New Students // NCT Renjun

It's almost Mother's day

"Leo? This is Renjun. I can totally understand what happened, I mean, Sofia's just so pretty and smart, right? But, alas, she already has a boyfriend, me. Don't talk to her ever again, don't come close to her and don't even think about touching her without her consent or I, unfortunately, will feel obligated to report you for sexual harassment! But no hard feelings, right? Have a terrible day. Bye bye!" Renjun said with the sweetest voice. Before Leo could even answer Renjun hung up and clicked something.
I peeked at the screen. "What are you doing?"
"Blocking his number." Renjun gave me back my phone with a satisfied look in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced with worry. He pushed my hair back to see me clearly.
"You're okay, right?"
I nodded.
"I'm really sorry for yelling at you, Sofia. I overreacted, none of this is your fault, okay?"
My nodding didn't convince him.
"Is it because of Leo? Where did he touch you?"
"No, really, I'm fine. Leo just touched my thigh and came really close to me. That's it."
"That's it? That's already too much." With his hands he cupped my face and pulled me closer. "I don't like other boys touching you at all. I'm the only one who can touch you like that, right?"
His question made my heart flutter. I barely managed respond with a breathy "Yeah".
With my eyes already closed I leaned in for a kiss when I suddenly heard the front door open. "Sofia! I came home from work early! And I brought food!"
With a sigh both Renjun and I pulled away.
"How much food did you buy?!" I asked dad as I helped him carry the bags to the kitchen.
"Most of this is for tomorrow actually."
I glanced back at Renjun, who was getting the last grocery bag out of the car. "So you're cooking again tomorrow?" I asked dad quietly.
"Yes, like every year. I think she would have appreciated it if her baby would get to eat some homemade food once in a while."
Because Renjun had just walked into the kitchen, I didn't respond.
We ate in silence and remained so after we had finished dinner and had changed into our pajamas (yes, we wore our pajamas, even if it was still bright outside). Dad disappeared into his room, since Renjun and I had occupied the living room to watch a movie.
"Sofia, are you sure you're okay? Something seems off," Renjun asked me while fiddling around with the remote.
"Hmm? Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just a little tired, I didn't sleep well last night."
I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth, so I just leaned on his shoulder and told him to watch the movie. Although I knew it was still ridiculously early, I closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep and lose conciousness quickly.

I woke up feeling nothing but numbness. My brain barely registered Renjun's arm around me, his steady breathing, me getting out of bed, walking to the kitchen and pouring water in a glass. I stared at the water overflowing in the glass in my shaky hand, trying to focus on something real, but my mind wandered off, replaying the morning from today many years ago. It was a fuzzy memory as I was too young to remember everything, but I still could clearly see my family sitting around the kitchen table, eating breakfast.
The sound of shattering glass brought me back to reality. I hadn't even realized I had dropped the glass. Cursing I grabbed a cloth and started cleaning up the mess. I had just finished when I heard Renjun's sleepy voice behind me.
"Sofia? What happened?"
I turned around to see Renjun standing in the kitchen, still in his pajamas, messy hair and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"I just dropped a glass," I explained with a forced smile.
"Are you okay?"
"I-" I wasn't. The glass hadn't cut me, but I wouldn't have cared either way because I was hurting much worse inside. Should I tell him?
"It doesn't matter. I don't want to bother you."
"You're not bothering me with anything, you can tell me!"
I felt my hands starting to shake again. Renjun's shoulders plummeted when he noticed.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm just worried about you."
After a few deep breaths I dared to speak again, "My mother died on this day 12 years ago."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"I'm- Do you need something? Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"
His words touched me more than I would like to admit, but I became distracted when the sofa in the living room caught my eye.
"I just- wait, didn't I fall asleep on the sofa last night? Why did I wake up in my bed then?"
Renjun scratched his nape. "About that...I carried you to your room."
Suddenly I felt like there were a thousand butterflies in my stomach. "You did?"
"It was harder than I'd expected. I had to lie you down on the floor for a while to catch my breath. Oh, and, um, you hit your feet on the wall a few times. I think I should start working out."
I snorted with laughter. How many years had passed since the last time I had laughed on May 6th? I couldn't even remember.
I rushed over to Renjun and hugged him. "Thank you for making me happy. Just stay here today, okay?"
Renjun chuckled and caressed my hair. "I think I can do that."
Dad stumbled down the stairs with red eyes. I couldn't tell if they were red from sleepiness or from crying.
"Is everything okay? I thought I heard some noise."
"I accidentally dropped a cup, but I already cleaned it up, so don't worry. More importantly...Can Renjun stay here for another day please?"
Dad looked at me and Renjun, who were still hugging each other. I expected him to disapprove and say that it would be a bad idea; but instead his face softened immediately. "Of course he can."
"I'll call my mom and ask her if that's okay with her then," Renjun said and went upstairs.
Since everyone in the house was awake now, my father and I started making breakfast. While Renjun having a discussion in fast Chinese with his mother, dad started talking, "I'm happy for you, Sofia."
"Happy for me? What for?"
"You're so happy with Renjun. You two are good for each other. I've talked to his mother quite a few times and she always mentions how much happier he seems since you started dating. And your mom...she would have loved to see you laughing, even today. I know I didn't like your relationship at first, but I want you to know that you have my approval now. Just, please, be careful not to-"
"Great news! My mom said I can stay here for another night!"
Dad just smiled and didn't finish his sentence.

The day passed quickly. Renjun and I helped dad cook (which was a huge disaster), watched the movie from yesterday again (because I slept through everything), video-called Rachel, so that she and Renjun could talk to each other for the first time, did some exercises for Renjun's stick arms, grumpily did some homework, ate dinner and then spent hours browsing through weird conspiracy theories, watching random videos and discussing very important questions like the existence of aliens. The entire time I was as happy as one could be.
Finally it was getting late and Renjun and I were lying next to each other on my bed.
"Sofia?"
"Hmm?"
"How are you feeling?"
"Very happy because I'm with you."
Renjun made vomiting noises.
"Stop acting like you don't absolutely love it."
"You're so cheesey."
"Says the boy who told another boy to never talk to me again and then proceeded to carry me into my bed when I fell asleep on the sofa."
"You're just cheesey, I'm romantic."
"Oh, shut up." I grabbed his face. "I know exactly that you're a sucker for my cheesiness."
"I'm absolutely not."
To prove him wrong I gave him little kisses all over his face until he was giggling uncontrollably.
"Now tell me again that you're not whipped for me."
"Will you kiss me again if I do?"
I did kiss him again. I kissed him a lot actually. He pulled me on top of him, slung his arms around me and we kissed until we were too tired to continue.
Sleepily he mumbled something I couldn't quite understand into my hair. I mobbed you?
I asked him to repeat it, but his eyes were already closed, his mouth was slightly opened and I felt his steady, warm breath on my skin.
Slowly I slid off him, making it easier for him to breathe and covered him with my blanket.
"I love you," I whispered into the night, knowing that he wouldn't be hearing it.