Song recommendation: Smile Flower by Seventeen

Italics mean they're speaking Mandarin!

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Renjun joined the table, watching with no shortage of amusement as Chenle was dared to shove as many cheese curds as he could into his mouth and managed to shove in twenty seven before whining it was too hot.

He snuggled into Jeno's side, enjoying the warmth the boy gave him and the gentle way Jeno smiled at him. "You look so cute in that sweater," Jeno whispered, making Renjun blush and giggle. Donghyuck looked like he wanted to say something, but shrugged. If his best friend was happy in this moment, then he'd let his best friend be happy. It wasn't his mission to make Renjun's life miserable, it was to help him live through it.

The rest of the hangout was semi-peaceful, and only semi-peaceful because Mark and Hyuck weren't getting along for some ungodly reason. Even they didn't know why they weren't getting along, they just weren't. Sadly, they had homework to do and places to go, so they had to split up, Donghyuck and Jeno walking with Renjun most of the way to his house before he shooed both of them off.

Once they were gone, he dialled a number. "Hello? Kun? It's me, Renjun." Renjun said in Chinese, and the person responded.

"Hello Renjun," Kun said calmly on the other side of the phone, his fingers typing away at whatever he was doing. "To what do I owe the honour?"

"Can you come get me?"

"Where are you?"

"A fifty minute walk from home." The typing stopped, and Kun sighed.

"You were with Jeno again weren't you?" When Renjun didn't answer, Kun continued. "That boy is bad news Renjun, you can't be seen with him. Do you know what your parents would do?"

"So you're coming to get me?"

"Of course I'm coming to get you. Go back to Johnny's, I'll pick you up there." Renjun complied, walking back to the diner and ordering a BDS milkshake and a Black on Black milkshake to go for Kun.

"Welcome back," Ten said languidly, stretching. Renjun sighed and walked back to the back room, tiredly waving at Dejun who had on giant goggles and thick rubber gloves. An odd boy.

"Hi," Sicheng said softly from where he was doing some sort of card trick sloppily.

"Hey Sicheng," Renjun said as Ten brought back the milkshake Renjun ordered for himself. "How are you?"

"Tired." Was the answer Renjun got, and that's all he got as the shy Chinese boy continued to play with the cards. He sucked down his milkshake, ignoring the mysterious boom coming from the closed door, and walked out to see Kun, his official butler and unofficial babysitter standing there, angrily sipping his Black on Black milkshake.

"Huang Renjun," Kun began, and Renjun pouted. "Don't give me that. I told you to stop seeing Jeno so what do you do? See Jeno. He is not good for you. You know exactly what your parents would do if they found out."

"But they won't," Renjun responded.

"They want to see you though." Kun replied, and Renjun began to fidget with his sweater paws.

"Really?"

"Really. I told them you were with Dahee." Dahee, Donghyuck's sister, was always willing to pretend Renjun was with her. In exchange, Renjun had to pretend he was with her when she went out with her girlfriend Koeun.

"Oh. Then let's go." Renjun walked out of the diner quietly and into the waiting car, Kun getting into the driver's seat.

The ride to the estate was quiet, and Renjun walked out to see his mother standing at the garden, her milky eyes scanning over the car but following the sound. "Renjun?" She said softly as Renjun got out of the car, her cane swinging in front of her.

"Hello Mother," Renjun said, and grasped her hand that was held out. She smiled happily, squeezing his hand.

"How is Dahee dear?" She asked as he began to walk back with her, through the sprawling garden.

"She's well. She wanted to come see you, but Kun showed up. Though, we will be meeting up tonight at Johnny's for another date."

"Oh that sweet diner?" She asked, and Renjun nodded before remembering his mother could no longer see him.

His mother had been able to see until Renjun was twelve. An accident had occurred where acid was splashed onto her face, making her look disfigured and blinded.

Renjun still thought she was beautiful though.

"Yes, the diner. Johnny sends his love."

"Of course he does, that charmer." The doors opened to reveal Renjun's father, a man of a wide smile and worn features, proving that having Renjun later in life had indeed taken its toll on him.

The estate was Renjun's grandparents', and they had left the place to his mother and father when they had passed away.

"You were with Dahee again?" Renjun's father asked, and Renjun nodded. "Her troublesome brother wasn't there was he?"

"No, of course not," Renjun scoffed. "I wouldn't be associated with someone like him in broad daylight."

"Good," Mr. Huang said, smiling as he ruffled his son's hair. "You know very well the only boys you should be seen with are ones we've approved. And who have we approved?"

"Family and staff," Renjun replied sweetly. "No worries Father, I would never get myself involved with anyone dangerous."

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The click of a cocked gun echoed through the deserted alleyway, making the other two boys look back at the one in all black with a sniper slung across his back. "Clear," a voice crackled over the headset, and they moved forwards.

"So you have a boy toy now huh," one of the boys pushed another one, and he shook his head, fluffy hair falling in his eyes.

"No, I don't."

"Now is not the time to discuss your sad love lives," the person in the headset said, fiddling with his lip ring nervously. "You need to move, now. There's a cop coming in hot."

"We paid off the cops though, they should be leaving this sector closed off for tonight." The boy with the sniper said, running his hand through his hair. "God dammit."

"Let's just get this trade done with," the boy who'd pushed the other one said, playing idly with his dark hair. "I don't really want to shoot someone tonight."

"We're in Stray territory if we go much further, I have to see the money before I do anything more."

"You should've sent me in," the man twisted his lip ring again, and the boy with a sniper shut off his com.

"I don't get how you've had a boyfriend for a year with your attitude," the dark hair boy scoffed, and the one with the sniper smiled winningly, his eyes becoming crescents.

"Just pretend to be soft for a while, like not having your first kiss, and you've got him wrapped around your little finger." A gunshot went off, and the boy's smile dropped. "Looks like we're fighting tonight boys."

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