my best friend wants to be abducted by aliens.
pairing: son of athena!renjun x daughter of aphrodite!reader
genre: fluff, angst
word count:Â 14.6k (this was supposed to be 5k đ)
authorâs note: hi so here is renjunâs chapter to my 00 line x camp half-blood series (iâm sorry, i know it took forever)! thank you so much for all of the support, and i hope you enjoy đ
warning: one (1) makeout session
You are currently crouched behind a cluster of bushes, trying to get a glimpse of your targets through binoculars.Â
Does that sound stalkerish? Perhaps.Â
Are you actually a stalker? Debatable.Â
However, no matter how suspicious it looks, your motive is pureâfor the most part.Â
Youâre spying on Kang Daniel (son of Hermes) and Park Jihyo (daughter of Apollo), both of whom are at the Archery Range. Jihyo is showing Daniel how to shoot, encasing him with her arms as she nocks the arrow for him. The tips of his ears are so red that they could practically be a flare; you can see how flamboyant they are all the way from your hiding spot.Â
You start grinning like a maniac, excited that your plan is finally unfolding.Â
You had noticed how awful Daniel was at archery during a training session a couple weeks ago, and you casually suggested to him that he should ask Jihyo for some lessons. Youâve always known that Daniel has been hopelessly in love with Jihyo since the moment he saw her (itâs a child of Aphrodite thingâyou can just sense it), but sheâs been oblivious to it this entire time.Â
Well, until now.Â
Just as you guessed, sparks flew immediately. You could cut the sexual tension between them with a knife. You give them a couple more passionately-charged archery lessons before they inevitably surrender to their emotions and begin to dateâand your predictions are never wrong.Â
âAnother job well done, Y/N,â you mumble proudly to yourself, âMom would be so proud.â
âExcuse me, maâam. Iâm going to have to ask you to stop loitering by these bushes and stalking those two campers over there, or else Iâll have to report you to the camp director,â a sudden voice from behind you says.Â
Letting out a loud yelp, you drop your binoculars in surprise and whip your head around to see who it is. You turn so fast that you almost fall backwards into said bushes, quickly using your palms to balance yourself.Â
âRenjun, you asshole!âÂ
Huang Renjun, your long-time best friend and professional asshole, is standing in front of you. Heâs wearing the iconic orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt with black jeans, his hands tucked inside his pockets. His dark hair is parted to one side, with a single lock of hair falling perfectly into one eye, giving him the I-wake-up-and-my-hair-is-naturally-like-this look (even though itâs most definitely not true). No doubt that heâs the best-looking person in the entire camp, but his brusque personality makes him a rose with thorns. Sharp thorns.
You often wonder how the two of you even became as close as you are. Children of Athena and Aphrodite notoriously clash due to their mothersâ history with each other.Â
You met Renjun four years ago at Arts and Crafts Center, which is a hotspot for children of Athena. It was your first time at the camp, and you wanted to try making a ceramic (maybe a bowl or vase) to bring back to your family as a souvenir. Of course, you failed miserably and got snickered at by other Athena kids. Renjun, who had been sitting beside you, was the only one who didnât laugh. He even gruffly gave you some pointers. Grateful, you complimented his paintingâa mix of pink, yellow, blue, and purple watercolors that meshed together to resemble a galaxy. In return, he gave it to you.
âItâs not my best work, so you can have it,â he had said nonchalantly.
Even though it was the most beautiful piece of art youâve ever seen, and itâs remained one of your most prized possessions to this day.Â
After that incident, you basically attached yourself at the hip with him. He would constantly complain about you following him around, but he also didnât do anything to stop it. Heâs been complaining for four, going on five, years now, yet heâs become your closest friend. Renjun likes act like youâre a pain in the ass (which isnât untrue), but you know he cares about you. Even if he doesnât verbalize it, you can tell by his actions; itâs all about the small things with him. Despite being rough around the edges, Huang Renjun is actually just a big softie on the inside.Â
ââcould you stop snooping around like a weirdo?â Renjun asks, cutting your trip down memory lane short.
You rise to your feet, dusting your palms off and glaring at him. âIâm not snooping around like a weirdo. Iâm just snooping around on one of my projects, like a good matchmaker.â
âSure,â he says, rolling his eyes. He leans down and picks up your binoculars, handing them to you.Â
You take them and hang them around your neck. âWhy are you here anyway?â
���Arenât you the one who asked me to meet you at the Dining Pavilion for lunch?â He raises an eyebrow.Â
âOh, sorry! I lost track of time,â you exclaim. âHowâd you find me?â
Renjun gives you a pointed look. âWell, seeing as how Daniel and Jihyo are your current quote-unquote project, all I had to do was figure out where they were because I knew youâd be somewhere close.â
You give him a sheepish smile. âYou know me so well, Junnie.â
âThe hell? Donât call me that, itâs gross,â he snaps, pretending like heâs about to gag.
âYouâre not cute at all,â you huff.Â
âNeither are you,â he replies.
âYou are so rude! Youâll never get a girlfriend with an attitude like that!â You place your hands on your hips.
âIâll live,â he says, shrugging.Â
You donât know much about Renjunâs love life because he refuses to tell you anything; heâs like a stubborn clam that wonât open up. However, heâs made it very clear that he does not want your assistance when it comes to finding romance. Obviously, it hasnât stopped you from trying, but this is one of the few things you canât seem to make him give in to.Â
Yet.
âWhatever,â you sigh. âLetâs go eat.â
The two of you walk to the Dining Pavilion, which is a relatively long walk from the Archery Range, but you make enough conversation that it feels short. When you arrive, you see that theyâre serving chicken curry and rice. Your stomach growls embarrassingly loudly when the mouthwatering scent hits you, which prompts Renjun to laugh at you. You give him the middle finger and then turn around to grab a lunch tray. Once you get your food, you two sit at a table in the back.Â
Before you begin to eat, you notice that your curry has chunks of potatoes and slices of carrots on itâyou abhor carrots more than anything in this world. Noticing your disgusted expression, Renjun slides his plate over without even batting an eyelash, so you can pick out the carrot slices and give them to him. Itâs a routine thing for the two of you, since youâre an extremely picky eater and heâs not.
After you take out all of the carrots, you begin to devour your food. Youâre wolfing it down so fast that youâre basically asking to choke, in which you immediately do. A piece of chicken lodges itself in your throat, and you begin to cough violently. Renjun sighs, patting your back before handing you your cup of water.Â
âI feel like Iâm babysitting a toddler every time I eat with you,â he points out as you gulp down your water.Â
âThanks,â you say after you recover.
âFor dislodging the food in your esophagus or calling you a toddler?âÂ
âBoth!â you say cheerfully.Â
Renjun shakes his head at you, but heâs smiling. You take advantage of his good mood by quickly reaching over and swiping a couple of grapes from the fruit bowl on his tray. He rolls his eyes when you pop them into your mouth and wink at him.Â
âUm, Renjun?â A small, different voice cuts in. Both of you turn around to see who it is.Â
Hwang Yeji, daughter of Iris and one of the most popular girls at the camp, is standing there. Sheâs fidgeting, and you can see pink dusting her cheeks. Her friends are at the table right behind her, giving her supportive looks. She smiles shyly at Renjun.Â
âCan I help you?â Renjun asks, deadpanning. He isnât rude per se, but itâs also not a friendly tone.Â
Yeji slightly falters at his lackluster response. âOh, um, Iâm going to be performing at the amphitheater tonight...and I was wondering if you could come watch?â
âWhy?âÂ
You know Renjun is asking because heâs genuinely baffled, but it doesnât lessen your urge to want to slap him upside the head.
âN-No particular reason! O-Okay, bye!â Yeji turns on her heel and runs away. You watch her go back to her table, head hung low in defeat.
âWhat was that all about?â Renjun is still bewildered.Â
No longer able to control yourself, you punch him in the arm. âYou moron!â
âOw! What the hell, Y/N?â he hisses, rubbing his arm.
âShe invited you to watch her perform because she likes you!â you hiss.Â
âWhat? No, she doesnât.â He furrows his eyebrows.Â
âYes, she does! I should know of all people, you dingus. Even without powers, literally anyone else would be able to see that Yeji likes you!â Youâre trying your best to keep your voice down, but heâs making it difficult for you. âYou are the densest person on the planet!â
âLook whoâs talking,â Renjun mutters underneath his breath.Â
âI canât believe you just blew her off like that,â you continue, not hearing what he said.
âHow was I supposed to know she liked me? Iâve never even spoken to her,â he protests.
You stare at him in disbelief. âCouldnât you tell by the context clues?âÂ
âWhat context clues?â
âOh my gods,â you groan, covering your face with your hands.
âWhat do you want me to do then?â he asks tiredly.Â
âGo to her performance tonight,â you say immediately, uncovering your face and whipping your head to look at him with a hopeful expression.
âI donât really want to though. Thereâs no point in getting her hopes up if I donât like her back,â Renjun states matter-of-factly.
âHow do you not even have a little bit of interest in her? Look at her! Sheâs stunning!â You feel like your eyes are about to pop out of your head.
