𝗮𝗿𝗺'𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵; norenmin

~eighteen~

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Jeno had to pull Jaemin back by the collar when the younger attempted to bound over to Renjun the minute they entered the school building.

Conveniently, the Chinese had been standing with Haechan and chatting about something near the entrance. Jeno, terrified as hell, wasn't prepared to tell someone as confident, logical and popular as Renjun his problem.

It didn't seem to bother Jaemin though.

"C'mon, he doesn't actually have to find out yet, does he? This was my special secret....one of the three we've chosen to hold back from each other?" The brunette begged.

Jaemin huffed, gently taking Jeno's hand off his shirt and turning to him. He typed yet another message into his phone, not using the digital voice since there were so many people around.

He shoved the device into Jeno's face, 'He needs to know. It's not fair anymore since I do and he's the only one who doesn't. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?'

Jeno cringed, seeing where the younger was coming from. He knew it was a horrible feeling being the only one left out. But it wasn't as though the secret was released on purpose.

"Then can you tell me your secret?"

Jaemin smirked, turning his screen to the taller once again, 'That's not how it works, my friend. My secret.....is later."

Jeno groaned, burying his face in his hands and feeling hopelessly at a disadvantage already. He also knew he shouldn't have, since they wanted to be friends with him. But trust didn't come all that naturally to him.

His hands were pried from his face by warm hands. He looked down to see Renjun standing with Haechan, wearing a cheeky smile. "What's up?"

Jaemin looked over at the older as well, quickly resorting to his phone while Jeno fumbled to yank it off him.

"Stop, stop, stop!" He moaned, being easily pushed back by the shorter and his stronger arms.

Renjun felt baffled, watching the odd pair as Jeno, who was failing miserably, attempted to pull Jaemin's phone off him. The younger was typing away quickly to get the job done.

"Guys, guys!" Renjun raised his voice, ignoring all the strange looks they were receiving. Haechan tugged his friend's sleeve.

"What's up with them?"

"I don't know," the older muttered lowly, starting to sense something like a secret. The panicked version of Jeno didn't suit him, and Jaemin had a very suspicious smile on.

Before he could dwell on it further, Jaemin threw the phone very recklessly at Renjun. The oldest squeaked, shying away and being saved by Haechan who caught it skilfully.

"Holy crap, Jaemin! What if that went straight past them and smashed against the wall?" Jeno scolded, pulling away from the blonde and sighing.

Jaemin rolled his eyes, using sign language to speak to Renjun. "How come you didn't catch it?"

The brunette stuck his middle finger up, then signed, 'What if that broke my nose or something? I can't catch anything!"

Haechan interrupted them by frowning, "What does this mean? It's full of typos..."

Jeno gasped, lunging forward to grab it off the younger. Haechan pulled his arm back, looking at it more clearly.

"Please," the taller begged, "D-Don't read it. I really, really can't-" his words started to fall away into a breathy panic attack. "Oh my god, Jaemin get it back!"

Renjun noticed how distraught he was and bit his lower lip, extending his hand to his friend. Haechan looked at him, confusion being his dominant expression.

"Renjun....what's up with you? Why are you three so weird?"

Renjun wriggled his fingers, his face cast a little downwards and the dead seriousness he emitted was almost.....intimidating.

Haechan hesitantly dropped the phone into the older's hand and folded his arms. "So secretive. Honestly...."

Renjun read over the message briefly, saying nothing while Jaemin and Jeno watched him curiously. Frankly, no one of the tree of them had seen Renjun make that face before.

The text basically read 'Jno hasmt got fimly, so we ned to help him.'

"Take your time when typing," he finally sighed, handing the device back to its owner. But I get the gist."

Jeno shot him this pained expression. One that made Renjun want to squeeze him into a tight hug.

So the seemingly brave younger didn't have family. He was living in a dilapidated house, and there was still more to uncover. To Renjun, who was trying extremely hard not to act out of line and expose everything, this was a huge deal.

Instead of leaping on Jeno to hug him or repeat in more words what Jaemin had tried to tell him, he gave both males a thumbs up. He wanted them to know that it was okay, and they could work something out.

"Okay, so Haechan and I need to help a teacher on the third floor.....I'll see you two later?" The Chinese asked cautiously.

Jaemin signed a simple, "Fine," still not overly fond of Haechan who was supposedly 'splitting them up'. Of course, only he believed this was true.

The younger two watched as both third years wandered down the hall away from them. Jeno wondered whether Haechan had started school early or skipped a couple of years since he was so young yet a year ahead.

Jaemin showed his phone to Jeno and rubbed his back comfortingly. 'We want you to be safe, Jeno. Just try to see from our perspective. The perspective where a friend is literally teasing death."

The older nodded sulkily, pursing his lips and feeling a little less anxious than before. Renjun hadn't acted out of line, and Jaemin hadn't judged him at all.

Maybe he really was in a better place.

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