#huang injoon

[ncityislove]

The Jury is Out Ch. 4

➳Pairing: Renjun x Reader x Jeno (ft a few other Dreamies)

➳Genre: Angsty fluff but mostly angst lol basically enemies to lovers

➳Word Count:4.6k

A/N: Ugh I feel so terrible for not posting like I promised. A lot happened between then and now but I'm sure nobody cares so I would just like to say I'm sorry for being a liar lmao. It turns out I had both this chapter and the last one completely done and it was just sitting in my works unedited /: yikes. Again, sorry. Enjoy!!

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It's finally the day of the school fair and you're already over the whole thing. Both the booth and Renjun had stressed you out more than you could ever imagine and you were glad this would all be over soon. You had to admit, it wasn't all a complete waste of time. You had gotten immensely closer to Renjun over the past two weeks and what started out as a lethal war zone had become somewhat of a friendship. Although, you were still unsure if you could call it that.

You and Renjun had somehow wound up from texting quiz reminders to each other to staying up all night on the phone talking from small things like Shakespeare to who would survive a zombie apocalypse. Obviously, you would thrive in that kind of environment but you weren't so sure about Renjun. He defended himself ruthlessly but couldn't give you a good explanation other than the fact that he was smarter than most people. The conversation would somehow always lead back to school and eventually turn into a study session. It was nice to not spend all your free time studying alone for a change. It was still weird at times; being friendly with Renjun will probably always be odd. You were a bit nerdy and Renjun was one of the few who liked to study as much as you do.

Unfortunately, school and your extra curriculars ate up the majority of your free time. Which meant you barely had time for Jeno. You talked to him as much as you could but you never actually had the time to go on that date. You feel pretty guilty about it but after the fair tonight, you'll have more time for him.

You're approaching the school yard now about 40 minutes before everything starts. You can spot Renjun's gigantic backpack and the midnight stark blob of fluff he calls a hairstyle a mile away, already preparing for the grand opening. You scoff, not surprised he arrived first, him being an over-achiever and all.

"You're here early," Renjun speaks as he hears you nearing.

"Clearly, not early enough."

Renjun puts down the game of bean toss he's setting up to look at you.

"Odd. I didn't think you owned jeans."

Neither of you were in your uniforms for the event. You observe Renjun's comfortable flannel and hoodie combo and are delightfully surprised he was capable of having style. Who would've known?

"Did you think my school uniform was the only thing I owned?"

"No," he adds with a sour expression. "Just used to seeing you in a skirt."

You frown. "I hate that skirt."

"I like you in that skirt."

"Don't be a perv," you wave your fist at him.

He laughs. "I've only seen you in regular clothes like twice, okay. Give me a break."

"Oh, yeah. Like when I wore that awful outfit to that party and you told me I looked weird."

He stills, his smile fading. "Right, about that." He leans against the table. "I'm sorry about that night. You looked great, beautiful even. My words didn't come out right."

"Renjun, please," you snort. "I get you're trying to be nice to me now but you don't have to lie. I don't need your pity."

"No, really," his eyes are sincere. "Listen, I was an ass to you from day one. I've done some really horrible things to you over the years and that was unfair of me. I thought you looked really pretty. Honest."

You can only stare in awe at him. You like this side of Renjun. The side of him where he apologizes and fills your head with compliments.

"I wasn't easy to be around either, though," you admit with a chuckle.

"True, but I was kind of a bully. The only reason I was so mean to you was because my dad is crazy strict. He's always on me about my grades. I always had to be the best."

His shoulders slump with his words. "And even that is never enough. And you always made it so damn hard to be the best. If you did better than me on anything, no matter how small, I'd hear about it from him. He has this obsessive need to know every little detail about my academic life. Truthfully, this is just my punishment for not being the athlete son he's always wanted."

You feel a tug at your heart strings and your feet move before your mind realizes what you're doing and then you're hugging Renjun. He's smaller than he looks, your arms fitting around him easily. He's tense but embraces you as tightly as he can.

"Thank you for telling me that."

His face is as red as a tomato but he still musters to look you in the eye. "I know I'm pretty closed off at times and I'll probably never say this again but I'm glad you're my friend, __"

Friend.

He called you his friend.

You try not to show the excitement by the word but fail miserably as the unmistakable grin spreads on your face. "Me too. Now let's finish setting up shall, we?"

The two of you are done in no time and you admire your hard work. The booth looked dramatically better than all the other ones and it was sure to be the most popular tonight by far. You spend the rest of the time before the fair starts chatting excitedly with Renjun before Jeno shows up. He's dressed casually in a pair of skinny jeans, a band t-shirt and a long padded coat. He looked like a super model even in such comfortable clothing. He sends you a dazzling smile as he goes in for a hug.

"Hey, beautiful, what's up?"

"Nothing. Me and Renjun are all set," you say, gesturing to your partner.

Jeno and Renjun lock eyes for a sliver of a second before Jeno changes the subject to fair activities. That's odd. You couldn't help but notice the exchange wasn't anything like their usual banter and half-hearted insults. Something was off. As the conversation continues, the tense energy in the air only thickens and it only confirms your suspicions when you notice Renjun hasn't spoken a word to either you or Jeno. Was it nosy to ask? You were friends, after all.

Just last night you were on the phone with Renjun saying he was having a sleepover with Jeno at his place. Something must have happened then but what? Jeno and Renjun were the best of friends and it's been that way for as long as you could remember. If they fought, they made up in minutes, which could only mean something must've went horribly wrong. It was unnerving to see them ignore each other like this.

"Hey, I've got an idea," Jeno booms.

"Hmm?" your brain buffers as your pulled from your thoughts. "What is it?"

"We haven't gotten the chance to go on a real date besides that volleyball game I went to on Tuesday. So, I was thinking," he pauses dramatically.

You give him an odd expression encouraging him to continue.

"What if we make this our first date?"

"Oh," you think aloud. "That's a great idea!"

"I know, that's why I thought it," he holds his head up high as he interlaces his fingers with yours which cues a warmth to bubble into your stomach.

"Oh, but Jeno, I can't. I've gotta man the booth," you say.

"I see," he replies solemnly and you squeeze his hand for comfort. "Isn't there anyone else who can cover for you?"

He glances at Renjun and you look to see him glaring at you both with a miffed expression. He scoffs before he walks off.

"Okay, what is going on with you two? I was on the phone with him last night and he said you guys were hanging out. What happened?"

Jeno shakes his head. "I don't like you talking to him on the phone."

You raise your eyebrows in dismay. "Since when? Jeno, he's your best friend."

"Was," he corrects. "He was my best friend."

-

The fair opens and it's as if the whole school shows up. You and Renjun are more than prepared for it, though. And by the looks of it, he actually seemed psyched about it. You were happy he was in better spirits since Jeno left earlier to meet up with the guys a while ago but it still bugged you that neither of them would tell you what happened between them.

Jisung and Chenle are your first customers and they certainly bring a lot of volume to the booth.

"Hey guys!" Chenle practically screams.

Jisung covers his ears as he smiles at you politely.

"Hey, you two," Renjun greets the duo.

"We just came to see how this thing turned out and wow," Chenle mouth hangs open as he studies your hard work. "Boy, did you guys over do it."

"Excuse me?" your eyes send a silent threat to the young boy.

"Uhhh, I mean. It looks amazing!"

Jisung pulls the strings of his hoodie tighter. "It's cold out here."

Chenle hushes Jisung's complaints. "Let's test out these games, shall we?"

You introduce the first game available, the bean bag toss and you learn that Jisung has somehow never heard of it. After going over the rules a few times, the duo preps themselves by spouting several competitive comments at each other. Jisung tosses his bean bag first, missing by a long-shot which sends Chenle into an endless spiral of laughter. Jisung cocks his head to the side, convinced his next toss will make it in. It doesn't. He loses embarrassingly bad and you give him a pat on the back.