âIâm not saying she isnât, but I just donât feel anything special towards her,â he explains.Â
âYouâre actually insane,â you say incredulously. âThereâs no way someone can look at Hwang Yeji and say they donât feel anything special.â
âIf you feel so strongly about it, you could date her,â he suggests.
âNo, Iâve decided,â you cut him off, slamming your hand on the table with determination. âIâm going to find you a girlfriend.â
âIâll have to respectfully decline your services,â he answers, sighing.
âGive me one week,â you plead, âall of my matches have worked out within a week. Please, Renjun? The worst thing that can happen is that you actually like someone and you two become a couple.âÂ
âAnd what if it doesnât work out?â He tilts his head.
âThen, Iâll drop the girlfriend topic for good. I swear on River Styx. And Iâll also give up my title as Camp Half-Bloodâs official matchmaker,â you promise.
âYou gave yourself that title.â
âShut up.â
âWhy are you so adamant on finding me a girlfriend anyway?â he asks.
âBecause youâre so set on not getting a girlfriend, and that drives me crazy. I want to know just who on this Earth can make you feel something special, if even Yeji canât do it. I want to crack you, like a walnut,â you admit.
âBad analogy.â
âYeah, it sounded better in my head.â
Renjun falls quiet, and you can practically see the gears turning in his head as he weighs the pros and cons of your proposition. Athena kids think way too much and way too loudly; they need to let loose and follow their hearts more.
You sit in anticipation for just a little longer before you see the tension on his face begin to dissipate and his features begin to droop. Itâs an expression you know well; heâs going to let you have your way, like he always does.Â
He pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing. âYou get five days. Thatâs it.â
You squeal loudly, launching yourself at him so you can envelop him in a big bear hug. He grunts as he catches you, saving the both of you from toppling backwards onto the floor. âYouâre the best, Renjun!â
Even when heâs irritated or annoyed, Renjun never pushes you away when you hug him. He isnât exactly the affectionate type, yet his embrace is always so warm and calming. His words may be cutthroat, but his actions are always gentle.
He circles his arms around your waist loosely as he sighs into your hair, seemingly waiting for you to pull back to face him before he says anything. When you do, he flicks you on the forehead instead.
Okay, so you take the his actions are always gentle part back.
âOuch!â You shrug yourself out of his hold, rubbing the probably reddening spot on your forehead.
âPayback for punching me earlier,â Renjun says, crossing his arms. âBut are you sure about this?â
âWhat do you mean?âÂ
âYou have a perfect record when it comes to your matches. Plus, youâre losing two out of your usual seven days. Are you sure you want to risk breaking your streak?â he asks.Â
âWhat makes you think itâll get broken?â you shoot back.
âI donât just think; I know it will,â he smirks arrogantly. âThatâs why Iâm asking.â
You feel your left eye twitch. Riled up by his cocky demeanor, you grab your cup and chug the rest of your water, wincing like you just downed a shot. Wiping your mouth, you point your finger at him.
âHuang Renjun, just you wait. Iâll make you fall in love so hard that youâll forget your own name.â
ঠDAY ONE.
The Athena Cabin is a marvel to you every time you enter it. Rather than a cabin, itâs a workshop and a library in one on the inside. There are beds pushed haphazardly against the walls, and if you didnât know that this was the official Athena Cabin, you wouldâve thought that the Athena children had simply just crashed at a random facility at the camp and decided to call it their place of residence.Â
Renjun is still asleep, despite the commotion of his brothers and sisters running around in the library and/or constructing something in the workshop. His bed is located in the very back, hidden by a bookshelf thatâs not frequented often. Heâs curled up into a ball, with the blanket covering his head but you can still see tufts of his hair sticking out from under it.Â
âRise and shine!â you sing, lifting blanket off his face.Â
His peaceful expression twists with discomfort as its exposed to light, and he immediately rips the pillow out from under his head and puts it over his face. He says something to you, but his words are muffled. You just assume itâs some sort of profanity.Â
âCome on, Sleeping Beauty! We have business to attend to,â you say cheerfully, taking the pillow away and tossing it to the foot of his bed.
âAnd what exactly is this supposed business?â Renjun asks dryly, opening his eyes and squinting up at you.Â
âWeâre going to scout for potential candidates for you,â you answer as you grab his arm and pull him up. He reluctantly lets you, slumping forward like a limp puppet.Â
âIsnât that your job?â He raises an eyebrow, running a hand through his messy bedhead. Renjun always looks particularly adorable when he wakes up. His pajamas consist of a pair of basketball shorts and an extremely stretched-out t-shirt. The shirt is so big that itâs slipping off his shoulder, which makes him look like a little kid. His hair is sticking up in all sorts of directions, and you canât help but grin at how cute it is.Â
âYes, but youâre a special case.â You talk to him like heâs five, running your hands through his hair and messing it up even more. Renjun scowls at you, but he sits there and lets you do it.
âGeez, who peed in your cornflakes?â you tease, seeing his stormy look.Â
âYou.â
âOkay, fine! Iâll wait for you outside, but donât take too long to get ready,â you say, finally retracting your hands. âNo more than thirty minutes or else Iâm gonna come find you!âÂ
He gives you another nasty look, and you blow him a kiss before skipping away. As you head back to the entrance, you greet a couple of Athena kids who pass by. Normally, Aphrodite and Athena children stick their noses up in the air and ignore each other, but youâre such a frequent visitor that they have had no choice but to accept you. It also helps that Renjun is quite popular, so the campers that donât like you are forced to tolerate you anyway because youâre his best friend.Â
Thatâs another thing you donât understandâwhy Renjun hangs out with you when everyone around him is practically foaming at the mouth at the prospect of being his friend (or something more). But for reasons unknown to you, he chooses to ice them out and spend time with you instead.
Itâs not that youâre inherently unpopular or someone that would âtarnishâ his reputation, but he could probably find someone that annoyed him less and didnât cause as much trouble as you do. However, youâre glad that heâs choosing to stay by your side in spite of how crazy you can get, because youâre not really sure what you would do without him.Â
Not that you would ever admit that because Renjun would roast you to high Olympus. Â
As if on cue, you spot Renjun trudging toward you. True to your request, he got ready within thirty minutes. In fact, it only took him about fifteen. He doesnât look very happy, but heâs always had a resting bitch face (though youâre pretty sure heâs just pissed at you right now).
Strangely, youâre a little embarrassed to see him. Youâre not sure why you suddenly thought of your friendship with him and got all sappy. Youâve never really been good at handling the mushy-gushy stuffâonly helping others find it.
âLetâs get this over with,â Renjun says begrudgingly when he reaches you, crossing his arms.
âOkay, well, first thingâs first,â you respond, trying to get back on track. You loop your arm through his, which prompts him to instantly uncross his own so you can cling onto his bicep. Itâs such a natural action for you that you donât even think about how quickly he accommodates you. âWhatâs your type?â
âWhere are we going?â he asks, furrowing his eyebrows as he lets you lead him around.
âThat depends on your answer to my question,â you reply breezily.
âArenât you supposed to be the one who figures that out? You know, with your whole Aphrodite-love-sense-tingle thing.âÂ
You ignore his dig at your ability. âNormally, yes. But seeing as youâre incapable of feeling any emotion other than bitterness, I have to directly ask you.âÂ
He laughs at your comeback. âI see. But even if I do tell you my type, what makes you think she will like me too?âÂ
âIf she doesnât, then just woo her with your irresistible charm,â you say sarcastically.Â
âMy irresistible charm has a tendency to make people hate my guts, actually,â Renjun says, shrugging. âWouldnât want that, would we?âÂ
âRenjun, you are fully capable of making a girl fall for you,â you chide, huffing at his negative attitude. âIâm not concerned with that. My main issue right now is finding someone that will make you care enough to want her to like you back.â
âYou think so?â he asks quietly, looking down at where your hand is resting on his arm.
âHm?âÂ
âI hope youâre right,â he says a little louder, dragging his gaze away from your hand and giving you a small smile. âAbout being capable.â
When Renjun looks into your eyes, you feel him for the first time. Your heart wrenches with his, like a knife was driven into it and something keeps twisting it. Itâs an excruciating pain that makes your lungs want to cave in, a pain so unbearably sad that it makes you want to assume fetal position and bawl your eyes out, an exhausting pain that drains you of all your energy until you want to collapse, a pain that makes you hate yourselfâbut itâs a pain you never want to get rid of. Itâs a pain that makes you happy. Itâs a pain youâre willing to endure for...for...for what?Â
But the pain only lasts for a moment, flashing by like lightning. As you try to reach deeper, it slips through your fingers. Just as suddenly as it hit you, it vanishes. What remains in its place is the metaphorical iron wall that you always seem to run into every time you try to look into Renjunâs heart.
You can already feel your body starting to forget the pain. Itâs so fast that you begin questioning if you even truly felt it in the first place, or if it was all some fever dream. You could also be having a stroke, so thereâs that.
