Mr. No || NCT || Completed

22 - Where Renjun doesn't want to discuss girl groups

"What did Haechan want?"
Chaewon pretended to not hear the question while handing the mango juice to Renjun.
He repeated himself, and she sighed, as if he was being a needy child.

"He told me that you guys are having your weekly movie night today and that I should join", she admitted while struggling with the cap of her ice tea. For a moment, Renjun considered helping her before realizing what he was thinking. She managed to open the bottle after a few more tries. "He asked me to tell you that if you don't take me with you, he will, and I quote, 'destroy everything you love – including your BLACKPINK Exclusive Limited Edition CD Box set – and dance on the grave of your fondest dreams.' He was lying when he said it but it's the thought that counts, I guess."

Haechan was always so melodramatic. Renjun tasted the mango juice and noted that it was too sweet. He took another sip. "Sometimes I wish that I had never met him."

Chaewon's eyes widened. "You're not lying."
Renjun closed his bottle and put it inside the car, ignoring her surprised reaction.

As they entered the apartment building target #3 was supposed to live in, Chaewon was ready for the next topic. "You're a BLACKPINK fan, huh?"
Renjun didn't say anything.

Chaewon clicked her tongue. The noise echoed in the empty hallway, and she seemed fascinated by the echo. The building was an old and withered, with grey walls and high ceiling but no elevator, meaning that they'd have to take the stairs. "When I was a trainee, some of our group members were hoping that we would have similar concept as they do, you know, the girl crush stuff. Personally, I preferred Red Velvet and Twice but to each their own. I like the versatility. "

"Did I ask?" Renjun deadpanned as they walked up the stairs. It was so quiet around them and her endless chatter could probably be heard through the entire building. While he wasn't too hopeful about their next target, he didn't want to risk them hearing Chaewon shout about girl groups.
"You rarely ask anything", she shrugged, sliding her hand on the railing as they ascended towards the fourth floor, "So, I always assume that you'll just tell me to shut up if you don't want to listen to me anymore."

Renjun turned to her, bewildered by the assumption that, just because he wasn't constantly telling her to be quiet, he wanted to listen to her talk. She didn't notice the look because she was busy staring at the stairs, almost as if she was counting them in her head. Her ash brown hair was covering most of her face but whenever she moved her head to check how many stairs were left until the next landing, he could see her pointy nose and shiny, narrow eyes.

Haechan had said that she had a cat-like facial features. Renjun could see it.

"Are we still going to pretend that we're governmental people working on a survey?" she asked and, while speaking, glanced at his direction. Renjun, realizing that he had been staring at her face, turned away quickly – too quickly – making her frown. "Is there something on my face?"

If he was Chenle, he would've yelled: "Yes, ugly!" but he was Renjun so he didn't say anything. Also, it would've been a lie and she would've heard it and that was even bigger reason for him to stay quiet on the matter.

He cleared his throat. "Considering that we haven't been able to test out whether anyone believes us, we'll stick with the survey thing for now."

Chaewon was checking her reflection from her phone. "What are we going to do it we can't reach any of the people on your list?"
"We have to", Renjun said.

They reached the fourth floor. Chaewon eyed the barren hallway, its calm yet musty atmosphere, and a pensive look reached her eyes. "You know, I have a feeling that - "

Renjun stopped her mid-sentence because he recognized that expression. It was the same one she had on her face whenever something was about to go wrong in his life – the kind of look like she knew something and wasn't sure what to think about it. He couldn't let her curse their mission. "Don't say it!"
Chaewon tilted her head but didn't finish the sentence.