The World Stopped Moving {MarkRen} | complete

sept

Renjun isn't one to binge dramas. In fact, he hardly watches anything besides an occasional episode if Jaemin needs some company, or if Jisung has become obsessed with a new show he's desperate to talk about with someone. That doesn't stop Renjun from opening his deserted Netflix account to select the first clichéd drama he can find.

It's one where the leads fall in love. It's predictable. It's short, sweet and simple, with a plot that isn't difficult for his sleep-addled brain to follow at two in the morning. His thoughts whir like the poor overheated laptop that sits precariously on his legs, loud and choking and insistent. Burying himself deeper under the sheets, he selects the next episode.

He shouldn't have stayed up to text Mark. He'd planned to sleep early for once, to get his routine back on track and finally shake the weights off his eyelids, but the elder said he couldn't sleep. That he felt kind of lonely. Each emoji Mark sent bore another whole in Renjun's heart. They made him smile, but they made him bitter, too. How could he possibly resist the cuteness? How could he ignore Mark when, with each passing day, his heart gains more territory over his rational thoughts?

The hours flew by. Then Mark stopped replying.

Renjun checks his phone again, squinting under the duvet when the blue light attacks his eyes. Mark was last online an hour and a half ago. He hopes he just fell asleep. Yes. That's probably the answer.

He repeats that mantra to himself until sleep, the only solace, embraces him.

The other guys in the dorm must sense his tetchiness in the morning, for breakfast is quieter than usual. Jaemin eats his toast on the way out the door, and the rest seem to battle between making small talk and just saying nothing at all. It doesn't stop Donghyuck from interrogating Renjun.

"Is he okay?" Donghyuck nudges Renjun's foot under the table, making the Chinese look up from his bowl of soggy Cheerios. They meet eyes. The concern in Donghyuck's clashes with the restlessness in Renjun's.

Renjun prods his cereal with the spoon in his right hand but doesn't eat any. "Who? Jaemin?" Donghyuck glares in response. It's an empty threat, yet bolstered with a steel the elder doesn't want to mess with.

"I'm worried about him. He doesn't speak to me about anything and barely shows affection," Donghyuck starts. Jeno, Chenle and Jisung take that as their cue to move into the living room with their food, allowing the two to chat alone. "I feel like I'm having to chase after him."

Jaemin must not have gone through with his promise. Renjun isn't exactly surprised, but it stings to know Jaemin is so reluctant, even after the talk they had. They've never broken a single promise to each other.

Donghyuck watches a blush of irritation cloud Renjun's features. "You know something, don't you?" He gets up to dump his plate in the sink, then grabs an apple from the fruit bowl before sitting back down. "Please tell me."

"I can't." Renjun shakes his head. A drawn-out sigh leaves Donghyuck's nose. "I can't tell you. It has to come from him."

Donghyuck nods, solemn with understanding, and it infuriates Renjun that something so simple as communication hasn't passed through Donghyuck's mind, especially when the two halves of the couple are blatant opposites of each other. It isn't fair on Jaemin.

"Have you tried asking him?" Renjun ventures.

"No," Donghyuck admits. He chews the first bite of the apple slowly, then the second with more force, as though wishing he were grinding away at their relationship, whittling it down to the issues at its core. "He doesn't open up to me about anything."

Renjun takes a mouthful of cereal and scrunches his nose. "Perhaps that's because he feels you haven't provided space for him to do that."

"Did he... when you two were a thing..." Donghyuck's eyes search the room, his usual brazen confidence hiding as he licks his lips. "Did he talk to you?"