All jokes aside, youâre not sure what youâre more surprised by: the fact that Renjun has been feeling like this or how well heâs managed to hide it.Â
And youâre not sure what youâre more hurt by: the fact that Renjun didnât tell you or if youâre the one heâs trying to hide it from.
ââhello? Y/N? Earth to Y/N?â Renjun waves his hand in front of your face.Â
You jolt, blinking several times as you detach yourself from your whirlwind of thoughts. âS-Sorry! What were you saying?â
âWhatâs wrong?â he asks, brows furrowing in concern. âYou look like youâve seen a ghost.âÂ
âGhosts donât exist,â you retort automatically.
âYes, they do! How many times have I told you thereâs no way that my glass bottle couldâve fallen from my bed without shattering, yet it was underneath my bed, completely and totally unscââ He begins to protest.Â
You cut him off by wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him in for a hug. Thankfully, Renjun stops rambling about his ghost story that youâve heard about a million times and trails off. His hands slowly come to rest on the small of your back, giving you soothing pats. It makes you sad that heâs always ready to comfort you when heâs the one that needs it. Your vision gets blurry with tears, but you hurriedly blink them away.
âHow can you be so smart yet so dumb?â you whisper into his shoulder, clutching him tighter.
âYou know, youâre sending me mixed signals here,â he says wryly.Â
You hug him for a couple more seconds before pulling back. Reaching your hands up, you cup his face. Unfortunately, you do it a little too enthusiastically and basically slap both of his cheeks. âShit! Iâm so sorry, Renjun!âÂ
âOw! What is wrong with you?â he demands, wincing. His lips are adorably jutted out and his words probably arenât as angry as he wants them to be because youâre squishing his cheeks way too hard.Â
âI just wanted to tell you that I will definitely find you a girlfriend. No matter what,â you declare with determination in your eyes.
Because I donât want you to be in pain anymore. Because you deserve to be happy. Because you should have someone to lean on too, you want to say.
Renjun is staring at you like youâve grown another head. âY/N, youâre scaring me.â
âDonât worry about it,â you dismiss. âNow, hurry up and tell me your ideal type.â
âAre you sure youâre feeling okay?âÂ
âOh my gods, Iâm fine. Stop with all the questions and just answer me!â you say, placing your hands on your hips.
âI think Iâm starting to reconsider my ideal type right now,â he replies, eyeing you suspiciously.Â
You sigh loudly. âCould you tell me one character trait that you would like in a girlfriend? Just one. Pretty please with a cherry on top?â
He snorts, and you begin to grow frustrated. âRenjunââ
âStubborn,â he answers.Â
You raise an eyebrow. âOf all the things you couldâve chosen, you went with that?â
âI finally answer your question and now youâre shaming me for it?â he shoots back.Â
You put your hands up in mock surrender. âOkay, okay, sorry. Anything else you can think of?â
âUnpredictable. Hotheaded. Infuriating. Nosy. Reckless. Unable to take anything seriously. No concept of personal space,â he lists them off like heâs has it memorized.
âThese are all terrible traits,â you point out, frowning.Â
âTell me about it.â
âStop messing around,â you snap, giving him a small shove. âSome positive ones, please.â
Renjun pauses. âThis might take a second.â
You give him a pointed look, crossing your arms and tapping your foot impatiently. At this point, youâre not even sure if heâs just joking or if he actually means it. However, itâs the only thing youâve gotten out of him so far, so you have to work with it.Â
âDedicated,â he finally says after some intense pondering.
You exhale in relief. âThank gods. What else?â
âKind. Cheerful. Carefree. Funny. Always makes me smile. Marches to her own beat. An open book when it comes to her feelings. Says whatever is on her mind without thinking twice. Gets excited about things that donât matter. Has a wonderful laugh. Able to see the good in me, even though Iâm an assholeââ
As he continues, you eventually stop paying attention to his words and watch his expression. All of his features have softened, and thereâs a warmth in his eyes that youâve never seen before. He has the gentlest smile on his face as he talks, but youâre not even sure that heâs aware of it.Â
You wouldnât be a child of Aphrodite if you couldnât recognize a boy in love, and Renjun certainly fits the bill.Â
Suddenly, you feel an ugly sensation twisting in the pit of your stomach, coiling like a poisonous snake. Itâs an awful feeling, and it makes you ashamed because it resembles jealousy way too closely for your comfort. You hate feeling like this, but you donât know how to stop it. In fact, you donât even know why youâre feeling this way. Itâs foreign to you, but you know itâs not coming from Renjun. This is all coming from inside you.
âStunning in every way,â Renjun finishes quietly. His voice is barely a whisper, but you can hear it clearly, as if itâs right in your ear.Â
Digging your nails into your palms, you let out a low whistle. âThat was very...specific.â
âAfraid of a challenge?â he counters, smirking.Â
His banter makes you grin. Itâs almost enough to make you forget the feeling in your stomach. You wonder why you keep getting worked up by yourself. Maybe the summer heat is getting to you, and you really are on the verge of having a stroke.Â
âItâs like you donât even know me,â you retort dramatically, clinging onto his arm again. âAlright, letâs go!âÂ
âWhere?âÂ
âThe Training Grounds!âÂ
âWhy there?â His nose crinkles.Â
âYour ideal type is as Ares kid as it can get,â you say, snorting. âSo, obviously, weâre going to their turf.âÂ
âAres children are obnoxious and arrogant,â Renjun scoffs.Â
âAnd youâre a smartass, so itâll be fine,â you say breezily.Â
He rolls his eyes, muttering under his breath.Â
âYouâre such a drama queen. Besides, it wonât be only Ares kids there,â you point out.
He shrugs in a noncommittal manner but ultimately lets you lead him to the Training Grounds. When you arrive, as expected, itâs mainly Ares kids there. For people who arenât used to it, the Training Grounds could be mistaken for a battle royale, judging by how vicious it can get at times. Even though itâs just a bunch of sweaty young adults angrily swinging swords at dummies and each other.Â
Stroking your chin, you begin to scan the area. Itâs only when your eyes fall onto Park Sooyoung, the daughter of Ares thatâs infamous for making men cower to their knees, that the lightbulb goes off in your head.Â
âWhat about Sooyoung?â you ask excitedly, tugging on Renjunâs shirt.Â
He frowns. âShe hates me.â
âYou donât know that,â you say.
âShe tried to throw a dagger at my head once,â he states flatly.Â
âShe does that to everyone,â you dismiss. âI think you two would work well together.â
âPlease, enlighten me.âÂ
âShe could be the brawn to your brain. Sheâs super rambunctious, while youâre more reserved and can keep her in check. But sheâll be able to teach you how to live a little, and youâll just perfectly balance each other out. You know, that whole opposites attract and enemies to lovers trope,â you explain.Â
âEnemies to lovers?â He raises an eyebrow.
âYes,â you say dreamily, âYou two start off absolutely despising each other, but neither of you can fight the tension building and eventually just get entangled in the throes of your passion!â
âOkay, Fifty Shades of Grey, calm down,â Renjun says, scrunching up his features in disgust. âStop writing fanfiction in your head and come back to the real world.â
You glare at him for killing your vibe. âJust go and try to talk to her.â
âI donât want to be mauled.â Thereâs actually a small glimmer of fear in his eyes.Â
âDonât be ridiculous. Sheâs not gonna kill you. At least not in front of everyone like this,â you reassure him.Â
âSo youâre admitting that there is a possibility she would kill me.â
Fed up, you snatch his wrist and begin dragging him. He makes noises of protest, but you keep a vice-like grip on him. Sooyoung is sparring with some of her brothers (and frankly, handing their asses to them). Youâre envious of how beautiful she is even with sweat dripping from her chin and tendrils of hair stuck to her neck. Her face is flushed with effort, but it makes her look like a peach.Â
However, donât ever judge a book by its cover because she proceeds to lift one of her brothers, as if sheâs bench pressing him, and tosses him aside like a rag doll. He comes flying directly toward you, but Renjun wraps an arm around your shoulders and yanks you aside with his surprisingly quick reflexes. Sooyoungâs brother lands with a hard thud, right beside your feet.
Renjun holds you tightly against him as he scowls at Sooyoung, who is smirking at him. Your heart is pounding wildly, though youâre not sure if itâs from the adrenaline rush of one of Sooyoungâs brothers hurling towards you like a projectile or the way Renjun is cradling you to him.
âAre you out of your mind?â Renjun demands, livid.Â
âSorry about that,â Sooyoung says, trying to hide her amusement.Â
âNo, youâre not. You did it on purpose,â Renjun snaps.Â
âRemove head from ass, Huang. If I didnât think youâd be able to get her out of the way in time, I wouldnât have done it,â Sooyoung responds, sounding bored.
âWhat if I hadnât? Your tank of a brother wouldâve knocked Y/N out,â Renjun says angrily, gritting his teeth. âAnd trust me, she doesnât need any more screws loose than she already has.â
âHey!â you chime in, offended. His arm falls from your shoulders and back to his side when you give him a dirty look. He seems a little surprised, whether the reason be from your sudden protest or how long his armâs been around you.Â
âIâll keep that in mind,â Sooyoung says, rolling her eyes. âAnyways, what do you want? Youâre here to see me, right?âÂ
Renjun opens his mouth to say something, but you slap a hand over his mouth. âRenjun thinks youâre really pretty and wants to train with you.â
Perhaps you could have delivered it in a smoother manner.
