Neverending Story || Norenmin

quatre

Renjun look at Jeno attentively while holding their daughter's hand at the front door of Jeno's house.

"I want to take you out for a date. Just for today. For emily." The chinese said with a hitching breath.

Jeno is shocked one must say. Never did he imagine his ex-boyfriend wanted to take him out for a date after they broke up. Not when how Renjun yelling at him before he walk out the chinese's door heartlessly.

"I-uh- what's the occasion?" He asked.

Nervously, Renjun fidgeting with his sweaty palms, scratching his bare necks making the korean wanted to snatch him into his arm and hug tightly to ease his nerves.

"For Emily. Please just once and after this," Renjun closed Emily's ears as tge girl just looking wide eyed at the father she has long not seen. "I won't bother you anymore."

Amused, he smirk at Renjun just like the old time back when they are on flirting stage. "Missing me?"

"No! It's for Emily. She'll miss you once- once you are busy with your world. Right honey?" He give his smiley face at Emily making the girl giggled and look back at Jeno.

"Is papa will be busy later? Why?" She ask innocently.

"Papa has work baby. So he'll be busy." Renjun said, avoiding Jeno's crescent smile eyes, looking down to him and Emily but actually frowning. "Right, Papa?"

Jeno nodded but with uncertainty draw on his face. He couldn't tell what kind of emotions he feels right now when Renjun looking at him all smiley but stating something that hurt him and making feel so far. Not knowing the he started it first.

"So? What are you waiting for? Not gonna dress up?" Renjun raised his brows and look at Jeno with a questioning look.

"Chop chop." Emily said.

"We'll be waiting in the car." The Chinese pick his daughter and tried to walk away from the door but got stop from a hand on his wrist.

"we'll be using mine. I'm not gonna let you travel in a taxi. Not with Emily with you.." He said like a pleading to Renjun to which Renjun just shrug and walk to Jeno's car in the garage, not after grabbing the keys from the Korean.

The younger still had a kid car seat in his car making Renjun feel soft for a moment. But he quickly push away his emotions and secured Emily on the seat with a smile tugging his face. Making a playful face to distract who didn't like to be put on car seat.

Then he settled beside the girl and flick his phone open. He open his chat with Donghyuck and wrote: I'm doing it. The closure, I mean.

And he received a sticker of a cat thumbs up.

After a solid 40 minutes, Jeno came rushing to the car with his slightly dishelved hair. "Sorry to keep you waiting babe. I just-" he paused and look at Renjun apologetically. "I'm sorry." He said sheepishly.

Renjun just shrug and continue playing Emily. But truth to be told, his heart just flip upside down from the pet name but he choose to ignore it.

The entire day had Renjun thinking, 'is this a great move to finally put their relationship a closure? To finally moving on from Jeno?'

Because clearly it isn't. Not when the latter had his hand on his shoulder everytime they are looking at their daughter playing at the amusement park. Running around happily with the cosplayer that wear disney's character costume. She look cute honestly.

But not enough to distract Renjun from noticing how Jeno been acting around him. All careful yet so sweet. Not knowing how he just broke Renjun's heart to pieces. But Renjun choose to smile and like always, ignore it.

His smell that making Renjun go crazy, his soft breath that keep hitting the latter's neck, sending him shuddered from it, sweet voices that never fail to flatter Renjun. It making the Chinese go nuts and for once, he wish to stop Jeno from whatever antic he's trying to do.

All of sudden, Renjun snapped from his trance when he feels Jeno getting far too close and making himself comfortable in his personal space. Far to Renjun's liking.

"Isn't she cute? All running and jumping." Jeno whispered to the Chinese that dazing around.

He rolled his eyes from hearing the words. Honestly, he felt betrayed by Jeno when he said that since the younger himself state that Emily is a burden to him and couldn't love Emily as she is. Just because she's growing too fast and need a lot of money to raise her. That's making the chinese's blood boiled.

He let out a soft hum and continue to ignore Jeno's existence by continuing on eyeing Emily, afraid she'll get kidnap by stranger danger.

Jeno frowned and look at Renjun. "Why are you ignoring me?" he said.

But the respond he get is just a shake head out from Renjun. He groaned. "Why are you being like this? You're the one who ask me out!"

"Tut tut tut. Correction. I didn't ask you to go out with ME, but to Emily. Your own daughter. Not with me Mr. Lee Jeno. I'm not that desperate for your love. So please don't get ahead of yourself and assuming things because we are already done. The night when you said Emily is nothing but a burden. That's when you and I, are nothing." He said and left Jeno speechless.

The man tried to hold his wrist but failed when Renjun pry his hand away from him to prevent Jeno from holding him back. He felt disgusted with himself for saying those things to Renjun and behind Emily. But it is what he has been feeling for 2 years and sure, call him a sick bastard and a jerk, but he can't help it when he suddenly become a father at the age of 17. No one can blame him for that. Not Renjun too.

"Wait-"

"Just stop it Lee Jeno. Just for once, please faked it for my daughter. Just for today, please let her genuinely be happy with you and let it be her most beautiful memories of you." Renjun look at Jeno with his sad eyes and walk away to Emily.

Stunned, Jeno just stare at the figure of his once beloved boyfriend and daughter whom he cares so much yet he broke them with his selfishness.

"Thank you for today papa! I'm so happy you can finally spend your time with me." Emily said with a clear tone unlike children in her age.

The Korean smiled and pinch the girl's cheek, giving it a little kiss and ruffle her hair. "Anything for my daughter, baby. I'll do anything for you." He said confidently, not knowing that it actually break Renjun's heart who watch them silently at his and Mark's house door frame.

He then grabs Emily's hand and tug her beside him. Smile flatly, he look at Jeno dead in the eyes. "It late. You should probably go. Thanks for today."

"Goodbye papa. I'll miss you!" the girl shout, waving at her father.

"Bye love." He smiled and then switch his attention to Renjun. Jeno tried to hug him but the Chinese push him away.

"Goodbye." Renjun said and shut the door right in front of Jeno's face.

Bitter, Jeno standing in front of Renjun's house dejectedly like a kick out puppy. He felt sad and guilty with the older but quickly choose to not dwell in the negative emotions. It might affect his and Jaemin's new budding relationship. Not when he finally get the said man.

_To be continued_