"Best two out of three?" He gives Chenle a pleading look.

Chenle agrees allowing Jisung to go first. He takes a few steps back, whispering words of encouragement to the inanimate object, his lip tucks under his front teeth as he takes a moment to aim. He throws his arm with an alarming amount of force and you watch as the bean bag smacks on the surface of the pits, a loud crack sounding from the wooden board.

"Jisung!" Renjun exclaims.

Chenle giggles as he kneels over to examine the damage. "Well, it's not that bad. It's not broken at least."

Jisung apologizes profusely, his eyes filled with worry.

"Ah, I've seen him do worse." Renjun sighs.

You let out a sigh of relief when you see the small split. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

He stares at his hands in awe. "Ah, my hands. They're so clumsy,"

You smile at the innocence radiating off of his figure. You can't imagine being angry at someone like Jisung.

"Can I invite you to my party next week as an apology?" Jisung pipes up.

"Awe, you don't have to do that. It's fine, really."

"No, no," he waves a hand in the air as his eyes go large. "I don't mind. You were really cool at the last one. You were the life of the party."

"I was?" you scratch your head as you try to recall the foggy events.

"Yeah!! You and Jeno were going crazy on the dance floor. Haven was pretty pissed about it though. Weird."

You frown at the mention of Haven.

"But yeah, you should totally come. You and Jeno looked like you were having a good time."

"Jeno," Renjun mutters, a couple insults angrily rolling off of his tongue as he gets himself worked up all over again.

Chenle pipes in. "Renjun can be fun at parties too. And I bet __ would have a way better time with him than Jeno."

"Oh, I beg to differ," you counter. "This kid was glued to his phone the whole night. Where's the fun in that?"

"You've only seen me at a party one time," Renjun scoffs. "And you know I wasn't in a good place then. Give me the benefit of the doubt."

You give him an pointed look.

"C'mon, how bad could it be? Don't you want to go to a party with me?" he poses in a way that is so un-cool like as if to further prove his point.

You try to conceal the smile that is fruitfully trying to surface as Chenle starts to snicker.

"Y'know, now that I'm thinking about it, you two look pretty good together."

Renjun turns a shade of pink as he laughs awkwardly. "Chenle, please."

Your body stills at the bold remark. You can't wrap your mind around you and Renjun together. It wasn't a bad idea it was just...odd to think about. What on Earth did Chenle see between you that made him think of you as a couple? Wasn't it obvious you were into Jeno?

"We look good together...because" Renjun stutters to turn the situation around, "because we are the best partners to ever exist."

Just great. Renjun has somehow managed to turn an embarrassing moment even more embarrassing. You can't bear to leave your friend out hanging to dry so you agree with him, withstanding the urge to cringe.

Jisung stands there aloof, his mouth hanging open a bit. "Am I...missing something?"

"Nothing at all," Renjun assures him, tasseling his fluffy hair.

"This booth is pretty cool," Chenle says changing the subject. "It actually makes politics look fun. Can I sign up?"

"Really?? Wow, absolutely!" You clammer to pull out the sign up forms and Renjun stares at you curiously as you help Chenle. Jisung follows suit, declaring he wants to join too. You happily hand him a form as well, peeking over at Renjun to give him a thumbs up. His smile causes a burning flush to wash over you, an inexplicable warmth surging a wave of heat in this cold weather. Odd. Maybe you were coming down with a fever. You swiftly forget the feeling as Jisung calls for your attention with a question about the form.

After Chenle and Jisung move on, Sadie comes over and to your horror, so do your parents.

"Hey, sis!" Sadie exclaims, practically buzzing with excitement.

"Oh no," you slap a palm to your face. "How did you guys even know the fair was today?"

"Well you wouldn't tell me anything so I asked one of the kids I met one day after I dropped you off. He told me everything. Funny kid, really. I think his name was Haechan?"

"Haechan? Lee Haechan?" you dead pan.

"Think so," she chirps. "He tried to get my number, too. How cute."

"Not," you mutter under your breath.

"And you must be Renjun," Sadie steps forward to shake the boy's hand. "I'm __'s older sister, Sadie."

"Nice to meet you," he sends her a stiff but warm smile.

"It's nice to finally put a face to the name. You're quite handsome, actually."

You face begins to burn as you know she's referring to the time she saw Renjun the first time and you dismissed the idea of him being "cute". You stare at the side of her head but you know she can't see the warning look in your eyes as she continues to blabber on about his looks.

Renjun laughs and you could just tell he was going to tease you about this later.

"I've heard so much about you, Renjun."

He tilts his head a bit. "Really? What about?"

You clear your throat and Sadie finally gets the message.

"Um, so we actually just met Jeno," she announces.

You feel faint as the situation continues to get worse and worse. "Sadie!"

"Hey," she defends herself by stepping behind your parents who are looking absolutely clueless as to what's unfolding in front of them. "I'd never even seen the kid before, alright. It was completely unintentional!"

You can feel your skin crawling as your nerves begin to gnaw at you."Oh god," you groan.

"Before you freak out, I'll let you know we didn't do anything embarrassing--"

"Doubtful," you cut her off.

"He was walking with Haechan," she ignores your comment. "And he recognized me so he came over to say hi and then he introduced us to Jeno. Then of course, Jeno went out of his way to speak to mom and dad. He seems nice."

You try to relax. "Of course he seems nice. He's Jeno."

"He's cute too," Sadie muses.

"Sadie, just who is this Jeno boy? And why does it matter if he's cute or not?" your mom says in a pesky tone.

"Should I be concerned? Honey, did I just meet your boyfriend?" Your father inquires next.

Sadie covers you before you can stutter some lame answer.

"Relax, guys, he's just a friend. Isn't that great? __ is making friends now!"

Your parents accept Sadie's response without question as they always do and for once, you're grateful Sadie is there to be the buffer between your parents. They congratulate you on your new friends and go back to busying themselves  with chatter about the school activities available for tonight.

"Well, I don't want to bother you anymore than we already have so we'll keep walking around and I'll be back to pick you up when you're ready."

You let out a breath of relief. "Ok, cool. Thanks."

"It was nice meeting you, Renjun. C'mon guys, let's get a move on!" she calls out to your parents.

She leans in to whisper in your ear. "I like Renjun better," and then her back is turned to you as she sends him a final wave. Then she's gone.

Your mouth hangs open in disbelief. You're not sure what to think. You're not sure how to feel. It's not like you're disappointed she doesn't see Jeno the way you see him but more so shocked on what she picked up on Renjun. Why would she like Renjun more than Jeno? You were sure Jeno was absolutely charming when they'd met. Every interaction with him felt perfect. It makes you wonder. And that is all you do for the next few hours. Wonder. Wonder about Renjun. Wonder about Jeno. You feel like there was something so obvious about all of this and yet, you feel utterly in the dark. Like everyone knows something you don't.

Renjun is a good friend. You're close now. The transfer from rivalry to friendship was rocky at first but after that it was easy. You already knew everything there is to know about each other you just decided to act nicer. Your feelings were getting all muddled now. You hated him for years then suddenly you didn't and now you didn't know what it is at all you felt towards him. You were sure it was friendly but now? You hardly knew what it felt like to have a friend; was it truly friendship you were looking for? And what about Jeno?

Your thoughts swirled as you tried to clear them away. You don't know anything about anything and all you want is to run back to Sadie to for advice but you're stuck here. You're stuck in more ways than one and you can't even begin to fathom that maybe you did like Renjun. As wild a thought that may seem, just a week ago the idea of even getting along with him seemed insane. What if you did like him? Could he ever like you the same way? You didn't want to lose what you had just gotten and you definitely didn't want to hurt Jeno. 

Mr. Koffee pops up in his usual formal attire and you're greatful for the distraction.

"Wow! You two really went all out didn't you?" he studies the booth with a smile that you're not used to seeing.

"Thanks, sir." Renjun says as he gives you a discrete thumbs up.