âMm?â He stares at you with wide, horrified eyes. Heâs trying to speak, but itâs all muffled by your palm.Â
Sooyoung snorts, crossing her arms and tilting her head. âDoes he now?âÂ
âYes. Heâs just too shy to admit it,â you lie through your teeth.Â
âMhm, Iâm sure he is,â she laughs. âWhatâs the actual reason youâre here?â
âWhatever are you talking about? That is the reason,â you answer sweetly. âSo, what do you say? Wanna spar him?â
âMmmmmm!â Renjun has you by the wrist, trying to remove your hand from his mouth, but you wonât budge.Â
âYou must think I was born yesterday,â Sooyoung sighs. âYouâre trying to set us up together, right? Glad to see youâre sticking to your whole matchmaking schtick.â
âMaybe,â you admit sheepishly. âAlso, it is not a schtick! I have a natural affinity for finding people that are compatible with each other, like all Aphrodite children, and it is my duty to use that ability in order to help others.â
Despite how proud you look, Sooyoung and Renjun exchange knowing glances, and she reaches forward and gives him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. âStray strong, soldier.â
âMm,â he responds, sounding tired.
You watch the interaction with a baffled expression. Neither one of them seems intent on providing any context for you. Youâre hit with another pang of jealousy.Â
âWhile it would be my utmost honor to be Renjunâs girlfriend, I will have to decline. Firstly, because I would definitely murder him by our third date tops. And secondly, because I already have a girlfriend,â Sooyoung says nonchalantly.Â
Your hand goes limp and falls off of Renjunâs mouth, finally freeing him. Your jaw is hanging wide open, a direct invitation for flies. The both of you just stand there and gawk at her.Â
âWhat?â you exclaim, grabbing her by the shoulders. âYou have a girlfriend?â
Most Aphrodite kids are just naturally aware of all the couples at Camp Half-Blood whenever they see them, but you make it a point to keep tabs on them so you can avoid incidents like this while youâre trying to find matches for others. Clearly, youâve missed one.Â
âYeââ
âWho is it?â you demand, resisting the urge to shake her until her bones rattle. âHow could I not know about it?â
âWell, that was the goal,â Sooyoung explains, âwe want it to be a secret.â
Youâre gripping her so tightly that the tips of your fingers have turned white, though youâre sure it doesnât bother her since sheâs pure muscle. You want to know who it is so badly, but you respect her privacy, so you decide to let it go. Even if you really donât want to.
âI understand,â you say solemnly, begrudgingly releasing her. Your body is slightly twitchy as you fight to control your need to snoop.Â
âYou look like youâre about to pass out,â Renjun cuts in, half-joking and half-concerned.Â
âToday has not gone well for me,â you sigh, spirit crushed by the sudden news and exhausted because of your weird mood swings that have been happening. âIâm hot, and I just want a nice, cold shower, followed by some nice, cold ice cream, and then followed by a nice, warm nap. Weâll try this again tomorrow.âÂ
âWant me to walk you back to your cabin?â Renjun asks.Â
You nod, shoulders slumped in defeat. âSorry to bother you, Sooyoung.â
âNo problem. Youâll get âem next time,â Sooyoung says, trying to sound encouraging.Â
As you turn to pitifully walk away, you notice Sooyoung and Renjun exchange another look in your peripheral. She gives him a thumbs up and he smiles wryly before he also turns to follow you.
Itâs just the icing on the cake for your awful day.Â
The walk back to your cabin is pretty quiet; Renjun sensing your foul mood and making the wise decision of letting you pout all by your lonesome (not that heâs much of a chatterbox anyway). Youâre looking down at your feet as you walk, and he kindly navigates you through crowds and moves you out of the way when campers run by. This is something Renjun does often, since you have a tendency to not pay much attention to your surroundings on a regular basis, so you donât even think twice about it.Â
When you finally arrive, Renjun gives you a comforting pat on the back. âSee you tomorrow. Iâll meet you here. Do not barge into my cabin and give me another rude awakening like you did today.â
You give him a strained smile and wink. âNo promises.â
Of course, your act doesnât fool him. He sighs. âDid it really bother you that much that Sooyoung managed to hide her relationship from you? Itâs not like you to be so down after one failure.â
Honestly, thatâs the least of your concerns right now. Did it hurt your pride? Yes, but youâve recovered from a wounded pride countless times.Â
What bothers you the most right now is the vile jealousy that youâve stored in your heart. How shitty you felt when he was describing his ideal type (and how absolutely lovestruck he looked), or how bitter you were when you saw that Sooyoung and Renjun were in on something you werenât. It eats away at you, seemingly within moments, before you even know whatâs happening. But why? Where is it all coming from?
This is Renjun youâre talking about. Renjun, your best friend. Renjun, the one whoâs always there for you. Renjun, the closest person to you other than your bloodline.Â
Or so you thought.Â
The pain that you felt from him earlier still haunts you, even if itâs faint. Youâve always seen Renjun as someone you can confide in, no matter what, yet it doesnât appear like he feels the same towards you. In fact, an irrational part of you thinks you may be the one heâs trying to keep it from.Â
And the paranoid part of you thinks Sooyoung knows about it too.
You know itâs horrible to think that, but you canât control it. Renjun isnât required to tell you everything he feels just because you do, not that it doesnât hurt any less. It just bugs you that there could be someone closer to him than even you, which is an incredibly toxic mindset to have. Youâre upset by the fact that youâre so possessive of him, yet you canât seem to let him go either.Â
I guess itâs alright if itâs Sooyoung, you admit to yourself, since she has a girlfriend.
You blink.
Wait, what?Â
Before you can figure out what the hell your brain meant by that, you feel Renjun place his hand on your forehead. It jars you from your thoughts and you come back to reality, where Renjun is staring at you with furrowed brows as he checks your temperature.Â
âAre you sure youâre feeling alright? Youâve been spacing out all day,â he says, clearly worried.
âF-Fine!â you answer way too enthusiastically. âSorry, what were you saying?â
âDonât worry about it,â he dismisses. âJust go get some rest.â
âAye, aye, captain,â you nod hurriedly, giving him a two-finger salute. âIâll see you tomorrow, bright and early! Donât oversleep!âÂ
âYeah, yeah,â he waves you off, smiling. You can tell heâs still concerned, but your brighter attitude relieves him just a tad. âOh, and Y/N?âÂ
âMhm?â
âI forgot to mention one more trait for my ideal type.â
âWhat is it?â You wish you had never asked him in the first place. Just when your mood was getting a little better, it sours just as quickly.Â
âDense,â he adds.Â
You give him a puzzled look. âHuh?â
âI want her to be dense,â he states simply.Â
âNo way,â you argue, when his words finally register. âHow is it gonna work out if both of you are dense as hell?â
âWho knows? Maybe our denseness will cancel each other out, and weâll fall in love instantly,â he shrugs.
âOf course. PEMDAS and shit,â you jokingly agree.
âExactly,â he says, nodding with a deadpan expression.Â
You laugh loudlyâa big belly laugh that makes Renjun beam. The tension eases off his features, and he seems much more reassured. Your heart swells at how hard heâs trying to make sure youâre okay, not that he would ever admit that.
âOkay, for real now. Bye, Y/N.â He gives you a lazy wave before walking away, shattering your touching moment.Â
You huff at how he turned around without even letting you respond, though you still wave back (even if he canât see it), and go back into your cabin. The moment the door closes behind you, you make a beeline for the shower. Peeling off your sweat-soaked clothes, you close your eyes in bliss when the cold water hits you.Â
As you let the water run down your body, you begin to feel more and more like a petulant child that just threw the biggest tantrum ever. Youâre embarrassed that you overreacted like that and got so emotional for no reason. You chide yourself for being selfish. Just because youâre upset that Renjun doesnât confide in you the way you do him, it doesnât mean that he shouldnât have someone. You should be happy for him when he finds a person he can fully open up to, even more so than you. Isnât that what youâre trying to do for him right now?Â
You shut the water off before slapping your cheeks hard, giving yourself a wake up call. Resolving to be more composed tomorrow, you decide to just take a nap for now as you change into comfortable clothes and dry your hair off.Â
When you get to your bed, you see a small bowl of ice cream on your nightstand. Luckily, your shower didnât take too long, so itâs still relatively frozen. Itâs two scoops of chocolate, which is your favorite. Youâre so excited that you almost miss the note tucked underneath the bowl.Â
donât know when youâre going to get out of the shower, so this might just be soup by the time youâre out. if thatâs the case, drink it anyways since i went through the trouble of getting it.Â
You snort. Itâs so like Renjun to write a tactless note like this and not even bother signing off on it. If heâs going to be sweet, he shouldnât ruin the moment by doing what he always doesâopening his mouth (figuratively, in this case).Â
But itâs not enough to wipe that big grin off your face, as you carefully fold up the note and put it in your drawer.Â
Heâs not cute at all.
