Ren sat in his favorite chair, in the corner of the apartment lobby. It was in just the right spot to have a full view of the lobby, as well as the flower gardens. To his right was a wall made entirely of glass, allowing him to see into the garden. He'd sit with his knees pulled up to his chest, white bunny slippers abandoned side by side on the floor. When it was springtime and the windows were open, sometimes he could feel warmth from the sun. He liked that. In the garden there was also a weeping willow, and that was Ren's favorite. The way that it swayed in the wind was truly something he could stare at for hours. Sometimes, when it got warmer, young lovers would have small picnics under the tree.

Ren always looked away.

Not only did Ren’s chair have the best view in the whole room, but it was beige with pink flowers, and beautiful ornate legs. Ren found the pattern appealing, because pink is the best color.

Nothing in Ren's day was surprising or unscheduled, and that's how he liked it. Every day his older brother Minki would wake him up at 8 o'clock sharp, make him his bowl of milk and cereal just how Ren liked it. At 8:40, Minki would read a picture book to Ren, usually something Disney because Ren liked those most. At 9, Minki left for work, and Ren was home alone.

Ren knew he was lucky to have an older brother who took care of him and worked to support them both, but he was always sad when he had to say bye to his brother.

He would usually mope around their small apartment until 9:30, then he would go see if Taekwoon was home (usually not). Taekwoon used to be Ren's best friend, but now they hardly talked anymore. Ren doesn't understand why.

Then, after returning, he watches his favorite Disney movie, Alice in Wonderland. At approximately 10:55, Ren goes downstairs to the first floor of the apartment building. He orders chai tea and a pastry with the money Minki leaves him for the day, and he goes to his favorite seat to eat his pastry and sip his tea. He likes spring, because the lobby workers will crack some of the windows and he can hear the birds chirping. He finds it very relaxing and soothing. At 11:30, Ren will read a book sitting in his favorite chair. He doesn't like reading, but he reads because Minki tells him to and it'll help him get smarter. The picture books are his favorites, but recently Minki's been leaving ones with less pictures and more bigger words (it never goes unnoticed by Ren).

At 2:45, Ren orders more chai tea. The lobby is usually quiet from 11:30 to 2:45, but at 3 Ren gets a visitor. His name is Hakyeon, and he has bright red hair and always comes in carrying his two twin boys, Jaehwan and Hongbin. Jaehwan is usually wailing in his arms, while Hakyeon just holds the hand of the the quiet, but equally emotional, Hongbin.

Ren agrees to watch them from 3 until 4, but Ren's learned that Hakyeon isn't as timely as Ren is, and sometimes comes back as late as 5. Ren usually has the twin boys calmed quickly, and doesn't mind when Hakyeon is late. He loves getting to play with the two little kids, they always showed him new games- hopscotch, connect 4, and his new favorite game, hide and seek. It takes him awhile, but eventually he realized that he gets more wrinkled up bills than normal when Hakyeon isn't on time. When Hakyeon returns he takes the kids and goes up the elevators. Ren always waits, counts to 14. before he quickly runs up the stairs to his apartment and uses the key on his necklace that Minki made for him to unlock the door. He runs into his room, and shoves the bills and coins in a pink piggy bank, and shakes it. He smiles, satisfied at the shuffling of paper bills, and goes back down stairs. He orders more chai tea (The people have learned a way to reduce the caffeine that he intakes or else Ren would never sleep), then waits in his favorite chair and watches the grandfather clock to strike to 6.

People start bustling in as their workday ends at 5, and Ren usually avoids eye contact with them and tries to stay small in his corner. Most of the time, people ignore Ren, not seeing him in the corner. Sometimes one will look at him, but they'd dismiss him and Ren would be forgotten. But, usually, right at 6, the man in a suit who lives in apartment 3E comes in the building, and that also makes Ren happy.

Ren had actually never talked to the man before, but every day the man smiled at him and his smile made him feel warm inside. He wouldn't linger in the lobby long though, continuing to the elevators and then he was gone. Once the man was gone, Ren would buy a water and a bowl of ramen, then sneak up to their apartment to await Minki's return.

When Minki would return, he would tell him everything he did that day, and give him all the details he remembered from his book, and Minki would always seem so proud. Seeing Minki so proud and happy made him feel warm and happy inside too, so he'd try harder to make Minki proud more.

At 7, Minki would start cooking their dinner, and at 7:30 Minki's favorite tv show came on. Ren sat on the couch with him as he watched it, but Ren always struggled to follow what was happening in the show and he ended up playing with loose threads on a blanket. At 8, the show was over and Minki would serve them their food, and Ren had to take some of the icky pills that Minki says will make him better (but Ren doesn't notice a difference). Then, after a usual struggle to get Ren to take them all, they would watch The Twilight Zone until 9. Then, it was bedtime, and Minki would kiss Ren's forehead after he tucked him in. Ren sleeps well.

