Jaehyun's record company opens up auditions for a casting show, he's looking for the next big superstar, but he has no idea one of the candidates is no one else than his teenage son who's starting a rebellion.
Cover by TAEYONGSUNBAENIM
"Come!" Renjun pulled Chenle behind himself to their secret meeting place on the back terrace of the school building.
It was the next day, Renjun had barely slept waking up from nightmares and two heavy panic attacks, Sicheng and Yuta were sitting with him for a few hours trying to calm him down till Yuta took him for a morning run to a park. He was a little strict, but it helped. Renjun was so over he was sure he had failed the math and science test today, he also got two bad grades for missing homework, but he couldn't care less. It all hurt too much - Taeyong's escape, Jae's cried out and pale face when they video called in the morning, Jaemin's photos with his ex.
"What?" asked Chenle when Renjun finally let go of him.
"Daddy Tae left us," whispered Renjun feeling he can't hide it form his friend anymore.
"Why? How?" asked Chenle stunned.
"I don't know, he's not calling back, he took a plane to the States and he... he won't come back it's all because of me, because I ran away from home, because I... I wanted to be with someone and... we nearly kissed and he had caught us," whispered Renjun.
"Oh!" Chenle was watching him with his mouth open.
"That's a lot," he said.
"I know, and Jae should hate me, but he doesn't and I'm so worried about him, and grandma, and... I can't anymore," whispered Renjun.
"Sorry, really sorry," muttered Chenle tapping his arm awkwardly.
Renjun felt like slapped, he had actually expected his best friend to be more supportive.
"So..." he said with his hand low.
"Good that my parents are accepting Daisy," said Chenle when Renjun felt his blood boiling.
"See you around," he muttered leaving Chenle running to the school gate.
They had ended the lessons anyway and he was sure he doesn't want to be here anymore or see anyone, so he hurried down the street till someone called his name.
"Renjun!"
He turned to see the so known black sport's car, Jaemin was standing at the edge of the pavement, his hair being messed up in the wind.
"Hi Renjun," Jaemin smiled but Renjun just turned hurrying down the street his heart beating faster, his insides responding with pain.
"Renjun! Renjun what's up!" Jaemin caught his arm stopping him.
"Don't speak to me!" shouted Renjun.
"What's up, at lest tell me what have I done wrongly?" asked Jaemin when Renjun wasn't looking at him.
"I... I... I saw photos of you and your ex," whispered Renjun.
To his surprise Jaemin just chuckled.
"Come, you can be mad at me in the car, I bet you're starving, we will grab some delicious dinner," Jaemin let go of his hand walking down to the car when Renjun was watching him completely overwhelmed.
Hasn't he hated Jaemin or? A part of him wanted to run away but the other half... he turned towards Jaemin's car feeling too many butterflies, why?
He slipped on the passenger's seat putting his backpack on the backseat, he had changed at school to not to met Jaemin still wearing his school uniform and he had chosen his outfit really carefully this morning, why?
"So, what about being mad at me?" asked Jaemin striating the car driving out carefully when he turned an orchestra concert on.
Renjun blushed hard, he was fighting hard, keeping quiet.
They weren't even friends, why should he be mad? Jaemin could date whoever he wanted even if this thought made Renjun's insides twist unfriendly.
The silence continued, Renjun was biting his nails watching the streets, the pedestrians, so much pain opening inside him.
"Renjun!" he looked up at Jaemin, their eyes meeting, his body reacting with so many things, so he turned back to the widow. "If you don't want to spend time with me tell me where to drop you off," muttered Jaemin.
"No, I want," whispered Renjun before he could bite his tongue, he blushed hard lowing his head.
"So what's up?" asked Jaemin.
"I forget to do homework, got three bad grades today."
"So what about stopping at my apartment and ordering some big pizza while we will do your homework for tomorrow?" asked Jaemin causing some butterflies to awaken in Renjun's stomach.
"But it's boring," he whispered.
"Let's start with something boring but important then we can concentrate on the nicer stuff," muttered Jaemin smiling to him, causing him to tremble.
What nicer stuff, he wondered, them making out in Jaemin's beautiful apartment, no definitely not, he wasn't into boys, never ever and not into this one... even if he would... Jaemin was straight, probably taken. Hopefully single and irresistible. Renjun stop being stupid, he shouted at himself.
They reached the apartment, Jaemin ordered the best pizza in town, the were sitting above the books in his study room when the delivery came. Renjun was stunned how easy it was to spend time with Jaemin, to do homework together, learn together, talk, Jaemin was older but seemed like a same-aged friend.
I hope you're hungry, they had trusted us a lot, Jaemin was grinning when he came in with a huge pizza box.
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Thank you for all your beautiful support. Did you like the chapter? What do you think about Chenle's reaction to the news and Jaemin helping Renjun with his homework? How will their evening together continue?
Also I'm so excited for Dream's comeback. Although the whole situation with Winwin and Renjun is so frustrating, if you can please trend #StandWithSicheng #RenjunDeservesBetter, let's show we're not blind to all the mistreatment.