ঠDAY TWO.
The next day is about as successful as the first one, if not worse.
You had woken up with a game plan. Before you went to meet Renjun, you drafted up a list of campers that matched his ideal type (for the most part, since he was a little too specific). The goal was to narrow it down to a couple names before trying to march in head first, since that went disastrously yesterday.Â
Unfortunately, instead of things going smoothly like you had hoped, you find yourself banging your head against a tabletop repeatedly.
You and Renjun are currently sitting in the library of the Athena Cabin, having been there for almost an hour now. Heâs nearly eliminated your entire list that you so meticulously curated this morning. Youâre starting to wonder if heâs purposefully being difficult just to see you riled up.
Renjun watches you hit your head a couple more times before outstretching his hand, catching your forehead in his palm and blocking you from hitting it against the table again. âStop before you bleed all over the table, and I get stuck scrubbing it out later.â
You raise your head to glare at him. âIâll show you bleeding all over the table.â
He doesnât even blink at your threat, infuriatingly unfazed. âAre you done with your list already?â
âNo,â you grumble, âI still have some left.â
âSo, if Iâm not interested in the rest, does that mean weâre done for the day?â he asks.
âHaha,â you say wryly, âyou wish. If you donât pick one, then Iâll just go through the list myself and pick one that I think is the most compatible with you.â
âDamn it.â
âOkay, what about Hyun Seunghee? Sheâs an Apollo kid. Super talented and sweet, one of the most adorable people on the planet, and loves art just like you,â you suggest.
âSeunghee is a very sweet girl,â Renjun agrees. âBut I donât think I have the energy to keep up with her. Sheâs even bubblier and more hyperactive than you, and I can barely manage dealing with you.âÂ
Sighing, you cross out Seungheeâs name on your list while simultaneously flipping off Renjun with your other hand. âOkay, what about Lee Mijoo? Sheâs one of my sisters, and honestly, sheâs way out of your league but Iâll keep her in the running for now.âÂ
You figure itâs best to not mention that, despite being way out of his league, Mijoo has expressed some very...explicit interest in Renjun before. Itâll make things awkward if they do end up talking, and you arenât one to expose your own sister like that.
âEw, no way, thatâs weird,â Renjun says, scrunching up his nose.
âWhat, why?â
âI donât want to date anyone related to you. That would make us sort of related too, and the last thing I want is to be your brother.â He spits out the word like itâs a stale piece of gum that heâs been chewing for four hours.
âFirst of all, slow down, tiger. You would have to marry her for us to be related. This is just a casual thing. No one said anything about marriage. Second of all, that is so mean! Why wouldnât you want to be in-laws with me?â you demand, offended.
âDonât most people enter relationships with the intention of spending the rest of their lives with each other?â he asks, skillfully dodging your question. âI wonât date someone if I think weâre just going to breakup down the road.â
Thereâs a beat of silence as you stare at him with wonder. Your lips curl into a gentle smile, and you canât hide the adoration in your expression. Renjun truly is all bark and no bite. Who wouldâve guessed thereâs such a lovely and pure person behind his sharp tongue?
âWhy are you looking at me like that?â he asks warily. You swear you can see a little pink dusting the shells of his ears and the tip of his nose.
âItâs just...youâre much more of a hopeless romantic than I initially thought, Huang Renjun,â you say teasingly.Â
Now, you can definitely tell heâs embarrassed. He mumbles a âshut upâ under his breath, but you can barely hear it.
âDonât put so much pressure on yourself,â you advise, âitâs totally natural to date and breakup. You can love someone with all of your heart, but that doesnât mean theyâll be your life partner. Loosen up, my friend, and just have fun! Fall in love recklessly, and donât think about anything else! Thatâs what youth is all about!â
You expect him to make fun of you for lecturing him like youâre centuries old, when the both of you can barely label yourselves as adults, but he doesnât.Â
Instead, heâs gazing at you with a deep melancholy in his eyes. Youâre sitting right across from him, but the way he looks at you makes it seem like youâre galaxies away. Your gut wrenches at how hurt and helpless he seems, like heâs yearning for something that is out of his reach.Â
Time seems to slow down as the two of you stare into each otherâs eyes, as if youâre both entranced. Itâs hard to tell how long you stay like that, but it feels like youâve woken up in the middle of a sweet dream when Renjun finally breaks eye contact. Youâre slightly disoriented, even though itâs probably only been a few seconds.
Clearing his throat, Renjun mutters, âAnyways, donât put anymore of your siblings on the list.â
You take a moment to gather your thoughts before sighing. âFine. But now Iâve run out of names on my list.â
âWell, gosh darn it, what a shame,â he says in a terrible Southern accent while attempting to get up. âLookâs like thatâs a wrap for today!âÂ
âNot so fast,â you cut in, snapping your fingers at him to sit back down. âWeâre not done yet.âÂ
He groans but reluctantly obeys, dramatically throwing his head into his arms when he does.
âBehave while I go through this list again,â you order, putting stars next to names that youâre going to force Renjun to reconsider with.Â
âNow, youâre making me want to hit my head against the table,â he complains, voice muffled by his arms.
You ignore his whining, focusing on your current task at hand. Just as you finish narrowing it down to a select few, someone brushes past you and itâs like you hear angels singing. Seo Soojin, daughter of Nemesis and actual hotness personified, walks by.Â
Soojin is relatively new to Camp Half-Blood, having arrived for the first time last year. You donât know much about her personality because she keeps to herself and her tight-knit circle of friends for the most part. You know for a fact that sheâs a far cry from Renjunâs type, but youâre starting to think he doesnât really know what he wantsâseeing that he shot down every single person on your list already. She will be a nice change of pace for him.
âWhat about Soojin?â you ask in a hushed whisper, leaning forward.Â
âWho?â Renjun looks around, not lowering his voice or trying to be subtle in the slightest.
âShhh!â you hiss, grabbing him by his shirt and yanking him forward. You pull a little too hard and end up knocking your foreheads together.Â
âOw! Why is your head made out of cast iron?â Renjun winces. He tries to lean back, but you donât let him escape.Â
âShut up! Youâre the blockhead, asshole,â you protest, getting offended for the second time. âAnyways, Seo Soojin. The girl over there. The one with the bangs, big lips, and is hot as fuck?âÂ
He squints, finally zeroing in on her. âWhat about her?â
âThatâs what Iâm asking you, dipshit!âÂ
Renjun shrugs noncommittallyâan action that youâve grown extremely accustomed to during these past two days, an action that makes you want to rip your own hair out. âShe seems nice.âÂ
âWell, try and talk to her then,â you say, spelling it out for him. âYou know, so you can see if the two of you will hit it off or not.â
He gives you a look. Itâs the same look that a twelve-year-old kid gives his mother when she makes him take a picture in front of a national monument that he doesnât know anything about, nor does he care to. However, she insists, so he reluctantly trudges over to it and takes the pictureâhands firmly balled up by his sides and his lips pressed into a hard line, no matter how much his mom tells him to smile.
So, in other words, Renjun looks like he wants to crawl into a hole and die.
âAre you sure that youâre human?â you ask incredulously. Youâre not even being sarcastic at this point; you genuinely want to know how he is able to feel absolutely nothing for women that could rival the goddesses themselves.
âTechnicallyââ
âIf you say that youâre only half-human because weâre demigods, youâre going to get a pen through the jugular,â you warn, pointing your pen at him.Â
âAm I wrong, though?âÂ
âYou know what I mean, you smartass. Are you or are you not capable of feeling romantic attraction towards another person?â you demand.
âI am,â he simply says.
âThatâs it? That was the most robotic answer Iâve ever heard in my life!â you exclaim.Â
âWhat else am I supposed to say?â he asks, throwing his arms up.Â
âHave you experienced any blackouts recently, like woken up without memory of the past twenty-four hours? Have you checked your body for any chip implants under your skin?â You eye him suspiciously. âBeen beamed up by any UFOs? Gone somewhere haunted?âÂ
Renjun gives you a pointed look, sighing. âWhile it is touching to know that you do, in fact, listen to me whenever I talk about topics Iâm interested in, this is not how I wanted you to apply your knowledge.â
âYou know, now that I think about it, you sure talked about alien abductions a lot,â you say, stroking a fake beard on your chin. âCould it be because you were actually abducted by aliens and got brainwashed into gathering information about us demigods, but they took away your ability to feel emotions so they wouldnât get in the way of your mission?âÂ
You pause, waiting for his reaction. Renjun is very obviously trying not to smile, with his chin being propped up by his palm and his fingers covering his mouth. âPlease, continue.âÂ
âBut ultimately, that will be your fatal flaw and the downfall of your mission because you canât empathize like humans can,â you finish dramatically.Â
âAlright, letâs say I was brainwashed by aliens. Why would I then draw more attention to myself by talking about the very thing that happened to me? Wouldnât that be counterproductive?â he asks, raising an eyebrow.