You are reminded for the thousandth time that all of this transpired because of a school fair booth. If you had never volunteered for this, you'd probably be at home studying right now. Your life would've been the same mundane and depressing way it was before, spending your days loathing Renjun and having a heart full of resentment towards everyone and everything.

"Really nice work. The games must've been really popular! I see one of those fools has already managed to destroy something," he points at the crack in the bean bag game.

You stifle a laugh, remembering how much Jisung had beat himself up over the small thing.

"I knew I could trust you two. Look at all these sign ups!! Terrific! You two have gone above and beyond for this project. I'll stay here and hold down the fort. Enjoy the fair for a bit, alright?"

Renjun thanks him again before the both of you take off to find the rest of the guys.

"Congrats by the way," he says cheerfully. "I don't think I ever said anything about you getting named chief last week. So congrats."

His brown eyes bore into yours and an odd giddiness fills you. "Thanks."

"You deserved it from the beginning anyways. Everyone knows that role was perfect for you."

You find yourself stunned to a silence by Renjun's kindness. You thought by now you'd get used to this new relationship but every time something nice comes from the lips that used to be so full of spite it affects you in a way you can't put into words.

You thank him after way too long a beat and Renjun stops walking. You stop in your tracks to ask what's wrong but he starts first.

"Hey, you wanna do something after this?"

You know he's not asking you on a date but you still blush at the idea of being alone outside of school together.

"Sure."

His eyes crinkle when he grins at your reply. "How about pizza? To celebrate the booth's success."

Your stomach feels light and you blame it on your body's response to the mention of food.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Great."

There's an awkward pause.

"I think I found the guys," he points over your head and your eyes follow.

It seems like Chenle discovers you at the exact same time bc he's already smiling ear to ear. He says something you can't distinguish and everyone turns to look. Everyone looks pleased except for Jeno who is visibly irritated by Renjun's presence.

You make your way over to them and Jeno wraps his arm around your neck like he has done so many times before but for some reason this time feels different.

"Hey, beautiful. You up for some funnel cake?"

"Yeah, let's go," you lean into him as you part from the rowdy group.

Jeno directs you to the southern corner of the fair to the food stops. The mixture of sweet and savory fragrances in the air make your stomach grumble. You must've slowed down some once you laid eyes on the sushi stand because Jeno has to drag you away with promises to buy you some later.

There's a long line for the funnel cakes and you and Jeno wait together catching one another up on the events the other missed. Jeno promises to make this the best first date you've ever had. You neglect to tell him that you've never been on any other first dates because of how determined he looks.

He starts off by taking you by every booth and you play all of the games they have to offer. You lose most of them but you're having to good of a time to care. The energy around Jeno is so consuming, you find it hard not to get as wrapped up in the games as he is.

Next buys you hot chocolate to combat the freezing cold and a cone of wooly-looking cotton candy. You share the fluffy treat, observing the other students as the run wild,  savoring the sugary-sweetness that melts on your tongue. The hot coco and Jeno's body heat keep you toasty as the temperature drops lower and lower. He presses his hot chest into your back close when a particular strong breeze picks up. You hear whispers of a storm coming from people passing by and you hope that it doesn't rain. You want this time with Jeno to last a little while longer.

There was something about the twinkly lights and bubble gum pop music blaring from the old speakers that made you feel like you were in a movie. You come across a claw machine and Jeno makes a beeline for it before you can even get a word out.

"This one," he taps against the glass. "I'm gonna get you this one."

You chuckle. "I can't tell which one you're pointing to."

"You'll see." He clicks his tongue as he pushes in a few coins and the machine music starts.

He wiggles his finger as if the flexibility in them will increase his chances of winning and grabs the joystick. It doesn't take long before the metal claw starts gliding around. Jeno makes odd screeching noises similar to a pig squealing that you didn't know he was capable of as the claw scoops up a white haired plushie and drops it into the hole.

"Oh yeah, baby. That's right," he says to no one in particular.

You have to admit you were impressed at his ability to be good at quite literally everything he does. He gently plops the toy into your hands, looking smug.

You take a closer look at it. "It's a Samoyed."

"Indeed. Everyone says I look like one when I smile, see?" His nose wrinkles as he shows you an exaggerated smile and your heart swoons.

"I can see the resemblance," you giggle.

He's smirking cheekily at you now, a hand snaking around your waist.

"Where to next?" you ask.

"The one place we haven't been yet,"

The Ferris wheel.

It was the only ride available at the fair. You smile to yourself as you start heading towards it, Jeno's arms holding you tightly from behind. The Ferris wheel wasn't huge but it wasn't small either. You were pleased to find the line was short and that this side of the fair seemed calmer.

You step onto the carriage when it's finally your turn and the cheesy whimsical music gets louder as the worker starts it up with a few pushes of a button. You look to Jeno to find him already watching you and it makes your face heat up. He takes hold of your hand as the carriage moves forward and you watch the school get smaller and smaller as you go higher. You never realized how big the school was but it really was huge. The people below became less audible as they shrink in size and Jeno pulls you closer now that you were away from any peering eyes and kisses you.

You're feeling loopy from having so much excitement in one night. You've had the best night in probably ever and yet you can't stop yourself from asking a question you know you probably shouldn't ask.

"Are you ever gonna tell me what happened with Renjun?"

Jeno's face hardens but it isn't anger that shows this time, it's sadness.

"Not tonight."

Your heart drops at his gloomy expression and you drop the topic immediately, realizing you've been prying all night. It really wasn't any of your business but it was hard to see them act so cold towards each other. You admired their friendship a lot and to see them behave this way was more than disheartening.

You shiver violently as the wind breezes over you and Jeno pulls something out of his pockets and shakes them. He then places two white objects in each of your hands. They're hand warmers. Jeno was always so thoughtful and kind to you it almost made you tear up for some reason.

You hug him briefly. "Thank you."

After the ride is over, you figure it's about time to head back to the booth. You've seen everything the fair had to offer and you had a good time with Jeno. You're  sad to have to leave his side but on the other hand you were happy to meet back up with Renjun.

Jeno walks you back to the booth and you find Mr. Koffee there waiting for you.

"Did you have a good time?"

"The cotton candy here is great I must say."

He comes from around the kiosk with a look of exhaustion . "I'd go over there and try it myself but I'm drained. I'm glad you're here to set me free since Renjun left early. I'm off to go home now."

"Wait, he went home?" your exasperate, your voice laced with worry.

"Huh?" he adjusts his glasses to see you better. "He said he told you. He had to go home, he was feeling ill, he said."

You've heard that one before. Once again, Renjun disappears with no text or call with the same dumb excuse.

"That's not right," Jeno says to himself aloud. "I'm gonna call him."

"I'll text the guys to see if they know anything," you offer.

Mr. Koffee stays for a bit but leaves shortly after you and Jeno confirm from the guys no one has seen him. Jeno goes to search for him while you work the booth for the remainder of the fair.

You're worried out of your mind and you get an awful feeling that something is very, very wrong. You're distracted the entire time, too wracked with nerves to focus on your task. Your throat starts to ache and you feel like you'll burst into tears at any moment. You were sure this was about Jeno but what if it wasn't? What if he left without a word because you offended him somehow? You felt dumb and conceited for even considering it but nothing else made sense. The only way to find out what really happened was to ask.

So the moment the fair is over, you push through the turfs of wandering students and parents to race down street. There was one last place you haven't checked. There wasn't time to wait on Sadie to pick you up so you dash through the parking lot maneuvering through the large groups of families, colliding harshly with a few.

You're out of breath and your lungs are screaming in your chest. You push past the stinging of your legs and the fearful voice that rings in your head until Renjun's white picket fence comes into view. And that's all it takes for the pain in your body to subside. You sprint to his house, the cold air biting your cheeks and whipping your wispy hair about.

