Truly, Jeno's relationship with Renjun isn't a friend, (yet, Jeno supposes,) only a mere acquaintance. Three weeks had gone since their newest Chinese addition, and Jeno was slightly bothered.

Well, the correct term is actually intimidated.

Jeno was originally very, very nice. He'd make fast friends with anyone, anytime. He's the kind of person who'd joke with others immediately after meeting them, the kind that makes them feel at ease. However, in Renjun's case, whenever he'd talk to the Chinese boy, his mouth would go dry, as if it were stuffed with cotton.

And it wasn't in fear of the other boy, heck no, it was the fear of hurting him. Renjun, who looks so fragile, like the smallest hint of an insult would break him. Renjun, who looks spaced out most of the time, but once he smiles, small or wide, it's like the whole room lights up. He's too precious. That's why Jeno can't talk to him.

Sometimes, Jeno would catch Renjun glancing at him from the reflection of the practice room's mirrors, and he wonders if, maybe, Renjun is just as scared as Jeno feels. Or maybe he's shy, and is waiting for Jeno to finally talk to him? Maybe both?

Jeno's thoughts haunt him and he has trouble sleeping at night, just because he isn't friends with someone in his group (yet, Jeno insists). So, he does what any sane person do, talk to their resident love expert, Jaemin.

"Why are you asking me? I don't know anything about that." Jaemin deadpans and flips his comic book, not once looking at Jeno.

"Oh jeez, just help me out here." Jeno deflates and apparently, that's enough to convince Jaemin that something is seriously wrong.

Once Jaemin is all ears, Jeno tells him everything, from start to finish, every thought, every observation, he bares everything to Jaemin very seriously, and all he does is laugh at his face.

Jaemin laughs at his face, and Jeno pouts, he's never going to tell Jaemin anything ever again.

"Oh my gosh, you've got a crush on Renjun!" Jaemin squeals in between laughter and Jeno blinks, mind still registering what the heck is Jaemin saying before he shakes his head violently, taking a step away from the still giggling boy.

"No, you've got it wrong. You were right, you know nothing about this."

Jaemin bursts into giggles again and says, "You have a crush! Oh my gosh, you're so guilty of it."

When Jaemin refuses to give up his beliefs, Jeno huffs and turns away, walking straight outside the room, thinking, 'I don't have time for this, this fakery, or whatever.'

Weeks pass, and Jaemin doesn't say anything about it, and Jeno is ready to forget all about it. He and Renjun were still at square one, nothing changing between them, only a few small talks here and there. Jeno plans on letting go of his fears and just talk to him like normal, but it's easier said than done.

Today, practice had just finished, and everyone is ready to go home, antsy to sleep or do their homework, then sleep. Renjun was still in the showers, having practiced longer because he didn't want to be left behind.

"Oh my god, how much longer is Renjun gonna take?" Donghyuck whines, "I'm gonna drag him out there if I have to wait any longer!"

Mark takes it in stride, because Donghyuck is just grumpy because he's tired from NCT 127 promotions. "Hey, give him a break. He didn't drag you out of the bathroom when you took too long to long there, did he."

Ignoring Donghyuck's small protest of 'Actually, he did--' and Jisung's barely restrained giggles, Jaemin says, "Let's just head home, Jeno can wait up for Renjun."

Jeno splutters, protests on the tip of his tongue but everyone is already taking their bags, not bothering to ask Jaemin why (or Jeno himself, really), all of them eager to get home.

Jaemin is the last to leave, winking at Jeno as he closes the door behind him, the click of it loud in the empty room.

Jeno thinks he should be angry, because he wants to go home as well, but he was the one who got roped into this mess. Instead, he's nervous, thinking of topics that might interest the older boy. He's sort of panicking, because his heart beating so loudly against his ribcage and he doesn't know why, so he clutches at it to calm down.

Jeno is so focused on the way his heartbeat is so loud in the empty room that he doesn't hear Renjun coming.

Renjun calls out to him, "Jeno?"

Jeno jumps five feet in the air, still clutching at his heart, "Oh!" He turns to the other boy, "Geez, you scared me."

Renjun smiles, easy and carefree, "Sorry, didn't mean to." Silence followed and Renjun clears his throat, "Where are the others?"

Jeno frowns, he's so gonna kill Jaemin later. "They went home already, Donghyuck started to whine."

"Oh, sorry, did you guys wait long?" Renjun asks, walking over to where his stuff is before neatly packing them in.

Jeno watches his nimble fingers work and replies, "Nah, he's just tired so they went first."

"Well, I hope you didn't wait long." The other boy hoists up his bag onto his shoulder and they start walking towards the exit.

"No, no, not at all." Jeno smiles, confidence up after talking with Renjun, it's surprisingly easy! "I've been wanting to talk to you, anyway."

