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The day has finally come to an end after long hours of filming for the pre-recorded performance of Candy, their relay dance, and their encore stage for their first win. Jaemin lets out a sigh of relief as his body relaxes on the couch in their waiting room, eyes catching his Renjun busy taking off his makeup in front of the lit vanity mirror.
2022 is Dream’s biggest year yet. Jaemin still can’t believe they achieved so much in such a short span of time. What makes it even more special is that he did all these with the people he loves and cherishes for god knows how many years. What started as a fun jokey time for Jaemin back during trainee days turned out to be the very thing that he holds dear to his heart.
He glances at the mirror once again and as if reading his mind, Renjun looks up and their eyes meet. Jaemin smiles at him, a wide and toothy grin with his pearly whites on show, and the tips of Renjun's ears turn red. There's a hint of blush as well on Renjun’s munchable cheeks and Jaemin can’t help but coo.
“Aigoo, my Renjunnie is so cute~” he teases his already embarrassed boyfriend and the staff laughs at the loud proclamation of his affection. “Even the staff agrees, baby! He's the cutest, right? My boyfriend is the most adorable?”
Once Jaemin starts to compliment Renjun out loud like this, there’s no stopping it. And what's funnier about it is the staff goes on in giving Renjun the sweetest of praises, too.
“Yes, he is!”
“Renjun the cutest of them all!”
“He fits the concept so well, too~”
“I just know they made a great decision of making Renjun do the butt dance~ as expected of our Renjunnie!”
"Renjun Huang jjang!"
Jaemin's smile only gets wider at the united agreement of the staff, leaning back on the couch. “See, Renjunnie? You’re so loved and adored. We all love and adore you.” Jaemin pauses for a moment, making sure he holds Renjun's gaze through the mirror. “ I love and adore you ,” he says in a softer tone, hoping it would convey how much he means every word.
There's a collective “awwwww” from the staff around them but Jaemin ignores all of them, his eyes fixed on Renjun's blushing face as he tries to hide his reddened cheeks by acting busy on his phone.
The more Renjun acts this way when it comes to affection, the more Jaemin is inclined to showering him with it. Had they been in the safety of Jaemin’s bedroom, he would’ve drowned his pretty boyfriend in kisses.
Renjun finishes his make-up removal and the staff calls Donghyuck next for his turn. Jaemin stands up as soon as Renjun walks out of the room, following his boyfriend to the rooftop. When they arrive, Mark, Jeno, Chenle and Jisung are all there, goofing around with cans of cider by their sides.
“Renjun ah! come here!” Jeno calls for Renjun. His best friend is seated on a garden chair, the purple line still on Jeno’s face as a part of their performance costume for this music show. Renjun perks up and walks to where Jeno is, Jaemin then sits at an empty bench near Mark and Chenle.
“Alright, Renjunnie. Try creeping up from behind me! Yep, let me count from three… Okay, a little closer to the frame, Renjunnie… One, two, three!” Jeno’s phone camera clicks and he excitedly shows the captured image to Renjun. “We look so cute here, Renjun ah! I'm sure the fans will love this! Can I post this on Bubble?” Jeno asks in a hopeful tone, eyes resembling a cute samoyed.
If it’s Jaemin standing there beside Jeno, he’ll roll his eyes at his best friend’s attempt for him to say yes to whatever request he’ll ask of Jaemin. But Renjun’s one of the people in their group that’s not immune to Jeno’s aegyo so it’s no surprise that he replies “Of course, Nono! I would love to be in your Bubble update!” and Renjun comes to loosely hug Jeno from behind, squeezing Jeno in the process. Jeno hugs Renjun back, nuzzling his whole face on Renjun's tummy while Renjun giggles.
Jaemin watches all these unfold while he hangs with Mark and Chenle who’re talking about basketball. Jisung’s busy playing something on his phone, silently cursing as he taps away on his screen.
Something warm slides next to Jaemin and he sees Renjun sitting beside him, his brown hair mussed up under the dark green hoodie, the clothing drowning his petite frame. Renjun is just begging to be cuddled at this point and it’s hard to blame Jaemin for reaching out to his boyfriend to wrap his arms around Renjun's waist.
Feeling a little jealous of Jeno a while ago, it’s Jaemin’s turn to nuzzle his face at the crook of Renjun’s neck, inhaling the faint lavender scent still lingering Renjun’s skin. He knows he shouldn’t be doing this but Jaemin’s cuddly side suddenly comes knocking after watching his boyfriend and best friend hug like that a while ago.
“Injunnie~” Jaemin nearly purrs near Renjun’s ear, the other shivering slightly since he’s ticklish there. Jaemin would know this because when Renjun's under him in bed, he’ll use this same information to have his boyfriend writhing and squirming before Jaemin takes him. “Can we take a picture, too? And post it on social media? Can we? Can we?”
“We can but why are you suddenly so clingy, baby? Hm?” Renjun chuckles and Jaemin feels Renjun's fingers threading in his hair. Jaemin clearly melts from the touch, leaning in closer to Renjun.
“Just felt like it, baby…” Jaemin croons. “I want to be close to my Renjunnie…”
Letting out another chuckle, Renjun then shifts their position, scooting until Renjun’s cheek is squished by the left side of Jaemin’s head. “Comfortable, Nana?” Jaemin nods and hugs Renjun’s waist to pull him closer. “Can you take the picture for us, Nana, and then Airdrop it to me after?” Renjun says, his hands falling by Jaemin’s side.
Clearly pumped up, Jaemin takes out his phone and opens the camera app. “Show me my cutie Renjun~ One, two, three!” Jaemin poses with a peace sign near his face and Renjun's small smile peeks through.
“So pretty,” Jaemin whispers.
“Not as pretty as you, Nana.” And Jaemin’s brain short circuits when Renjun pecks him on the cheek.
Jaemin is stunned by Renjun's public display of affection, knowing full well that his boyfriend isn’t big on doing so. His skin breaks into goosebumps, the warmth of Renjun's lips spreading all over Jaemin. “What– I’m– Renjunnie, you… You…” Jaemin stutters as he turns to face Renjun, smiling widely as if he’s the most innocent man in the world. His words fail him and he’s just there, staring at Renjun.
“Yes, Nana?” Renjun has the audacity to sound nonchalant, head tilting to the side. “Cat got my Nana’s tongue?”
“Ayeeee, Renjun hyung got Jaemin hyung speechless again!” Chenle shouts from the other side of the rooftop, pointing at the couple while also trying to get Mark’s attention. Mark falls down laughing as he looks at Jaemin’s stunned expression, Renjun joins in the laughter, too. Jisung piles on the teasing, pointing at Jaemin’s face which probably looks so dazed out as he stares at Renjun.
“Whipped Na Jaemin strikes again!” Jeno shouts from his garden chair.
They’re not wrong, though, Jaemin says in his mind.
Renjun comes back to snuggle with Jaemin beside him, going back to scrolling on his phone. “Hey, guys. Hyuck says he’s almost done!”
“Can we eat something first before we go home?” Jisung asks while holding his belly.
They start to talk about meal options, Jaemin growing silent to bury his head again by the crook of Renjun's neck.
At that moment, on MNet building’s rooftop and with the sound of Renjun and their teammates’ loud voices, Jaemin Na, twenty three years old, falls in love again with Renjun Huang.