𝐬𝐤𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐨𝐲 ; 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐦𝐢𝐧

𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

The atmosphere between Renjun, Jaemin, and Jeno shifted noticeably after that unexpected kiss. Where there had once been easy laughter and effortless camaraderie, now hung a heavy silence. Renjun had become distant, retreating into himself as he wrestled with the confusing swirl of emotions that plagued him.

It started subtly at first. Renjun would take a little longer to respond to texts, or he would leave the group chat on read, saying he was too busy with schoolwork. When they passed each other in the hallways, he'd flash a quick smile and keep walking, always claiming he had somewhere to be. Jaemin and Jeno noticed the change immediately, but they didn't push. They knew they had to give him space, but as the days turned into weeks, their patience was tested.

One evening, as the sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the campus, Jeno and Jaemin found themselves sitting on the bleachers of their school's football field. The place had always been a refuge for the three of them, a spot where they could unwind and talk for hours. But tonight, there was no easy banter, no shared laughter. The bleachers felt emptier without Renjun.

"He's avoiding us," Jaemin said, breaking the silence. His voice was tinged with frustration and hurt.

Jeno sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. But what can we do? We promised we'd give him time."

"I know, but it's killing me," Jaemin admitted, staring out at the empty field. "I miss him, Jen. I miss talking to him, hanging out with him. It's like he's just... gone."

Jeno nodded in agreement, his heart aching in a way that was becoming all too familiar. "I miss him too. But we have to respect his space. We can't force him to talk to us if he's not ready."

Jaemin frowned, his frustration mounting. "But what if he never talks to us again? What if we've ruined everything?"

Jeno's expression softened as he placed a reassuring hand on Jaemin's shoulder. "We haven't ruined anything. We just... changed things. We have to trust that Renjun will come back to us when he's ready."

Jaemin didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "I hope you're right," he finally murmured. "Because I don't know what I'd do if he didn't."

---

Meanwhile, Renjun was struggling with his own turmoil. Every time he thought about Jaemin and Jeno, his heart ached with a mix of longing and fear. The kiss had awakened feelings he hadn't even realized he had, and the intensity of it all scared him. How could he face them when he didn't even know how to face himself?

He started spending more time alone, retreating to quiet corners of the library or disappearing into the art studio where he could lose himself in his sketches. He missed Jaemin and Jeno terribly, but every time he thought about seeing them, a wave of anxiety would crash over him, leaving him breathless.

One afternoon, Renjun sat in the farthest corner of the library, his sketchbook open on the table in front of him. He had meant to draw, to distract himself from the gnawing emptiness inside, but all he could do was stare at the blank page. His thoughts were a tangled mess of what-ifs and regrets.

What if he had handled things differently? What if he had been brave enough to face his feelings instead of running away? What if he lost Jaemin and Jeno for good?

The thought was unbearable, but every time he considered reaching out to them, the fear of what he might feel, what he might say, held him back.

As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, he heard the faintest sound of footsteps approaching. His heart skipped a beat, a mixture of hope and dread surging through him. But when he looked up, it wasn't Jaemin or Jeno standing there. It was Renjun's classmate, Haechan, who shared a few classes with him.

"Hey, Renjun," Haechan greeted him with a friendly smile, sitting down across from him without waiting for an invitation. "Mind if I join you? The library's pretty packed today."

Renjun forced a smile, relieved it wasn't Jeno or Jaemin. "Sure, go ahead."

Haechan pulled out a textbook, but instead of studying, he gave Renjun a curious look. "You've been pretty quiet lately. Everything okay?"

Renjun hesitated, not sure how to respond. "Just... busy, I guess."

Haechan raised an eyebrow. "Busy avoiding your friends, you mean?"

Renjun's eyes widened in surprise, but Haechan's tone was light, not accusatory. "Look, I'm not trying to pry," Haechan continued. "But I've seen you hanging out with Jeno and Jaemin all the time. Now you're suddenly MIA? Something happened, didn't it?"

Renjun bit his lip, unsure of how much he wanted to share. But the loneliness he felt was overwhelming, and he found himself nodding. "Yeah... something happened."

Haechan leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Wanna talk about it? Sometimes it helps to get it off your chest."

Renjun considered it for a moment. He didn't know Haechan all that well, but maybe that was why it felt easier to talk to him. "I don't know where to start," Renjun admitted.

"Start anywhere," Haechan encouraged. "It doesn't have to make sense. Just... let it out."

Renjun took a deep breath, the words spilling out before he could stop them. "Jeno and Jaemin... they kissed me. And I- I just panicked. I didn't know how to handle it, so I ran. And now I'm avoiding them because I'm scared of what it means. But I miss them so much, and I don't know what to do."

Haechan listened quietly, nodding as Renjun spoke. When he finished, Haechan gave him a thoughtful look. "Sounds like you're scared of your own feelings. But running away from them isn't going to make them go away, you know."

"I know," Renjun said, his voice small. "But what if I mess everything up?"

Haechan offered a reassuring smile. "You're not going to mess anything up by being honest, Renjun. Jeno and Jaemin care about you, right? They're probably just waiting for you to come to them. You don't have to have all the answers right now. Just take it one step at a time."

Renjun sighed, feeling the weight of his emotions lifting slightly. "I guess you're right. I just... I don't want to lose them."

"You won't," Haechan said confidently. "But you can't keep hiding either. They deserve to know what's going on in your head, even if it's messy."

Renjun nodded, feeling a sense of clarity for the first time in weeks. "Thanks, Haechan. I needed that."

"Anytime," Haechan replied, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Now, go talk to your friends. They're probably worried sick about you."

---

That evening, Renjun stood outside Jeno's house, his heart pounding in his chest. He had finally mustered the courage to face them, to talk about what had happened and what it meant. He didn't have all the answers, but he knew he couldn't keep running.

Taking a deep breath, Renjun knocked on the door, hoping that Jeno and Jaemin would understand, that they would still want to be a part of his life, no matter how complicated things had become.