timing | nct

skunk

"YOU'RE NOT HENDERY."

"obviously," huang renjun sighed, unlocking the door without giving the girl so much as a glance, "get in."

i'm going to kill him, areum thought to herself as she walked around the car awkwardly. she climbed into the passenger seat in embarrassment.

"i don't think we've introduced ourselves properly before," the girl said in an attempt to break the ice. she held her hand out gingerly, "i'm areum."

the boy gave another dramatic sigh before turning his head to look up at her. "i...know." he trailed, eyes studying her face.

they stare at each other for a moment, the silence awkwardly thick before areum looks away and renjun clears his throat.

"i'm renjun," he mumbles, shaking her hand gently before turning away and starting the car.

silence falls over them again as renjun follows the gps on areum's phone. she's looking out her window, internally praying she doesn't get any weird notifications (particularly from her sister or lee minho) when renjun suddenly opens his mouth.

"yangyang kind of broke his arm," he said rather nonchalantly and the girl turned to look at him.

"he what?"

"he broke his arm, and hendery had to take him to the hospital...in case you were wondering why i'm here."

"oh my god," areum gasped, sitting back in her seat in shock, "that's horrible."

"well," the boy frowns, "it was either me or park jisung. and he got his permit last week."

"no, no. i meant, it's horrible that yangyang broke his arm. not that you're giving me a ride."

"oh," renjun replied, feeling relieved, "you're right. it's unfortunate but not unexpected?"

areum laughed slightly. "that's true," she agreed, feeling lighter.

renjun opened his mouth to say something else but was suddenly interrupted by the girl's stomach growling loudly.

"sorry, i haven't eaten lunch so i'm a bit..." areum flushed, folding her arms over her midrift.

"don't worry about it." renjun assured her, awkwardly looking around the red light. "uhm, do you want food?"

_

areum's eyes drifted to a couple around their age who were sitting in the booth across from them. they fed each other affectionately while gazing into each other's eyes. then she looked back at renjun who was glaring at the couple in disdain.

this is so awkward, the dark-haired girl thought, looking away quickly.

they'd decided on an ihop near areum's house, but hadn't shared a word since leaving the car.

thankfully, the waitress arrived at that moment and took their order. they'd ended up ordering the same thing, prompting renjun to wrinkle his nose at her and say something about her being a copycat.

"i ordered first, how could i copy you, idiot." the girl huffed, leaning back in her seat.

"whatever, you still copied me."

it didn't take long for their meals to arrive and their awkward silence was replaced with sounds of them quietly eating.

after a while the same waitress approached with the bill and asked if they were ready to pay. areum instinctively pulled her card out of her pocket, holding it out to her.

"both orders on this card, please," she smiled before being cut off by renjun.

"i got it," the boy interrupts, plucking her card out of her hand and giving the waitress his own instead.

"wait!," areum shouted at the waitress, but she had already ran to the front counter with a coy smile on her face. probably under the assumption they were a couple fighting over the bill.

"you didn't have to," areum said, turning to look at renjun, "we're here because of me, i should pay."

renjun didn't bother looking at her, instead focusing on his pancakes. "do you think we would have come here if i didn't want to?"

areum released a sigh, leaning back in her seat. "i have money, y'know." she mumbled, crossing her arms.

"i never said you didn't," the boy responds, sliding her card across the table.

as she glares at his expression, she can't help but admire his visuals. renjun (unfortunately) really was incredibly attractive. his skin looked soft and his two-toned hair framed his face perfectly.

"you look like a skunk." areum suddenly blurted, not wanting him to get the last say.

his brows furrowed. "a skunk?"

she slid out of her side of the booth and ran outside to wait by the car, hoping the night air would cool her warm face.