Every day was the same in Ren's world. Everything seemingly scripted and nothing was shocking or ever unplanned, until one day the man in a suit who lives in apartment 3E walked over to him instead of going to the elevators. Ren didn't know what to do, why was the man coming closer? He suddenly wished he'd tried to make himself look somewhat acceptable today, maybe had Minki help him do something nice to his hair rather than just putting it up in a short ponytail. He could've worn something more appropriate than white bunny slippers, Minki would tell him. He felt stupid as he watched the man who lives in apartment 3E come closer. Minki remembers hearing his brother scold him that it's impolite to stare, so he lowered his gaze down at the teacup in his hand and swallowed.

The man who lives in apartment 3E sat in the chair nearest Ren, a chair similar to Ren's but with a white backdrop and roses for flowers. Ren swallowed, nerves fluttering like little butterflies in his tummy, and kept his gaze on his tea cup. The man sat there, quiet, for many moments. Ren thought he'd combust.

After awhile, Ren looked up from the tea cup. The man hadn't been staring at him, but it was like he could feel Ren's eyes and he looked up as well. They looked right in each other's eyes, and Ren just felt a jolt run through his body, and before he realized it he was on his knees picking up the remnants of the shattered tea cup he must've dropped. The man was kneeling with him, picking up some of the sharper pieces.

"You'll cut yourself, let me do it." the man said. Ren looked at the largest pieces of the pile he had in his hand, and he just closed his hand around them. After he cleaned up the remaining pieces on the ground, he looked up to Ren. "Here, give me those pieces too." The man held out his empty hand, the other full of the smaller fragments. Ren shyly held his hand out, giving him the largest pieces. He pulled his hand back quickly, ignoring the little beads of red that remained on his palm.

The man stood and sprinkled the tea cup remains in the silver trash can in the corner, then returned to the chairs in the corner. Ren still kept his head down, but he watched the man clasp his hands together. "What is your name?"

Ren bit his lip and kept hid hand close to his chest, and he spoke up softly. "Ren..." The man smiled at him, and reached out to hold his hand. He shook his hand shyly with his hand that wasn't bleeding. "I see you here everyday, I've been meaning to introduce myself for awhile..."

He learns the man who lives in apartment 3E is named Baekho.

~~~

At 7 pm he doesn't tell Minki about the man who lives in apartment 3E. Minki sees the blood stain on Ren's shirt and the cut on his hand, and scolds him for injuring himself.  Minki lets it go, and continues on with their nightly plans. Minki makes microwave ramen for dinner, they watch Minki's favorite tv show, then watch the Twilight Zone. Ren swallows his medicine easier that night, and sleeps deeply.

The next morning, he asks that instead of reading together, if he could read the book later and if Minki would do his hair prettily. Minki gives him an odd look, but nods anyways.

Ren wears his white bunny slippers and sits at the kitchen table, legs pulled up as Minki braids his hair. "Do you have something special planned today, Rennie?" Ren's face brightened a bit, though he shook his head no. Minki hummed softly, pulling on a particularly disobedient strand of hair. "Are you having a dress up date with Hakyeon's twins?" Ren tried to shake his head no again, but Minki had too tight a hold on his hair. "Ani..." He couldn’t tell Minki that he was meeting a stranger - no, Baekho - but he knew that lying was very wrong.

Minki put a satin pink ribbon in the braid, and kissed his head afterwards. Ren smiled up at him, feeling somehow like a princess. He happened to glance at the red clock on the kitchen wall, and he let out a whimper. "Hyung... Hyung it's 9:02.." Ren pulled on his hyung's sleeve, knowing Minki would be late for his work. "late..." Minki immediately pet Ren's hair, shushing him and trying to calm his jittery younger brother. "Ren, hey, Ren calm down.. shh.. It's alright, I won't be late. It's okay." Ren calms down, and sniffles. "You’ll be late..." Minki kissed his head once more, then left the house at 9:06.

He sits in solitary on the couch until 9:32, not bothering to go down the hall to Taekwoon's apartment and see if he's home. He doesn't watch Alice in Wonderland, and instead reads the book Minki left out for him instead. He stays there until 10:55, his schedule back on track, everything was at peace once more.

He anticipated talking to Baekho today, hoping that they could have another conversation today. He wore proper shoes and clothing and his hair was still as pristinely braided as it had been in the morning. He returned the teacup to the tea shop earlier than normal, making precautions to not embarrass himself again if Baekho did talk to him again. Today, Baekho didn't walk in the same time he normally did, rather late compared to normal. Ren watched the grandfather clock closely, watching the minute hand tick by. Ren had momentarily wondered if Baekho found another way into the building so he could avoid Ren. The grandfather clock was just about to chime, signalling the new hour, when Baekho did enter. He made his way to sit in the white chair with the red flowers, across from Ren.

~~~

This chapter isn't very eventful, I know, but it's good to get some background history and laying some basic framework :) I hope you enjoyed, please leave some comments telling me what you think, and thank you for reading! <3