Neverending Story || Norenmin

douze

"I heard from Mark," Donghyuck examine The chinese's expression at the mention of the older's brother.

True to his belief, Renjun automatically groan and throw his gaze at the road beside the cafe that they have their little lunch. It's been two weeks since the incident, since he let out whatever it is inside his mind. And none of the Nomin ever tried to reach him. Not like he care but at least, show some effort to apologise maybe?

"Glad you heard about it." Renjun deadpanned, still not looking at his best friend.

Sighing, Donghyuck flick the older's forehead with his finger, earning a loud gasp and curse under the older's breath. "You stupid! I know you're hurting. But at least, try to listen from their sides first. I'm not siding with them as what they did is fucked up and totally wrong, but at least, for the sake lf your daughter, Emily, i think you should need to talk this through with them. At least Emily won't feel abandoned anymore by Jeno. It's been years Jun. The least you could do is reconcile with them for the sake of your daughter. I don't want you to regret it later."

Renjun groan dramatically, clenching his chest like he's been hurt with such words, when the truth is, he did feel guilty for throwing all fault on Jeno's and Jaemin's side. When he knows so well that he too have some part of explaining to do. He look away from Donghyuck and look at the not so busy street. Exhale, he brush away his friend's finger that tried to get his attention.

"I know." He paused then took a sip of his jasmine tea. "I know that I'm behaving unlike me. So much that I wish I could turn back time, even before I met Jeno and Jaemin. But a part of me thankful that it did happened. At the very least, i have Emily in my life." he chuckled bitterly.

Donghyuck patiently wait for his words to finished as he know that the man in front of him had a lot of thinking to do. He know that Renjun had a lot of explaining to do too as to why he behave like a hurt and ignorant man for the past few months.

The chinese take a look at his best friend who's eyes droop, like he is being sympathetic over him. He brush away the look with his smile that not reaching his ears. "You must be questioning my attitude right? Well, don't I deserve to be mad at their actions too? Don't I at least have that right? I know it's too late to get mad. But did you know? Emi told me that she feels guilty for being a burden to us, Hyuck. I- I don't even know what to say to her when she told me that. I've lost my composure to stay calm when she told me those cruel thing."

He finally let himself shed tears, tears that he's been holding since a week ago. He promised himself that he don't want to cry anymore. But today, as he is force to open up once again, he let himself off the hook for a little.

Donghyuck instantly took the chinese hands to his and rub his sweaty palm. Giving it a little squeeze that he knows the older need it a lot. He muttered a few sorry that didn't pass through the older's ears.

"I couldn't even know what to say. For such a child, my own daughter to say that. From that very moment, I hate the gut of Jeno and Jaemin. Even the slightest bit, I don't even want to let him near Emily. But who am I kidding. That night when we met again, Emily smiling so bright, much more brighter than his 8th birthday that we celebrate wildly. I've never seen her smile like that unless that night. She hug him and kiss him like he is her world. So tell me Hyuck, am I wrong for breaking up their bonds? Am i that selfish to do that to my own little girl?" Renjun cried harder as he could no longer hold back his emotions. 

"No you're not Jun. You're not selfish. You just need times. You deserve to get mad. God, you deserve everything in this world Jun!" Donghyuck walk over the table and hug his broken bestfriend and pull him to his lap. "Don't say that you don't deserve anything, because i for sure know how much precious you are. I'm here Jun. I'm here." 

"It's been 2 weeks." Jaemin said to the older. He look over across the office, but got no response from the older Korean.

"Jen. Look at me, please." He plead one more time to get Jeno's attentions. Sure the older is in miserable state, but so does he.

"Don't you think we should go and talk to him again? He might be waiting for us. For sure after that night, he won't be the one who'll contact us, right?"

Sigh. He just stare at his lover who's trying his best to avert his attention to his work, though at the mention of Renjun, the man stumble a few before picking up his pace on writing whatever it is on his computer.

"Took him on a date. Just the two of you. I'll take care of Emily and both of go have your own little date. I'm sure he's more delighted to have that."

"Or maybe, tell him you love him actually. You're only with me because you're just not sure about your own true feelings. He'll probably finally listen to you. Probably read-"

Jeno slam his table and glare at the flinching younger man. His eyes flash with hurt and anger from the blabbling that the lover just said. Breathing shakily, he clench his fist to soothe his anger.

"You really think I would leave you? Come on Min. Be selfish for once, please. At least for me, for us. I know how much Renjun means to you, to us, but not with your sacrifice. I've had enough of sacrificing someone I love. Not after Renjun, because you know how much we had to endure without him. Being pathetically miserable and suffering all years without him. I don't want to repeat that." Almost on the verge of tearing up, he look at the younger with his pleading eyes.

Jaemin blankly stare at Jeno. He couldn't believe himself that he just being cruel to his own lover. Did he really tried to erase himself from the older? After all they've been through? He look down to his lap as he tried to conceal his guiltiness. After all, it is all for the sake of Jeno and Renjun. His sacrifice means little for their happiness.

But yet again, he don't know if he could continue living without at least one of them. To make him feel full again, he need both of them. Scratch that, he need Emily to as his daughter to make him feel as a complete human.

The question is, how? Not with how they've hurt Renjun for years. Leaving the older to raise the daughter all alone. After they've let him suffering without Jeno to lean on, because Jaemin knows how much Jeno means to Renjun. He knows it too well as the former bestfriend.

"I'm sorry." Is all he can afford at the time. All that he can think to pass the time that've been stuck since the beginning.

"It's fine."

_To be continued_