âReverse psychology,â you explain, âyou talk about them, so you wonât seem suspicious.âÂ
Renjun exhales sharply before looking down at his feet. You can see his lips twitching as he tries not to laugh, though youâre pretty sure that exhale from before was a small laugh. Youâre grinning, despite the fact that youâre also trying to keep up your detective act.
âIâm kind of wish I had been abducted by aliens right about now. Maybe brainwashed me would be a little more courageous,â he mutters under his breath. Youâre not sure if you were meant to hear that, but you do anyways.Â
âThat sounds exactly like something someone abducted by an alien would say!â you say in an accusatory tone, pointing a finger at him. He rolls his eyes, but a tiny smile eventually makes its way to his lips.Â
You gasp loudly, grabbing his face and pulling it towards your own. He makes a small noise of surprise, eyes as wide as UFO saucers. Your faces are so close that your noses are slightly brushing up against one another, but youâre not paying attention to that right now.Â
âOr you could be a lizard person,â you whisper, âyou know, the ones that people think take the place of government officials.â
âTheyâre called reptilian humanoids,â Renjun corrects. His breath (which smells like the blueberry muffin he had this morning) rustles your baby hairs.Â
âYour eyes are glowing yellow, and your pupils are turning into slits,â you tease.
âAre they, now?âÂ
No, they arenât. His eyes are a cool, icy gray, like most Athena children. Itâs always been a trait youâve been jealous of. They sparkle like stars, or freshly fallen snow. They change according to his mood too. For example, when he gets angry, there are no stars. Instead of twinkling, they flash like lightning. His eyes are truly the window to his soul; theyâre one of your favorite things about him.
Renjun slightly leans into your touch, and it finally hits you how close he is. Youâre cupping his face with both hands, tilting his chin up, and it looks like youâre about to...kiss him.
 It seems youâre not the only one who thinks so, because almost the entire library is gawking at you. Including Seo Soojin. She looks surprised, and slightly disgusted, by the two of you.
Oh.
You feel heat rise from your neck to your entire face.
Oh gods, they all think weâre a couple.
You recoil away from him, withdrawing your hands like your just burned yourself. âWe have to get out of here.â
âWhat?â As always, Renjun doesnât know whatâs going on.
âJust come on,â you say quickly, grabbing his arm and dragging him out of the library.Â
Your face burns for a long time after that, and you can no longer focus on anything else. In the end, you decide to call it a day after a few more half-hearted attempts to find more candidates for Renjun. When you come back to your cabin, you take another cold shower.Â
Youâre not sure what youâre so flustered by: the fact that you didnât realize what you were doing or the fact that everyone in the library saw it.
Or the fact that you didnât mind the notion of being mistaken for a couple with Renjun.
ঠDAY THREE.
You donât meet bright and early with Renjun today. He demanded to sleep in this time, since heâs not an early riser to begin with and the past two days have sucked all the energy out of him.Â
Which means youâre free until noon. You check the timeâ10 AM.Â
Two hours to kill.Â
You donât feel like getting all sweaty and hot, so any activity outside is out. You really donât want to be judged by more Athena kids in the Arts and Crafts Center without Renjun. So, you decide to head back to the library, despite how yesterday went.
You check out a book that goes into depth about some of the most believable conspiracy theories; Renjun actually read it a while ago (and totally geeked out about it to you), but who would have thought that you would end up reading it too? Past you definitely wouldâve laughed in your face if you told her that.Â
Once you get back to your cabin, you curl up in your covers and begin to read. You get about two chapters in when you hear the door open and Jeong Jaehyun, one of your brothers, walks in. Heâs wearing his orange t-shirt thatâs soaked with sweat, and his hair is dripping from perspiration too. His pale skin glistens, and he looks like a sweaty and sparkly vampire.Â
âHey, kid,â Jaehyun says, nodding at you. He isnât that much older than you, but heâs gotten into the habit of calling you kid for some reason.
âThis is a surprise. I donât think Iâve ever seen you come back from training before 5 PM,â you tease.
He lets out a low whistle. âWay too hot out there. I needed to get some A/C before I had a heatstrokeâis that a book in your hand?â
âWhat about it?â you ask, raising an eyebrow.
Jaehyun snorts. âI donât think Iâve ever seen you near a book, much less read one.â
âRude. I am expanding my horizons,â you retort.Â
âIt seems so. What was up with you and Renjun at the library yesterday?â Jaehyun plops down on the edge of your bed.Â
âHow do you even know about that?â you ask, wrinkling your nose. âAnd go take a shower first before you sit on my bed! You stink!âÂ
âDo I?â He waggles his eyebrows and throws his arms around you in a bear hug. You try your best to shove him off, but he has a hold on your like a python.Â
âI hate you,â you say when he finally pulls back, sniffing your shirt to make sure you still smelled like your fabric softener. âAnyways, howâd you find out about the library thing?â
âRumors spread fast around here, dear sister. But, seriously, whatâs the deal?â
âThere is no deal, Jaehyun,â you sigh, closing your book. âItâs all just a misunderstanding. We were joking around while I was trying to find a potential girlfriend for him thereâwhich, by the way, is going horribly. I donât think he feels romantic attraction properly like everybody else.â
âOh right. I forgot you roped Renjun into your matchmaking thing,â Jaehyun says, disappointed. âDamn, and here I thought he finally made a move.â
Your head snaps up to give him a quizzical look. âWhat?â
âWhat?â He tilts his head.
âWhat did you mean by that, the part where you said you thought Renjun finally made a move?â you ask.Â
Jaehyun stares at you for a couple of seconds, an astonished expression on his face. âDo you really not know?âÂ
âWould I be asking if I didnât know?â you shoot back, annoyed that he still hasnât answered you.Â
âGods, all this time, I thought you were just pretending like you didnât know because you didnât want to make things awkward,â he continues, shaking his head.
âJaehyun, what are you talking about?â you demand.
âRenjun is in love with you, Y/N.â
You gape at him. Itâs a good thing youâre already sitting down because you definitely would have fallen on your ass if you had been standing.
âTh-Th-Thatâs impossible,â you stammer, like an absolute idiot. âThereâs n-n-no way.â
âOh, come on, lilâ sis. Heâs never even tried to hide it. Heâs so obvious about it that I seriously donât understand how you didnât know,â Jaehyun snorts. âYou donât even need to have powers to see that heâs head over heels for you.â
âButâbut how? I wouldâve sensed it!â you exclaim.
âYouâre so sharp when it comes to other people, but youâre dense as hell when it comes to yourself,â Jaehyun points out, shrugging. âYou just never paid attention, Y/N.â
You donât respond. Your mind is a mess, a jumbled mishmash of emotions. Youâre feeling so many things right now, and you canât pinpoint any of it.. You wouldnât be surprised if you passed out.
âDo you like him back?â Jaehyun asks softly.Â
âIâno! Of course not. Renjunâs my best friend. If I liked him, why would I be trying to find him a girlfriend right now? Thatâd be stupid of me. Yeah, thatâd be so dumb. Why would I do that?â Youâre rambling now, and itâs glaringly obvious that youâre trying to convince yourself rather than Jaehyun (and you know he can see it too).
âIt doesnât seem like youâre trying that hard, though.â
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â you ask defensively.Â
âThe Y/N I know spends all hours of the day gathering information on her potential matches and making sure even the tiniest detail goes according to her master plan that sheâs already drafted inside her head. She wouldnât be sitting here, leisurely reading a book, especially if itâs going horribly. She would be doing everything in her power to get things back on track,â Jaehyun notes. âAsk yourself. Do you really want Renjun to get a girlfriend?âÂ
âWh-Why wouldnât I?â You ask him, hoping he knows the answer, because you sure as hell donât know.Â
âBecause he wonât always be there anymore. He wonât have time to let you constantly drag him into your antics anymore. You wonât be his number one anymore. His girlfriend will be his first priority, of course, as she should. Think long and hard about that, Y/N. Will you be okay with that?â
âIââ The words seem to die inside your throat as you come to realization that you might not be okay with that at all. Youâve always gone to Renjun for everything and knowing that he may not always be there makes you feel lost, like a compass without itâs True North. Youâre being selfish again, but it seems like youâve gotten into the habit of acting selfish whenever it comes to Renjun. Youâve let yourself grow too reliant on him.Â
âWhy do you care so much anyways?â Now, youâre deflecting. âWhy did you tell me all of this?â
âBecause youâre my little sister and I care about you. I want you to be one hundred percent sure of your own feelings, so your heart doesnât get broken. The only reason I didnât say anything sooner was because I thought you were already sure. Take some time and think about it, Y/N. Itâll be better for your friendship with Renjun if everything is crystal clear between the two of you,â Jaehyun advises, giving you a pat on the shoulder. He gets up, presumably to take a shower, and leaves.
You barely notice him go.
