life is still going on ; norenmin

4. new toys

jeno was rubbing his neck over the scars that were left there months ago when renjun told him he was going out to buy new toys for yua with his best friend, mark.

it's been exactly two days since she had been staying here. yua only seemed to like renjun compared to everyone else and hardly ever stopped whining until she got what she want, which was usually these two things: blood or renjun's full attention. jeno admittedly found it annoying when he wanted to just kiss renjun even and yua would whine for him. jaemin, on the other hand, cooed over her and always called her cute. mrs. na was no different.

"i want to surprise her," renjun was saying, glancing over at the little girl who was napping on the couch. "just, keep an eye on her, alright? put on some videos for her. you know my laptop password."

"i can't watch a kid," jeno told him with a frown.

"jaemin and mrs. na are here too," renjun reminded him, putting on a coat. "plus, i remember it was you who wanted a kid in the first place."

"well, now i know i can't watch one," jeno huffs. "plus, she doesn't even like me."

"oh, nono, she doesn't dislike you," renjun started.

"she only likes you," jeno pointed out. "and only you."

"she just warmed up to me first," renjun said thoughtfully, fixing his coat collar. "she will to you, too, jeno. anyways, i'm out!"

he walks the way there to the mall, humming and thinking about all the things he could get for yua. but then — he doesn't know what she even likes. he should've asked her! perhaps she likes stuffed animals. who doesn't like stuffed animals?

the walk is decently long and he feels out of breath by the time he reaches the mall, happy to see mark already waiting for him. he waves and smiles at him, renjun returning it and continuing his way over to him.

"you walked all the way here, didn't you?" mark asked.

"yeah," renjun came himself a few moments to rest. "no buses come to where i live, mark, you know that. plus," he takes a breath. "it's a good work out."

"fair enough," mark shrugs. "anyways, you need to go toys shopping?"

renjun tells him the entire story about yua — finding her in the cold and her parents not turning up — mark nodding and looking sympathetic at the end of it. they eventually enter the mall and look for the closest shop they could find.

"what does she like?" mark asked renjun when they walked. "dolls? cars? drawing?"

"i don't know," renjun told him honestly. "haven't asked her. she seems to like animal videos though. especially reptiles."

that was made clear from renjun observing her when he played videos on his laptop for her. yua got especially excited whenever she saw any type of reptile show up in those animal videos she had wanted to watch herself, claiming lizards were her favourite.

"well, lizards," renjun adds.

"oh," mark nods. "this place has everything. i know we can find something for her."

"hm," renjun nods.

they look at various toys in all shapes and sizes but renjun couldn't find one perfect enough for yua. he did eventually find small, plastic ones that come in packs, but renjun told mark they looked way too small for someone yua's age. when mark asks him her age, renjun doesn't have an exact answer for that.

"she looks five," he said.

"five?" mark echoed. "i assume she knows not to put things in her mouth."