the brim.

“At the very least,” Renjun clicked his tongue, “it wouldn’t be for you.”

The girl’s eyes only widened, her blush running off her face as she turned pale. Her fingers fidgeted as they interlocked with each other.

“...C-Can I just talk to Jeno? I-It won’t take long, I promise.”

Renjun only scoffed, “Are you serious? He’s-”

“Okay.”

Renjun snapped his head in the direction of the voice— one that was all too familiar to him, but so purely unknown to him at the same time. He looked on with shock evident on his face

“Jeno?”

Jeno pulled his gaze away from the girl in order to look at Renjun once more. Jeno only smiled gently at him, Renjun found himself upset when he couldn’t utter anything that would stop Jeno from standing up from his seat.

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry.” Jeno flashed his iconic eye smile, waving his hand as a goodbye before he walked off with the girl flushed pink. Renjun feels as if his eyes must’ve flashed red with irritation as he watched Jeno place his hand over the girl’s back.

Renjun ultimately decided that he disliked confessions, but he definitely despised them more if they were for Jeno. Would the boy even understand the concept of a confession? Jeno was way too nice, Renjun wouldn’t be surprised if he just said ‘yes’ to one without fully understanding. Why did Jeno even agree to going with the girl when he seemed so guarded with anyone who wasn’t Renjun or those connected to him? Renjun wished Jeno was more guarded. What if other girls take Jeno’s willingness to listen to this one girl as a chance to also start talking to him? How would-

“You’re thinking too much. Calm down, Injun.” 

Renjun felt a hand on his knee, lightly tracing circles into his pants. He held a pout on his face as he felt the perpetrator lean in close to his face. Renjun shuddered as he felt a hot breath hit his ear.

“Jeno wouldn’t do anything that’ll make you upset.”

“Shut up, Jaemin. He already did by going with that girl.” Renjun only muttered before pushing Jaemin’s face away, but allowing the hand that was tracing small circles to stay. The boy only laughed as he removed his hand from Renjun’s knee, scooting closer in order to wrap both of his arms around the smaller.

“Is our little Junnie getting frustrated over a pretty girl?” Jaemin cooed as he pinched one of Renjun’s cheeks, “Don’t worry about her. Our Injunnie is the prettiest I know.”

Renjun felt a blush run across his cheeks, still not completely used to a receiving compliment that wasn’t paired with a monotone voice.

“Ah! Renjun, so cute!” Jaemin chuckled once again before he leaned into Renjun’s neck, nuzzling into him with a grin, “You turn red whenever I compliment you. Seriously, the prettiest, Renjun.”

Renjun groaned before pushing Jaemin back harshly.

He heard a laugh fall from Donghyuck’s lips as he tossed a fry from Jaemin’s plate into his mouth, causing the victim of the thievery to switch his attention over to the other with a complaint. 

“Jeno’s walking back in,” Donghyuck only giggled out, causing Renjun to jerk his head in the direction Jeno had left. As Donghyuck had stated the boy was currently walking back to their table. Renjun felt annoyance bubble up at his gut, and he crossed his arms as Jeno made his way back to them.

“What did she say.” Renjun questioned immediately the moment Jeno slipped back into his seat. The boy only shrugged.

“She asked for my number.”

“What did you say?”

“...Zero. Four. Twenty-three. Zero. Zero. I didn’t include the ‘D-NCT’ part since she only asked for numbers.”

Silence fell upon the group for a moment before Donghyuck let out a loud snicker from behind Jeno.

It prompted the whole group to chuckle along, leaving Jeno to tilt his head in confusion.

Renjun only patted Jeno squarely on his shoulder twice as he calmed down, a smile still on his face.

“That’s good, keep doing that. Did anything else happen?”

Jeno shook his head.

“Not really.” Jeno paused, almost as if the boy needed to think for a moment, “She looked confused and asked if we could meet up sometime.”

“Mmm.” Renjun’s lips straightened out, “What did you say that time?”

“I told her no. That I wouldn’t have time because I’m always with you.” Jeno said casually, poking at the bottle of milk on Donghyuck’s tray. Renjun suddenly felt himself going hot. He couldn’t stop the small smile that made its way back onto his face, and for what? Jeno mentioning that he’s always by Renjun’s side? It wasn’t a lie, so Renjun had zero rights to feel so flustered— so happy?— at the concept. 

He only nodded before reaching into his bag, pulling out his water bottle before taking a large gulp. Renjun ran the back of his hand over his lips the moment he pulled away from his bottle, glancing once at Jeno who was laughing at something Jaemin had said, a huge smile fitting his cheeks perfectly.

Renjun couldn’t help himself from staring on, tracing the boy’s jawline with his hooded eyes. Jeno’s eyes shimmered as he replied to something Donghyuck had said. His lips looked so soft as he spoke. Renjun watched attentively as the boy’s eyes turned into crescents, listened to the boy’s voice that was laced with a heavenly sense of warmth. As Jeno laughed, Renjun decided he wouldn’t mind hearing that striking sound for as long as it was possible. The more he focused, the more overwhelmed he felt, the more heated he felt. At that current time and point, his body should’ve been fearful of overheating.