The gate is open when you finally reach his mailbox so you let yourself in. His house stands tall and you can see two figures moving in the windows. You start to second guess yourself but you've already ran all the way here and you were desperate to make sure he was okay. You didn't know if you were crossing a line by being here but you didn't care. You take in a heap of air to calm your beating heart before you ring the doorbell, smoothing over your wild hair. The moving shadows in the window freezes and a wave of anxiety crashes over you as they get closer and closer.

The door swings open, revealing a small middle aged woman with a deep set frown. Her acrylics taps on the door impatiently as she looks you up and down.

"Can I help you?"

Her voice is meek but is dripping in enough irritation that it causes you to stiffen. Her cold round eyes remind you a lot of the way Renjun used to peer down on you back when you didn't get along.

You clear your throat. "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you. Um, is Renjun home?"

She sneers as she brings a hand from behind the door to her chest, revealing an expensive looking wine glass. She brings it to her lips but doesn't take a sip.

"No. He isn't home yet. Maybe he's with his little friends. Ask them."

"Oh, okay. Sorry, again."

She doesn't say another word. Her pumps click against the tile as she shuts the door and walks away.

Your shoulders relax after she leaves and you throw your head in your hands. You had no idea his mother would be so...intense. You decide to get off of his family's property before his mom comes back out with that scary look in her eyes and try his cell one more time. It goes straight to voicemail and you let out a sound of frustration.

You walk leisurely back to the school this time around hoping you hadn't kept Sadie waiting too long. The school yard was mostly barren now, only a few stragglers were still hanging around while the cleaning crew picked up the loads of garbage left behind. Your eyes automatically go back to your booth and stop in your tracks when you notice Renjun breaking down the kiosk and cleaning up. You sigh through your nose as you make your way to him, your heart full of both anger and fear.

He notices your arrival prematurely and he awkwardly stares as you close in the distance between the two of you. The silence is deafening, your face is hot and the lack of guilt in his eyes made you furious. Finally, your standing in front of him, your lips aching from your teeth clutching them so harshly. You can tell he doesn't know what to say to you by the twitch of his lips and how he's wringing his fingers together.

"Renjun," you speak and his hands still at the softness of your tone.

"Where were you? I mean, where have you been? We looked all over for you. Why do you keep disappearing like that?? You're friends—" your voice rises in anger. "The people who care about you—searched and searched. No text, no call. Nothing. Jeno was going out of his mind trying to find you. "

You sigh again, your throat aching with the urge to cry again. "I was so scared something had happened. Something that I had done. I mean, did I...was there something I did to make you mad? If I did..."

A single snow flake lands on your nose and it distracts you long enough for Renjun to interrupt.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I—" his hands start fighting again. "I didn't know you cared that much. I didn't mean to worry you."

"We're friends now, remember?" Your hands enclose around his trembling ones and he relaxes, his lips curved in a frown.

"Friends." He repeats.

"I went to your house to see if you were there, you know."

He clicks his tongue with a roll of his eyes. "How did that go?"

"Your mom answered the door. She seems...nice."

He scoffs. "Yeah right. I doubt she'd care of if I'd actually go missing."

You wrap your arms around Renjun instinctively as you had done once before. He reacts quicker this time, his chin nuzzling your neck.

"That's not true," you barely whisper.

Snow is coming do faster now, some sticking into your hair and others melting the moment it contacts your skin.

"It's snowing," you say aloud. You try to pull back but Renjun doesn't let up.

"__" he calls.

His voice sounds so vulnerable, it catches you off guard.

"Yes?"

"There's something I need to tell you. Don't say anything until I'm finished, okay?"

You're a bit confused but you go along with it, hoping he'll reveal why he keeps running off without a word.

"This may sound crazy but, I realized once we started working on this booth together that you never hated me as much as you pretended to. For years, everything you did irked me and I wanted to make your life a living hell. Then I wanted to make it better. I wanted to make your life easier and I don't know how but things shifted and we became friends. I started to like you more than I thought was possible. And when I see you with Jeno, I get so angry inside—I didn't understand it. At least not at first...

I couldn't figure out why until it was too late. Chenle had been telling me to do this for weeks but I'm such an idiot. You were already so hung up on Jeno. I see the way you look at him. And he treats you better than I ever could. Hell, you might not even feel the same way. It's why I keep running away. I was scared of what I was feeling and even more scared of what those feelings would do to us."

His arms drop from around your shoulders and you're face to face now. Your heart caught in your throat, frozen at a stand still. "I'm sorry if this makes things awkward. We can still be friends after this I hope. I won't come in between you two, I promise."

His brown pupils stare into your barren ones, your face drained of all color. You feel queasy and the soft flurries of snow suddenly feels like shards of ice slicing you into pieces. You hardly noticed the urgency of the falling snow in between his confession but it was all you could see now. You felt cold. Everything was too loud. Your jumbled up thoughts stir your brain into scrambles and your legs start to tingle again.

Your brain finally clears and then there's only one thing on your mind. It's like your body gears into overdrive and then your running. All you can see is white but your body seems to know where to go as the shouts of your name become fainter and fainter. Snow meshes in with the tears streaming from your face as you sprint forward and don't dare to look back.

[ihugrenjun]

RENJUN LAYOUT !!

- give a heart or a reblog if u wanna use it !!

[geminiccasa]

happy birthday renjun ☀️

[lullips]

THAT BALLET GIRL — hrj

pairings : major art college student!huang renjun x fem!reader

genre : fluff

warning : mention of car crash

──────────────────────────────

renjun kept his eyes on you. watching each and every movement of you with an adoring face, watching as your white dress flow which makes your performance more entertaining to watch. his hand keeps moving the pencil on his fingers onto the paper of his sketchbook, making a beautiful masterpiece from the scene in front of him.

you danced with your eyes closed, feeling the soft rhythm from the little radio you brought, feeling peaceful and happy. ballet has been your passion since you were four, you were such an amazing ballerina. almost always getting the gold medal, hundreds of trophies & lots of ballet certificates.

but everything has to go down just in a second. everything you built, everything you achieved in 14 years of such hard work has to get destroyed in just a mere second.

it was saturday night, you were 18 when you and your friends decided to go out together for the celebration of you winning first place in the ballet national competition. it was supposed to be an unharmful hang out, the street was empty, and it was a chilly night, the weather was absolutely perfect.

you guys were joking around, just like a usual group of friends. but when one of your friends accidentally shoved you to the street, unaware of a black car passed by, the once fun and safe night turns into a night filled with high-pitched screams when the car didn't stop in time and hits you right away.

and just like that... your dream was destroyed.

that accident caused both of your legs broken, which make you couldn't do ballet anymore. you spent a year and a half grieving and staring with jealousy every time you saw your friends doing the thing that you love the most.

that was until last year, you decided to try again. after so many months of convincing your parents that you can try again, that you're capable to do ballet again, your parents give up and let you do anything you want as long as it completely unharmful. so you did.

but you prefer to be self-taught, you know how expensive ballet classes are and you don't want your parents to pay for those classes again even though they can.

now, here you are, in the park nearby, doing your usual performance with some people constantly throwing coins for you. you're still unaware of a pair of eyes belonged to a man with his mullet brown hair. the pair of eyes that has been watching you for days, mesmerized by the way you moved so gracefully yet powerful. and he definitely did not notice the butterflies that form in his stomach every time he's watching your street performances.

the song ends and you bow with a sweet smile, applause & cheer filling the crowd immediately. renjun looked down at his drawing. it was done, and definitely beautiful.

and now that his drawing of you is done, he has the reason to talk to you. and maybe, just maybe, you would say yes to his offer to get some coffee in the cafe nearby. so he gets up, adjusting his denim jacket before clearing his throat and walking towards you who was massaging your angkles slightly.

he tapped your shoulder and you automatically turn around. when you did, renjun swears that you have become 10 thousand more ethereal. your face is glowing from the sweat and the sun hitting you, your hair was slightly messy... you look absolutely breathtaking.

he clears his throat one more time before showing his drawing of you and sticking his hand out.

