The World Stopped Moving {MarkRen} | complete

vingt-trois

"For you," Renjun says.

Jisung looks up from his computer, the cute fake glasses sliding down his nose as he squints in confusion at the daisy crown hanging from Renjun's fingers. The tension in the joints has crushed a few petals, but it still resembles a vague circle.

"For me?" Jisung tilts his head in that adorable way that always has Jaemin pinching his cheeks.

"Just take it," Renjun mutters.

Jisung takes the flowers and places them on his head with a lopsided, tentative smile. He swallows before speaking. "You good?"

"When am I ever doing good?" Renjun says, then turns on his heels and leaves to fester away in his bedroom, not wanting to sour anyone else with his low mood.

That's his intention, at least, because he doesn't make it. There's a door left wide open, and he can't mistake the Jaemin-sized lump curled under the duvet. He knows the boy should be in a lecture right now; there's a certain anatomy module he won't stop complaining about, so Renjun's heard his timetable recited through gritted teeth enough times to be worried, and he shoots Donghyuck a text. If he approached Jaemin, the younger would only guilt-trip himself and Renjun doesn't have the willpower to deal with that right now. He hasn't for a while, but now he lets himself be brutal and honest as he quietly shuts his door, shaking away the image of his ex to scribble a quick to-do list.

An essay; 2500 words. Too much reading. Catch-up from missed lectures. He can do this.

He has to rolls his shoulders and shut his eyes and exhale for ten controlled seconds to refresh, but he can do this.

Opening his eyes again, the bedroom walls hiss and the urge to escape itches, so he packs his bag and throws an apologetic smile in Jisung's direction on the way out. The youngest doesn't see him, but still wears the daisy crown which infuses some hope into Renjun's stomach to power him through the trek to the campus library.

It's nearing midday, so he has a good few hours if he stays until dinner. He's never been one to camp in the library overnight and doesn't want to become that person, which sets his determination to stone as he scans the rows of computers and desks for a space. In the very corner of the modern history section he finds Jeno, and snatches the seat opposite him.

"Hey," Renjun whispers, not questioning why Jeno isn't anywhere near the books for his subject. There aren't many people around, but he still keeps his voice down and is content to sit by a friend for some quiet company.

Jeno frowns and looks up through bleary eyes and wonky glasses, a red patch on his chin left behind from leaning on his elbow for too long, and stretches his arms high above his head.

"Hi," Jeno replies with a soft blink. It takes his eyes some time to focus away from his laptop screen. "Donghyuck just left, actually. Said it was a Jaemin emergency?" Jeno's concern searches Renjun for clues.

"Ah," Renjun confirms. "I texted him. Jaemin was in bed rather than in his lecture, so it must be a bad day." As he speaks, guilt wriggles into his chest but he shuts it out, desperate for some time to focus on himself for once.

"Donghyuck will sort him out, I'm sure," Jeno says.

Neither takes the conversation any further, both battling their assignments one by one. Renjun leaves his earphones in his bag to let the constant click of Jeno's keyboard accompany his studies. Although it seems the back button is receiving most of the attention. When Jeno huffs about how his code just isn't damn working, he threatens to smash his computer and lob it out the nearest window until Renjun intervenes by reminding him that the device cost a whole term's worth of education and they're already in debt.