Renjun decided there must’ve been a mistake in Jaemin’s logic, Renjun couldn’t have been the prettiest.

Because with Jeno in front of him, smiling and laughing, and just being there.

Renjun made a firm decision that there was zero chance that there was a prettier sight.

Objectively speaking, of course.

◇▢□▫▣▫□▢◇

“Do you like listening to music?” Renjun asked as he watched Jeno tap his finger along to the music Renjun began playing within the car. 

Jeno nodded.

“It’s nice.”

Renjun only smiled before he began adding that song into a playlist— along with any other songs Jeno would grin at or nod along to.

◇▢□▫▣▫□▢◇

Renjun thanked Donghyuck as he handed the water bottle to him. Intaking large amounts of water into his small body before he sat beside his best friend.

“How long are you gonna practice, Injunnie? We’ve been here for hours!” Donghyuck whined as he dropped his phone to his side— quite hazardly for a new phone, one of the latest models Renjun knew cost well over ten grand. Renjun lightly smacked his friend’s arm playfully as he took another sip from his water bottle.

“You were the one who wanted to watch me. Besides, I need to get in as much practice as possible. The recital is in three weeks. I only learned half of the choreography, I still need to refine the entire thing after I get the basics down.” Renjun sighed as he leaned his head back, hissing as his head made contact with the wall harsher than he thought it would. Donghyuck let out a small ‘tsk’ before he rubbed the back of Renjun’s head with his palm, leaving the other boy to pout at the soft sting.

“If you want an outsider’s point of view, you’re doing great so far, Jun. You look super graceful in the air. Totally different from the usual Huang Renjun I know.” Donghyuck teased, leaving Renjun to slap the boy’s arm away from his head, quietly regretting it since he liked the way Donghyuck was softly pressing his fingers into his scalp.

“Shut up, Hyuck.”

Donghyuck only laughed before he stood up.

“Really, Renjun.” Donghyuck did a small twirl on his feet. It was a little stiff, but Renjun chose not to say anything— it was cute of Donghyuck to do anyways. “You look so carefree whenever you perform. A completely different person. You look like you’re in your own little world. Almost like the Huang Renjun there doesn’t have the same pressures of the Huang Renjun I’m always looking after.”

Renjun only shook his head, but smiled at Donghyuck’s words nevertheless.

Donghyuck dropped himself beside his best friend, grabbing one of Renjun’s hands in his own.

“You and Jaemin are going to my performance this Friday, right?” Donghyuck asked, tightening his grip on Renjun’s hand who only laughed.

“When have we ever missed any of those? Of course, Nana and I will go see you. I’ll bring Jeno along too since you like seeing him so much.”

Donghyuck shined brightly on his own, but when he was on a stage— it was as if it belonged to no one else but him. Donghyuck would glow underneath all the lights, would beam so radiantly that Renjun was convinced that he must’ve outshone the stars that were hung against the dark skies. Renjun would always watch on in awe the moment his best friend would begin singing. His voice would echo along the walls, bounce off in a way that only further showcased Donghyuck’s colorful voice.

Renjun wouldn’t miss any of the boy’s performances for the world.

“I only like teasing Jeno! He seems to be catching on to my jokes though, it's getting boring.” Donghyuck admitted as he let go of Renjun’s hand.

“He was gonna learn the nature of them sooner or later. He’s pretty smart.” Renjun said as he closed his water bottle, placing it to his side.

“Mmm.” Donghyuck eyed Renjun carefully, opened his mouth with hesitation, forcing the words past his lips before he could coward away, “Do you like Jeno?”

“Yeah.” Renjun answered with ease, leaving Donghyuck’s eyes bulging from their sockets as his mouth was left agape.

“Why wouldn’t I like Jeno? He laughs at our ridiculousness. He helps with school. He even makes me breakfast everyday. I didn’t like him that much at first, but I think I’m used to him now.” Renjun shrugged before he began to stand up, stretching his arms the moment his legs were completely stood up straight.

Donghyuck only sighed, his hand over his chest.

“No, Renjun I meant…”

Renjun looked back at his friend with a soft hum.

“Do you have feelings for Jeno? ...Like feelings feelings?”

A pause between the two.

Donghyuck swallowed.

And suddenly there were resounding laughs filling the air.

“What are you talking about, Donghyuck? Are you asking if I’m crushing on Jeno?” Renjun giggled, wiping away at one of his eyes that went teary from laughing.

“I’m serious! You seemed so grumpy when that girl went to talk to Jeno! When he came back, I can promise you that you were downright giving him goo-goo eyes.” Donghyuck argued, crossing his arms.

“Listen, Donghyuck,” Renjun’s smile fell from his face, and his eyes became sharp, “I can promise you that there’s no way I would ever fall for Jeno in that way. I can’t.”

Donghyuck stared back, somewhere along the way, his eyes also became keen.

