without you ; norenmin [ON HOLD]

5. Runny Eyeliner and Napkins

TIME & DATE - 1:25 AM, 7th March
PLACE - Midnight Café and Bookstore
CHARACTER(S) - Wong Kunhang, Huang Renjun, Liu Yangyang, Rain Dude

__________₊°•✮•°₊__________

Much like in the first chapter, the weather outside was once again gloomy. Well, that's what Kunhang and Yangyang thought at least. Renjun rejoiced once he saw the first droplets plant themselves onto the concrete pavement outside the café. There weren't any customers hence why the boy was once again touching up his mural with the company of Kunhang and Yangyang.

"So what's the relationship between you two?" Yangyang asked. "Y'all dating or something?" Renjun giggled and skipped over to Kunhang who was behind the counter. "As a matter of fact, I am dating this fluffy little ball of sunshine. He's the love of my life," he gushed and he pulled Kunhang in for a hug and a peck on the cheek. 

Kunhang immediately swatted the shorter away. "That's incest Renjun," he groaned as he rubbed his cheek. "This cockroach is my cousin. I wouldn't date him or any boy for that matter." Yangyang's small smile faded a little. "Ah, I see..." he said as he took a sip of his hot chocolate. Renjun clicked his tongue. "Keep your internalized homophobia to yourself Guanheng. No one wants to hear about how you're in denial. That's just depressing," he scolded and Kunhang ignored him.

Once Kunhang had left to get some coffee grounds from the storage room, Renjun started pestering Yangyang with questions. Though the latter had denied the claims for having hots for Kunhang, his flushed cheeks and stutters proved otherwise. "I'm assuming you like that brunet too?" Renjun asked suggestively. "I do," was the reply he got. "Then why--" "I'm back!" Kunhang announced. 

He took a glance at the two males who were conversing and gushed. "Aww, you two are getting along." "Speak for yourself lover boy," Renjun said and went back to his mural.

The hours slugged by and the rain was yet to cease. Kunhang had left with Yangyang earlier, leaving Renjun lonely once again. Lonely was not all that bad if you ask Renjun. It helped him collect his thoughts. It helped him think properly and focus more. There were no distractions when you're alone if you asked him.

Just then, the familiar sound of a bell chiming caught his attention. A man dressed in all black sat near the entrance, shrugging off his jacket and hood. "Oh, it's you again," Renjun acknowledged. The man grunted in response. Renjun stood up and made him a nice warm cup of milk tea.

Renjun sat the drink and a plate of croissants on the table the man was sitting at. The man looked at him questioningly. "I just thought you would be cold... Something to warm you up, you know?" he explained. The man nodded and sipped the tea.

A cloud of silence settled over them. The only sounds that were heard were the rain thundering away outside and the humming of the coffee machine. Renjun had somehow grown tired of his mural and he had nothing else to do. 

Why not make a new friend?

He approached the stranger. "May I sit here?" he asked, gripping the back of a chair lightly. The stranger glanced at him and nodded.

I guess he isn't the type to talk much.

As the stranger ate in silence, Renjun took the time to take in his features. Pale, milky skin, narrow eyes, sharp jawline, pink lips, and... runny eyeliner?

"Do you... Do you want some eyeliner?" he asked hesitantly. It took a second for the stranger to realize what Renjun was talking about. He touched his own cheek, only for black-coated fingers to come back. "I'll just wash it off. Besides, the rain is only going to wash it away all over again," he replied. Renjun nodded slowly before slipping into another daydream.

After what felt like seconds, the Chinese male snapped out of it. There was money on the table and the plate of pastries and cup was empty. The rain dude had already left, he assumed. With a heavy sigh, Renjun cleaned up the table. He noticed some writing on the napkin he had given the rain dude.

Thanks for the food. It was amazing. I'll come again soon :)

And Renjun couldn't get the stranger's voice or note out of his head for the rest of the morning.

-ˋˏ ༻☕༺ ˎˊ-

italics are renjuns thoughts btw (or just thoughts in general, not just necessarily his thoughts since they appear in future chapters too)

i haven't written much this past week,, writers block rly sucks. i might post again tomorrow tho so look forward to it~