Monopoly | Norenmin

better suited

Renjun glanced to his side, seeing Jeno and Jaemin talking beside him about something he wasn't really paying attention to. He liked admiring them both now anyway, it was alright.

Though why he agreed to just third wheel again he didn't know. Maybe he was really that whipped now. What had his life become?

Before Renjun could pull out his headphones and drown away the outside world he was grabbed by the arm by Jaemin. Startled, Renjun looked at him with wide eyes, Jaemin tugging his arm a little. With furrowed brows, Renjun let himself be pulled gently in between Jeno and Jaemin. As he was released, he stumbled a little into Jaemin, the taller boy laughing a little and helping him.
Renjun looked back and forth between the two, confused beyond his years, Jeno chuckling a little as Jaemin just smiled at him Renjun blinked a little before looking back up at Jaemin. "Why?"
Jaemin snorted, "So this one," he pointed up at Jeno before flicking the side of his head, "doesn't forget you."
Jeno winced a little before looking back with an agape mouth. Renjun burst into light laughter, nodding as he understood. At least he wasn't that much of a third wheel.

"I have never forgotten Injun," Jeno jokingly sneered at Jaemin.
Both Renjun and Jaemin's faces fell into deadpan expression. Seriously? Was this man this dense? Like, yeah, maybe Renjun wasn't salty anymore, but it still happened. Even Jaemin knew and he was lowkey the cause of it dammit.
Jeno looked back and forth between the two boys cluelessly. Renjun slowly turned his head toward Jaemin, the younger boy looking back at him as well and rolling his eyes in response to his boyfriend's dumbass self.
Jeno seemed to have an epiphany, pausing in his tracks, his face slowly falling into guilt. Renjun slowly nodded, at least now he remembered. Jeno pursed his lips, exhaling a little. "Okay, I got better. I'm not as much of an asshole as I was okay. I've learnt. I've grown."
Renjun looked up to Jaemin for a moment before shrugging. "I'll give him that." Jaemin shrugged in response, nodding a little in agreement.
Besides, Renjun didn't think he was much of an asshole, especially compared to himself.

Jeno pointed accusingly at Jaemin, "hey, he ignored you too!"
"Counterpoint," Renjun snapped his fingers, "I didn't want to be noticed by him."
"Besides I've made my peace, asshole," Jaemin narrowed his eyes at Jeno, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Renjun kinda loved the fact that Jaemin could now side with him on things like this. It made him feel like less of a third wheel. Made him feel just a little bit wanted.

Jeno broke into a sheepish smile, "I won't forget him ever again, then." He chuckled as they started walking again. He pulled Renjun into his side, squeezing him tightly. "I promise. I'm sorry."
Renjun gave a half hearted chuckle, nodding in acknowledgement. It didn't really matter if Jeno forgot him. Renjun had done worse anyway. That being said he was still grateful that he wasn't thrown away.

The three of them walked down the wide path, Jeno and Jaemin both slipping their hands into his as all of them walking in pace with one another. Renjun glanced over at the scenery around him. He had probably seen the Han River five hundred times now after moving here so long ago, yet this time it seemed to be prettier. The water seemed calmer, more blue. The buildings seemed to reflect the light better, casting shadows across one another. He liked the wooden slabs he walked along, the bright sky with its fluffy clouds scattered around. The air seemed fresher, sweeter.  He didn't know why, maybe his heart was in a nicer mood but for once the outside seemed to welcome him with open arms. It was warmer, comfortable even. He could feel the tension in his shoulders release itself into the gentle breeze and he finally felt at peace after a long time.

They were all walking, occasionally chatting with one another about this and that when Jaemin suddenly had to duck from a bird flying straight at him. He screeched slightly as it swooped, Jaemin crashing a little into the other two. As soon as the bird passed, he whipped around with wide eyes of shock. He looked back at Renjun and Jeno with his jaw dropped, wondering if they had seen it too. Renjun snorted, Jeno bursting into laughter behind him.
"Are you fucking- hey!" Jaemin yelled after the bird which had gone around on to the grass beside the path. He bolted after it, Renjun and Jeno both watching him in slight confusion.