“I’m just worried about you, Renjun.” Donghyuck was the one to break their eye contact, choosing to look down at his feet instead, “You know, if you like him-”

“I don’t like him, Hyuck!”

“If!” Donghyuck only let out another sigh, “There’s no research that shows that androids can feel proper emotions. He wouldn’t be able to return any of your feelings.”

Ah.

There was that word— ‘Android’.

One that somehow felt unfamiliar to him.

Renjun forgets from time to time that Jeno was that single word. With the way the boy would laugh, smile, and simply care. It’s almost as if Renjun’s brain has convinced itself that Jeno was just another student he met in one of his classes. Perhaps a friend of a friend— did they have a school project together?

Renjun can’t help but wonder how much simpler that would be.

There were times Renjun would be smacked by reality.

Whenever he would catch the way Jeno’s eyes flash with light for a split second.

Whenever Jeno would turn cold for certain occasions. 

And Renjun’s least favorite; Whenever Jeno would interact with his parents. Following them along like a puppet on a string, bowing to people he shouldn’t bother with, and talking in such an annoyingly monotone voice.

Renjun would go sick to the gut.

That wasn’t Jeno.

The Jeno he knew gave a bunch of cute eye smiles and liked watching the neighborhood cats with a sense of curiosity.

He only shook his head to remove himself from his own thoughts, turning his attention back to Donghyuck.

“Then you don’t need to worry about me,” Renjun properly secured the laces of his shoes, fixing the bobby pins that held his hair back, “Because I’m not into Jeno like that.”

His best friend only sighed.

Donghyuck couldn’t tell who Renjun was trying to convince anymore.

◇▢□▫▣▫□▢◇

It started his first year of highschool, when Renjun was finally introduced to the world of fine arts. He loved it from the start, loved the creativity aspect of it all, and the way everything would slowly come together, fitting like perfectly matched puzzle pieces. After a month of the class, he was already leaving his third period with paint covered hands and lead smudged fingertips. By the end of the year, he had an art studio installed into the house’s complex, supplies organized within the room carefully.

And that’s where he currently was.

“Oh.” Renjun mumbled as he tried to squeeze out what still remained from the small tube of watercolor paint with little results. The boy only sighed before twisting the cap back on, tossing it into the bin beside him. Removing the smock that was tied around his waist, Renjun began slowly cleaning up, leaving the incomplete painting on his desk.

He found his target within a couple minutes of roaming each room.

“Jeno!”

The boy lifted his head from the counter he was wiping away at, and Renjun only watched as Jeno’s eyes glimmered, reflecting the ceiling lights that gleamed down at him.

“Hey, Renjun.” Jeno greeted before twisting towards the sink, turning the water on in order to rinse the used cloth between his hands, “Do you need something?”

Renjun sauntered over to the boy, a light bounce in his steps.

“Can you drive me downtown? I ran out of paint while I was working on a project.”

“Sure.” Jeno replied soon after, a small chuckle falling from the back of his throat, “Just let me finish up here, and we could head out.”

“Okay.” Renjun grinned as he began to walk away, only turning back once more to speak, “I’ll be in my room, come to me when you’re done!”

He looked on as Jeno nodded before throwing up a thumbs up, leaving Renjun giggling before he made his way back towards his room. Renjun hummed underneath his breath as he lightly flopped onto his bed with a gentle sigh, a small smile brushed against his cheeks.

“Donghyuck is stupid, there’s no way I’d have a crush on Jeno.” Renjun mumbled to himself as he flipped over to lay on his back, holding his phone above his face as he typed in his password swiftly. Renjun scrolled through his feeds, laughed at his group chat with Jaemin and Donghyuck, and looked at clothes online before he heard the small click of his door opening. Renjun sat up, smiling at the other who entered carefully.

Jeno gave him a small smile, his eyes crinkling up the same way Renjun grew so fond of as he gave a tiny wave.

“I just finished, ready to go?”

Renjun nodded as he stood up from his bed, pocketing his phone before he walked towards his closet’s door, “Just let me grab a coat, and we could head out.”

Renjun sauntered to the side of his room before pushing open a door, walking towards the back of his walk-in closet where he knew his coats and jackets were hung up. He unhooked his beige coat from it’s hanger, throwing it on hastily as he left the room. 

Stuffing his hands into the coat's pockets, he gave Jeno another faint smile when their eyes made contact, “Let’s go?”

The car ride was comforting, a calm and peaceful ambience filled the air; Renjun hummed gently to the songs that played from the car’s Bluetooth. As the song switched, Renjun noticed Jeno slightly raise the volume after a couple seconds into the song. Renjun grinned, bringing his phone up to add the song into the playlist he made for Jeno.

The next song that played was upbeat, Renjun sang along to it without much care, laughter falling from his lips whenever his voice would crack.

Jeno would glance over from time to time, watching with a smile that unknowingly appeared to even him.

When they parked, Renjun was the first to leave the car. He stretched after pushing the door close with his hip, letting out a noise of contentment as he turned around upon hearing Jeno’s side of the door also shut close— a soft ringing to notify them that the car had locked. Renjun watched as Jeno pocketed the keys before looking over to him.

