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Renjun had never been so heart-wrenchingly nervous before in his life. His knees felt like gelatine and the palms of his hands were slick with perspire as he gripped the microphone for dear life. Was the entire country watching him right now? Was this a terrible idea? Awful scenarios involving media bullying and needing to lock himself away from the public for months came to mind, but he didn't care. Not right now, anyway. A man he was starting to fall for and the boys back at home who were equally worming their ways into his heart needed this more than they knew...and he wanted them to be happy.
To be understood.
"I'll only say this once," he uttered, and it came out far firmer and than he felt, and the glassiness to his eyes just made him even prettier. He was emotional...and it was beautiful. "I'm fed up to the back teeth of listening to complete and utter bullshit. I'm talking directly to those who know what they're doing or what they have done, so don't switch off your screen because you're embarrassed. Our country is so far away from being perfect, and it's virtually impossible to achieve perfection on a national scale, let alone a global one. But we're trying. So for the love of God, fuck off with homophobia and slurring already! First and foremost, it's nobody's business who dates who, even if some of us think it is."
The cameras were rolling, pictures were snapping, and Mark Lee was standing close by, making sure nothing went to shit. His own chest was tight with anxiety but his heart amidst it all was filled to the brim with adoration. He could see the faint tremor to the male's legs as he stood on unsteady feet, and the shaking of his hands while he held the mic with both. His whole body was tempted to saunter over and pull him in for more cuddles — just like he had done when he arrived...but he would be fine. Renjun was strong.
"Besides giving hell to our gay actors who, might I add, are literally awesome—" this earned a massive applause and agreement from the ever-increasing crowd now surrounding the area, "We're also not thinking straight about rights, are we? I'm a few months younger than Mark; we're the same age. Why isn't he allowed to adventure with relationships but I am? And to all those beautiful actresses out there who get body-shamed and bullied for imperfections that don't exist, you're not wrong."
Chenle was on his knees right up against the television in the common room, getting yanked and tugged by an irritated Jaemin who wanted to see as well. "Holy shit, holy shit, holy sh—"
"We get it!" Nana griped, finally prying the boy from the screen and handing him to Jeno to hold back. "We are all equally amazed here, Le. Chill."
"I can't believe he's doing this..." Donghyuck whispered quietly from his corner of the sofa, unwilling tears streaking down his tanned and pristine cheeks. "I don't know how much more I can take right now..."
"Hyuckie, what's wrong?" Jisung gushed beside him, wiping the tracks that only reformed instantaneously afterwards.
"Sung, if he says 'no'..." the brunette hyperventilated, leaning into for a hug and burying his face into the toned chest of his lover. "What will we do? I don't want him to leave one day..."
"He won't," the younger assured, though inwardly he was swallowing with a dry throat too and bracing himself for the worst. He hadn't gotten much of a chance to be with Renjun yet, but he wanted to. He needed to. All those mornings he'd wake up in the male's bed and be greeted with an eye-roll and a soft 'good morning'. Any of those fleeting moments where he teasingly grabbed his ass or messed around with him...and it had already shifted from anger he'd receive to a joking nudge. Renjun was coming around, and he wanted to be there to catch him when he jumped off the carousel of emotions he was undoubtedly spinning on.
"Boys, I think it's working," Taeyong suddenly chuckled from his space on the armchair to the side. He held up the iPad on his lap and showed the comments streaming in live from an influencer actively sharing the content. "We have a large homosexual populous for such a reserved country, don't you think?"
"Go Junnie!" Jaemin cooed at the screen, doing a little victory dance which was incredibly adorable.
"What do think Mark is doing right now? How is he feeling?" Jeno wondered aloud as he gazed at the TV with infinite intrigue. "He's hardened on the outside, but we all know how soft his inside is. I wonder if he's crying yet..."
"For Renjun," Chenle smiled.
"For the record," the Chinese boy managed to smile now that he felt a little more relaxed with it, "I'm not a slut, thanks. I know what you're thinking, and what you're thinking is wrong. Everyone has at least one little secret, right? Stop prying into our lives and picking apart the fabric that makes us who we are. You're anonymous viewers, alright? Hate to break it to you, but nobody at the premier tonight can identify you just because you want their attention. So quit it already, and do some research; you might find that romance has more forms than just boys and girls."
