𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 | 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐌𝐈𝐍

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈

and just like the last mystery renjun had to solve with ten, he went around the office trying to investigate. he was going to get answers to this and figure out why people are sabotaging him so much. it just didn't make sense. this time renjun didn't have his partner in crime, ten, but he did have his best friend with him.

"we can't just ask random people when they're probably not involved, because then we're just bringing them into your business." haechan explained.

"you're right, but how do we know who to ask?"

"it's simple. just ask jaemin's friends. they're closer to him and they could have been there too. whether they're involved or not, they're still his friends and not some strangers." renjun nodded in agreement. the two walked up to the publishers floor and questioned everyone.

"is this an interrogation room? why am i always involved?"

"you didn't do anything wrong, lucas, i promise. you're just friends with everyone around here." renjun felt a little bad for dragging lucas into his every problem. all he's ever done was quietly work and care for jungwoo. "do you know if anyone else was there with him?"

lucas shook his head, "mark might know. he had invited jaemin to the bar before hand, but he denied his offer. they could have went together the next day." haechan and renjun thanked lucas before moving on to mark's office.

"so lucas is telling the truth?" mark nodded.

"yeah, but i don't remember seeing jaemin kissing yuta."

"did you see yuta at all?"

"mhm...at the bar with jaemin. they weren't doing anything suspicious, but i walked over to say hi. yuta had said it was a good idea to come to the bar when he's stressed out, and he offered him a drink."

"that's exactly what jaemin told you?" haechan turned to the older male who nodded.

"did you see what happened after that? jaemin said he doesn't remember anything." mark frowned and thought for a moment, he looked a little uneasy.

"i left them alone after that...but later on that night he was sleeping on the counter. i had to wake him up and we went home after that. i thought he was just tired, he didn't seem drunk at all." now all three males shared the same confused expression.

haechan thanked mark for telling them that and the two younger males left the room. "you're quiet. what are you planning?" haechan nudged the smaller male's arm.

"we're getting closer. we know jaemin had to have passed out. he wouldn't just be sleeping at the bar. but was it the alcohol that knocked him out? or..."

"i know what you're thinking, but we don't know that for sure. even if we did, how would we prove it?" renjun shut his eyes, inhaling sharply. he didn't know where to go from there. it was also too hard to concentrate when he's worried about both ten and jaemin.

"i don't know yet. let's figure this out tomorrow, i'm tired."

"you're not going home, are you?" donghyuck folded his arms, knowing exactly where the older was going. and he wasn't going to miss out on an opportunity to tease renjun.

"shut up, you know exactly where i'm going."

—

"mark...was there too?"

"yeah. how are you feeling? are you hurt? your jaw seems to be doing worse today." renjun's eyes were full of concern as he examined the younger's face.

"m' fine." jaemin grinned, pinching the older's cheeks. renjun slapped his hand away before turning his attention to the nurse who had come in. and as usual, jaemin began shifting uncomfortably.

"don't worry, no needles today!" jaemin relaxed at that, causing the woman to chuckle. "renjun, could you give him two drops in his left eye? if he seems to be acting weird, it's just the side effects of the painkillers." the nurse handed renjun the small container. after a month of visiting, almost everyone in the hospital knew who he was now. after renjun took the bottle, the lady left the two alone.

renjun leaned in to remove jaemin's eyepatch, but he moved his head away. "stop moving, don't you trust me? there's no reason for you not to." jaemin rolled his eyes, "i mean, when have i ever lied to you?" renjun giggled as jaemin groaned in annoyance. finally, the younger allowed renjun to squeeze the drops into his eye. renjun wiped up the liquid around his eye with a paper towel, and set the bottle down.

"it looks a lot better." renjun smiled as he threw the old eyepatch away. he turned back around to face the younger, walking over to him with a new one. he put the material over his slightly bruised eye and secured it on his head. in the midst of the silence, he noticed jaemin staring at him. "what?" jaemin raised his head and took renjun's chin between his slender fingers, bringing him closer so he could place a chaste kiss on his lips.

renjun's face instantly turned red. the younger didn't know if he was angry, flustered, or both. "don't do things like that. you aren't my boyfriend. your lips are chapped anyways." renjun moved away and sat back on the stool. "i came here to see if you remembered anymore information after i told you what mark had said."

"he gave me the drink, and i went to the bathroom...don't remember after that. i just went home with mark i guess."

"was anyone else there?" jaemin looked away, staring outside the window. slowly he shrugged, a sigh omitting from his dry lips. renjun did the same, though he kept his eyes down at their hands that were intertwined.

"i wanna runaway with you." jaemin turned his head to look at the older, as he laid back down on the bed. "i'm tired of all of this. i should just quit my job."

"runaway? quit? jaemin, that's unrealistic?" renjun chuckled, shaking his head. he just assumed jaemin's nonsense was just those side effects the nurse was talking about.

"renjun, i love you so much. i really do. i just hope you see that. every...every time i try to show you that...someone messes it up," jaemin's heart rate increased, the beeping sound of the machine getting louder. he gulped as his chest heaved up and down. before renjun could question it, he continued, "don't you trust me? what more can i do?" tears welled in renjun's eyes as guilt consumed him.

"i'm so sorry..." jaemin turned his head so he was staring at the ceiling. more pain shot through his jaw after talking so much, sweat painting his forehead. renjun buried his face in his arms that rested on the younger's abdomen and cried. jaemin brought his weak arm up and rested it on the older's fluffy hair.

renjun felt terrible. even though he wanted answers, at this point it didn't matter to him. nothing mattered to him. only jaemin. he never stopped loving him but he didn't want to be played with. he knew his worth and he knew he how he deserved to be treated. he was so quick to end things and didn't think about jaemin at all. even after he found out it was all a misunderstanding. he regretted everything and there was nothing he could do about it.