𝐬𝐤𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐨𝐲 ; 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐦𝐢𝐧

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

The door creaked open, revealing Jeno's surprised face. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the tension hanging thick in the air. Jeno's expression quickly shifted from surprise to something softer, a mix of relief and concern.

"Renjun," Jeno breathed out, stepping aside to let him in. "Come in."

Renjun hesitated, but then he nodded and stepped over the threshold. The familiar warmth of Jeno's home washed over him, bringing with it a flood of memories-nights spent laughing, studying, and just being together. It made the weeks of silence feel even more pronounced.

Jeno led Renjun into the living room, where Jaemin was sprawled out on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. When he saw Renjun, he immediately sat up, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Renjun?" Jaemin's voice was a mixture of hope and uncertainty, as if he wasn't sure whether to believe that Renjun was actually standing there.

"Hey," Renjun greeted softly, his nerves getting the better of him. "I... I'm sorry I've been distant."

Jaemin exchanged a glance with Jeno before both of them turned their full attention to Renjun. "We've been worried about you," Jaemin admitted. "We didn't want to push, but we missed you."

Renjun could see the hurt in their eyes, and it made his chest tighten with guilt. "I missed you both too," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I just... I didn't know how to handle everything after... after that day."

Jeno and Jaemin stayed quiet, letting Renjun take his time. He appreciated that more than they could know.

Renjun took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts. "When you kissed me, it caught me off guard. Not because I didn't care about you-I do, a lot. But because it made me realize that I have feelings for you too, and that scared me. I wasn't ready to face those feelings, so I ran. I'm sorry for shutting you out."

Jaemin's expression softened, his eyes full of understanding. "You don't have to apologize, Renjun. We shouldn't have surprised you like that. We just-" he paused, searching for the right words, "-we just wanted you to know how we feel."

Jeno nodded in agreement. "We never wanted to make you uncomfortable. We care about you, Renjun, and we don't want to lose what we have with you."

Renjun swallowed hard, feeling the weight of their sincerity. "I don't want to lose what we have either," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm scared. I've never felt this way before, and I don't know what to do."

Jaemin stood up from the couch and walked over to Renjun, taking his hands in his own. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. We can take this slow, figure it out together. There's no rush."

Jeno came to stand beside them, his presence reassuring. "We're not going anywhere, Renjun. Whatever you're feeling, we'll figure it out together."

Renjun felt a rush of gratitude and something else-something warm and comforting-settle in his chest. For the first time in weeks, he felt like he could breathe again. He squeezed Jaemin's hands, then let out a shaky laugh. "I'm still scared," he admitted, "but I don't want to keep running away."

Jaemin smiled, a spark of hope in his eyes. "You don't have to. We'll take it one step at a time, okay?"

"Okay," Renjun agreed, feeling a sense of peace he hadn't known he needed.

They moved to the couch, and the three of them sat close, a sense of normalcy slowly returning. They talked about everything and nothing, letting the conversation flow naturally. It was a small step, but it was enough to remind Renjun that they could find their way back to each other, even if the path was uncertain.

As the evening wore on, Renjun found himself feeling lighter, the heavy burden of his fears easing with each passing moment. Jeno and Jaemin were there, steady and patient, and that was enough for now.

When it was time to leave, Renjun stood at the doorway, feeling a mixture of emotions. He wasn't sure what the future held, but he knew he didn't want to face it alone.

"Thank you," Renjun said, looking at both of them. "For understanding. For being patient with me."

Jaemin smiled, pulling Renjun into a quick hug. "We'll always be here for you, Renjun. No matter what."

Jeno nodded, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. "We're in this together."

Renjun left with a small, hopeful smile on his face. He wasn't sure where this journey would take them, but for the first time in a long while, he felt like he was on the right path.

---

Later that night, as Renjun lay in bed, he replayed the day's events in his mind. There was still uncertainty, still fear, but now it was tempered with something stronger-trust. He trusted Jaemin and Jeno, and he trusted that they would figure this out together.

For the first time in weeks, Renjun drifted off to sleep with a sense of calm, knowing that tomorrow was a new day, full of possibilities.