Haunting; Noren NCT

♱•Twenty-Two•♱

It had been almost two weeks since the argument, and Renjun hadn't seen or felt Jeno's cold presence since. he would be lying if he said he didn't miss the ghost.

He really missed Jeno.

There were so many moments where Renjun was close to saying Jeno's name, begging him to come back, but he always stopped himself. Constantly reminding himself that Jeno was a ghost. What was he supposed to do if he begged Jeno to come back? Be his friend again? It was wrong.

If Jeno were to show up in his room Renjun knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself from begging for forgiveness, hugging Jeno tightly, loving the frosty touch.

Just the thought of it made his heart ache.

He was acting as if he'd gone through some tough break up but he hadn't. He'd had an argument with a dead person. But he deeply regretted the things he had said to Jeno, he was angry and just said the most hurtful thing he could in order to get his point across.

Obviously it didn't work.

"Renjun!" His fathers voice calls from outside of his bedroom door along with a small knock before entering. Renjun was sprawled on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Are you going to come downstairs and eat something?" His dad asks, his voice soft, still not moving from the doorway.

"I'm not hungry" Renjun mutters, not moving his gaze away from the ceiling for even a second. He hears his father sigh and the door click close, but instead of the room going back to the comfortable silence it had been in before, the sound of footsteps coming closer to the bed almost infuriates Renjun.

The bed dips a little as his father takes a seat at the end "you barely eat these days, you're skin and bone Renjun" his voice was soft and held worry but Renjun tried to ignore it as best he could "you haven't eaten properly since we came here".

That was true. Renjun was convincing himself that he had lost his appetite due to the aching feeling he felt at the loss of Jeno, but his dad was right. He hadn't had much of an appetite since moving to Korea.
"I'll be fine, I'll get something later" he says, not allowing room for anymore argument from his father.

He finally drags his gaze away from the ceiling, watching his dad leave the room, closing the door behind him.

Renjun rolls onto his side, hugging himself tightly as an act of some kind of comfort.
•••••
"Mum?" Renjun asks from the kitchen doorway. It was late and he actually felt a little hungry for once. "Can I ask you something?"

The woman looks up from her laptop and towards her son, a sweet smile on her face. Or was it a pity smile?
"Of course".

He moves to sit at the table, opposite her and she closes her laptop, pushing it aside and focusing her whole attention on Renjun. He sighs a little, already feeling a lump forming in his throat and tears welling in his eyes. "I-I had an argument with a friend I really care about and I don't know what to do"

He notices the way his mothers eyebrows furrow a little, the way she puts her hands together, resting them on the table in front font of her. "Is that what has gotten you into this state?" She asks, her tone soft and Renjun looks down, not wanting his mum seeing his teary eyes as he nods.
She releases a sigh, leaning back in her seat a little "must be a very important friend if they have you like this"

Renjun wasn't going to deny this. The past two weeks without Jeno's company had made Renjun realise just how much he had taken Jeno for granted.

Guess it's true that you never realise how much you need someone until they're no longer there.

"I said some really hurtful things, things I didn't mean" he mumbles, recalling all the hurtful things he had said about Jeno, telling him he was 'stupid for throwing his life away' even though Renjun really didn't have any idea what Jeno went through all those years ago. The thought of Renjun loosing everyone that cared for him and everyone he cared for broke his heart.

His mother gives him a smile "my advice is that you talk to them, explain why you said those things." she reaches over and takes her sons hand, rubbing it comfortingly "if they're a real friend they'll listen and forgive you".

His mum was right, but the thought of facing Jeno and admitting he was in the wrong seemed almost pointless. The damage had been done. Jeno was a ghost and it seemed he didn't need Renjun as much as Renjun needed him.

Jeno had made that much clear the morning after they had kissed.

Renjun gives his mum a small smile, wiping a stray tear from his cheek "thanks" he says although he wasn't sure if he was. He had realised that the right thing to do was apologise although that was the very thing he was too afraid to do. He guessed he was hoping his mum would suggest a different solution, he had no idea what that would be but he knew that's what he had wanted.

"Are you hungry? You haven't eaten all day" his mum suddenly says, letting go of his hand and standing from the table, opening up a cupboard "do you want me to make you something?" She asks, looking over at her son.

Although he had felt a little hungry when he had sat down, within the mere minutes of talking, his appetite had disappeared. "Sure" he says, not wanting to worry his mother anymore.

She smiles in delight, taking a few things from the cupboard and beginning to prepare some food for Renjun.

As he sits at the table, watching his mum cook, he suddenly notices the chill of the room. It wasn't new, the temperature had stayed the same since the moment he had stepped into the kitchen although he had been too upset and caught up in the conversation with his mother to notice.

Self-consciously he turns in his seat, glancing around the room. This was the first time in nearly two weeks he had felt Jeno's presence and it brought him a great amount of comfort.