Three sided square (editing/revision period)

Board games

[observation]

Jaemin sat next to RJ and project 1, watching the former read. Renjun was charging in another corner across from Jaehyun while Jen and Sicheng were in the main area.
"Do you guys...y'know, do anything else?" Jaemin asked, annoyed by the sound of turning pages and quiet humming.
"We can't." RJ said.
"Why not? I know why I'm not allowed out but why are you guys still here?"
"It's just safer. We're defective anyway, if we go out and our system acts up there's too many things that could happen." RJ shrugged.
"I don't think you're defective." Jaemin said.
"That's nice and all but we really are. They wouldn't have put us here if we weren't." RJ put the book down.
"I guess I'm just looking at it differently. I don't see defective as having a stutter or mispronouncing words or shoddy eyesight, Y'know? You guys can still do things everyone else does. You turn on and you work. I don't see anything wrong with that."
"You don't understand. You're not permanently defective. Yeah you've got things wrong with you but they go away." Jaehyun started to pet his toy.
"You've never been replaced either." RJ said, glancing over to Renjun.
"Sicheng wasn't replaced."
"Y-yeah because they decided I was shit from the beginning. I 'worked' but I was never given a chance." Sicheng came in and crossed his arms.
"I just think-"
"Drop it, Jaemin." Renjun scolded him. Jaemin sighed and placed his hands in his lap.
"J-Jen is going out. If you're really bored I can ask him to buy a game or something." Sicheng suggested, leaning in the doorway.
"Please."

- - - - -

Jen was walking through a bookstore, looking for games and other things to entertain his friends and Jaemin. For the time being, they were just going to hide out in the gas station until they could think of a safer place to put Jaemin and Renjun. Surely it wouldn't be long before the Lee's checked the dump and time was ticking.
"Ah, Jeno?" Jen turned to the soft voice and saw an unfamiliar tall boy. "When did you bleach your hair? Looks nice-that's not why I came up to you though." He was awkward and kept looking at the floor as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Jen crossed his arms and listened as he continued. "I just...I'm sorry for the other day. For anything I said or did that hurt you...I know you don't like me and I guess I shouldn't have assumed we were cool." Jisung rubbed the back of his neck and made little gestures as he spoke, "I also understand that you were really upset so...I don't-maybe I...? Maybe I should've been more understanding? Anyway, I uh, Chenle and I are down to help you look for Renjun and Jaemin again. Him and Renjun still talk if you're still blocked. Haven't heard anything about Jaemin from him though, sorry man."
"Did you mean what you said?"
"No. And I never should've said it. The situation was fucked and I felt like you shouldn't have gotten mad at me." He looked down at him and kept wringing his hands together.
"I'm sorry for getting upset with you." Jisung tilted his head. He wasn't expecting to get this far or to get an apology back.
"I feel like as long as we all work together, you, me, Haechan, and Chenle, I think we'll be able to find them. I'm willing to cooperate." He stuck out his hand. Jen hesitantly shook it, completely unaware of what he was talking about and smiled.
"Can I ask what you're doing here?" Jen asked as he gestured for Jisung to follow him.
"I was buying a Christmas gift. You?"
"Books and board games."
"Games?" Jisung furrowed his brow. As far as he knew, Jeno didn't really have people to play games with. Jen nodded.
"I would like to play with everyone once they're all safe."
"I didn't think you were the sentimental type." Jisung bit the inside of his cheek. He couldn't place a finger on it but something just felt off.
"Looks may be deceiving." He shrugged, turning the corner into another aisle.
"Fair. I gotta be back home soon but it was nice to talk it out. And y'know me, I'm a fighter so words aren't usually my thing but this was good. I'll see you soon, Jeno."
"See you." Jen waved at the boy and he headed towards the cashier to buy his gift. He was thankful he couldn't tell that he wasn't the real Jeno but he was a little sad that he hadn't had that conversation with the real Jeno. He wasn't sure who he was though so he'd have to ask one of the boys.

(Hi!)
(Updates will be more sparse since I only had like four chapters ready to go in my drafts 🏃💨)
(Anyways! I'm glad you're reading and I hope you stick around for more of my work. 💚)