“Where are we heading to now?” Jeno asked— and Renjun couldn’t tell if the light that traced Jeno’s eyes were coming from the sunbeams that pierced through the parking lot's openings or if they were his own. You could argue that it was Renjun’s imagination, but all he knew was a simple opinion: they were pretty.

Renjun would stare a little bit longer if he could.

“...Renjun?”

Renjun snapped out of his head, his posture straightening as he blushed— slightly shocked by his own actions and thoughts.

“R-Right! Sorry, let’s go downstairs. I usually buy paint from this one store down the block, it’s pretty close. I could pick up some more color pencils while I’m at it. This one brand I really like dropped a new color theme recently.” Renjun spoke aloud, and he began walking towards the elevator, Jeno following close behind.

That’s right— he was there to restock on his supplies! Not ogle Jeno, no matter how pretty his eyes were. Renjun never had a stronger hatred for whoever was Jeno’s design team.

Stupid Jeno with his stupid sparkly eyes, his stupid jawline, and his stupid hair.

Who allowed Jeno to look so good?

Handsome people were already a dangerous feat on their own, but to be stupid and handsome? That should be asking for a disaster. Renjun should send his complaints straight to the company.

“Hey, slow down! Is this the place you were talking about?”

Renjun felt a hand wrap around his wrist, forcing him to stumble back, bumping back against a hard chest as an arm reached out to catch him.

“Woah, sorry. Are you okay, Renjun?” 

Renjun had flinched on the way down, so when he opened his eyes and saw Jeno’s— he was a bit taken back.

“Are you alright? Your body temperature is rising suddenly, Renjun. Are you sick? Do you feel okay? Should we head back home?” Jeno spoke quickly, leaving Renjun following the movement of his lips with widened eyes. He watched on for a moment longer until his brain finally processed the other’s words, causing him to fumble as he steadied his balance, pushing his body away from Jeno’s.

“I-I’m fine!” Renjun cringed at his own volume before he looked up towards the store’s sign, finding a savior in it, “You were right, it’s this one! Let’s just head in.”

Renjun cleared his throat as he pushed the door open, feeling the air conditioning blow at his face upon stepping in.

“Ah, Renjun! Hello!” A voice greeted as he entered.

“Hello! How have you been, ahjumma?” Renjun smiled as he walked over to the cashier counter. 

The lady only sighed as she leaned forward, “Not the best. We’ve been losing business here. We still make decent money, but it gets harder as the months go by.”

Renjun's smile dropped from his face as he played with his fingers, “Oh, I’m sorry about that…”

“Oh dear boy, don’t apologize about that! You’re our most loyal customer. If anyone’s helping around here, it’s you, Renjun. You don’t have to shop here. I know there’s closer places and bigger establishments, but I’ve seen you here since you were only thirteen.” The lady grinned at Renjun, and Renjun felt his heart warm up as he returned the smile.

“Time has really passed, huh?” Renjun spoke gently.

“Renjun, do you want me to help you look around?”

“Ah-“ Renjun turned his head towards the voice, only to see Jeno still standing politely by the door, “Jeno, come here.”

Renjun took out his phone, pulling up the web before typing a couple things into it— Jeno had already made his way to Renjun, sending his eye smile to the ahjumma behind the counter.

“Here,” Renjun held his phone in front of Jeno’s face, “Can you get these colors? They’re in the corner to the far left, it shouldn’t be too hard to find.”

Jeno blinked for a moment before he pulled away nodding.

“Okay.”

“Do you wanna bring my phone with you?” Renjun offered, but Jeno only shook his head.

“I don’t need it, I’ll be right back.” Jeno smiled once more before he turned on his heel, walking towards where Renjun directed.

“He’s new.”

Renjun twisted his head back towards the lady, a blush painted his cheeks.

“He’s a very handsome boy. Jeno, was it? Does he treat you well?” She asked, only causing Renjun’s face to heat up further.

“W-We’re not-! It isn’t like that!” Renjun blurted out, but the lady only laughed.

“You’ve never brought anyone here with you. In all the years I’ve known you, this is the first time I’ve seen you here with someone else.”

“It’s different!” Renjun whined like a child, and the lady only laughed once more before petting Renjun’s hair gently.

“Alright, alright! The newest stock of color pencils came out, they’re in aisle two if you’d like to look at them.”

Renjun’s eyes brightened up at the mention of the color pencils— maybe he had a small addiction to having so many hues and shades in his collection, but it certainly didn’t help that he had the profit to aid in doing so.

“Okay!” Renjun spoke cheerfully before he rushed off to take a glimpse, finding them relatively quickly thanks to a mental map of the entire store he had memorized within the depths of his head. However, he found himself running into a problem, glaring it down as it stood in front of him.

The issue was able to be summarized within three words: the top shelf.

Renjun narrowed his eyes harder as if it would cause the display of the supplies to move to a lower surface if he glowered more than he already was— it hadn’t. Renjun only sighed before he found himself on his tiptoes, gripping onto one of the lower edges as his fingers poked away at the color pencil’s packaging.

