Mr. No || NCT || Completed

6 - Where Renjun goes on a bike ride

Crisp autumn air filled Renjun's lungs as he and Jisung biked through Seoul National Park. The bike road was surrounded by majestic trees that were getting dressed in their autumn colours with the different shades of yellow, orange and red. It was a beautiful Saturday morning and apparently all of Seoul had come up with same idea of a leisure bike ride, meaning that the speed on the crowded bike road wasn't very impressive. That was fine, though, since working out was not the reason why Renjun had asked Jisung to join him for the trip.

Renjun kept looking at the younger guy, trying to find a way to speak up but it was harder than he had expected. If only he had consulted Jaemin beforehand and asked for advice. How does one even ask their friend about ditching therapy without sounding like a meddling auntie? But Renjun knew that Jaemin would have been upset if he found out that Jisung was no longer meeting with Dr. An, and he didn't want to make Jaemin feel bad or to put Jisung in such an uncomfortable situation.

Before Renjun could figure out a way to introduce the topic of therapy, Jisung opened his mouth, "Chenle said that he wants to try that new Japanese restaurant for dinner." He glanced at Renjun, a hopeful smile on his lips. "Do you want to join us? You're not working today, right?"

"I can't", Renjun answered, hoping to not disappoint Jisung. "I'm having a dinner at my parents' place."

A hint of embarrassment shrouded Jisung's smile. "Ah, true, I forgot. Today is Saturday."

Renjun nodded grimly and skirted around a group of teenagers who were walking on the side of the bike road. For the past months he had been attending family dinner every week, mostly on Saturdays, which was a lot compared to how he used to meet his parents - well, his father - as little as possible.

Jisung kept peeking at his face while trying not to hit the family in front of them. He pouted, jutting his lips forward when he noticed how Renjun's face darkened.

"What if we came with you to meet your parents?" he suggested shyly after a moment of silence. "Maybe it would be better that way."

Renjun started shaking his head before Jisung was finished with the suggestion. "That's not a good idea."

There was an opening on the road in front of them, so Renjun biked faster in order to get past the slow family before they took a turn from the crossing in order to get more space.

There weren't as many colorful trees along the road they had picked but that also meant that there were significantly fewer people around them.

"Why not?" Jisung continued their conversation.

Renjun glanced at him and, for a brief moment, considered lying. Jisung was only a couple of years younger than him but, somehow, he seemed younger than that. Maybe because he had lost who knows how many years trapped with the poachers.

But Renjun didn't lie to his friends.

"Because my family is full of arrogant people." Renjun stared straight ahead while speaking despite knowing that Jisung was looking at him. "And they have very... specific expectations for doublers."

"And we wouldn't meet those expectations", Jisung filled in the gaps, comprehension in his voice. "Because we aren't apex predators."

Renjun, back when he had been able to shift into grey wolf, had been the only big predator in the apartment shared by the younger members of their pack. Chenle's doubler was a sable, Haechan transformed into a sea otter, and Jaemin's animal form was an Adélie Penguin, while Jeno could turn into a Samoyed dog and Yujin into a harvest mouse. Jisung, as a cat doubler, was probably the closest thing to a predator after Renjun but even he would never be impressive enough for Renjun's father.