𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺; renjun x dream

𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚

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Throughout the course of the day, Renjun had gotten the hell out of the apartment building for some much needed peace and air. He had gathered his bearings, scoped out the college he'd be attending and made a mental map of the city. Hell, he even sat down in a café with his phone on the table in front him, playing a 'yes or no' game in his head about whether to call his mother and go home....or to stick this out.

In the end, he chose to stay. After all, perhaps the culture here was just different, and needed more translating for him. Maybe Jaemin wasn't rude, just confident. Perhaps Jisung's openly sexual conversation was somewhat normal in an urban area. He just didn't know. Taeyong would surely point him in the right direction, anyway.

So as the sun in the clear, blue sky started to make its descent towards the jagged horizon of high-rise buildings, the young adult decided that it was probably time to go home. Actually, the word felt a bit too kind, or incorrectly used; 'home'. Was that nightmarish collection of rooms a home?

Alas, he had barely spoken two words to anyone in the surrounding area. He would go to school the next day without a single acquaintance, without a clue how to navigate the campus, and with no confidence to ask proper questions. His inner 'savage' only ever came out if he was one hundred percent comfortable to use it. Such as rude people, old friends, or perhaps against stupid questions.

The three story structure containing what could possibly have been classed as the worst people in the world loomed over him as he walked towards it. Why does it look so cute when it's filled with weirdos? He was inclined to wonder, though brushed the thought away with all its lingering irrelevance.

The front door was open as Taeyong had mentioned it would always be, except after eleven at night, when the residents would require keys to come in. The pastel aesthetics of the lobby were always a mood lightener, even now when Renjun had met about three of his kooky neighbours. Well, 'met' was a bit of a push when one of them had never even spoken to him.

"Ah, welcome home, Renjun," Taeyong waved happily from the front desk he was perched behind. There seemed to be a lot of paperwork for him to deal with, which the Chinese male didn't envy even one iota.

"Oh, hi," he sort of flicked his wrist in return. "Um...is everyone home?"

The older glanced up at him properly and thought for a brief moment. "No, I don't think so. Well, actually, it's quite rare for everyone to be home at once. Their jobs all clash and require different hours from them. Why? Someone you want to see?"

"Ack, God no. I was hoping to avoid them, to be honest."

He chuckled softly, looking back down at his documents and smiling. "They can be weird, I will admit. But they're good boys. I gave them a chance, and so should you."

"One of them literally wears a blindfold. I don't know how to feel about that."

"Really? Who?"

What does he mean, who? He knows them better than I do! "I don't know his name. I've just seen him on two accounts, wearing a blindfold and acting weird."

The complex owner could only share with him a look of confusion, which would point to the realisation that he really hadn't a clue what Renjun was talking about. The younger groaned, waving it off irritatedly with a quick 'never mind' before stomping off towards the staircase.

His calves always seemed to burn when he climbed the two flights, since he wasn't particularly accustomed to 'so much exercise'. The second floor, as it would be for the foreseeable future, was empty. He proceeded upwards until making it to the top.

In the male's mind, the hall started to swirl and twist, and he knew it couldn't have been one of his attacks. It didn't feel like it. Damn, I need a decent sleep tonight.

Renjun kept his wits about him as he shuffled forward, turning around here and there to assure no one else would sneak up on him. Once at room sixteen, he quickly shoved his pointless key into the lock and twisted it. As his door creaked open, the sound of another squeaking outwards and clicking shut again followed.

He flinched, halting his movements to shift his eyes from the gold-plated knob to the tenant three doors down on the other side. Number fourteen. The boy was standing in the centre of the hallway, giving Renjun a skeptical look before shrugging and walking towards the staircase.

Should I say something? What was that look for? Wasn't he the one with the blindfold yesterday? There were many questions floating through the blonde's head as he watched the guy his age wander by him.

"That room's empty," the pretty brunette muttered coarsely while striding with confidence, "Try this one," he knocked on door eleven opposite Renjun before heading down the stairs.

"H-Hey!" Renjun hissed, scurrying over to look down at him as he skipped the last step to land on the second floor's landing. "Wait a minute!"

The taller turned around, arching his brow to urge him to continue.

"I've seen you before. You're the guy that was crawling around yesterday....and called me...um..."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You don't recall me? Well, you wouldn't. You couldn't see me, could you?"

The stranger looked down at the ground before a weird sort of knowing smile snuck across his beautiful face. "Maybe. I'm Donghyuck, one of the residents here. Who're you here for, Mister? Is it Mark? Or Jaemin?"

"......Neither. I live here." Am I about to get the same reaction I always receive?

"That's not possible," Donghyuck frowned while turning to lean against the end of the banister that trailed down the wall. "You're a prostitute, aren't you?"

"A what? Do I look like a prostitute to you?!"

"Well, you're pretty, you're on our private floor, with a key....so..."

"So you thought I was here to sleep with someone? Hell no! We're neighbours now, if that makes this any more real."

The younger's eyes seemed to glaze over a little as he moved his sights from the new arrival to the stairwell. Clearly Mark had failed to mention this to them. "That bastard...."

"What?"

"Never mind. I'll see you around, Mister."

"It's Renjun."

"Okay," he winked, though it was obvious he was now troubled as he continued his way down to the ground floor. The older remained at the head of the stairs, breathing out airily and standing back to lean against the wall and clutch his chest.

This is going to be harder than I thought...

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