“Come on… Just a little further…” Renjun found himself mumbling under his breath. Impatient, he pushed at the box roughly. 

This proved to be a bad idea as before Renjun’s eyes he watched as the display began to tip over the edge. The moment played in front of his eyes in slow motion, but he couldn’t find himself to do anything. Renjun already knew his reflexes wouldn’t be fast enough to stop the whole box from toppling over his head.

So he only pressed his eyes shut— and hoped it wouldn’t cause too much damage.

Only.

It never hit him, or at the very least, Renjun hadn’t felt anything hit his head. He slowly opened his eyes, only to find another arm reached above his head, holding up the display before it had the chance to completely tip off the edge. Renjun tilted his head further back only for his eyes to meet with his underside of Jeno’s face. He jerked his head back down, face heating up as he watched Jeno’s hand push the display back in place.

“Are you-”

“Can you grab me one of those?”

Renjun had blurted the words— accidentally cutting Jeno’s words short. While it was an accident, a part of himself found it glad that he had done so. Jeno only stared for a moment before nodding, reaching towards the display once more in order to grab at one of the packages.

“Here.” Jeno spoke gently as he held the pencils in front of Renjun’s chest.

He only swallowed before reaching towards it, the air in his lungs going shaky upon the slight brush of Jeno’s fingers against his own. Renjun knows that he might’ve pulled back harder than he had to, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Thanks…” Renjun managed to mumble under his breath, “Did you get everything?”

Jeno grinned, nodding as he held up a basket, the tubes of watercolor sitting at the bottom. Renjun only nodded back, pushing his way through Jeno in order to walk past the boy. They paid without much words exchanged between the two. Renjun waved a polite goodbye to the ahjumma when they walked out of the store, followed by a promise that he’d be back next week to restock on charcoal. Jeno and Renjun walked upon the concrete sidewalk in a peaceful silence, no conversation filtered the air— simple chatter from other shoppers as well as the rustling nature made up the ambience. Renjun noticed Jeno slow his movement, only making a complete stop when he realized Jeno was behind him rather than matching his pace.

“Jeno?”

Jeno hadn’t responded, his gaze seemed fixed on one of the shops— refusing to turn his head even to the call of his name.

Renjun took a step towards the boy which seemed to catch his attention. Jeno twisted his head quickly, his own eyes widened as if he was surprised at his own interest.

“Can you head to the car first?” Jeno blurted out.

Renjun only furrowed his brows in confusion, “Why?”

“It’ll be quick, I promise.” Jeno gave a soft smile.

Renjun wouldn’t lie— He was weak, so he did the one thing his mind automatically decided on: He agreed.

“Okay.” Renjun spoke the words before he could even process them. He blinked as his own words, slightly in shock at his own actions. Renjun bought his hand up to his neck, resting his hand on his skin before playing with the back of his ear. He bounced back and forth on his heels, “Okay… I’ll uh- wait by the car, Jeno.”

Jeno nodded, and Renjun turned away before he could see the boy do anything more. His steps felt heavier than usual as he went— one foot in front of the other. Harsh steps upon the concrete— the walk back to the car felt longer than the walk to store. 

Renjun waited as patiently as he could manage, fumbling with his phone, he regretted rushing away. He should’ve asked Jeno for the car keys. At least that way it wouldn’t look like he was loitering around the car, waiting for something that wouldn’t come. He looked down at his phone, playing with the charm that hung off of the case— a gift from Donghyuck years ago. 

Renjun unlocked his phone before opening his group chat with Jaemin and Donghyuck. Without any context, he sent a game of Crazy 8 into the chatroom. He waited for a moment til Jaemin’s avatar popped up, Donghyuck arriving quickly afterwards. 

At one point Donghyuck somehow won three different times, causing Jaemin and him to have an unspoken truce against the current lead. Renjun grinned brightly, mentally cheering himself when he won with a plus four card after Jaemin had reversed the turn back to him.

“Hey! Renjun!”

Renjun turned his head at the call of his name, perking up against his own will. A gentle smile blooming across his face as he watched Jeno jog towards him, one arm behind his back. 

“Jeno.” Renjun shoved his phone back into his pocket, sending a wave towards the boy, “What did you-”

He was cut short as Jeno’s hand brushed through his hair, positioning something in it swiftly but delicately at the same time. Renjun blinked rapidly, holding his breath back upon feeling Jeno so close to him. If he focused hard enough, he was sure that he could feel Jeno’s warmth amidst the cool air. Jeno pulled back with a smile on his face.

“I saw a display a couple blocks back. It made me think of you, so I couldn’t help but take a closer look.” Jeno brushed the back of his hand on Renjun’s head, causing Renjun to blush unexpectedly, “I was right. It fits you well.”

Renjun was finally able to let go of the breath he was holding back as Jeno took a step back. Yet, Renjun hadn’t said any words in reply to Jeno’s, only lifting one of his hands to touch the object in his hair.

