The Lodger; Noren NCT

✿*｡ Forty-One ｡*✿

Almost as soon as Jaemin got into the car, Jeno was asking questions. Although Renjun had asked Jeno to leave him alone, he had to make sure he was okay. That's why he had sent Jaemin.

"Did you see Renjun? Was he okay? Did he ask about me?" He rushes, overwhelming the pink haired boy for a moment.
Jaemin holds his hand up, silencing Jeno for a moment to allow the questions to process in his mind.

"Renjun is fine and no he didn't ask about you" he answers, his attention now on his phone. "Why would he ask about you, you obviously pissed him off".

Jeno sighs and starts the engine, driving off down the road. He had pissed Renjun off but he also thought that Renjun had completely over reacted. All he did was try to apologise for what he did.
"I just thought he might have asked that's all"

Far a moment the car was silent until Jaemin locks his phone and looks over to Jeno "can you please explain to me what the heck is going on between you two" he asks, leaning forward in the seat "last time I checked you two were fucking each other, what the heck happened to that?"

"That ended a while ago" Jeno replies, not taking his eyes off the road. He knew it was his own fault he had screwed up his and Rejun's relationship. Just as they looked like they were finally becoming fiends, Jeno had to go and open his big mouth.

What Renjun didn't know was that Jeno was genuinely worried about him that night. Although he didn't come home extremely late, he still came home later than Jeno had assumed. He was only worried that something had happened to him. Was that so wrong?

"Jeno can I ask you a question?" Jaemin speaks up, snapping Jeno out of his daydream. The elder only nods. "Do you have feelings for Renjun?"

The question almost made jeno choke on air and the car swerves a little until he controls it again. "Feelings?" He cringes at the word itself "for Renjun?! No definitely not"

Jaemin sat with a smug smile on his lips. "Jeno you're my best friend, I know when you're lying to me" he laughs "you know there is nothing wrong with having feelings for someone right?"

Jeno didn't like the thought of having feelings for Renjun. It's not that he thought Renjun was completely gross but actually more the opposite. Jeno didn't label himself as gay or straight. He'd always just gone with whatever he wanted. But usually there was never any real attraction towards boys, that only ever happened with girls.

The thought of having feelings didn't worry him. But the thought of having feelings for a boy did.

He didn't have a problem with gay people, both Jaemin and Donghyuck were gay and they were two of his closest friends, he also had his suspicions about Mark but he didn't know for sure.

"I don't like Renjun, not like that anyway" he mutters as he turns into the school car park and pulls into a space.

The younger makes no move to get out of the car and Jeno looks over at him, a little confused. He didn't say anything for a moment, he just looked at Jeno before sighing. "Look" he starts, turning in the passenger seat a little more. "Whether you have feelings for Renjun or not, it's pretty obvious you're attracted to him in some sort of way. It's more than obvious that you care about him. I just think you should figure out how you feel before its too late"

The words linger for a moment and Jaemin makes a move to get out of the car but Jeno stops him. "What do you mean by too late?"

Jaemin shrugs "well he goes back to China in a few weeks" he points out "I'd figure out how you feel before he leaves for good" with that he turns and gets out of the car, leaving Jeno alone with his thoughts.

Just thinking about Renjun leaving and not coming back made his heart ache involuntarily. He'd gotten so use to Renjun always being there that he had completely forgotten about him leaving once the semester ended.
Jeno groans and rests his head against his steering wheel, trying to understand what was going on inside his head.

After a few minutes he hears the faint ringing of the bells, signalling the start of class. He didn't want to move but he drags himself out of his car and makes his way closer to the school entrance. The stairs leading up to the doors were no longer crowded, only a few students sat around chatting, doing work, or just simply enjoying the weather.

On the top step, Jeno spots a familiar blonde boy, sat with his laptop open. Just the sight of Renjun caused a weird feeling in Jeno's stomach and he hated it.
For a moment he contemplated going over, but instead settles for walking straight past. After all, Renjun did tell him to leave him alone.