Q U I E T D O W N [huang renjun] ✓

T W E N T Y - T H R E E

"Hey mom"

"Hello, Mrs Huang"

Like as said, Jihye did meet up with Renjun at the gates after school. The two walked together to his house, and was greeted with his mother.

"Jihye! How nice to see you again", Mrs Huang smiled. "Now that I see you more clearly, you really look like Jaemin"

Jihye laughed a little. "It's the twin genes, after all"

"We'll be going up to my room, mama", Renjun left a peck on his mother's cheek, before gesturing Jihye to follow him.

Opening the door to his room, they both walked in as Renjun closed the door behind them. Deciding to sit on the bed, she waited for the boy to come.

"Remember this?", Renjun said as he sat down. Jihye glanced at it, and knew it was the photo frame from last time.

"This is me", he pointed at a young boy, and she noted the similarities that Renjun still has to this day.

"And this is Meiren", there was a baby held by her mother, smiling brightly while standing next to her husband.

"Lastly, this is...", Renjun trailed off, feeling a lump in his throat.

"...my older brother, Huang Junhui"

Jihye widened her eyes, and looked right at Renjun who still had his eyes down at the family picture. Gripping the frame tightly, he inhaled before starting.

"He was a cool lad, obedient and all but also had a bit of a rebellious side. In my eyes, he was incredible. He was popular, always got all the girls and had this whole dark aura. But other than that, he was a bright soul"

"It was when I was 16, freshman year started for me while my brother was a senior. We were playing in the park, having fun and all. It was a enjoyable time for us"

"But then I tripped, and fell. We were on top of a hill, so I rolled all the way down. It didn't stop there though, because I was actually clinging onto his shirt so we were both going down"

"Somehow, we ended up on the road. By the time we were able to get up, a car...crashed into both of us"

Jihye gasped, eyes big hearing the words. At the point, Renjun was slightly shaking with his vision getting blurry. Nevertheless, he still continued.

"We were both sent to the hospital. It was tragic, things were crazy. Immediate surgery was placed on us. After countless of days, I woke up. While my parents were relieved to see me, their smiles never reached their eyes. When I asked why, I-"

Renjun choked on his sobs, not able to hold another tear any longer. Jihye told him he didn't have to continue, but he shook his head and still did.

"My brother at the time of the accident had my body wrapped entirely by his. He took the blow, for me. As a result, he didn't...survive"

"I don't know how but it reached school, and multiple were gossiping about me. The worst part? All of them were spreading rumours"

"And when I needed my friends the most, they turned their backs on me and believed the lies"

"By this time, I felt so alone. I was broken. But then I thought about my brother, and decided to change. I decided to make some of those lies become true", he chuckled bitterly.

"I joined fights, sold weapons and got myself into other deep shit. I felt like a lost cause, and soon the whole school knew me as the 'bad boy' asshole"

"But then...they came to me. After all these years", Renjun clenched his fists. "They came, and tried to convince me that they still wanted me in their friend group!", he fake laughed. "How amazing is that? After years of abandonment and they want me back? Bullshit"

Jihye who remained silent the whole entire time, finally spoke up. "Maybe they realized what they finally did wrong, and know better than to just shove you away-"

"It's not just that", Renjun replied, voice void of any emotion. "If I didn't clinged onto my brother back then, he would've still been alive"

Renjun turned to stare at her, eyes hollow. "I killed my own brother"

"I'm really a killer"

"What?", Jihye stared in disbelief.

"I caused my brother's death, so therefore I killed him. And because I don't want anyone else to get hurt, they should just...avoid me at all costs"

"Renjun what are you saying? You're not a-"

Renjun glared at her, and for the first time in so long Jihye felt scared. While she stood up slowly, Renjun followed suit.

"But I am. Jun ge is dead! And it's because of me!", Renjun yelled, coming closer to her. "I comfirmed it, and you still want to think I'm lying?"

"That's not it, Renjun-"

"Then what is it?", Jihye felt her back coming into contact with a wall, thus leading her to stop walking backwards.

A hand made their way right beside her head, and Renjun gave her the most deathly gaze he could. "What is it huh? Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Because I know I shouldn't"

"But you should!", Renjun shouted. "No, screw that. You ARE scared, you just don't want to admit it"

"I'm not!"

"You want to be my friend?", he mocked, scoffing. "That's crazy, not even a madman would think like that. You're secretly terrified, aren't you? Because these hands have probably killed more than just one"

A hand crept up to Jihye's neck, Renjun cupping it and soon applying pressure on it. Jihye felt it getting harder to breathe, as she clutched onto the hand tightly.

"Well, well. Isn't this familiar?", Renjun titled his head. "You should've just ran away the first time, now looks like you're gonna die", he harshly whispered.

Black dots filled her vision, her lungs were crying for air. Yet she still looked at Renjun into the eyes, and felt tears forming. Not because she really was gonna die, but because Renjun wasn't as brave as he tried to potray.

There was still fear evident in his eyes. Renjun was scared. He was scared to kill her, and he was scared that he might hurt others after all these years.

With the last strength in both of her hands, she pulled away his hand. She gasped, air filling her lungs.

"What-"

"I told you. I'm not scared. There's nothing I should be scared of, Injun", she left a kiss on his palm as she kept her gaze on him. Renjun was left, shocked.

Jihye took this to her advantage and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm not scared", she whispered and left a kiss on his neck.

Renjun tried to get her off him, but ended up failing to do so. The scent of sea mist filled his nose, and he ended up giving in. Head in the crook of her neck, he put a hand on the back of her head as he closed his eyes feeling peace. He felt warm, he felt comforted, he felt safe.

"You're fine and safe, with me"