Work Text:
Jaemin (41)
A new message received
10:46 PM
Jaemin (36)
Missed Calls
10:47 PM
The moment Renjun lays his eyes on his phone, he knows he's fucked up.
He blames his exhaustion for being the reason why he had slept right after he got home from the double meeting he attended this afternoon, filled with urgent requests and several phone calls from his fuming clients. Friday has always been particularly harsh to him especially at work and today is no exemption, which is why he finds himself fumbling for his car keys not minding his disheveled hair and skewed glasses before he practically runs to get out of his apartment in the middle of the night. Renjun doesn’t know if Jaemin would still forgive him for forgetting their date tonight— worse, leaving Jaemin alone waiting in a cold, open area for hours without any message from him as to where he is, but he’ll still try. Jaemin likes him that much, right? Right.
Renjun is cursing under his breath by the time he starts driving as he recalls the text messages Jaemin has been sending him for the past hours. A series of crying emojis, and rolls of Renjun where are you? Why are you not answering me? Junnie, I’m alone here. Do you want me to buy you ice cream? Should I just go home? You didn’t forget, don’t you? Renjun? It’s been a decade. Where are you? Renjun... I... I should just go home. He closes his eyes and lets himself feel the guilt for being an asshole and succumbing to sleep while his boyfriend is out there waiting for him. He's never been one to forget important things like this and when he says something important, it involves Jaemin of course. He calls Jaemin's number for the fifth time tonight but it's already out of reach, and Renjun's contemplating whether to punch himself or continue driving. He settled for the latter.
The clock sitting on his dashboard reads 12:03 AM and Renjun breathes deeply, his mind starts conjuring up possible images of a pouty Jaemin waiting hopelessly in the venue he booked for this occasion. Why the hell would Renjun think sleeping first is a good idea to do? In his defense, it was just supposedly an hour of resting but it turned out to be five whole hours and now he's doomed and doesn't have a single idea what to expect when he finally meets Jaemin.
The sound of his car screeching to a stop is what Renjun hears when he sees his phone lit with a message from Jaemin this time. But his heart beats unusually fast when he reads, "Injun… my Injunnie… do you not love me anymore? Is someone making you happy? I hope so too… but if you still want to see me for the last time, you know where to find me." Renjun knows more than anyone that Jaemin can be very dramatic when he wants to be. But tonight, he wastes no time to run and finds him before everything is too late.
The place that Jaemin said in his message turns out to be on the rooftop of the restaurant he booked for this White Day date they've planned two weeks ago. It is also the same place where they hung out during their college days when Jaemin thought it was a good time to cut classes and drag Renjun with him. A lot of good things happened in this place and Renjun treasures every single moment of it. But tonight, seeing Jaemin standing with his back facing him, he thinks this might have been the least favorite day of his life.
"Jaemin," he starts, walking closer to where Jaemin is. He knows Jaemin like the back of his hand but tonight is different. He can't see what he's thinking and Renjun is terrified of it.
When Jaemin speaks, Renjun knows he's screwed. "Are they making you happy, Renjun?"
"I can explain Jaemin, I—"
"Are they making you feel content that you completely forget about me? I thought we are a thing, Junnie." He hears Jaemin's voice cracks and Renjun wants to hold him and tell him that he's everything he could ask for and all of this is his fault but he can fix it and—
"It's okay," Jaemin says weeping, slowly walking towards the end of the rooftop. "It's fine. Thank you for the memories, I guess."
A shiver runs through Renjun's spine and the wind sends forth a blast that would have knocked him out had he not clung to the metal beside him. Renjun grows more and more nervous as he catches the sight of Jaemin reaching the rooftop benchmark. His eyes widen, and he feels his heart drop seeing Jaemin lifts his foot on top of the railing and then—
"Jaemin!!!"
Renjun cries as Jaemin turns around smiling widely while tying his shoelaces. "I was gonna tie my laces here— Oh… Renjun? I was just kidding, I didn't…"
Tears start to blur his vision, and Renjun knows he's crying thinking about Jaemin ending his life because of this stupid thing he did. He will never forgive himself if Jaemin gets in trouble because of him so he lets his frustration get into him, pulling Jaemin to hug so tight he surprises himself.
"Fuck. I'm sorry Jaemin. I'm deeply sorry I let you out here for hours without me telling you where I am. I'm sorry I let exhaustion get past me without thinking about your feelings," Renjun whimpers, releasing Jaemin from holding tight. "Fuck, Jaemin I don't know what to do if you died because of me—"
"Whoa, babe wow stop right there sir," Jaemin wipes Renjun's tears.
His tears continue to flow and the sobs wrack his body, barely allowing a breath to be drawn. "But I thought—"
Jaemin cups his face. "You know better than to believe the words I say, Renjun. Stop crying now you big baby oh my god I can't believe this is happening. Donghyuck-ah, you better be filming this. I need to replay this moment for the rest of my life and see Renjun's overflowing love for me every single time."
A ripple of laughter is heard from a distance and there appears Donghyuck, about to fall out of the place from laughing. "I can't believe you fell for it! I thought you'd be better than that."
Renjun doesn’t know how to take in everything that’s happening. He’s just thankful Jaemin is safe in his arms.
"I just think this will be a nice counterattack for you not showing up on our date. I'm sorry, babe. Will you please forgive me now?"
Renjun sees Jaemin's infamous puppy eyes and how can he stay mad? He looks at Jaemin straight in the eye and yanks him for a searing kiss, being in a public place be damned.
EPILOGUE
Jaemin:
Donghyuck?
where are you?
r u free rn?
Sent 10:54pm
Donghyuck:
i can smell trouble, Jaemin.
what is it that you want?
Sent 10:55pm
Jaemin:
I'm going to send you my location
meet me here dude please
Renjun is probably not coming anytime soon
anddddd I dressed so fucking well so I can't have
no one see me looking extra hot
Sent 10:56pm
Donghyuck:
u implying I be ur
personal photographer or sumn?
what's in it for me then?
Sent 10:56pm
Jaemin:
yea well we can throw lotus seeds
at people from above and see
them scream wouldn't you
like that???!
Sent 10:57pm
Donghyuck:
I 'M REACHING THAT PLACE IN 10MIN
Sent 10:57pm
When Jaemin received a message from Jeno that Renjun is fast asleep, he didn't have the heart to get mad, really. He knows how exhausting it might've been for him these past weeks and seeing how this date went crumbling down the hill, he had no choice but to ask someone to have fun with him because that's how he is, right?
As he waits for Donghyuck to show up, his phone rings aggressively in his hands. An idea pops up in his mind seeing Renjun's caller ID and he thinks this night would be the best one he'll have in a while.