Jeno did not, in fact, clock in for the first day of the next week. Which, fine. Renjun found it fair; there was an unexpected event at the shelter that brought about better promotions and adoption rates, and Renjun was in full support of happy pets and families.
But that still didn't change the fact that Renjun had to deal with Ice Cream Boy's oddities.
The guy must've gotten used to the store or something because now he'd loosen up just a smidge. Renjun caught him muttering a list of some sort underneath his breath as he fished out his paid due, and Renjun figured that Ice Cream Boy had a busy night ahead of him. And that tugged at Renjun's shriveled up heartstrings because it was nearing one a.m. and just what kind of schedule did a high schooler have to have to look nearly as stressed out as Ice Cream Boy looked at that moment?
The formal transaction continued on in near silence, the sputter of the air conditioning being the only white-noise offered that night as the wildlife fell still outside. Renjun bid Ice Cream Boy farewell with that recited comment of promised return burned onto his tongue.
By then, Renjun was starting to believe that Ice Cream Boy was following through with the polite urge.
Come the second day of that week, Renjun was beyond exasperated with Jeno.
"You caught the flu."
It wasn't a question, and Renjun knew that Jeno knew what his tone meant.
"Hey, man. People don't wash their hands, and you know how my entire face gets kinda itchy during work."
Renjun pinched the bridge of his nose at Jeno's weak attempt to pacify him.
"This is why I keep telling you to stay away from the thing you're allergic to."
"But they're so lovable and cuddly!"
Jeno then proceeded to clear his airways of whatever threatened to crawl up his throat for a solid two minutes, and Renjun was starting to feel a little guilty for getting on a sick person's case.
"Anyways, you're just gonna have to bear with our regular for a few more days; be a good boy and don't scare him away, please."
Renjun rolled his eyes.
"Like I would do that with security cameras around."
"Attaboy."
Renjun hung up before Jeno could offer any more cringe-y words of encouragement, right before Ice Cream Boy made his entrance.
"Welcome," Renjun called out, huffing lightly at the politely dazed nod sent his way.
He noted the stumbled steps that fell in line with the aisles' tiles; the release of worn breath intermingling with the buzz of the freezers; the near-bruises waxing underneath sunken eyes that greeted him with hesitant acknowledgment.
He got worse, somehow.
Worry settled in quick when, while making his exit, Ice Cream Boy nearly toppled over with a stack of shopping baskets that stood out vivid and bright underneath the vibrant, fluorescent lights.
Come day three, Renjun was fully prepared to prevent an injury from occurring under his watch, but he found himself taut and anxious for no reason when the end of Jeno's shift came to a quiet conclusion with Ice Cream Boy showing no face.
The fourth day ended in much the same fashion, and Renjun was starting to believe that maybe Ice Cream Boy had just finished going through a weird phase.
Thursday went and broke that belief, along with Renjun's quiet tolerance.
--
Renjun wouldn't call himself an overly nosy person. Not as nosy as Jaemin, by fair comparison. He was just rightfully concerned over the general health of a regular customer and decided to voice the worries that were popcorning in his mind during Ice Cream Boy's disappearance.
He knew that he was stepping over some unspoken boundary with his snide comment, but that didn't stop it from slipping out when he glanced down at the half-gallon of pure regret. He expected a surprised, yet semi-touched glance sent his way and a quiet motion of acknowledgment before a quick exit.
What he hadn't expected was an equally snide remark exiting an offended, pinched look of utter exhaustion.
And that made him giddy with delight because this little game of back-and-forth could fuel his neglected urge to tease for days.
So, when Ice Cream Boy made a blustering exit with his half-gallon of future grief tucked defensively underneath his arm, Renjun was all too eager to introduce his new-found plaything to his recovering friend.
"I can't believe I wasted my precious Friday night just to watch you bully some rando," Jeno sighed in utter defeat, head hung low between his shoulders.
"You're just doing your job, remember?" Renjun supplied gleefully, high off his recent banter.
And the bubbly atmosphere was supposed to stay.
A/N - i can't believe it's december already i feel like we experienced 7 months of march, 4 of june, and then bam the year is almost over
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Ice Cream on Lips (Anxieties Blissed) | RenMark/MarkRen
Fiksi Penggemar"Before I give you the price on this thing, I think I should give you fair warning that you shouldn't eat this all in one sitting." Mark gaped and sputtered for a few seconds before gathering about all the wits he was going to use on the remainder o...
