The Lodger; Noren NCT

✿*｡ Four ｡*✿

That night Jeno sat opposite Renjun at the dinner table, neither of them looking up or meeting each others eyes. They both focused their whole attention on the food they were eating.
Jeno's mother coughs in an attempt to lift the awkwardness slightly. "So, Renjun how was your first day of school?" She asks, smiling sweetly at the blonde boy who had no other choice but to lift his gaze from the plate set in front of him.

"It was good" his answer was short but it seemed to satisfy the woman enough. She turns to her own son with the same smile plastered on her dace.

"Jeno, I hoped you helped Renjun out today" she says but Jeno says nothing. His eyes stay fixed on where he was moving his food around on his plate. She looks back over at Renjun "he did help you...right?"

Renjun suddenly felt very put on the spot, he notices Jeno glance up at him, also waiting patiently for his answer.
"A-actually Jaemin did, Jeno's friend" he says and notices a slight disappointment pass over the woman's face. "Jeno did offer, but he told me in the car that he needed to speak to one of his teachers before class" he quickly adds and the woman relaxes a little "I didn't want to be an inconvenience".

Jeno's face remained emotionless as he listened to the lies fall from Renjun's lips. He had no idea why he was covering for him. Renjun could have dropped him in it if he wanted to, and honestly that's what Jeno had been expecting.

Jeno's mother leans back in her seat a little, moving from where she had leant forward in anticipation. Her smile now looked genuine. "Oh thank god. I know how Jeno can be sometimes" she laughs a little, picking up her wine glass and taking a sip of the red liquid "I'm glad my son was polite".

"You talk about me as if I'm not here" Jeno speaks up. It was the first thing he had said since sitting down at the table.
Another awkward silence settles over them and Jeno pushes his plate away before standing up. "I'm going to bed" he states, turning on his heel and storming out of the room.

He was still mad at his mum for bringing Renjun into their home, but he was even more mad at the fact that she expected them to be friends.

Jeno comes to the conclusion that he deserved some time alone. What he really means is that he was going to sleep until 3am and then wake up for more food since he had barely touched his dinner.

He kicks open his bedroom door, pulling his shirt off and leaping onto his bed. He sighs in satisfaction, loving the feeling of his soft sheets on his bare chest. Just laying there would have sent him off into a deep sleep.

Just as he felt himself dozing off there was a knock at his bedroom door. With a groan he drags himself up, stumbling over to the door and opening it up. "What?"
Renjun's eyes travel down, admiring Jeno's toned abs before moving back up to his face, his cheeks slightly flushed. "What do you want?" Jeno repeats, bringing the Chinese boy back to reality.

"Oh um, I-I just wanted to say thank you, for giving me a ride to school" he smiles a little, shuffling uncomfortably under Jeno's gaze "I know you don't like me but it was kind of you to offer me a ride".
When Jeno doesn't answer, Renjun takes the hint that he should leave. "Okay bye".

Jeno watches the blonde turn to move back to the guest room but he reaches out and grabs his arm, startling the elder a little. "Thanks" he says, his eyes locked with Renjun's. "For covering for me downstairs".
With that he lets go of Renjun's wrist before disappearing back into his room, closing his door in the blondes face.

He could tell Renjun wasn't a bad guy, but Jaemin was right, he was bitter and therefore just couldn't allow himself to like Renjun.

•••••

Jeno had no idea how long he had been asleep. The last thing he remembered was messaging Jaemin.

He groans as he sits up, his phone still laying on his mattress, he must have fallen asleep in the middle of typing.
The room was pitch black and Jeno stumbles his way over to the light switch, squinting slightly at the brightness. He checks his phone seeing it was 4am. Damn he'd slept longer than he thought.

His stomach growls and it wasn't long before Jeno had swung open his door and crept down the stairs. He stops when hearing a voice, he recognised the language as Chinese. Why the heck was Renjun on the phone at four in the morning?

Shrugging to himself, Jeno carries on towards the kitchen. Renjun was sat on the counter top, his phone pressed to his ear. Jeno ignores him, opening up the fridge and taking out a carton of banana milk, downing it right then and there.

Renjun ends his call, placing his phone down beside him.
"Why are you on the phone this early?" Jeno ask, throwing the empty carton into the trash.

"My mum was checking up on me, She works night shifts" he answers earning a nod of understanding. "What are you doing up early?"

Jeno moves closer to Renjun, leaning in a little too close for comfort as he opens up a cupboard above his head. "I'm hungry" he answers, grabbing a box of cereal and moving away. He finishes pouring his cereal and adding milk, the whole time he can feel Renjun's eyes on him, watching his every move.
He picks up his bowl and sits down at the table, his own eyes moving to meet the others gaze "are you just gonna stare at me for the rest of the night?" He asks, raising a brow before shoving a spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

Renjun apologises quickly, jumping down from the counter and hurrying off back upstairs.