You sit in your bed, staring blankly at the wall, until Renjun finally arrives. Heâs still a little groggy, probably having woken up ten minutes ago before coming. His clothes are a little rumpled and his hair isnât styled, with his bangs flopping in his eyes. Normally, you would have made fun of him and mussed it up, but you have other things on your mind as of the moment.Â
Like always, he can tell something is up. He gets that concerned look on his faceâthe one where he has a deep crease between his brows and his rosy lips are turned downwards.Â
âWhatâs wrong?â He places a hand on your arm, lowering his head so he canât get a better look at your face.Â
Physical contact with Renjun has always been something normal for you, but suddenly, youâre now acutely aware of everything about him. You can feel the pad of every one of his fingertips on your bare skin, the warmth of his palm, and just how easily his touch makes your body relax. Even when your brain is a whirlwind of thoughts, your muscles, like clockwork, instantly loosen up with just a brush of his hand.
âWe need to talk,â you say shakily, moving away from him. Thereâs a flash of hurt in his eyes as his hand falls to his side. You feel bad, but the longer heâs touching you, the more confused you get.Â
You lead him a secluded area behind the Dining Pavilion, and he follows wordlessly. He waits for you to speak as the two of you stand there. Now that youâre here, you donât really know what to say anymore.Â
âAre you in love with me?â you blurt before you can stop yourself. âJaehyun saidââ
âYes,â Renjun answers. If heâs surprised or taken aback whatosever, he doesnât show it. In fact, it seems like he knew this was coming. Thereâs no fear or hesitation in his eyes. Heâs unwavering in his answer, and you wonder how he can always be so certain of his feelings.Â
âHow long?â you ask tentatively.Â
âProbably when we first met,â he says.Â
âWhy?âÂ
âAre you asking me why Iâm in love with you?â He raises an eyebrow.Â
Youâre not sure. Youâre not sure of anything anymore.
When you donât answer, Renjun looks at you for a very long time. âYou make me happy, Y/N. No matter how shitty things get, no matter how much I want to ram my fist through a wall, I see you and itâs like I can finally take a breath again. When you smile at me, I forget about everything that was bothering me. You and your daily shenanigans are the best part of my day. Youâre obnoxious and frustrating and exhausting, but I fucking love you for it. Iâm at your beck and call; Iâd do anything for you. Whenever youâre happy, I become happy too. Nothing else matters to me anymore. Thatâs why.â
âYou should have told me,â you say, voice cracking. Your heart is singing with joy, and you want to cry with relief. He talks about you like youâre the best thing thatâs ever happened to him, and you so desperately want to be exactly that for him. Youâre not confused anymore. Everything has finally become clear for you now. You truly wonder how you managed not to notice anything at allâwhether it be your own feelings or his.Â
âI knew it would upset you,â he murmurs.Â
But then it hits you.Â
You canât even fathom how much Renjun has had to endure throughout the years. Heâs loved you all this time, yet he hasnât said a wordâout of consideration for you. In everything heâs ever done during the course of your friendship, he has always put you first. Even if it hurts him, he was willing to withstand it for your sake.
Yet all youâve done for him is force him into letting you try to find a him a girlfriend, despite the fact that he was against it, and he had to pretend like he was okay as he watched you parade around like a fool telling him to love someone else.Â
You donât deserve to be loved by someone like Huang Renjun.
You donât deserve to love someone like Huang Renjun.
Suddenly, you begin to feel nauseousâprobably sickened by guilt. Black spots dot your vision, and your legs start wobbling. Your body collapses only moments after, but luckily, Renjun manages to catch you before you can hit the pavement.Â
âY/N? Y/N? Hey, talk to me,â you can hear him say very faintly. Heâs cradling you against his chest, and you bury your face in it. Your head is spinning, but you feel surprisingly grounded in his arms.
Has he always smelled this nice? His scent is a mixture of books and sandalwood, and youâre basically crushing your nose against his chest like an absolute pervert. You donât feel embarrassed because you know you can blame it on being sick later.Â
Speaking of sick, even though Renjun smells so good, you proceed to lean forward and vomit all over him and yourself.
Once again, you donât feel that embarrassed because you black out soon after.
ঠDAY FOUR.
You wake up tucked nicely under your covers. Much to your relief, youâre also in clean clothesâyour favorite set of heart pajamas. Unfortunately, thatâs the only bright side to your current state.
It feels like you havenât had a sip of water in ten years, and your lips feel like theyâve been glued together. Even the tiniest movement makes your head feel like someone is drilling into your skull. Your body feels twenty times heavier, and not to mention, you just generally feel like shit because of what happened with Renjun.
âOh my gods, you look so creepy right now. Who just lays there with their eyes wide open? If youâre awake, you should say something,â a voice chides. Turning your head just a smidgen (and wincing because of the pain), you see your sister, Lee Mijoo. She has a glass of water in her hand, setting it on your nightstand.
âHow long have I been asleep?â you ask hoarsely.Â
âLetâs see. Renjun brought you back at like 2 PM yesterday, and itâs now 8 PM, so...thirty hours?â Mijoo counts on her fingers.Â
âFuck,â you groan.
âHeatstroke will do that to ya,â she says, making a clicking noise with her tongue.
âI had a heatstroke?â
âYep. It was a pretty nasty one too. You really did a number all over Renjunâs shirt. It was like a vomit Picasso,â Mijoo says, sounding kind of impressed.
Your face burns from humiliation.Â
âHere, sit up and drink this water,â she orders, helping you get up. Your head is screaming in pain, like a million little jabs to your brain. You down the water in one big gulp, not realizing just how dehydrated you were until your lips hit the water.Â
âSo, you and Renjun, huh?â Mijoo asks sheepishly.
If you still had water in your mouth, you wouldâve spat it out. âWhat?â
âJaehyun told me everything,â she explains.
Traitor, you think to yourself.
âDonât be mad at him. Renjun looked like a kicked puppy when we saw him. Thereâs no way I wouldnât have asked questions,â she says. âDid you break his heart, little sister?â
You sigh, putting the cup back on your nightstand. âI hope not. His heart shouldnât be broken by someone like me.â
âAnd what does that mean?â
âIt means that he shouldnât concern himself with me,â you sigh.
âWell, he does. He came to check up on you like a billion times. I had to ban him from coming back until tomorrow,â Mijoo snorts. âHeâs a really good guy, you know.â
âTrust me,â you say, rubbing your temples. âI know that better than anyone.â
âSo, whatâs stopping you? I would be all over that.â
You glare at her before letting out another sigh. âHeâs too good for me, Mijoo.âÂ
âThatâs for him to decide, no?â She raises an eyebrow.
âIt doesnât matter. Iâm just saying the truth,â you say.Â
âSo, you wonât mind if I date him?â she asks seriously.
Your face falls instantly, and Mijoo doubles over laughing.Â
âGeez, Y/N, you looked like you were about to claw my eyes out!â She wipes away a tear.
âVery funny,â you say dryly.Â
âBut what if I had been serious? What would you have done then?â
You donât answer.
âI think you really, really like Renjun, Y/N,â Mijoo whispers loudly.
âI think I love him,â you whisper back.
âThen, you should probably tell him.â
âYeah, I should,â you echo.
Ignoring the major migraine you have and the fact that youâre still a little sluggish, you throw your covers off of you. You donât change out of your pajamas, simply throwing a thin cardigan over it.Â
âUh, Y/N, maybe you should wait until you feel beââ
âNo, I have do it now before I change my mind,â you cut her off, slipping on your tennis shoes.
You hear Mijoo call after you, but youâre already out of the door. The Athena Cabin isnât too far from the Aphrodite Cabin, so the walk is short. Much to your surprise once youâre inside, he isnât there.
Grabbing the nearest Athena kid you see, you ask, âWhereâs Renjun?â
âUm, I think he went to the amphitheater?âÂ
The amphitheater is a bit further, so you promptly release and thank the kid, before taking off. Youâre not sure if running is recommended right after a heatstroke, but you do it anyways. By the time you get there, your cardigan is slipping off and youâre dripping with sweat from the humid summer heat.Â
The amphitheater is extremely crowded, since there was probably a performance tonight. Itâs actually a little hard to see over all the people. However, you find Renjun pretty quickly.
You see him standing off to the side, away from everyone else. Heâs staring emptily at the stage, hands tucked inside his pockets. He looks so tired and dejected. His entire body slumps as if itâs too exhausting to stand up straight anymore.Â
All because of you.
You wait until you finally catch your breath, opening your mouth to call out to him. But you donât ever get the chance to because a girl walks up to him. You canât tell who she is because the back of her head is facing you, and you see Renjun give her a small smile before saying something.
The girl laughs and turns her head, giving you a view of her side profile.
Hwang Yeji.
All of the courage you had inside you withers away like a dying flower.