“A hibiscus flower,” Jeno announced, and Renjun turned his head to the car in order to look at his own reflection, there sat a flower resting between the strands of his hair, “It stands for delicate beauty.”

Jeno unlocked the car, but Renjun couldn’t stop staring at the flower through his own reflection.

He felt his eyes shake, his mouth forming the slightest pout as his eyebrows furrowed— the blush still evident on his face.

It was really pretty.

◇▢□▫▣▫□▢◇

“Do you need anything?”

Renjun shook his head in reply to one of the theater’s staff, and he tied the last of his laces. The small boy smiled, pushing his nerves to the back of his mind as one of the hairdressers came by with jewelled pins to arrange into his pulled back hair. He thanked the lady before she ran off to work with some other girls who were also to perform that day. He only sighed, taking in a deep breath before looking over into the big mirror to his side.

And Renjun felt as his worries gradually left as his mouth pressed together.

A small easy smile found itself on his face.

Renjun looked over himself.

Sparkly pins in his hair along with rhinestones underneath his delicately smoked eyes. His outfit might’ve been considered flashy. Pure white and covered ornaments that were sure to reflect the lights of the stage. 

Yet, it was one of the loveliest things he’s ever laid his eyes on.

Renjun decided that maybe Donghyuck was onto something.

Because when he looked in the mirror, he didn’t see Huang Renjun.

He didn’t see himself, and for whatever that reason may be— it felt liberating.

The moment he stepped onto the stage, he was no longer ‘Huang Renjun’. He was just a boy. With rhinestones under his eyes and sparkly pins in his hair. The moment he was in the air, he didn’t have to think about his studies, his parents, or anything that was troubling his mind. His only focus was allowed to be the control of his breathing and the flow of his limbs— how graceful was he on his feet.

“You look nice.”

Renjun’s head jerked at the voice, turning to the culprit with his eyes widened, blushing in embarrassment at his own thoughts. Weren’t they a little narcissistic?

Jeno only stood there, smiling softly when his eyes met with Renjun’s.

Renjun drew his eyes down to the ground.

“Ah. Thank you, Jeno.” Renjun spoke gently, fumbling with his nails that were painted white.

“INJUN!” 

Renjun flitched at the voice, tilting his head to the side only to see his two best friends rush into the backstage. Donghyuck reached him first per usual, hugging him tightly. Perhaps Renjun should’ve been worried about the boy ruining his carefully put together hair or clothes, but he hadn’t really cared too much. He hugged Donghyuck back just as tightly.

“You’re gonna do great out there, Injunnie.” Donghyuck mumbled with a pout as he pulled away, his sweater paws resting on Renjun’s cheeks.

Renjun only laughed.

“Of course, I am. I didn’t practice so much for nothing.”

Donghyuck pulled back, allowing Jaemin to slip forward. He tilted his head downwards before giving Renjun a large smile, a bright grin falling upon his lips. Renjun returned the smile, a careful one-sided grin flopping across his face.

Jaemin opened his mouth, “Renjun, you-”

“Is everyone ready!? Curtains will open in ten minutes!”

Jaemin was cut off by one of the staff, Renjun turned his head at the announcement. He watched as others grew more alert while some were still stretching. Renjun flipped his head back to Jaemin.

“Looks like you guys have to go soon.” Renjun spoke, shrugging with a shy grin, “What were you saying, Nana?”

Jaemin opened his mouth before closing it again, similar to that of a fish. He only shook his head before smiling once again.

“Nothing.” Jaemin brought his hand up before patting it down on Renjun’s head, surprising him slightly in the process, “Good luck, Renjun.”

Donghyuck was the one to pull Jaemin away, mentioning how they would have to get back to their seats quickly— Jeno stayed behind.

“Renjun,” 

“Jeno,”

The two spoke at the same time, Renjun only swayed his hand back and forth.

“Sorry, you go first.”

Jeno nodded as he took a step closer to Renjun, “Jaemin, Donghyuck, and I are seated together in the third row by the center. Your parents are a row back near the left. Just thought you might want to know.”

“Oh- okay. Thanks, Jeno.” Renjun nodded at him, unsure of what else to say.

Jeno grinned at him once again; Renjun felt his insides do something funny— maybe the nerves were finally getting to him.

“Good luck.” Jeno said lightly.

Renjun watched as Jeno turned on his feet before walking off— Renjun observed as the boy slowly left his field of vision.

Renjun let out a careful sigh before twisting around on his heel.

It was showtime.

The lights dimmed as the introduction announcement began. Renjun listened to the regular greetings before the opening act was called to the stage. He watched the show from behind the stage with ease, that same sense of astonishment and admiration that he had at age four found itself bubbling up at his chest. It was starting to near the end of the show. He looked towards the crowd, saw his parents clap with that same sense of unamusement, a straight line drawn across their face. Renjun didn’t hesitate to look away from them. Instead, he surveyed the zone for his friends.

He grinned brighter as his eyes caught them amidst the feeble lighting. Donghyuck cheered loudly while Jaemin sat beside him, clapping enthusiastically. Yet, Renjun watched Jeno the most carefully. Jeno wasn’t clapping nor was he smiling. However, if you were to ask Renjun— his reaction was the most desirable one.

