Birds of a Feather | '00 Liners

Chapter Nineteen

Winter break was rapidly approaching, and Jeno had made zero progress with his Renjun problem. Despite Jaemin's support and advice before, it had little effect on Jeno's attitude toward the whole situation. Especially since Jaemin was avoiding his own wing problems...and his entire friend group. 

Jeno, plopping down at a table to eat his final school meal before the new year, had a pin-prick of heat fall over his back, like someone's gaze was trained on his figure. He whirled around, and his gaze instantly landed on Renjun, who was peeking at him from underneath his wings. Renjun retracted his wing upon being noticed, hastily approached Jeno, and slid into the seat next to his. 

"Long time no see," he greeted, all smiles and glimmering eyes.

Jeno felt a spike in his back, and he couldn't stop the wince he was sure came across his face. "Yeah," he returned. "What's up? Have something to say to me?"

Renjun, smile turning coy, leaned in close and leveled Jeno with a knowing look. "It's pretty cruel of you to think that your friend can't sit beside you just because." He jolted backward, and Jeno could still feel the heat of his breath on his face. "But, yeah," Renjun continued. "Donghyuck and I were thinking of ways to get Jaemin back to normalcy, and we figured since you two are besties, you could help us come up with a plan."

Jeno frowned and turned away from Renjun to prod at the food on his plate. "And what makes you think that I'll be able to come up with something good?"

Renjun tilted his head, curious and mocking all in one. "It doesn't have to be good, no-jam. The end result just has to be Jaemin hanging out with us again."

Jeno shoveled rice and pork into his mouth, just crammed it in there to silence his thoughts. He allowed the faraway static of his mind to take over his words so that he didn't have to think for once. Rice grains trapped to the roof of his mouth, chopsticks balancing placidly atop his lips, Jeno finally muttered a reluctant, "Fine."

Jeno didn't miss the overly fond smile Renjun sent his way. Didn't miss the tear of the bandages atop his sprouts.