Tired eyes peered up at the plain ceiling for the nth time as Jaemin could no longer take count. The nothingness stared back at him, drowning him in his usual 1 AM thoughts. His new room's foreign atmosphere doesn't help either, edging him into small bubble of homesickness.
Sighing, he was about to hide back under his covers when faint noises tickled his ears. What could it be at this late hour? Jaemin, being his restless self, got off from his bed to answer his curiosity, following where the sound came from. He ends up at his window, behind the blinds as he takes a peek outside.
That night when the moon shines brighter, he felt weird to what he saw. He felt... some things... But they also felt good, and pleasant, and calming as they are, all at once. What did he even saw?
A smile curled up slowly on Jaemin's face, recalling the short yet priceless afternoon events that might never go off of his head for a week, or two.
"You better be," Mrs. Han rested a hand on Renjun's shoulder. "Look, I still have to prepare tonight's dinner for the Na household. We'll be having a small welcome party later. Befriend Jaemin and be good to him, or else you'll face several consequences," she threatened lightheartedly.
Renjun gulps and quickly nodded up and down. She may be standing as his second mother, but still she's unpredictable. She knows all of his weaknesses such as... well...
...strawberry-flavored snacks.
After Mrs. Han flashed a final smile to the young guest, she excused herself off right away, leaving Renjun the chance to 'befriend' this guy on his own.
"What are you waiting for? The red carpet?" Renjun's unfiltered words only made Jaemin chuckle as he enter the house.
The annoyed gamer gave him a few moments to explore their living area. He knows he needs it, all their guests need it. Since their house is fancily decorated, people always found themselves rotating 360 degrees to view and admire the place.
"Your family's quite traditional," Jaemin commented, eyeing the locally-made vases and clay pots, also a couple of chinese rigid fans great in size that are hanged on the wall. No wonder a scent of incense caught his attention when he was still outside at the terrace.
"Hmm," Renjun merely hummed in reply, watching an amazed expression of Jaemin as he takes a look at a decoration to another.
It's been ages since the last time he entertained a friend.
Yet he averted his gaze from Jaemin, reminding his own of how having a friend is a burden. But now that the boy before him happened to be a new neighbor, a lot of interactions are expectable.
Right, expectable, not probable. The carefree gamer thought.
Renjun clapped his hands to get his attention. "Okay, that's enough. Now let's clean the mess you made," he uttered sternly.
Jaemin, even though treated like an actual stranger, still gave him a smile, a fairly wide yet delighting smile. He looks more softer wearing the beautiful gesture.
Why is he even smiling?
"Dude, stop smiling," Renjun turned his face away and started leading them to thestairs to his room.
The neighbor would smile wider at Renjun's stunned response, but he held it back to make himself less strange.
Finally, they made it to Renjun's room. Looking at the mess for the second time just made the gamer heave a sigh. What more when he saw his broken laptop sitting on his desk? So it's really not a nightmare, his source of happiness is gone.
Jaemin's smile eventually faded off when he noticed the changes of the atmosphere. He was the one at fault, he thought he shouldn't have been all giddy earlier. "Hey... I'm taking responsibility for your laptop so don't worry–"
"You forgot the window."
"Ah– y-yeah, your window too," Jaemin faked a few coughs to end the conversation less awkward.
"Now clean," Renjun handed him a broom and the other easily complied, sweeping the shards of glass.
The owner of the bedroom leaned on the doorframe, crossing his arms again as he watches Jaemin with his every move as if judging his skills.
"You suck," Renjun spat out of blue.
It made Jaemin stop. Well, that one hit his soft heart again. He gripped the broomstick harder then continued sweeping the false diamonds causing cuts.
He sucks? He knows that all too well. But he loves playing pretend. Hear his jokes and you won't see him sad. Ask him and he'll deny any problem.
"I know that... I didn't mean to bother you... I'm sorry... I was just.. maybe feeling too lonely that's why I seek and bother people instead—"
"What are you talking about?" Renjun raised an eyebrow. "You suck at sweeping the floor! Just let me do it," he snatched the cleaning material and executed the job himself after pushing Jaemin aside.
Somehow, the new boy was left astonished.
But a wide smile played on his lips, curving upwards into an evidence of euphoria. He just misunderstood after all.
"You should learn how to clean properly if you plan to mess around more, my friendly advice! Geez!" complained Renjun.
Jaemin allowed his fingers to caress the spines of the books neatly kept in the shelf at the corner of the room, stealing glances at the irritated boy and having another urge to hold back another smile.
Came the point as he spoke in his head, Renjun still in sight who's leaning against the window as he starts dozing off.
This boy is certainly, wondrously odd...