"hi, i'm renjun."

[nishimuriki]

Renjun, Chewing Gum Era, about NCT 127: Never say anything bad about the hyungs, ever. Names are powerful.

Renjun now: The hyungs? They're all little bitches. Hey Doyoung. DOYOUNG. Fuck you

[shinpredicts]

NCT Renjun 2021 - 2022 Reading

Renjun from 2021 to 2022 will probably have some complications with his friends. They will likely spread rumors about him or accidentally let something slip. He may also be spotted with his friends and there may be rumors related to love/dating too. Renjun will also have some fights with his friends; he will feel used by some of them.

Renjun from 2021 to 2022 will probably get into a light/open relationship later in 2021. This relationship will have a lot of ups and downs, including drama. Renjun will probably feel frustrated many times during the relationship as his partner will be clingier than he expected. There'll be a lot of arguing, and his partner will feel betrayed in many ways. The relationship probably ends later in 2022 on a sour note.

Renjun is likely to face some health issues. His mental health will have some good periods and then some bad periods. He's likely to suffer from some old injuries, likely the waist, hips, neck, shoulders, knees, and ankles. He'll also likely be prone to stomach flu and digestion problems.

[baekhyunbitz]

5. A Song By A Boy Group

Hello Future - NCT Dream

[taeyongbestboi]

I’ve been into Renjun these days. I was just scrolling through twitter and found an old thread in Bahasa of Renjun’s quotes compilation. Istg that boy shares the same thoughts as me yet his are more mature and secured. I’ve been feeling like shit so far, 2020 hasn’t been really nice to me personally. I used to be an opismistic girl, like literaly nothing can get in my way. That’s how optimist i was. But staying inside crumbled my securities and truthfully, it wasn’t the best feeling.

So here’s some of Renjun’s quotes that I personally adore, purely because they gives me strength ♡

I don't really mind what title others give me. I personally have my own goals and ambitions, and that's more important to me. My self-evaluation matters above all else. If I think I am an artist, then I am.

These sentence gave me a wake up call. I do think i’m way too care about how people think of me. I wanted to say that i’m an artist loudly and proudly as well, but i never got the confidence to say it.

It's unavoidable to have some regrets in life. A lot of times we regret it when we have lost something or look back to the past, but there's no undo button in life. We should look forward to a new week and give ourselves chances at a new start.

As for this quote, i read a really good damn fic (in Bahasa) about campus life (the cast is NCT) and i experienced major nostalgia because of it. So bad, to the point that i wish i could turn back time and be more careful in pursuing what i wanted to do. I wish i was a more persistent person. But after i read this quote, i realize that there’s no turning back in life and all that we can do is to move forward.

When you're looking at someone succeeding and improving, don't let it affect you negatively. Instead of thinking "that person is improving more" and giving up, you should think about "how can we improve and succeed together".

THIS QUOTE IS ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ istg i wanted to ask Renjun myself like “how on earth could you know? how on earth could you say something i precisely think of?”... i lost my confidence by looking at social medias too often. I envied my friends, i wanted to make art but i feel like no one’s give a shit.

If no one supports your dream then I will always be here to support your dream.

This is promise to us. We can tell what kind of person he is by these genuine words. Do we really deserve him?

Even if there is no path, when many people walk that direction then a path will eventually appear. If there is no path ahead then it's up to you to take the first step and make one for yourself.

This too, has been a reminder for me to bravely take a step towards my vision and ambition.

No matter how seemingly insignificant we might think we are, there will always be an opportunity for us to display our talents.

He’s really saying that we sould really love ourselves! Be courageous, be brave, be bold. Show what you got in every chance. No one can tell you what to do in life, no one can judge.

There isn't an instruction manual or rule book to life, there is nothing stopping you from achieving your dream, it's never too late to start chasing your dream.

I’m only 23 this year, just the right time to graduate from college, yet i feel like i’m a lot behind. Just because i’m not early like some of the people i know, doesn’t mean that i’m late. Thank you for the kind reminder, Renjun ♡

If there's someone by our side that makes our hearts beat faster, don't hesitate, let them know your feeling.

This one is also my wish for him. We all know he’s young, he has set his path, he have an amazing career and future ahead. But i really want him to know if there’s anyone he trully cares the most, more that friends perhaps, i want him to cherish that person and not be afraid of the rules of game.

Last, but not least...

“Nothing can substitute the feeling of a home.”

I couldn’t agree more on this one.

Huang Renjun of NCT, he’s young yet so ahead of time. I’d thank him for those wise words that i personally adore, that gives stregth here and there for me. It’s amazing that this wide, rigid world blessed with the existence of him. Keep on inspiring, Renjun-ah

♡ , 시즈니

[lutinydeerhun]

Hwang İnjoon (Huang Renjun) Layout / Pack 🦢

[ncityislove]

The Jury is Out Ch. 3

➳ Pairing: Renjun x Reader

➳  Genre: Fluffy Angst

➳ Word Count: 3.9k

A/N: HELLOOOO!! Here is the long awaited third chapter of The Jury is Out. This was promised to be out in January but here it is, four months late. Sorry it’s so short and I’m sure there are typos as well ugh!! Thanks for reading and sorry for the wait! Also, the new album SLAPS!!!

The awful pounding in your head is unbearable as you wait for your first class to start. Your sour mood worsens when you recalled yesterday's events. The strong sense of shame you felt was overwhelming but you push the thoughts away in favor of finding your only pencil in the mess of your book bag.

When Renjun arrives, he sits his things on your table, unpacking his binder and pencil box. You don't know why he isn't sitting in his usual seat when you didn't have a lab today. You frown but remove your book bag from the chair next you, nonetheless.

Renjun sits down eagerly, glancing at you a moment longer than normal.  "I like your hair."

Your hands immediately grip the strands. "Oh, thanks."

Was that a compliment just now?

"Where were you yesterday, by the way?"

"I was sick, so I missed first period," he says, flicking the dark tufts of hair out of his eyes.

Unbelievable. He's lying straight to your face.

"That's not what Chenle had to say."

"Hmm? Chenle? He's always pulling pranks; I wouldn't buy anything that comes out of his mouth," he laughs.

You glare at him for a moment. "You didn't get my texts messages?"

He smiles sheepishly. "Oh...sorry about that. I was...um...busy?"

"Hmm. Are you okay at least?"

"Yeah, never better!"

You shake your head, not wanting to seem like you actually cared even though deep down you knew you did. It's crazy that all it took was one little afternoon alone together in the cold and suddenly Renjun matters to you. All those years of being at each other's throats out the window. Just like that. It was different now. You were more mindful of each other's feelings and it's even gotten to the point where you're receiving compliments. It was a change that you still hadn't adjusted to but maybe it was a good one.

The horrible excuses and lies weren't something you were fond of but it's not like you were friends so you kept that to yourself. You just wished he'd tell you the truth or even hearing that he didn't want to talk about it would've been fine. You didn't see why he had to lie...

You had to remind yourself that you shouldn't be so concerned with Renjun. It was weirding you out that you were thinking about him so much lately. As much as you hated to admit it, you might've maybe felt something for him in that teeny split second after you made up on the field. You never really noticed how funny he was because you were always the butt of the joke but turns out he was hilarious. And his voice was so sweet and calming you could probably listen to it forever. But whatever it was—that moment your heart skipped a beat— was gone. It was crazy to even think—there was no way you'd ever say that out loud. Clearly, Renjun would never reciprocate.

If only Haven could see you now.

Renjun turns his body toward you, giving you his full attention. "Are we meeting at the track after school?"

"I have volleyball practice but we can meet after, if you want."

"Yeah, cool," he says, looking pleased.

"Are you sure you're okay though?"

The question had been on your mind since yesterday. Maybe something happened with his dad and he didn't want to say anything. According to Jeno, he didn't talk about that stuff much but you still wanted to make sure he was okay.

