identity: renjun, jeno & jaemin [on hold]

sixteen; making progress

  "What's wrong with you?" Jeno asks after watching their oldest walking back and forth in the living room.

  "Probably got ants on his butt," Jaemin joshes and Renjun shoots a glare.

  He sighs and flops onto the spot beside Jeno. "I put a hearing device on Jia but I think it didn't stick."

  Jeno's gaze sharpens, piercing the other while his jaw clenches.
"You...what? Why the fuxk would you do that?"

  "Language~!" Jaemin sings teasingly from the kitchen, completely disregarding the heavy tension in the living room.

  "Calm down. I only did it because I thought she was up to something," Renjun reasons but Jeno remains agitated.
"You hate having anything of yours touched so what's the point in asking, right?"

  Jeno's clenched fists tell that he's infuriated but he chooses to remain still.

  "Food's done," Jaemin announces and comes in bringing a tray of side dishes in one hand and the other to carry the main meal.
"Eat before it gets cold."

  He shifts his focus between the silently quarreling two and smiles, humming a chirpy tune- much too easygoing.

-

  Ding! Jia's microwave chimes and she pulls out the instant mac and cheese.

  The savoury dairy stretches from the top as she peels off the lid.

  Renjun's subtle flinch surfaces in her head and she scoffs- stabbing her spoon into the delicious steaming meal.

  "How cute," Jia titters and plops onto the couch for some entertainment.

  The news play.

  "...Hee Gun, student of XX High who was reported missing for the past month, has been found dead at the abandoned playground near his neighbourhood," the anchorwoman relays the recent news.

  Jia stares at the screen, indifferent initially before the corners of her lips slowly rise.
"Took a while for them to find him. Jaemin did a great job concealing him."

  A chime distracts her.

[jeno♡]:
Jiaaa
I'm coming over, okay?
See you soon ( ◜‿◝ )♡

  She stares at the text.

  'I'm coming over, okay?'

  Jeno doesn't bother asking whether she's home or not. It's like he expects her to be home whenever he's coming over- or that he expects her to not to cross any of the invisible restraints he's put on her.

  The nonverbal rules he's set on her by turning them into her new 'norm.'

  Like visiting almost everyday to the point it's become a routine or staying by her side at every second of school to make sure she doesn't bother making new friends and defending her to extreme measures with the excuse of 'protecting' when in fact, he's being possessive. 

  "Fool," Jia tsks but gives quite a loving reply.

[jia]:
okay :D
i'll be waiting as always <3

  "My fool," she then, says and brings the phone close to her face, mimicking the action of a bashful lovesick girl as she hides her mouth and nose behind the gadget.

  But then the memory of the unexpected situation with Renjun at the library resurfaces once again and her previous giddy grin falls.

  Jia exits the chat with Jeno and goes to another.

[jia]:
hey
keep an eye on renjun
it'll be troublesome if he were to suspect
anything when we're just making progres