[Neo Zone] Population: 23 Kids

The Ross' Domain

Renjun sighed as he switched the paint pallet to his other hand, stretching out his sore wrist. After showing Johnny at least seven mural designs and letting everyone vote, the most spacey one was chosen to fit the vibe of Moonwalk Cafe. This one was a more realistic picture of the inside of a space pod, a galaxy visible through the circular window.

Ten had helped him sketch out the mural onto the wall so the proportions were right, but he was replaced by Doyoung once he had to go. It wasn't like Doyoung was helping with the mural, though, he was working on other things.

"You know what I really hate?" Renjun started.

"People?" Shotaro questioned, causing Renjun to jump.

"When'd you get here?"

Shotaro sighed, looking at Renjun from his ball in the corner with skepticism. "Really? Really? You dragged me here because you wanted to look for demons after you're done."

Renjun smiled softly at the thought of rescuing another small demon and allowing it to possess something in the cafe. It was a nice thought.

"You two are not turning this into a demon headquarters." Doyoung scolded from where he was organizing the new recipes for Moonwalk Cafe into a binder.

Both Renjun and Shotaro frowned.

"You guys can have a whole radio station in the basement, but we can't have another demon? That's unfair." Shotaro complained.

"If Skip can live in Limitless, why can't we rescue another one from this cruel world and give them a better life?"

Doyoung sighed, looking up from his work. "Because we didn't know about Skip for awhile and he never causes any harm. You can't just bring in wild demons and expect them to be nice."

"Johnny brought home Haechan one day, how's that any different?" Renjun argued.

Shotaro burst into laughter, his eyes becoming little crescents.

Jungwoo poked his head up from the basement trap door. He had a bit of dirt on his nose from helping Lucas with the radio equipment they were trying to figure out.

"You guys know you're pretty much adults and don't have to listen to him, right?"

Renjun and Shotaro looked at each other with a gasp. Doyoung groaned, considering slamming his head against the wall.

"Why'd you have to remind them, Woo?"

Jungwoo winked, "Entertainment," and then he ducked back into the basement.

The last time someone was reminded they were practically an adult or were an adult, Jaemin pulled an all-nighter on coffee for no reason and Hendery joined him. No one got much sleep that night.

"Alright, after I finish this, we're finding a whole demon family and giving them shelter."

Shotaro jumped up from his curled up position in the corner of the cafe. They both knew they were just saying that to annoy Doyoung, but if they did happen to find a demon family in need of a home, there was no way they were denying them of that.

"Can I help so we can go faster?"

Renjun paused right as he was about to put more paint on the wall. Jungwoo had asked earlier if he could help, but Renjun hadn't let him. He just had a certain way he wanted it done, and he didn't want anyone messing it up. Shotaro was just sitting there, though...

"Do you think you can outline that very thinly in silver?" He pointed to the bars around the window, and Shotaro gave him a dead glance.

"Do I look like I'm two to you?"

"Yes, actually."

"I can outline that in silver."

Shotaro picked up the smallest paintbrush he could find and the cup of silver paint, ready to do so well that Renjun praised him. It was a long stretch, but he was prepared to make it happen.

Except as soon as he tried to paint, it started dripping down the wall rapidly.

"Why is it wet?! Why is it wet?!" He repeated, trying to stop the paint using his thumb.

"It's paint, it's going to be wet." Renjun drawled.

"No! It's running!"

Stopping everything he was doing, Renjun grabbed the rag he had and mopped up the running paint. He then took Shotaro's brush and dried it in the rag, handing it back to him. He'd have to redo part of the window now, but too much damage wasn't done.

"You forgot to dry your paintbrush first."

"Oh, sorry."

Unable to get mad at how adorably apologetic Shotaro was, Renjun gave him a quick smile before returning to what he was working on.

"Weren't you telling us something you hated?" Doyoung asked.

Renjun paused. Now he had to think about what he was going to say before he remembered Shotaro was there and then everything else happened.

"Oh yeah! I was going to say how I hate when people flirt in front of me."

"Are you sure they aren't flirting at you?" Doyoung retorted.

"No, in front of me. The other day Jaemin dragged me to the store with him because apparently I need to socialize or something stupid, and this girl from my school happened to be the cashier, and she just started flirting with him! Didn't even acknowledge I was there, and I had like half my classes with her!"

"Yeah, that happens all the time. That's why I don't go places alone with Jaemin anymore." Shotaro commented.

"It's one thing to flirt with him in front of me, but it's a whole 'nother one to pretend I'm not there."

Doyoung smirked, "Sounds like you're jealous."

Renjun turned slowly to face Doyoung, almost pure murder in his eyes. Doyoung would have stopped smirking, but he held his ground.

"She wishes I was jealous."

Chapter title gifted to you by Crimson (my little brother)