Jaemin started running up to the bird which had settled amongst its flock. Renjun didn't even know if that was even the bird that swooped him but he wasn't going to tell Jaemin this. Jeno gently tugged his sleeve, gesturing him to sit down as they both observed the strangeness before them. Renjun sat down on the grass beside the taller male, watching with furrowed brows.
Jaemin had found a stick and was breaking it into small bits, throwing each small bit toward the birds and missing by a mile. Renjun broke into a small smile, laughing a little at the younger boy. He was honestly super grateful for Jaemin's entire existence to be honest and he was getting a little lovesick when around him no matter what he was doing. He was another little light that fueled Renjun's life and he was glad he got over himself enough to appreciate it.

Jaemin ran out of stick to throw and had decided instead to just hurl himself at the flock of birds. This immediately backfired on him as the birds simply ran away to come back with more force. He shrieked, sprinting in the other direction from the flock that had began chasing him, screaming "No!" as he ran. Renjun chuckled a bit, turning his head to Jeno to see if he had witnessed that whole calamity. Jeno was already chuckling beside him, looking at him with a bright smile.

"I like how you look at him," Jeno said, mindlessly turning to Jaemin in the distance who was still running. "You seem really happy about him being around. I like that so much better."
Renjun nodded, exhaling a little into a smile, "Your ideal world, where we're all okay."
Jeno hummed in agreement, turning his head back to him. "Kinda. I think my ideal world changed a little bit."
"Oh?" Renjun cocked his head a bit, making a silent promise not to interfere as soon as he was told it. He didn't want to do that again.
"Yeah, but I'm not telling you." Jeno grinned at him before sticking his tongue out at him. He sighed as Renjun laughed, slightly relieved. It was better if he didn't know anyway. Jeno tapped his legs a little as he thought, "I just wanna test out some things."
Renjun nodded in understanding. They both glanced back to see where Jaemin was in case they lost him when they both saw him screaming and running the other way. Apparently he had found another stick and was charging at the flock. Must've been one of those days Jaemin had a lot of energy. Jeno groaned a little as Renjun shook his head a bit.

Jeno turned back to Renjun, tilting his head to the side with a lopsided smile. Renjun looked back at him, breaking into a grin. Maybe he figured out why there was a sudden liveliness in the daytime as Jeno smiled at him. Another light carrying his day, making it home.

The younger boy chuckled a little after staring at Renjun, opening up his arms and gesturing for the boy to come closer.
"What?" Renjun asked.
"Hugs," Jeno said as if it were obvious, flicking his fingers again toward himself.
Renjun hesitantly shuffled a little, leaning on to Jeno but not wanting to get any closer than he had to. "Why?"
"Am I not allowed to hug my friend?" Jeno questioned, "Or as Donghyuck put it 'a homie'?" He hugged Renjun properly and leaned some of his weight on to him, Renjun curling a little away from him.
"Normally you weren't like this unless you were upset," Renjun replied cautiously. Last time he properly reciprocated a hug from Jeno that wasn't when they made up was when Jeno was trying to replace Jaemin with him. When the old goal almost became a reality in the most sickening way ever.  

Jeno bit the inside of his lip as he contemplated his next words. "...well...maybe I want to change that." He smiled back at him, sighing before getting a little dramatic, "Besides, I haven't hugged you in like forever."
Renjun blinked blankly at him "...It's been like a week."
Jeno huffed, clinging to Renjun, "Oh come on." He turned his head down, looking at him in the eye with a small pout. "...I'm a great hugger, I've been told. Besides there's statistical proof that we need like 8 hugs a day for a good life and what if life without-"
"Okay, okay, calm your shits," Renjun sighed defeatedly, shuffling a little closer and wrapping his arms around Jeno, sinking into the warmth. "I'm hugging you."
"Yay," Jeno said in a tiny sort of voice, finally resting into Renjun fully.

Jaemin had finally gotten back from his fight with the flying, jogging up to the two and breathing a sigh of relief. Renjun looked back at him, sending him a small smile and Jeno waved a bit at him, still latching on to him. Jaemin broke into a fond smile, beaming brightly. Renjun could finally feel a brighter future for himself. One of light. One of comfort. A better suited home.