Icy Break; Norenmin

RENJUN

Renjun never had friends growing up.

For as long as he can remember, he's been ice skating, and to better manage his time, homeschool was the solution to it all.

Renjun was homeschooled at such an early age that he never got the chance to experience having classmates. He had peers that trained under the same coaches as him, but they weren't his friends. In figure skating if you wanted to win there was no room for friends.

He was never bothered by his lack of a social life. In fact, he enjoyed being lonely. Everyday, Renjun would wake up, spend a few minutes on his education, and the rest of his day would be spent training and working on what he needed to succeed.

For ten years, Renjun even took ballet classes as a means to help with the presentation side of his programs. Everything he ever did was for the sake of winning but there were obviously consequences.

Renjun had zero social skills and was incredibly academically challenged. He never really spoke or interacted with others outside of his parents and coaches so when it came to engaging with other people, he was lost. He was often seen as being rude and disrespectful. Renjun didn't mean to be rude or anything, he just didn't have the ability to communicate well and replicating the way those around him sounded was definitely not helping. Renjun was homeschooled in order for him to not be stuck waiting time in the regular schedule all students must follow. He would only have to spend around three hours a week with his teacher and his parents would do most of his homework assignments so that every second could be dedicated towards his success. Renjun didn't learn how to add or subtract until he was ten, and the only reason he learned how to was as a form of punishment for losing. His parents would make him figure out the number of points he had lost by and he would have to recite it at every given moment. Even at his current age, he struggled with material that other kids had been taught years ago.  Renjun wasn't academically smart and he knew that, but the medals that decorated his room made it all worth it. He was a winner.

Jaemin was a winner too, in a different way of course.

Jaemin started his journey at a young age, became really good, and is now one step away from achieving everything he could ever want. Renjun also started his journey at a young age, was really good, and is now so close yet so far from achieving what he needs most. Olympic gold.

It was funny though because Jaemin already had a shot at his dream while Renjun was throwing his opportunity away. Winning the World Figure Skating Championship granted his country a spot but it never guaranteed that Renjun would be the one taking said spot.

Jaemin has seen his ugly side more than once already.

Crying in front of a person who you barely know is not something Renjun had planned for himself. He also didn't plan on having to cling onto said stranger for his life. Even when he barely started learning how to ice skate, he doesn't recall ever needing to cling onto someone as if his life depended on it but the wheels on his skates weren't listening to his commands and face planting onto a dirty floor in a country that isn't his would be something he would never recover from.

Jaemin was weird and talked way too much but he was caring and nice. Renjun was starting to enjoy Jaemin's company. Who he didn't really like yet was Jeno.

Jeno was quiet and didn't really acknowledge him but his eyes said a million words. Jeno tended to look at him without saying anything. Jeno's eyes conveyed the same emotion his father's eyes expressed whenever he was angry at him. He only tended to anger his father when he'd express he wanted a day off or if he wasn't performing his best. Those instances used to be rare, but during those moments he swore his father hated him.

Does Jeno hate him? Why would he hate him?

The only people Renjun has hated are those who have beaten him whether it's in competition or in training. Renjun's hatred had a reason though, Jeno and him have no history.