Monopoly | Norenmin

Signs Of Breakage

Renjun chuckled as Jeno spoke, pushing his hands into his pockets as he strolled beside him. Jeno and Renjun had exactly three breaks during the week where they could meet up in between classes. Typically, Jaemin's classes also had this break for two of them, so Renjun never saw him, but ever since the plan and Jaemin making excuses to leave, his life had suddenly been more saturated with Jeno's presence. And he loved every single moment of it.

"The fact that I have to do math again should be a war crime," Jeno scoffed, Renjun shaking his head in response.
"What did you expect from the first year of a teaching degree, idiot?" he chuckled in response, nudging his head on Jeno's shoulder. "You need at least basic math." The younger boy looked back down at him, breaking into laughter himself as he threw arm around Renjun's shoulder.

Renjun's breath hitched slightly, but he let himself melt into Jeno's warm embrace that he had missed so much, though he was definitely getting more now than he ever had before. In a weird, twisted way, Renjun really had Jaemin to thank for it. The man he absolutely despised was the reason he finally could enjoy Jeno's presence.
"I dunno, I was expecting mercy," Jeno dramatically sighed, slumping slightly on to Renjun, "It's sport, I don't need angles."
"You sound like Chenle," Renjun chuckled, his shoulders raised in shyness. He could still feel the heat in his face and while it wasn't bad, he just hoped Jeno wouldn't mention it.

"How is Lele by the way?" Jeno looked down at him with bright eyes, "I miss my son."
"You sound like you've literally birthed him," Renjun scoffed, casually guiding the two of them to a coffee stall nearby. Life was draining and he needed a shot of something, even if it was vodka.
Jeno chuckled, "I did, didn't you know?"
"So you're my aunt?" Renjun chuckled with raised eyebrows.
"Yes," Jeno replied with a nod. He stood up properly with a posh looking pout on his lips, making Renjun chuckle slightly. "Be kind to your ajumma."
Renjun snorted, "I'm good."
"Rude," Jeno frowned for a moment, bumping his shoulder just a little. Renjun raised an eyebrow at him, making Jeno grin back at him and leave a peck on his head. Just like that, Renjun's whole mind crumbled into basic cogs and wheels once again because of Lee Jeno. Life truly was a mess of a story. How could he become so weak?

He swayed in place as they waited in the line, quietly humming the song stuck in his head. As he slightly moved his shoulders to the small tune, he could see Jeno looking back and forth between him and the floor. Renjun let his eyes dart to his friend, raising an eyebrow in expectation. He could feel the tension in Jeno's shoulders just by standing next to him and his mind wouldn't stop bugging him about it. Of course, why wouldn't he be concerned, Jeno has never really been this hesitant about something on his mind. Now paired with an actual frown and slumped shoulders, he couldn't help but let his mind spiral.

"Nono," he said quietly, hoping that Jaemin hadn't completely taken that nickname from him, "are you okay?"
Jeno looked up, eyes glazed with fear as he nodded slightly before looking back down. Renjun rolled his eyes as Jeno rocked back on his feet. He almost forgot he had to be a little sweeter when it came to coaxing people out of their miseries.
"Jeno-ah," he spoke in a hushed tone, reaching and gently rubbing Jeno's shoulder. Jeno looked down to him, Renjun melting ever so slightly under his doe eyes. "What's wrong? You look upset."

"Um," Jeno swallowed slightly, eyes darting around to the people around him. Feeling the discomfort radiating off his friend from the setting, Renjun gently took Jeno's hand and led him away from the line, looking for a quieter place. His coffee craving could always wait for Jeno anyway. Besides, it's nice holding Jeno's hand.

After finding a private corner, Renjun turned to Jeno. "Is there something happening?"
Jeno scratched the back of his neck, "kind of. And I feel bad for talking to you about this but it's bugging me."
"It's fine," Renjun smiled reassuringly, "I'm all ears."
Jeno took a deep breath before looking Renjun straight in the eyes with a dark expression, sending a slight shiver down the boy's spine.

"Are you...sleeping with Jaemin?"

"What the actual fuck, Jeno."

Renjun choked slightly as the words tumbled out of his mouth. He would never willingly lay a single finger on that brown haired bitchboy unless it was to just punch him in the face. How Jeno thought they were doing...that...was a very icky mystery.
"Jeno, why the fuck would I do that?"
Jeno shrugged as he shook his head, looking utterly defeated by his mind. As Jeno casted his eyes down, Renjun's turned to stone. Jaemin must be fucking with him. Screwing with the plan for Jeno to jump to this conclusion.

Fuckin Na Jaemin.

Before Renjun could start his mental cussing out of the younger he had been honestly longing to do ever since this plan started, Jeno looked up at him in desperation.
"I don't know, it's just he's been really distant." Okay, maybe he wasn't fucking with him, but this was still an issue. Maybe Jeno was just an overthinking idiot. Couldn't blame him though. "He..." Jeno let his whole stature slump, drooping down into the floor and sinking into the pits of hell that he waited for him with open arms.
Renjun slightly cocked his head at him, gulping down his guilt. "What is he doing?"
Jeno huffed, "he...doesn't...Jaemin's really affectionate usually, a bubbly person. Even if we don't talk I'm okay...but this..." Jeno simply wrapped his arms around Renjun's waist, sinking his weight into him as Renjun froze in place.

"He doesn't even hug me anymore." Jeno sighed, "He talks less than he normally does to me, and when he does, all that really comes out of his mouth is your name."
Renjun gently rubbed Jeno's back as he processed what Jeno had said.

"Jaemin, you dumbfuck."

Jaemin really had to learn how to effectively execute plans and Renjun wouldn't mind whooping his ass for this kinda headassery. Honestly, what didn't Jaemin understand about s-u-b-t-l-e-t-y? Renjun would honestly love to run at Jaemin with a baseball bat in his hands, but whatever. He'd just try and brush this out with Jaemin.
He couldn't let Jeno know what they were doing just yet. It sounded too cruel at this moment. And if Jaemin stuffed this up when they were only at the beginning he wouldn't know how to clean it up. He still had to figure that out.

Maybe he should just- "No. We're not stopping. Not just yet."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Renjun asked softly, tightening his embrace as Jeno held on, wanting to be his sense of comfort.
Jeno nodded mindlessly, Renjun sighing as the younger boy nuzzled into his shoulder. He held him as tightly as he could to alleviate some of the dumb tension he was holding because of that very stupid other dipshit.

"Weird thing," Jeno mumbled, snapping the older boy out of his cruel thoughts, "but keep this perfume, it suits you."
Renjun bit his lip as he broke into a smile against his will. He chuckled a little, shifting himself as he got comfortable in his embrace. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."