𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 | 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐌𝐈𝐍

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈

renjun spent each day visiting jaemin at the hospital. it's gone on for about a month and a half now. johnny let him leave the office early to do so. even though renjun appreciated it, he was worried about about him. johnny just seemed so off lately like he didn't care. almost like he was just giving up on everything.

while renjun sat beside jaemin in his usual spot waiting for him to wake up, the door opened and ten walked in. "ten? what are you doing here?" ten gulped as he stood by the younger, staring at jaemin with sympathy.

"i came here to apologize..."

"alright, that's fine. how's johnny doing? he doesn't seem to well." judging by ten's expression, he wasn't doing too well either. "you don't have to talk about it now."

"no, no, it's fine. we're just worried...he could lose his position, and i could get some years in..." renjun opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. he couldn't help but think of the worst. that's probably what was going on in johnny's head too. in the back of their mines, they all knew ten hit first.

"i don't— ten..." renjun sighed, "have you heard anything from the authorities?"

ten nodded, "so far i'm paying the medical bill, and if he wants to press charges he can. everything else? i haven't heard a thing. almost as if the answer is pretty obvious." renjun just shook his head in disbelief.

"don't worry, ten. we'll all get through this like we did with everything in our pasts. trust me, alright?"

"alright...i guess i'll apologize another time then. you two have a lot to catch up on and i'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to see his attacker right now..." and ten left after that. slamming the door behind him, he woke jaemin up.

"sorry, that was ten." jaemin gave the older a puzzled look. "he came to apologize but he left so we could talk. now that your jaw is slowly healing and you can actually respond now." renjun gulped. he didn't really want to talk to jaemin about what jeno told him a month ago. even though he should be the one stressed out and upset about the kiss, he didn't want to stress jaemin out either.

"talk? about what?" jaemin sat up in the bed.

"your jaw. it's not as bruised as before. how are you feeling?" renjun lightly traced his finger along the younger's jaw. jaemin took his hand and held it in his lap.

"i'm fine, renjun," he smiled softly, "that can't be what you wanna talk to me about. it has to have something to do with ten. why else would he hit me?" the older bit his lip nervously. "i mean, your friends hate my guts since what happened a while back. so what did i miss?"

renjun just had to suck it up then. when else would be able to get answers out of jaemin? it was driving him insane and he was desperate to know. "were you ever at the club...with yuta?" jaemin frowned. he just hated yuta, especially after he spread rumors about the older and starting touching him in the club.

"absolutely not. you know how i feel about that guy." jaemin hissed in pain, gripping his jaw. renjun gasped and instantly stood up to comfort him.

"i'm so sorry! are you alright?" jaemin nodded as he squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth. "i don't want to stress you out, nana. you're going through enough." jaemin shook his head.

"...continue..." his voice was almost muffled since he tried to keep his jaw still.

"i'll just be straightforward with you. the night you...the night you kissed me, jeno came over and apologized to me. i won't get into detail but he showed me a video that doyoung had filmed and sent him."

"...hmm? video?"

"of you at the bar with yuta...snogging." jaemin knew it would hurt his jaw, but he had to laugh. snogging. renjun was just too cute.

"why are you laughing?" jaemin waved his hand, shaking his head again.

"i don't understand. i went to the bar a couple days after the whole jeno thing, and i went home after that."

"don't lie to me, jaemin. this is exhausting. you keep going around kissing people, how am i supposed to believe you didn't do this? when i literally watched the video." jaemin closed his eyes and adjusted his eyepatch. he didn't remember that happening at all, and he knew for a fact something wasn't right.

"doesn't that sound weird to you? doyoung filming it?" renjun averted his eyes, remembering haechan had said the same thing. "i don't remember kissing with him, flirting, or anything. i saw him sit beside me and if i remember correctly, he offered me a strong drink that would relax me after what happened between us. i don't remember anything after that." now renjun was able to see the suspiciousness too.

"so the burning question is, what exactly happened after that?" jaemin nodded.

"you can't ask yuta or doyoung. they're just gonna lie to you. those two were spreading false rumors before you published your book..." jaemin stopped and shifted his jaw, "...about us sleeping together. they told johnny to consider that before letting you publish anything. so i stopped it from worsening."

"how can i trust you?"

jaemin just shrugged, "that's up to you. i mean, when have i ever lied to you?"

renjun knew jaemin was right. he felt the sincerity and he knew jaemin had never truly told him a single white lie. every issue they had in the past were all misunderstandings. so now he hoped this one was the same thing. though, it was still hard since there was no evidence. knocking renjun from his thoughts, jaemin kissed his knuckles.

"take your time, i'm just as confused as you are. i know whatever you saw hurt you, so don't hold yourself back from feeling the way you feel. i don't want you to think that i did it willingly or even while i was in my right mind. i wish i could tell you, but i don't know either." jaemin's eyes locked with the older's.

"how can you still be so content? and...charming? after all that's happened?" renjun pout and jaemin chuckled.

"because you're here with me. i can't say i'm the happiest man on earth since you aren't happy, but i'm content whenever i'm with you." jaemin smiled lovingly.

"i think...i think that's the cringiest thing you've ever said to me."