Renovatio

Part 2

"Ren! Ren wait!"

Taemin caught up to him and grabbed his arm, "What?!" Ren's eyebrows knitted angrily and the grip on his arm was no longer there.

"I'm sorry," said Taemin, "I didn't mean to hurt you," he gestured at his arm, "I...just want to make sure you are okay."

"Go back Taemin. He needs you more."

"No," Taemin stepped closer to him, eyes sincere, "Your feelings are important. Now, if you will, may I escort you back to your hut? We can chat there. For as long as you need. Would that be okay?" Sucking in his lips, Ren did not trust himself to speak. So, he nodded, allowing himself to be pulled as Taemin placed an arm over his shoulder guiding them towards his hut.

Smiling as Chaeyoung entered their bed, Jennie turned to face her, "There's so much I need to tell you."

Placing a hand on Jennie's waist Chaeyoung caressed her side gently, "Would you like to talk now?"

"Honestly? I'm so tired."

"That's fine," said Chaeyoung and leaned down to kiss her lips, "I've got some things to tell you too. We can talk all we need tomorrow. But for now," she pulled Jennie closer to her and kissed her deeply. She grinned hearing her whimper softly, "For now," she whispered into their embrace, "I'm going to find a way to put my fiancé to sleep."

Jennie's eyes glazed, "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Chaeyoung smile made her heart race. But her words brought it to an implosion, "By making love to you."

"It frustrates me how he refuses to even consider the possibility that Chae is no longer the little girl who struggled to contain her magi-energy," said Ren, "She is an incredibly intelligent, gifted and gentle person. Who is turning in to one of the most capable woman I know. I mean, we can't even begin to comprehend what the day of the massacre was like for her. We still don't know. But she continued on. She does her best. And what? We shame her for it?"

He looked at Taemin incredulously.

"And I know Jim knows this. I trust that he does. But he so blinded by the past that he is unable to see reason. I'm not saying that there isn't a risk in telling her. Of course there is. We don't know what will happen. But it just feels better to me, if we did. I'm so incredibly tired Taemin. I've had enough of having to pretend not only around Chae but everyone. The rebellion has caused the deaths of millions of our kin. Who knows what else is to come? Yet here we are! Planning what exactly? What is it that we are doing?"

He huffed down onto his bed, "Well? Are you not going to say anything?"

"No, I think you should continue. What else is on your mind?"

Ren shook his head. They embraced the silence for a long moment, before Taemin's voice tore it apart, "He's terrified by the past. Jim's blindness stems from his fear of the past. It's important we be specific here."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, because so are you," Taemin sat down next to him on the bed, "Have you ever spoken about it?" he saw Ren's confusion, "What happened to you on the day of the massacre? Have you ever acknowledged it?"

"Well obviously, I know it happened to me."

"No Ren," Taemin reached for his hand and held it in his lap as his other hand caressed the back of Ren's head, "I'm asking if you've ever spoken about it. Fully confronted what occurred to you and your village. Especially to you?"