You take a step back, accidentally bumping into someone behind you. They say something to you, but you donât hear it at all. Instead, you turn on your heel and run. You run wildly and blindly, nearly whizzing right past your cabin. Youâre barely able get back inside, eyes so blurry with tears that you canât even see where youâre going.Â
When Mijoo sees you, she doesnât ask any questions. She just turns on the shower for you, extra hot. You step in without a word, letting the water mix with the tears running down your face.Â
Itâs not that you think Renjun is in love with Yeji now. In fact, you know heâs not. Itâs just that they would be much better together.Â
Yeji is one of the sweetest girls you know. She would treat Renjun with the kindness he deserves. She would consider his feelings first before making him do anything. She would make him happier than you ever could. They would be so compatible, and if you werenât in love with Renjun yourself, you would definitely be trying to set the two up.Â
After your shower, you change into the clothes Mijoo set out for youâan oversized sweater with cotton shortsâand miserably crawl back in bed. Youâre so drained that you donât even have the energy to drink the fresh glass of water on your nightstand.Â
Everything hurtâmentally and physically.Â
Your heart aches most of all. Youâve dated here and there, gone through some breakups, but nothing has ever been as painful as this.Â
Itâs a pain that consumes you whole. A pain that makes you want to scream but no sound will come out. A pain that makes you want to tear your heart out. A pain that makes you wish a bunch of aliens abducted you and brainwashed you into not feeling any emotions anymore.
Itâs the same pain that you thought you felt from Renjun on the first day of when this all began.
And then the last puzzle piece finally falls into place.
That pain was never his.
It has always been your own.
You love Renjun too, and youâve loved him for a very long time.
ঠDAY FIVE.Â
âCome on, Y/N. At least get up to wash your face and brush your teeth,â Mijoo pleads.
You ignore her, pulling your covers over your head and turning away. Itâs already well into the afternoon, but youâve been feigning sick so you didnât have to get up. The rest of the Aphrodite children have left and gone about their various activities throughout the camp, but Mijoo was tasked by Jaehyun to take care of you.
âIf you just do that, Iâll leave you alone for the rest of the day,â she bargains.Â
You think about it for a second before sighing, begrudgingly sitting up. You can see the pity dripping out of her eyes when you brush past her to head to the bathroom. When you see yourself in the mirror, you can understand why.
Puffy eyes, matted hair, tear-stained cheeks, and chapped lips. Itâs too bad you hadnât been wearing mascara last night because the only thing youâre missing in your hot mess look right now are those dark smudges right under your eyes.
You brush you teeth, which takes a lot more effort than you realize, and splash water on your face. Not even bothering to brush your hair, you head straight back to bed. True to her word, Mijoo doesnât say anything else after that.
That is, until a couple hours later.
âUm, so I know I said I would leave you alone, but I think you might want to get up for this one, Y/N,â she whispers. You canât see her because you back is turned to her, but you can tell by the tone of her voice that itâs important.
Irritated, you yank the covers off you and sit back up once again. âMijoo, Iââ
You almost choke on air when you realize Mijoo isnât alone. Renjun is right beside her, looking not much better than you. Heâs in a wrinkled t-shirt and sweatpants, his hair looks like he just ran his fingers through it and called it a day, and he has purple bags under his eyes.
âCan we talk?â Renjun asks.Â
You hesitantly nod.Â
âIâll, uh, give you two some privacy,â Mijoo says awkwardly before turning around and running out of the cabin.Â
You donât know what to do now, staring down at your clasped hands. You hear Renjun take a step forward, and you feel the edge of your bed dip under his weight. Thereâs a sizable gap between you and where heâs sitting, but heâs still close enough for his scent to waft over to you. He smells wonderful like usual, and you hope you donât stink in return.
âHow are you feeling?â Renjun asks quietly.
âLike shit,â you answer honestly.
He laughs under his breath. âI know what you mean.âÂ
Your heart skips a beat, and you feel giddy all of a sudden when you see him smile. How did you manage to turn into a lovesick little schoolgirl over night?Â
âI talked to Yeji last night at the amphitheater,â Renjun says after a moment.Â
âI know,â you mutter.Â
He blinks. âYou do? How?âÂ
Youâre not sure how to answer that.
âWell, that doesnât matter right now,â he dismisses, taking in a deep breath. âI just wanted to tell you that I ran into her after I checked up on you, and she invited me to watch her performance. I wasnât going to say yes at first, but I thought it would make you happy if I did. I tried, Y/N, I really tried. Yejiâs a nice girl, but I canât help how I feel. I love you, Y/N. Itâs always been you, and it always will be. Iâm not asking you to love me back. I just want to stay by your side, as your friend, if youâll allow it. Iââ
âStop,â you interrupt, scooting closer to him and putting a hand over his mouth. âI have to tell you something.âÂ
Renjun gives you a bewildered expression but nods nonetheless.Â
You remove your hand from his mouth, before taking in a deep breath of your own. âYouâre my best friend, Renjun, and Iâve always confided in you for everything. I took you for granted, and I only thought about myself. Deep down, I think Iâve always known about your feelings and my own, but I was afraid to dig for it. I was comfortable, and I didnât want to ruin that, even though you were hurting. Iâm truly sorry for treating you that way, Renjun. From now on, I want you to tell me everythingâthe good, the bad, the ugly. Donât bottle things up for my sake.â
He goes to say something, but you hold up your hand to stop him.
âThe reason why I knew you were with Yeji at the amphitheater last night is because I was there too. I went to look for you,â you finally confess. âWhen I decided I was going to find a girlfriend for you, I thought I would be able to step aside when you did find someone. But once I saw you with Yeji, I realized that I couldnât do it. What I want with you isnât a friendship anymore. Iâm in love with you, Renjun. I have been for a long time, and it took me four, almost five, years to see that because I never thought to listen to my own heart until now. I donât think I will ever deserve you in his lifetime, but I love you. Iâm selfish and Iâm a mess and I always cause trouble for you, but Iââ
Renjun wraps an arm around your waist and tugs your body flush against his. His hand comes up to cradle your cheek as his thumb lightly runs across your cheekbone. Youâre clutching his shirt like a lifeline, holding your breath, as you stare into those gray eyes.
âYou,â he whispers, his lips barely brushing against yours, âare more than I deserve.â
He leans in and closes the infinitesimal gap between your mouths. He kisses you desperately, like youâll disappear any moment, and you can feel all of the emotions heâs been locking away. His arms are wound tightly around you as he pulls you into his lap. You weave your hands through his hair, and he deepens the kiss. Your shirt rides up as you shift, and you feel his hand slip up your shirt and rest against your back. It ignites a fire within you and you want to tell him to take it off completely, but your lungs are screaming for air, so you have no choice but to pull away.
âSorry,â Renjun says breathlessly, his chest heaving up and down, as he takes his hand out from under your shirt.
âNo, I liked it,â you say, shaking your head and placing your forehead against his. âI just ran out of air.â
âNo,â he disagrees, âI didnât mean for it to go that far. It was supposed to be a sweet kiss, but I lost control.âÂ
He tugs your shirt back down and gently sets you back down next to him. You canât help but giggle at how flustered he is. Itâs not often that Athena children, especially Huang Renjun, loses control of their emotions like that.Â
âIâm glad you find this amusing,â he says wryly, rolling his eyes.Â
âYou know,â you say in a sing-song voice, âI still technically never broke my streak. I found you a girlfriend within five days.â
âDoes it really count if you ended up being my girlfriend?â He raises an eyebrow. âSeems a little unprofessional to me.âÂ
âDonât be a sore loser,â you taunt.
âYou also said you were going to make me fall in love so hard that Iâd forget my own name,â he points out. âAnd I didnât, so thatâs false advertising. Unprofessional and unethical? I could sue you.âÂ
âYou are so petty,â you squint. âAnd come on! That kiss didnât make your forget? It made me forget!â
âI donât like you that much.â He deadpans.
âHuang Renjun, you are so not cute!âÂ
4 YEARS AGO.
âItâs not my best work, so you can have it,â Renjun says, trying to act casual about it.
You look so happy that Renjun would have painted a thousand more if you asked him to. You have a smile that could make the goddesses envious, and he can barely hear what youâre saying over the thumping of his own heart. He hopes his expression looks somewhat elusive because heâs not sure how to handle himself right now.Â
Youâre the prettiest girl heâs ever seen in his life.Â
Renjun feels like heâs been shot by Erosâ arrow. He used to never understand why everyone was so wary of Eros; heâs basically just a mascot for corny Valentineâs Day cards. Apollo and his children avoid Eros and his children like the plague. Though granted, Eros did force Apollo to fall in love with Daphne and then she ended up turning into a tree. So, there is a little bit of history there. Point being, Renjun just didnât get it.
But he think he does now.
âThank you so much!â you say excitedly, extending your hand. âIâm Y/N!â
Renjun just stupidly stares at you. Heâs not even sure if heâs worthy to touch your hand, but he also doesnât want to be rude. He carefully shakes your hand, unable to say a word.
âWhatâs your name?â you ask, tilting your head.Â
Is it possible for a person to be this adorable? he thinks to himself.
âIâm...âÂ
Youâre looking at him, waiting expectantly.
âIâm...â
Youâre still smiling, but he can see the slight confusion in your eyes. Heâs never felt like more of a moron in his life.Â
âRen...jun,â he finally says after an extreme amount of concentration.Â
You beam at him, and he wonders if heâs the only one seeing the ring of light surrounding you. Thereâs no way you arenât Aphroditeâs favorite child.
âNice to meet you, Renjun! Letâs be friends.âÂ
Renjun isnât sure he wants to be just friends, but he finds himself nodding along anyways.Â
Fuck, he thinks, Iâm in trouble.
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