"Hm?" he looks at you strange. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Are you sure? I mean, you can tell me if you're not. If you want to, that is."

He laughs, his face glowing with a big smile. "Are you worried about me?"

You scowl. "As if."

"Aww, you care about me! Who knew the coldest person in the world had a heart?" he pinches your cheek.

You violently slap his hand away. "Don't ever touch me again. Got it? Ever."

Renjun chuckles lightly. "Alright, sorry. Whatever you say."

When class starts, the teacher pulls up her usual PowerPoint and you began messily jotting down the first slide. She seems to be in a rush as she breezes over everything making it difficult to write down everything in time. Renjun nudges your arm. You look to see him offering you a piece of gum. You reject it, mouthing a 'no thanks' with a polite smile and scramble to write down the rest of the slide. He purses his lips, taking a piece for himself, leisurely writing his notes.

A few minutes later, he nudges your arm again. "You got any led?"

Your nostrils flare as you let out a sigh, pulling out your pencil pouch for him to find the type of led he needs. You pick your pencil back up and continue your notes.

"Thanks," he whispers. "Hey, did you get that last slide?"

"Oh my fucking--no, Renjun! How could I have gotten the last slide when you keep distracting me?"

Renjun starts to giggle and Mrs. Brookes stops her lesson.

"What's going on back there?" she looks irritated to find you and Renjun talking. "__, would you like to tell me what the main parts of the brain are?"

"Umm," you hesitate, your eyes scanning over the board. It must've been on the last slide, which you didn't get, thanks to Renjun.

Mrs. Brooks looks at you expectingly. The class turns to look at you as well when you take too long to answer.

"Cerebellum, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, cerebrum, and the thalamus," Renjun says, saving your ass.

"Very good! Thank you, Renjun. Now, as I was saying..." Mrs. Brookes turns back to the board and continues rambling on about the brain.

"I thought you didn't get the last slide?" you whisper.

"Just because I didn't write it down doesn't mean I wasn't paying attention."

You stare at the side of his face in shock and you can tell by the way his cheeks were lifted he was smiling.

-

Renjun sits with you again in third period. You scoot your stuff over, once again saying nothing. This was getting a little odd. If you weren't friends why did he keep sitting next to you? You weren't friends, were you? You decide not to ask. Sadie seemed like the right person to confide this type of stuff into.

Your desks were too close together which made Renjun's knee touch yours. You wouldn't have noticed any other time but this time in particular it was hard not to.

"You should sit with me at lunch from now on."

Definitely getting mixed signals here.

"Why?"

"We're partners. It only makes sense, you know?"

"But we've been partners for years."

He opens his mouth then closes it. "Well, yeah that's true...but you still should. I won't force you to but I'll be really upset if you don't."

"Upset?" you repeat with a tilt of your head.

Why would he be upset about that? You couldn't understand why he was acting so weird today.

"Yeah and if I get upset, I won't be able to focus on the booth," his tone is sad and it tugs at your heart for some reason.

"Well...if that's the case, I'll do it. For the sake of the booth."

He smiles triumphantly. "Right. For the booth."

The kid who usually sits next to you walks over and stands there awkwardly before he finds an empty seat somewhere else. You try not to giggle at how uncomfortable Renjun looks. The class goes by smoothly this time, Renjun only bugging you every once in a while to compare answers on your worksheet. When the bell rings, you and Renjun walk to lunch together. He's talking to you about the Pythagorean theorem but you keep getting distracted by the odd looks people keep giving you in the hall. You weren't used to getting this much attention; you're existence was pretty much irrelevant unless something happened with your rivalry against Renjun. Renjun, being the top of the class and friends with almost all the sports team members on the other hand, was very much popular. You couldn't begin to imagine the confusion you two were causing just by walking to lunch together. Jisung is the first person to see you coming, a look of recognition crossing his face. Chenle was next; he smiles sending you a friendly wave. You say hello, sitting your tray down next to Jeno's and Renjun sits on the other side of you.

"Hey, beautiful, what're you doing here?" Jeno asks.

You flush at the pet name. "I think as Renjun's partner, we should take advantage of the free time we have to work together."

"Oh god, you two are so much alike," Haechan groans.

"I think it's cute," Chenle beams.

Jaemin fake gags and everyone bursts into laughter except for you who didn't find it all that funny.

The laughter dies down.

"Will you be spending all your time with Renjun?" Jeno asks.

"Um, no..."

"Well, in that case, would you like to go on a date with me tonight?"

You drop your carton of milk on the table, thankfully you hadn't opened it yet. You feel your palms get sweaty.

"I...can't. I have practice after school and then I have to work on the booth. I'm sorry."

The boys "ooh" in unison like a bunch of fifth graders.

"It's not like that!" you scramble to fix your words. "We can go another day?"

Jeno's eyes disappear as he gives you the most heartwarming smile. You can't help but smile back at him.

Chenle clears his throat. "What do you think about that, Renjun?"

Renjun's picking at the edge of his foam tray when he shrugs. "I couldn't care less."

Chenle gives him a glare as if he's trying to convey some message to him but Renjun doesn't meet his eyes so he elbows him.

"Fine. I admit, I don't approve."

The whole table gets quiet. You and Jeno share the same expression of surprise.

"Why not? And don't say she's too good for me."

"It'll distract __ from school and I don't think that's what she wants."

Jeno snorts. "It's just one date; I think she'll be fine. And when we do become a couple, which we will—I'll make sure of that—I won't distract from her school work."

"Yeah, but I don't think—"

"Plus, you used to have a girlfriend—what's the difference?"

The atmosphere gets tense at the mention of Haven and Jeno looks sorrowful as the boys send him angry looks.

"Um...sorry."

"When does practice end?" Renjun changes the subject.

You're still confused about what's going on. "Who? Me?"

"Yes, you, dummy," he grins.

You ignore the fact that he just called you a dummy. "It ends at four but I can leave early."

"Mind if I come and watch?" Jeno asks.

"Sure!" you get excited at the thought of Jeno watching you play.

"No fair! I wanna come too!" Jisung exclaims.

Jaemin reaches out to pat him on the shoulder. "You're not going anywhere near those girls, you pervert."

You giggle at the two, unaware of the concerned look Chenle's giving Renjun as he silently scribbles in his notebook.

You arrive at the gym, hauling the equipment the coach had you fetch. The girls are all huddled in a circle, gossiping most likely. You set up the net and clear the court of the mats that were left behind from a previous class. You could ask for help but you were sure no one wanted to.

You break up their little party after you get another text from the coach.

"Ladies, coach says she's not coming until the end of practice so we're starting without her. Let's start stretching, okay?"

The girls spread out and begin their stretches and you join them. Everyone's following instructions except for Haven, who's still standing in the same spot.

"Haven," you call in a warning tone.

"Why can't we just hang out until coach gets here? She doesn't have to know."

Everyone agrees, the room filling with murmurs.

You already feel the anger rising in your body. It felt like every time Haven opened her mouth, it was always to go against you. Maybe her and Renjun were the perfect couple after all.

"Guys, c'mon. If we slack off, we'll throw the next game and lose our winning streak."

"No way, skipping one day of practice won't cost us some measly game. You're being a little dramatic, don't 'ya think?"

"Some measly game?" you repeat in utter shock. "You don't even care about winning. Haven, you don't care about this team at all; why should any of us listen to you? I am captain of this team, in case you've forgotten."

"Oh god here we go again," she sighs. "That's just a title, __. That doesn't make you the boss of me."

"Oh, yes it does. I can get your ass kicked off the team with one word. Coach trusts me, all I have to do is say it. Should I have a chat with her when she gets here?"

Haven gets as red as a tomato, her lips poking out in an ugly pout. You almost laugh at how immature she's looks right now. It was a mystery how people adore that girl so much when she's got such an ugly attitude.

