punch drunk love | renmin

8

"you're hanging out with both of my friends, why can't the 4 of us hang out together? oh, why don't we do a friend party at mine, i bought snacks!" jaemin appeared in front of him showing the bag full of snacks.

renjun laid a hand on his cheek slightly brushing it.

"shouldn't xXjaynanaXx practice tonight? he really sucks at that game."

-

monday morning, jaemin woke up at the usual hour. he brushes his teeth and all that usual morning routine he does every time, i hope at least. he then opened the window, it's freezing outside.

"LEE JENO!" even if jeno had been walking with renjun to school every day since last week, jaemin's annoying agenda wasn't going to be stopped, but unlike the other days, today he received a reply.

a messy jeno covered in a blanket was wearing the heaviest pajama jaemin had ever seen him wear - he usually goes to bed in a pair of shorts, occasionally a shirt - and a pair of rounded glasses, he probably didn't even bother to wear contacts.

"i'm sick, loud ass. i'm going to sleep."

"wait! can i use your bike? if i walk to school i won't even be able to catch up with renjun." as soon as made the connection, no jeno = renjun lonely, he totally didn't care about his friend sickness.

"jaem, listen. renjun told me about your first encounter. WHY DID YOU DRAG HIM BY THE WAIST ARE YOU A FRICKING PERV?" if just a second ago he looked extremely tired, jeno was now burning.

"i just wanted to look at him!" a pink colored blush spread across his cheeks.

"also! did he omit the part in which he punched me?!"

"yes, but he did the right thing. na jaemin, you damn perv! you haven't gotten hit enough, do you even know how to interact with people! yah, you better go to school or i'll parkour into your house this istant!" jeno scolded his best friend. he literally had no experience with human interactions. who did he even manage to get this popular?! kids these days are so superficial.

jaemin did as told he got out of his home briefly greeted mom lee as he got into the garage. he started the bike and began his ride, as he got closer to the school gates he saw renjun walking inside, swinging a plastic bag he held in his hand. he remembered jeno's lecture and took some space in between them.

"there's the container, tell your mom it was really good." renjun released the plastic bag he was carrying on haechan's desk.

"you've already finished it all?! HOW?!!!" after examining the container perfectly cleaned as if new. the other, after rotating the chair in front of his desk, sat on the other side of the desk.

"actually my parents had to go for a business trip, so yesterday my mom cooked a big portion of fried rice with kimchi, so i could eat what's left in these days or something."

"WOW, YOU'RE HOME ALONE? THAT'S SO COOL, LET'S DO A PARTY!"

"absolutely not, i'm home alone because my parents have faith in me, i'm not going to open my house to strangers."

"don't act like we are strangers you asshole!" haechan was slowly climbing up renjun's arm, for some reason being clingy with him was really easy, he didn't complain as well.

"whatever. the class will start soon, bye."

since jeno was absent that day renjun went to the rooftop with his fried rice and ate there. jaemin did the same, he just silently got upstairs and admired the older. actually he was planning on opening a conversation, since the rejection he received yesterday made his wish of being friend even more eager. he didn't gather enough courage apparently, since firstly he tried some openings to break the ice, the sight of a beautiful renjun really destroyed all of his desire.

at some point renjun received a call, he got up and rested his arms on the fall protection wall.
jaemin still listening from his spot couldn't understand a word.  as you may know, he's not fluent in chinese, he may understand some words, but that's it.

after hanging up he turned back to pick up his belongings and proceed to hop down the stairs one by one, the prettiest of his smiles plastered on his face.

"haechan, i'll be going after renjun today, don't wait for me." this was the last period of the day they had to attend, the bell was going to ring soon, everyone was already packing up their things, the two of them as well.

"excuse me, sir, do i have to remind you that's kinda creepy?", haechan asked quite concerned, "it's not that creepy! he knows me!"

"sir, didn't you follow him at lunch break as well?"

"ok, i won't follow him." the bell rang and all the students got up from their seat. jaemin and haechan proceeded to pick up bora, jaemin's girlfriend.

"she's waiting in front of the gates, why aren't you replying to her messages?" haechan read the message bora ha sent him and looked at his friend, patting his pockets in search of his phone. that day jaemin forgot to bring his phone, he left it on top of the bed. jisung his younger brother had taken many stupid photos that morning, after his departure.

"damn! i forgot my phone at home!" he sighed.

"you're so dumb i swear to god." his friend laughed and wrote a message to bora explaining the situation, then said they'll be there in a few minutes.

as jaemin's eyes wandered around, not really searching for anything, he noticed renjun under one of the basketball hoops in the schoolyard. he nudged his friend forearm, until he screamed, to get his attention.

"what's up with you!" haechan said, now annoyed, "look there's renjun, it's fate! tell bora hi for me, i'm going." jaemin said without diverting his eyes from his target, eyes shimmering. after a few seconds, he hopped to the other side of the fence and waved to his friend, going to renjun's direction, mouthing a small 'see ya'.

"this isn't going to end well." haechan mumbled to himself.

renjun was peacefully studying when someone landed on the floor right next to him, head first. "what the heck, are you dead or..?" he dropped his books and he got closer to the other student to ascertain he was ok. the other took his wrist, his grip softly embracing it.

"what a failure, i tripped myself, hahaha." he laughed not to cry and so did renjun, leaving jaemin amazed, he had never made renjun laugh, he would have done it again, even if it meant to fall all over again.