Because Jeno watched with his eyes shimmering, his mouth slightly agape.

He watched with wonder.

Renjun almost thought that he should’ve pulled away, as if the moment was one too personal— even for him.

“Huang Renjun! Please get ready! You’re up next!”

Renjun’s eyes widened as he pulled away, his breath finally getting caught in his throat at the call of his name. Renjun let out a deep breath before he looked in the mirror once more. Fixing a lock of hair that fell in front of his face, he softly smiled.

Renjun waited behind the curtains as his name was being announced. His feet crossed gently, his arms held up with poise. He closed his eyes as he heard the song begin, could hear the rustling of the curtains opening up. When Renjun’s eyes opened up, all he saw was light— he took off.

Renjun could feel his feet bounce off of one to another, could feel the rushing air blowing through his hair. His knees bent, lifting his heels off the ground, he made sure to keep his balance.

The music played boomingly in his ears. Renjun could hear his own breathing— hear his own heart rate as he danced til he was at the top of the elevated part of the stage.

It was so unlike him; Renjun doesn’t know why he did it.

He looked towards the audience.

But, he wasn’t looking mindlessly. His eyes caught the area relatively quickly, but he couldn’t find what he was looking for.

He saw Donghyuck.

He saw Jaemin.

He couldn’t see Jeno.

Where Jeno had previously sat, he could only find an empty seat.

Renjun felt his breath leave his body as he leaped to make the final jump, propelling into the air while he extended his legs. Only, he was supposed to land already.

So why was he still falling?

Ah— once again, Renjun couldn’t stop himself.

He kept falling.

And falling.

And falling.

He shut his eyes closed and prepared for the impact.

But suddenly he was flying.

Renjun snapped his eyes open.

And he found Jeno.

Jeno who was suddenly in front of his face, his hands around his waist as he spun Renjun around his air, allowing him to land gracefully on his feet.

Renjun could hear ringing in his ear. No longer could he hear the music that played, the sound of the curtains closing, or even the thundering cheers that Renjun grew so euphoric of.

“Renjun, are you okay?”

Jeno’s voice sounded hushed and panicked, his eyes were glowing amongst the dark. Renjun quickly nodded in hopes to give ease to the boy, it seemed to help a little. 

“Why did you-” Renjun started only to be cut short.

“I heard the staff member talking. They said that the ledge was shorter than usual due to some issues that occurred with the stage production team.” Jeno spoke, refusing to take his hands off of Renjun’s waist— Renjun could feel them shaking,  “I came backstage to make sure nothing bad happened. I’m glad I did.”

“Jeno-”

“You’re the ending act, right? Come on, let’s go backstage so they can wrap the show up.” Jeno removed his hands from Renjun’s waist. Renjun felt like he was tingling, his steps felt wobbly and heavy as he walked towards the back stage. He felt himself slip, grabbing onto Jeno’s arm a stable for balance.

“Renjun!?”

“Sorry, I’m okay! I think I’m still kinda in shock, I’m sorry. Don’t worry.” Renjun forced out, breathing carefully to catch his breath.

“Right.” Jeno stared for a moment longer, his eyebrows furrowed roughly, “you could hold onto my arm, okay?”

Renjun only nodded, but he thinks the action was even more dizzying. Jeno helped him down the stairs and moved him to sit on one of the chairs. Renjun watched as Jeno began digging through his bag, taking out his water bottle before handing it to him. Renjun took the bottle in his hands carefully, removing the cap before taking large gulps. 

Jeno sat crouched on the floor, his eyes gazing up at Renjun worryingly. Renjun listened as the host announced the end of the show, thanking the guests for attending while the other performers backstage were talking amongst themselves. The audience gave one last cheer, Renjun listened to the lights flickering back on while the crowd began to chatter. He watched as performers left and as family walked backstage to congratulate others on their performance.

“Renjun!”

Renjun turned his head to witness a familiar situation as Donghyuck and Jaemin rushed towards him— Jeno stood up to give the boys some space.

“Hyuc-” Renjun was cut short as Donghyuck wrapped his arms around him, his fingers digging into his back, clenching onto the fabric of his top tightly.

“Are you okay? The audience probably couldn’t tell, but I know for a fact that Jeno catching you like that was not part of the performance!” Donghyuck spoke with urgency, Renjun could feel his chest heaving.

“It’s fine, Hyuck... Honestly, it was surprising, but at that height I would’ve just twisted my ankle at-” Renjun’s sentence was cut short as he felt a light smack to his head. He jerked his head up with widened eyes to see Jaemin, his hand still held up in the air. 

“Don’t say it like that. Even the lightest injury would cause us to worry.”

Renjun was about to speak back to Jaemin, but he found himself shutting his mouth close the moment it opened.

Jaemin’s eyes looked worried, the hand held up in the air was shaking just the littlest bit.

But it was enough for Renjun to notice.

“I’m sorry…” Renjun chose to say instead.

