RENDEZVOUS

02 | supermarket segway

"so... will there be meat at this barbecue?" jeno asked slowly.

they were all in donghyuck's mom's car, waiting around in the school car park for jisung and chenle to finally get out of class. donghyuck's mom had offered to drive them all back to theirs, cramming them all into the seven seater.

"jeno, are you a dumbass," donghyuck said flatly.

"hey!"

"obviously there'll be meat," donghyuck went on, "burgers... steak... sausages... korean beef-"

"oh my god, quit it, hyuck," renjun said when he noticed jeno wincing. "i thought you were okay with meat, jenny."

"yeah, i love meat," jeno replied, furrowing his brows, "but after the donkey- uh the cow chase, i've decided..."

"to become a vegan?" jaemin joked.

"yeah."

the others turned to stare at him, but jeno was completely serious. ever since they got chased by cows in that field on the hike challenge, jeno couldn't stand the thought of eating the terrifying creatures. just thinking about meat made his hair stand on end.

those cows were fucking scary as heck.

"i was just kidding," jaemin said, reaching over renjun to pat jeno's shoulder awkwardly.

donghyuck scoffed. "you won't last a week," he predicted.

jeno looked a little downcast so renjun rested a hand on his thigh, tracing soft circles with the pad of his thumb. "i think you can do it," he said with a quiet reassurance.

"do you wanna get vegan meat for the barbecue then, jeno?" donghyuck's mom finally spoke, turning down the extra loud beyonce that was blasting out of the car speakers.

jeno blinked. "that's a thing?"

"oh my god," jaemin groaned.

"yeah, honey, don't worry, i can drop y'all at the supermarket on our way, and then hyuckie's stepdad can pick you up on his way back from work, sound good?" donghyuck's mom offered.

"ew, does that mean the rats have to come with us?" donghyuck asked, wrinkling his nose.

"if you mean your precious angel brother and his equally precious buddy, then yes," donghyuck's mom answered, making her son cringe. "where are those boys anyway?"

almost as if on cue, jisung opened the car door and slipped inside. strangely, though, he was alone.

"where's china boy, rat?"

"shut up, hyung, you're a rat," jisung grumbled as he caught his breath. "lele got held back with guanlin for some reason at the end of class."

"aw, why didn't you wait for your precious angel buddy?" donghyuck cooed, and then pretended to retch.

jisung reached forward to where donghyuck sat up front, and smacked the back of his head.

"don't slap me, worm!"

their mom rolled her eyes and bopped to beyonce for a bit before asking, "who's this guanlin kid?"

at that moment, the car door was opened again and chenle tumbled inside, breathless. "lai guanlin?" his ears perked up. "he's the most popular boy in our year..."

"why'd you get held back?" jisung asked, taking chenle's hand and pulling him into the car properly. a faint frown crossed his features, but he managed to maintain a neutral expression.

"it's about the end of year project," chenle puffed, catching his breath, "guanlin's from taiwan and i'm from china, so miss wanted us to compare cultures between us and korea and stuff..."