"Since you all agree with Haven, let's do ten laps. C'mon."

Everyone gives Haven dirty looks as the get up and starts running.

"Let's go ladies, I'd like to get this over with so we can start practice." you clap your hands to speed them up. "And Haven? You get ten extra laps."

Haven flips you off before she runs off but you don't really care. At least she was listening to you for once. You hear a door slam upstairs and Jeno struts in, sitting at the back of the bleachers. He's smiling as he waves to you, giving you a thumbs up. You can't help but match his smile as you wave back.

When everyone's finished their laps and done their stretches, you split everyone into teams. You're opposing Haven's team and boy, do they suck. They're losing embarrassingly bad and you're not even the one who's hitting the ball. One of your best players, Sana, was dragging the other team through the mud. Mina and Momo always made sure the ball got passed to her and when she swung her fists, the ball connected with the ground every time. Haven hated lots of things but you knew most of all, she hated to lose. This was only reason you haven't kicked her off yet. She wasn't the best player—not even close—but she did like to win. You don't know what made her join the team but she did and she always tried to win when it came down to it.

You switch positions on both sides, you serving this time. You throw the ball up high, spreading your fingers apart as you raise your hand and slam your palm against it so hard, there's a loud thud that echoes through the gym. The other team throws themselves to save the ball but their efforts are in vain. The ball is too fast for them. Applause comes from the top right corner of the room and everyone turns to look at Jeno. You pretend you don't notice him, calling the ball back but your pink cheeks exposes you anyway.

Jeno whoops and cheers every time you scored a point, and let's be real, with the skills you have, that means it happened a lot. You never had someone who weren't your parents or your coach cheer you on like this and it was something you found to really enjoy. This was something you could get used to. You imagine him attending your future games. Your stomach fills with butterflies and you could almost hear him calling your name when you dive to save the ball.

"Why's Jeno here?" Haven whispers to one of her friends. "Since when was __ this close with Jeno?"

You smirk, calling Jeno over after letting everyone take a short break. The two of you laugh and talk for a bit, ignoring the cold stare Haven's giving you not too far away.

-

   Jeno walks you to the track field where they meet Renjun, who's already got a head start. His jacket is thrown over his book bag and you notice how toned his arms are with his sleeves rolled up. He looks up when hears your footsteps, the smile on his face slowly fading when he notices Jeno behind you.

"Oh great. What are you doing here?"

You laugh at his displeased expression. "He's just leaving, calm down."

"Actually, since I'm here, why don't I stay and help out?" Jeno proposes.

"Oh!" you let out an excited squeal you didn't know you were capable of. "That's great idea! Yes!"

"Absolutely not." Renjun rolls his eyes. "Go home, Jeno. You'll just get in the way."

Jeno juts his bottom lip out and you have to keep yourself from swooning at how adorable he looks.

"Renjunie!" he whines. "I promise not to get in the way. Let me help?"

You give him pleading eyes behind Jeno's back. Renjun looks at you and grunts, muttering something inaudible as he starting hammering away at a slab of wood a little too hard.

"Yes!!" Jeno takes off his jacket and gets to work. "This is a one-time thing," Renjun declares, his back turned to the both of you.

"Right, right, got it," Jeno quickly agrees. "Let me help you with that," he runs over to carry the bucket of paint you were holding.

You watch him lug the heavy object onto the table. "Oh, thanks, but I had it."

Renjun rolls his eyes.

   Hetries repeatedly to get Jeno to go home. Each and every time Jeno would laugh it off, calling him grumpy. You noticed his mood was off but you didn't want to bother him by asking why. He never told you those kinds of things anyway so why go through the trouble of asking? He never laughs when Jeno makes one of his famous jokes and he doesn't look at you when you speak to him. You wish he wouldn't be such a mood killer but he was almost always like this even at parties you've come to find out.

When you start to lose daylight, you decide to call it quits for the day.

"I think we can wrap up for today," you beam. "We're nearly finished thanks to Jeno."

Renjun's bag is already slung over his shoulder by the time you finish your sentence. "See ya."

"Yeah...I'll see you," you trail off as he sprints down the field.

"What's his problem?" Jeno asks aloud.

You shrug just as your phone starts to jingle that annoying ringtone you set it to over a year ago. You dig it out of your back pocket and read the caller ID. It's Sadie.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Listen, I'm sorry, I totally spaced about picking you up after school. I'm out with Jodie right now."

You can't help the displeased noise that comes from you at the sound of Jodie's name. "That's cool, I guess. I can just walk like I usually do."

"Are you sure? We can come and get you in about twenty minutes."

"We?  Yeah, no thanks. I promise I'll be fine."

"I promised mom and dad I'd pick you--hold on. Jodie, I'm on the phone...what?"

There's whispering then a short silence on the other line and you give Jeno an awkward smile.

"Um, okay,  be safe walking. Sorry again! Bye!"

Click.

Jeno kicks a pile of dirt with the tip of his shoe. "Your ride must be here."

"Nah, I'm walking today."

Jeno perks up. "Really? Me too. I'll walk you home."

You stop in your tracks. "Are you sure? I don't want you to go out of your way."

"It's no problem. I like hanging out with you, anyways. You're cool people."

You nervously tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. No one's ever called you cool before. Ever since Renjun and you got paired together for the booth it's like your life had been flipped upside down. People were starting to notice you. You were even sitting at the popular table now. Your blooming friendship with Jeno was sure to leave you a permanent spot there, too. Even girls as pretty and cool as Haven was starting to become jealous of you--for whatever reason, you don't know.

You look a Jeno and the sun hits his eyes that make them glimmer a bit. You never noticed how they turned a lighter brown in the light. Or how flawless and beautiful his skin was. Or even how soft and luscious his hair looked until now. You realize you're staring and heat covered your cheeks.

"Yeah, thanks," you cleared your throat.

"Which way is it?" Jeno asks, dropping his arm over your shoulder.

The air was cold and the wind was biting but the constant blushing of your cheeks kept you warm as you walked the short path to your house. The hand warmers Jeno selflessly gifted you also helped too. You talked aimlessly about nothing and you weren't sure when you started walking so closely but every other step your bodies would brush against one another. Clearly, this didn't bother him as he made no effort to put some distance between you.

Your heart was heavy in your chest as you approached your driveway, the walk feeling all too short.

"Well, this is  me," you tut.

"You live, like, really close to school," Jeno basks at your noble home.

"Yeah, I hate it."

Jeno shakes his head at your sarcastic remark. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful."

You scoff at the pet name, a smile spreading across your lips. "I'd invite you in but nobody's home and I don't want my parents to kill me. Not yet anyway."

Jeno steps onto the stoop of your porch with you, his body dangerously close to yours. "That's okay. You can have me over another time."

You let out an airy laugh, turning away to unlock the door. "Are you inviting yourself into my home?"

"Yep," his fingers cup your chin, tilting your head up to look at him.

You heart stops for a single moment and then suddenly it's pounding harder than ever. He's going to kiss you. Lee Jeno is going to kiss you. Your hold your breath when he pulls you close, his lips mere inches from yours. He pauses, his warm breath fanning over your face and it turns to white in the cold air. The street lamps flicker on and suddenly everything is illuminated in orange.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," he murmurs.

It takes you a moment to find your voice. "Don't stop."

You drop the heat warmer in your hand s to wrap your arms around the nape of his neck and finally, he kisses you. His lips are warm and welcoming as he softly pecks your own. Your mind goes blank and all your senses are filled with Jeno, Jeno, Jeno. It's better than you imagined it'd be.

You both pull back and are smiling like idiots. You bid each other farewell after one very long hug and then you're alone. No one to witness you jumping excitedly like a crackhead in your house, kicking and screaming for joy like a child.