"Really?" Renjun looks at him curiously, the lights of the building's silent hallways highlighting his hair, making him look like an angel. Jeno gapes at him. "What for?"

They're nearing the building exit now, and Jeno snuggles closer into his jacket. "Nothing in particular, we just, y'know," Jeno rubs his nape awkwardly, holding the door open for Renjun afterwards.

"Haven't really talked." Jeno says as they walk side by side, their dorm wasn't very far away, about a 15 minute walk away, and it wasn't that late yet, only nearing 9:30 PM.

Renjun sniffles beside him, and Jeno has this weird wave of affection for the smaller boy, wanting to wrap his jacket around him.

"Well, for one, I've actually really wanted to talk to you before, but you always seemed to be busy." Ah, so that was it.

Jeno looks at him confusedly, and they lock gazes as he says, "Are you kidding? I've been wanting to talk to you as well!"

There was a pause before Renjun giggled, eyes closing in delight, and Jeno joins him, the two of them giggling like children playing in the park. The older of the two looks ahead, the light from the street lamps reflecting in his eyes and it takes Jeno's breath away.

For a moment, it was only him and Renjun. The other's breath coming out in white puffs since he was still giggling, whereas Jeno had stopped abruptly, admiring the way Renjun smiled, his eyes twinkling with mirth, and this time, it's Jeno who realizes.

Renjun can basically be a stranger to him, but it doesn't stop the way the older moves so gracefully, so effortlessly. Doesn't stop showing how beautiful the other boy is.

And maybe, just maybe, Jeno might have a teeny crush on Renjun.

The two of them talked endlessly, about their life, why they were here, their dreams, and to some degree, Jeno already feels like they've known each other for years.

"Hey, let's get some ice cream, I'm craving for it." Jeno suggests, walking down the street towards their dorm and Renjun raises an eyebrow at him, glancing around.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, they have heaters inside, too." He takes Renjun by the arm, dragging him to the ice cream parlor literally a block away from the dorm.

"Come on," Jeno whines childishly, half-dragging Renjun as he opens the door for the both of them, "My treat." Jeno smiles down at him, since he's taller and Jeno sort of likes having this height difference with Renjun, he's sure they look great together.

Renjun harrumphs, "You're gonna have to, I don't have anything on me right now." Jeno smiles wider beside him, Renjun's wrist still in his grasp.

Jeno orders red bean patbingsu and Renjun orders green tea patbingsu. It's warm inside the parlor and they decide to sit somewhere away from the crowd, the quieter part of the shop making the two boys comfortable. They sit facing each other, spoon noisily digging out their frozen treats as they talk some more.

"Do you think the others are looking for us?" Renjun asks, his spoon stopping halfway.

"Nah, they're probably asleep or dead by now." Jeno replies, stuffing his face with the treat.

"Or both." Renjun adds, making Jeno laugh.

"Or both."

Silence passes, but it is no longer awkward, it's warm (like the shop's heater), and comfortable (like the way their knees are knocking together under the table).

"Jeno," Renjun starts, and Jeno takes a quick note of how pretty Renjun looks when he's blushing.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for waiting for me earlier, this was fun." Renjun smiles softly at him and Jeno nearly melts.

Jeno smiles back immediately, "No problem." They hold their gazes for a moment and Jeno resists the urge to lace their fingers together.

"Oh, and next time, let me treat you. I'm the hyung here, remember?" Jeno's eyes widen at this, mind stuck on another time. And possibly another, and another.

Jeno smiles even wider, eyes turning into crescents due to his happiness, "Next time."

The interviewer flips the page, letting his eyes find Jeno, who's sitting with his groupmates in a half-circle.

"Jeno-sshi, I heard you went out a lot during your trainee period." The interviewer asks, and the members laugh. Jeno laughs along with them. The generic answer to this is that he likes to travel and explore, however, Jeno has other plans in mind.

"Well," Jeno starts, glancing at Renjun, "I used to have a lot of ice cream dates with Renjun back then."

The laughter dies down immediately, and Renjun is gaping at him, the sight makes Jeno want to pinch his cheeks. The interviewer perks up, suddenly interested.

"Dates, you say?"

"Well, it's usually just the two of us, so that's a date, right?" Jeno says, watching as Renjun's cheeks turn pinker by the second, he's hiding a small smile behind his hand and Jeno has half the mind to clarify what he really means.

"Do you still go on these 'dates'?" The interviewer asks, emphasizing the 'dates'.

Jeno doesn't answer, because it's different now if he says it. He doesn't have to, though, because Renjun replies, in his calming, soft tone, "Yeah, of course."

They lock gazes for a second and they both break into smiles, turning away from each other, not really paying any attention to others but themselves, Jeno and Renjun. Renjun and Jeno.

(Later, though, the members tease them about it, but Jeno doesn't mind it much if he gets to hold Renjun's hand freely from now on.)