Jaemin started on for a moment longer before rubbing his neck with the palm of his hand, turning his head downwards, “When you look at me like that, how am I supposed to scold you, Renjun?”

“Oh yeah! Jaemin brought you flowers, Junnie!” Donghyuck chirped as he pulled away. It was clear he was trying to brighten up the atmosphere.

“Really?” Renjun asked as he looked towards Jaemin once more, giving him an unsure grin. 

Jaemin returned the shaky smile as he nodded, “I’ll go get it. Wait here for a second.”

Renjun nodded as he watched Jaemin leave the room for a moment, coming back quickly with a bouquet of flowers Renjun found all too familiar. The white flowers were transparent against the dark green leaves. Renjun took them carefully from Jaemin’s hands when he held them out, that usual smile on his face.

“They’re pretty, right? Hibiscus flowers. I think their meaning fits our Injunnie well! It stands for-”

“Delicate beauty.” Renjun finished the sentence for Jaemin, staring at the flowers with a sense of appreciation in his eyes, “I know.”

Jaemin’s eyes widened in shock for a moment before it was quickly replaced by a gentle smile,

“I was right.” Jaemin moved forward in order to tuck a lock of hair behind Renjun’s ear, “They suit you well.”

Renjun lifted his head to properly face Jaemin, and found himself in shock as he felt his breath catch in his throat, his heart filling with an overwhelming sense of warmth.

“Huang Renjun!”

And as quickly as the warmth came, it disappeared.

Renjun flinched in his spot before he turned, looking towards the pair that stormed into the room before drawing his eyes to the ground,  “Mother. Father.”

“Can we speak outside? Jeno, you too.” His father spoke— it must’ve been at an average volume, but Renjun felt the words roaring in his ears.

Renjun’s head had jerked up at the mention of Jeno’s name. He looked towards his parents who only stared on with a displeased expression. With a deep breath escaping his lips, he stood up from his seat, “Okay.”

Jeno had already taken Renjun’s bag into his arms. Renjun tightened his hold on the bouquet before looking back at his friends once more.

“Thanks for coming.” Renjun forced a smile on his face as his shoulders squared stiffly. He heard one of the two start to say something, but chose to ignore it. He turned on his heel and followed his parents out of the room, Jeno to his side.

“Why did you trip off the stage? That’s not like you to do, Renjun.” His mother asked harshly, her arms crossed.

Renjun avoided eye-contact, even if the ledge was shorter than usual— she wasn’t wrong. Renjun was always aware of his surroundings, it wasn’t like him to make such a mistake. He didn’t have any reasonable excuse to shove their way.

“And you.” His mother’s voice went low, threatening in a way. Renjun’s head jolted upwards, his eyebrows furrowed as he saw his mother’s gaze fixed on Jeno,  “What you did was absolutely inappropriate.”

“I will acknowledge that what you did saved my son from harm,” His mother glare was prominent, “But there were better ways to go about the situation that didn’t involve you getting on that stage.”

Renjun felt rage overflow from his chest as Jeno bowed down— an apology.

“I apol-”

“Are you joking with me? What else was Jeno supposed to do? You two should be happy he was there!” Renjun shouted— he couldn’t help himself from speaking up. All that anger and irritation teeming at his throat refused to go away. He remembers Jeno’s shaky hands, his distressed eyes, and— how could his parents not see that Jeno did the best he could? He even saved the performance, hiding Renjun’s mistake by purposefully spinning him at the end of the song. How could they be so ungrateful?

“Do not speak to us in that tone, Huang Renjun.” His father chided with his usual cold tone. Renjun took a step back— a petal fell from the bouquet. 

He listened as his mother sighed before rubbing at the pitch of her nose.

“Renjun, you’ll be riding with us back.” She said, “Jeno, arrive home alone, please.”

“Why-!”

“Of course.” Jeno cut in before Renjun could finish arguing. 

His mother looked between the pair before grabbing onto her husband’s arm, pulling at him gently.

“...Then we’ll be off.” Her voice was stern as they began walking off. Renjun didn’t budge from his spot, only glancing at Jeno with a frown upon his face.

Jeno only gave him a shy— almost sorry lopsided smile before he opened his mouth to speak.

“Renjun.” It was his mother’s voice.

Renjun twisted his head to face her. Drawing a straight line across his face— Renjun walked to catch up to his parents. His mother attempted to place her hand on his shoulder, but Renjun shrugged it off resentfully.

The car ride was uncomfortable and tense. No one within that vehicle spoke a single word.

Renjun only looked outside his window, watching as the scenery darted by.

Closing his eyes, Renjun wished he was with Jeno. 

He’d much rather be in a car with Jeno— random conversations with zero context thrown into the air as music played on the Bluetooth gently. They could’ve laughed at dumb jokes while Renjun added songs Jeno seemed to like into a playlist. Jeno could’ve been scolding him for sticking his head out the window— or perhaps he would just turn up the heater as Renjun let the exhaustion pass over him

Yeah. 

That would’ve been a lot nicer.