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The heat of the day was intense as the two boys walked through the city, Renjun's hand laced in Chenle's as the taller brought him from place to place. The older still couldn't believe how beautiful the male was in this 'form', and his initial 'this will be easy' thought became 'shit, no one told me he dressed as a guy too'.
Passers by weren't all that interested in them other than those who found their linked hands odd. Usually, it was Mark's shady disguises that rang a lot of bells.
"Where are we going?" Renjun asked, stumbling to catch up and simply walk beside him. "I haven't a clue what today's agenda is...."
"Shopping," the purplette chirped. "The only other member of the relationship that likes shopping with me is Hyuckie, but he's having one of those down-days where he gets all depressed over Mark leaving and shit. Otherwise, I usually drag Jisung kicking and screaming."
"And what gave you the impression I enjoyed this sort of thing?"
The younger slowed down a bit, maintaining a more relaxed pace, though he himself didn't seem all that laid back. "Well....it wasn't about the shopping. I just wanted to spend time with you."
Renjun's lips sealed up, leaving him silent as he suddenly felt a rush of guilt eat away at his soul. He never usually intended to sound rude or come off as pushy....but this time he could hear it in himself. I need to dial back my defensiveness. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to snap. I don't mind spending the day with you, I promise."
"Mhm, it's fine, I don't mind. The guys are giving you hell, and I get that," he smiled cutely, stopping altogether in front of a shop window lined with expensive looking clothes. His eyes sparkled at the sight of them, those classy attires that all matched and seemed themed.
The older eyed him quizzically, then proceeded to take a look at what was there. He was quite the lover of fashion as well when he had the time and the patience....Really, he and his mother were on their own and he had grown up caring about this sort of thing as she was an 'appearance' sort of lady.
"Would you like to go inside?" Renjun murmured softly, tugging Chenle anyway and receiving an adorable giggle. It was clear the purplette was easy to please, and there was something cute about that.
They wandered inwards through the automatic, glass doors. Since it was Saturday, all sorts of people were about. Men, women, children, some in the middle. The smells of fresh linen and perfumes wafted across the large building, and the escalators running up the centre towards the second floor held playful kids racing up and down.
"God, I'm in my element," Chenle squealed, rushing off towards the adult section where more sophisticated racks of brilliant tailored work resided. The smaller had to chase him since he really didn't want to get lost this early. Having grown up with a fair amount of money, this atmosphere wasn't all that foreign to him, and he wondered whether some of the other boys felt totally out of place when they first stepped into this life.
The life of uncertainty, riches and sharing.
"Ah, look at this," the tall male beamed excitedly before pulling out a semi-revealing, white button-up off its rack. "You'd look like a fairy, or princely."
"It's for special occasions," Renjun pointed out unhelpfully, holding his arms outwards all the same at the demand of his companion. The purple-haired boy measured it against him and seemed satisfied that it'd suit him well.
"It is indeed, and one thing you'll learn while living with us is that we have a lot of special occasions. There are a lot of birthdays, job parties, Mark's soirée thingies, Jaemin's nightclub parties. Having good clothes is important, don't you think?"
"I never thought of that...." the blonde sighed while widening his eyes. Have I stepped into a goddamn romance novel?
Chenle continued to drag him across the shop, interested in just about everything and being a huge bundle of positive energy. The older felt himself smiling with him without even trying, and he loved that feeling. That feeling of bliss without any conditions.
Eventually they wound up in front of the scent section. Perfumes and body sprays littered the floor-to-ceiling shelves in pretty, organised manners. The design and layout was so lovely - refreshing, even. As Renjun ventured off to admire some of the masculine types with interesting black glass or navy, he noticed the taller went over to another side.
Over his shoulder, he could see him viewing a pair of twin bottles, one for men, the other for women. They were a bit stereotypical, really, since the female version was a rose-gold tinted container with a pink crystal lid. The male one was a deep emerald colour in a similar shape with with a plain, black cap. "Lele, what are these?" He asked softly, joining his side and tilting his head curiously.
"Oh, just....for pairs, I suppose. This one smells really nice," he poked the girls' one, "I saw it last time, but I was on my own and I can't really buy feminine things."
"What? Why?!"
"People..." he glanced around at the empty space surrounding them, expression more downcast now, "People tend to give me funny looks when I'm buying for the opposite gender. When I'm a girl buying male stuff, or a boy buying female things."
"Just say it's for you girlfriend or boyfriend."
"That excuse dies fast around here when they know who I am. It's pretty clear I have a new boyfriend every week...to some people."
Renjun's fingers curled inwards as he listened to this nonsense, sensing that he'd been through a lot already. "What a load of crap. If you want to buy fucking female perfume and clothing, and can buy that damn perfume and clothing. Who's goddamn business is it but yours?"
"Renjun..."
"No, seriously. Look," he picked up both scents, holding them carefully and facing Chenle properly now. "This one's for me," he motioned to the masculine bottle, "And this is yours, okay?" He said confidently while passing the pink version to the purplette. "We're a pair now."
The younger had absolutely no words to share as he found himself being pulled towards the counter to pay for everything. Why was his heart pounding this way? Why did his breathing feel like a struggle? Why did he love how this person made his insides flutter?
"Excuse me," the older Chinese adult hummed, placing both perfumes onto the countertop along with the few items of clothing and smiling amicably yet with a hint of venom.
"Good afternoon," the lady winked, starting to scan everything with ease and practice. Chenle kept his fingers laced with the other's, nervous for some reason. As a person who got pretty much anything he asked for due to being the ultimate bottom and princess at home, he was typically used to being doted on this way......but Renjun wasn't even his boyfriend. He was simply treating him right as an outsider for once.
"Ah, Sirs," the girl uttered with a slight falter, "Are these both for you? Or is one for a girlfriend?"
"Nope, both ours," Renjun responded pointedly. "Why?"
"Well...." she eyed them with uncertainty...Supposedly, she didn't really know what to say. "Um...."
"Problem?" He insisted, kind of hoping the young woman would battle him on it so he could vent a little rage.
She didn't though, merely packing them carefully with wrapping and noting their linked hands. "Nothing at all. Just making sure."
Chenle's jaw dropped at her response. If he'd been alone, he'd have been sent dirty looks. Was it the strong, savage aura his partner was radiating, or the confidence he was wearing that cracked her resolve? Either way, it made his chest heat up and he suddenly desperately wanted this 'potential' to work. It was always heartbreaking when new boys would come and go, unable to deal with their 'weirdness'.
But Renjun felt like he'd stay. He felt right for him, and God did Chenle already want his instinct to be correct.
"Let's go, Lele," the older hummed, guiding him out of the store this time. They wandered towards the sunny streets once again, and this time they both had one thing in mind.
"W-Want to eat?" The taller enquired, cursing the stutter.
"I'd love to," the blonde chuckled, though pulled the twin scents from the shopping bag first and sprayed the ladies' scent onto Chenle's wrist and then proceeded to do the same for himself with the mens' one. "Look at us now."
"Jeez," the purplette started hitting his shoulder lightly in retaliation. "You're the one scolding us for flirting, yet here you are making moves! What am I supposed to do now?!"
Renjun giggled playfully and started walking ahead to leave the teasing alone. Though he would admit....
That was fun.
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ugh, this chapter just makes wrong room's cover perfect, doesn't it? the perfume bottles just look so pretty and they represent lele and renjun so cutely dheifjeidkek