"Ain't that the truth?" Jaena surprised Mark as she wandered over to stand by his side. "Your little spitfire is the best, isn't he? Don't let this one go."
"I'll try not to," the older murmured, but his proud grin was slowly decreasing into a forced smile. "I don't want to force him, Jae....I don't want him to reject my arms by trapping him in them."
"I don't think a guy crazy enough to defend a relationship he isn't even a part of on national television like Renjun would deny you, Markie. You're a good man, and a beautifully old soul. If he can't see that, then he's defective."
"Sometimes I wish you were a guy," he chuckled.
"Why's that?"
"Because I'd look after you when no one else will. You deserve more than this, Jaena. Look at you," he turned to view her doll-like face and it really sunk in how truly fragile and tormented she was. "So lovely." His warm hand against her cheek caught her stray tears, and she had never wanted to cry...not in front of Mark.
"S-Sometimes I wish you were a girl," she tried to joke, but her broken heart left shards on her tongue.
"Why?"
"Because I know you'd be the one. I wish I could find my Maria Lee instead, but she isn't anywhere."
"Oh she definitely is," he winked, glancing over her shoulder to the rest of the crowd and wondering why anyone would choose this life. Why had he? "I know she is."
The anger had continued, and the best speech imaginable from a man with little knowledge of this industry had managed to get off his chest what a lot of people had been too cowardly to. Renjun was breathing so heavily, holding back from crying even though his lips were quivering because he felt so cheated. All this time, all this time and it had to be him to say it? To look at a lens of glass and inform people who should've known better that celebrities weren't made of stone? That dating a few boys didn't make a man a slut? That girls weren't mannequins that could be twisted and shaped?
I'm disappointed, he thought, wiping his eyes and lowering the microphone down to his side to simply stare and take-in what it was he had done. And what hurt the most, was that he felt a bit like a hypocrite right now. He was only single because he was worried his mother wouldn't like his boyfriend. Did he even have any right to preach to these fans who clearly had more confidence than him?
Maybe not.
But at least he knew who he was speaking for.
"With all that said and done," he ran his fingers through his damp hair, "Please support the movie, I guess." Mark could see his failing energy and instantly dashed over to hold him from behind, feeling that now was as good a time as any to do the one thing he hadn't gotten to try.
Leaning down and whispering deeply against his ear he said, "Drop the mic, Angel. You did so good."
Everyone was a screaming mess watching this unfold, the bold body contact from the actor and the commoner, and the movie-like action of Mark sliding his hand down along the other's arm and raising his hand up into the air...holding his wrist and smiling as Renjun let the mic fall.
The shrill screech it probably elicited wasn't heard above the crying and the yelling of the citizens standing around the sidelines behind the entry-preventing markers. Their ears were deaf to it all however as the younger slowly slid his hand along the taller's arm as well, dazed and confused yet oddly at peace. He laced their fingers together and stared at the easy-made artwork. That was all it took for the older to kiss his cheek and start pulling him away. His hand raised up to bid Jaena farewell, to which she smiled for them and blew the boys a kiss.
The car was right where the star had left it, and he wasted no time amidst the chaos while helping his partner in and staring at the cameras behind the vehicle as well, playing with his signature smirk before hopping in. He felt there was nothing he could do to further Renjun's aid, and he'd fought so bravely already to defend his honour.
He was so damn proud of him.
"Mark, where are we going?" The younger whispered airily, his hair a sexy mess and clothes uncoordinated from the hassle of leaving as well as the attempted assault. He was far too much of a masterpiece not to admire, and Mark knew just how he would.
"Sleepy?"
"Mhm, not really."
"Good. You won't be sleeping tonight anyway."
They pulled out of the venue with guards and protective units herding people back towards the building so that they couldn't follow them. Renjun stared with a small pout of confusion at the rear view mirror, trying to piece two and two together with no help from his jumbled mindset. "What?"
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buckle up for the mature chapter coming up. also, sorry for the cringe, idek what i did with this chapter 😭