[lovsong]

renjun ✧ stronger + boom ✧ 34th golden disc awards

[iwillgiveyoumyhappiness]

黄仁俊, Huang Renjun

aesthetic-06-24 asked:

I loved the VAV stuff thank you!! I was wondering if you would do a thing with Renjun (NCT) where the other dreamies find out your dating. I love you 💕

Group: NCT Dream (엔시티드림)

Member: Renjun

(A/N) Hey, @aesthetic-06-24! It’s been too long that this has been sitting in my drafts. ;-; I just need to get off my butt and do it! It’s gonna be short and sweet, but I hope it doesn’t disappoint!! I love you too, by the way. ^-^

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It was a warm and comfortable feeling to Renjun, having his girlfriend’s back pressed firmly against his chest. He wasn’t normally one for all of that touchy-feely stuff, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. 

It was at a lack of opportunity.

Between the two of them, they had made the decision that they would hide their relationship, at least until the timing was right. As things stood now, the timing was less than ideal. They knew that time and age would catch up to them at some point, making it impossible for Dream to stay the way that it was now.

They wanted to cherish the moments they had left with the Dreamies with all of them as close friends, as they had been since the first day that Jeno introduced them all to his ‘cool friend from back in school’. 

They didn’t need the complication adding their less-than-platonic relationship into the mix. 

Still, that didn’t mean that there weren’t moments like this where Renjun wanted to reveal everything in the blink of an eye. How could he possibly want to keep it to himself when his girl was being effortlessly beautiful, washing the dishes for everyone without being asked to, and smelled like oranges—all at the same time?

It was almost impossible to keep his mouth shut. Sometimes he imagined how simple it would be to just say, “Hey, guys! We’re dating!” or to just kiss her in front of everyone. Every once in a while, he felt compelled to do just that, but then his worries and reservations got in the way, so he never went through with it.

Besides, this wasn’t his decision alone to make. It was both of theirs, and he respected her opinion above all else.

“Can you not?” she chuckled, trying to push him away with her elbow.

She could feel his pout against her neck. “Why?” he whined, tightening his hold. 

She quirked a brow. “How many reasons should I give? One, I’m busy. Two, the guys could walk in any minute, and you know that,” she said, keeping her voice quiet. The guise they were under is that Renjun was helping out in the kitchen, but all it took was for one member to peek their head in from the living room and it was all over.

He used two fingers to turn her head to face him. “It’s my birthday,” he said. “Am I not allowed to hug my girlfriend?” A giggled a little, an impish spark igniting in his eyes. “And maybe kiss her a little, too?” he whispered in her ears.

She tried to hide the smile that was creeping up her lips. “Why are you being all sweet?” she asked. She sighed, turning off the water and tossing the soapy sponge in the sink. She put her hands over his own, tracing heart patterns into them. “I mean, it’s not that you’re not usually sweet—you are—but today, you’re just especially...” 

“Needy?” he offered, swaying them back and forth without much thought. He breathed out through his nose. “Yeah, a little bit,” he admitted. “I’m just in kind of a mood right now.” 

She leaned her head back, finding comfort in the way that it fit perfectly in the dip of his neck and shoulders. “Wanna talk about it?” she asked. 

“No,” he said softly, his eyes closing and a frown taking place of his smile. “I will, though. ‘Cause I trust you.” She squeezed his hand, giving him a quick charge of reassurance. He heaved a heavy sigh, opening his eyes to look at her again. 

That was always one of their biggest things: during important talks, eye contact was the most important thing.

He continued, “I’m just having his feeling where it’s like everything is being taken away from me. My youth, my group, my friends, and I guess... I don’t wanna lose you, too.” He shrugged, trying to make himself seem less affected than he was. “That’s all.” 

She nodded understandingly. “I get it,” she whispered. She raised a hand, massaging the tense furrow from in between his brow. “It’ll be okay,” she assured him. She hummed thoughtfully for a moment, thinking of how to phrase her point. 

“You’re not losing your youth,” she started, “you’re just growing up. You’re not losing your group, you’re just reading into new chapters. You’re not losing your friends, ‘cause they’ll stick with you no matter what.” She pushed herself onto her tip-toes, giving him a gentle peck on the cheek. “And guess what? I’m not going anywhere either.”

Slowly but surely, his smile returned. “Are you magic or something?” he asked.

“Or something,” she chuckled. 

Ahem, came a pointed clearing of a throat.

Both of them tensed up, freezing on the spot. 

Renjun’s eyes traveled forward, finally meeting Na Jaemin’s. He was standing in the opening from the living room to the kitchen, his arms crossed, an eyebrow raised and his foot tapping a slow, suspicious rhythm. 

“What’s goin’ on, you two?” he asked, giving them a sharp look.

Renjun swallowed thickly, his eyes wide and his mouth opening and closing like a beached, confused mackerel. Slowly, he pulled his arms away from her, shuffling a few inches away. “Platonic affection?” he offered, much more of a question than an answer. 

His breath quickened as he realized that Jaemin was no where near convinced. 

“You guys are dating, aren’t you?” Jaemin asked, his expression softening and his foot ceasing the impatient tapping. 

They looked at him, guilt swimming in their eyes. “Yeah...” Renjun said quietly.

“We’re sorry we kept it from you,” she said, shifting a little under their friend’s searching gaze. “We just really wanted to preserve what all of us had together, ‘cause that was... Really, really nice.”

Jaemin smiled a little, bringing attention to his chapped lips. “Why are you sorry?” he asked. A chuckle rose in his chest. “You just won me five bucks!” he announced loudly. 

A series of groans and cheers came from the next room over. 

“Could you have not dated for five seconds longer?!” Donghyuk’s voice came. “I had a lot of money on your loyalty to this trust circle!”

Chenle’s dolphin laugh pierced through the air. “I’m not mad at all!” he said. 

“Well, of course you’re not!” Donghyuk complained. “You’re the one who gets the money! Not like you need it...”

Renjun stared on blankly. “You had bets on us?” he asked.

Jeno strolled into the room, hands in his pockets and eye-smile of full display. “Hell yeah,” he said. “Ever since I spotted your heart eyes while you thought no one else was looking, I assumed it was either a crush, or secret-dating.” 

She stared at him. “So... You’re not mad?” she asked. 

“Mad?” He walked over to her, putting an arm around her shoulder. “Why would I be mad? Two of my best friends are being happy together. Sure, it’s a little weird to think about, but we’re definitely not gonna shun you for it.” He looked at Renjun. “Except maybe Donghyuk. He probably hates you now.” 

Renjun chuckled, trying to ease the nervousness in his chest. “Maybe...” 

“Try ‘definitely’!” Donghyuk shouted.

Renjun exchanged a glance with his girlfriend, currently being smothered by congratulations from Jaemin and Jeno. Both of them had a shine in their eyes that probably hadn’t been there before. 

It was the shine of realizing: ‘Oh, we really do have the coolest friends and can trust them with anything, don’t we?’

What a lovely shine to have.

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I don’t know quite why this turned into a Bestfriend!Dream AU, but you know what... I’m not mad. And I hope you aren’t either! I originally went on a far more crackheaded path than this, but for whatever reason, I’m in my feels right now, so after revision, it became this. I hope you still enjoyed it! ^-^

As always, thanks for reading and requesting, and I hope your new year can be amazing and fulfill a lot of your wishes!!

[ctzenofnct]

my son is handsome af

[nishimuriki]

Jaemin: [to Jeno] I must have you for my husband.

Renjun: Well, you really take the subtle approach, don't you, Jaemin?

[bndnlover]

My Favourite Kpop Releases of 2019

Boom by NCT Dream <3

[stroni-bomb]

Official article: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9357513/nct-dream-new-album-reload-return-of-mark

DID SM ENTERTAINMENT ACTUALLY LISTEN TO US FOR ONCE??? Did they just listen to us nctzens? This is the SMARTEST decision SM has ever made in their entire careers

NCT DREAM IS OFFICIALLY A FIXED UNIT (details in the articles)

Do you hear that? “YO DREAM!”