Jaemin was feeling troubled.
The woman said that she had a few questions but no words were said yet.
The man let out a deep breath, still sensing the younger boy still tense.
"My name is Seo Hoyong," the man told him, trying to get the younger to relax.
Jaemin felt himself relax a little, trusting the man's words from before and allowing himself to take his mind of his friends.
"Are they O.K.?" he asked, voice soft, with eyes just as vulnerable.
"They are fine, we're here just to ask questions," the man affirmed.
"Just questions, right?"
"Yes."
"O.K. I'm ready," Jaemin said, straightening himself to look the man in the eye.
"What is your relation with Lee Jeno, and Huang Renjun?"
Jaemin felt his skin go cold, and his stomach drop.
Youngho saw the boy's face pale, and almost started to laugh, but successfully kept it in.
"It's just a question," he said, smiling at the boy.
"W-we're friends," Jaemin couldn't keep his gaze locked with Hoyong's anymore, suddenly finding interest in his fingers.
He didn't know exactly what to say, he didn't want the others to get into trouble. They meant too much to him to have that ruined, whatever it was that they had.
"Jaemin, we already know the answer, we just need you to give the truth. This will cause you too have a better outcome," the woman answered sharply.
That information made Jaemin look wide eyed at the lady.
They already know?
"So what will it be, Jaemin? An excuse to cover yourselves, or the truth?" Hoyong asked, looking directly at the younger boy.
Jaemin furrowed his brows, trying to come up with an answer that would satisfy these people.
"I-i'm not actually quite sure," Jaemin started, trying hard to come up with what exactly was his relationship with the other two.
Lee Jeno.
Jeno was with him since the beginning, friends with each other since before schooling had started.
Around their years starting around year 8 was when he started feeling closer to the older, the natural pull tugging on his heart.
The time that puberty hit was a roller coaster for the younger boy, finally seeing the beauty of his best friend, but it scared. He had recently learned about Partners, but was afraid to admit his sudden infatuation of the older, becoming more clingy and dependent on the older.
He had suffered, positive he was living in an unrequited love, if he could call it that, until the first kiss he had with Jeno. They were inseparable after that, but both confused as to where to go with the relationship, but just decided to treat it like a friendship with added intimacy.
But then there were three.
Huang Renjun.
Jaemin didn't know that he was going to like the eldest of the three so suddenly.
The first glimpse of him sudden, he wasn't able to look at his features thoroughly but he was intrigued.
Their meeting didn't go as planned, but it ended on a much brighter point. The two days he spent with Jeno and Renjun was absolute heaven. He didn't want those days to end. He was already so affectionate of the oldest. They were close, and it was he was so shocked at how much Renjun affected him like Jeno.
This definitely made Jaemin confused.
He had known and spent his life with Jeno, and caught feelings slowly for the older, but upon just meeting Renjun, he felt the same way.
Hoyong saw that the boy was having a difficult conversation with himself, so the sudden outburst made him jump a little.
"I-i think I l-love them?" Jaemin was still slightly confused and definitely emotional, but firm with his final answer. He hadn't felt this way for anyone else.
Hoyong smiled, even with the woman stiff beside him, and started packing up his and her papers.
"Thank you, Jaemin. You chose the right decision, and I thank you for your honesty," Hoyong took the younger's hand and shook it.
Jaemin looked at the older, confused again, but Hoyong's smile let him relax a little.
They made themselves out of the room, leaving Jaemin in the silence.
He always hating feeling confused, and right now that's all he could feel.
He then realized what he had said about the two boys.
Confused.
. . .
Renjun looked at Taeyong with an unreadable expression but he was freaking out inside.
Taeyong with his intense gaze, making Renjun feel like he was being closed in on all sides, a tight feeling of panic forming in his stomach.
"W-what do you m-mean?" Renjun asked, voice shaking.
Taeyong sighed a little, knowing the younger was tense, and least likely to open up in this situation.
"Renjun, it is just a question, What is your relation with Lee Jeno and Na Jaemin?"
Renjun looked at Taeyong, straight in the eyes, and didn't look away.
Jeno was a great person, both caring and kind towards him.
And Jaemin was also very affectionate and had the maturity sometimes to care after Renjun himself.
But, the feeling that he gets when he was with them, indescribable.
Taeyong felt the confusion and self-doubt radiate of the boy.
He felt bad that he was sent in, almost to intimidate the boy, but he wasn't going to do that. This was a sensitive boy that hadn't been in contact with many.
This boy didn't need intimidation, he needed understanding and advice.
So that was what Taeyong was going to give to him.
"Listen, Renjun, situations like these are not typical, and quite frankly rare. But they have happened before. What you are feeling is not something to be ashamed of, and don't question yourself. All you need to do is," Taeyong paused, not quite sure where to end this, but he did see the attentive attention Renjun had focused on him.
"Be yourself."
As Taeyong had said the last two words, Renjun looked down.
"That's the problem, Taeyong, I don't know who I am. So how can I be myself?"
Taeyong saw this coming, that's how all vigilantes like him showed signs of straying.
Taeyong looked at the boy fondly, cocking his head, and smiled.
Renjun was still somewhat tense, eyebrows furrowed.
"Renjun, I'm going to be honest. I am a Defect, but I am also the head of the Vigilante Project."
Vigilante Project.
A program for those who have gone to the Outside, that come into the Inside to help those suspected to be in danger of becoming a vigilante, to be introduced to the option of the Outside.
Renjun recalled the information and was in complete awe at the person in front of him.
"You're a Defect and they let you Outside?" Renjun asked, wondering how the government allowed that to happen. Usually they use Defects for scientific research to fix the potential of more Defects.
Taeyong knew that Renjun was a smart boy, knew that he would connect the dots, but he did not expect that question.
"Yeah. Escaped with some battle wounds, but the Capital and I have made our peace. Our communities are no longer at war."
"We were in a war?" Renjun was perplexed.
"They censored it, leading only the adults into it, but that's not why I'm here with you today," Taeyong told him.
"I will ask only one more time," Taeyong needed to get out now, "What is your relation with Lee Jeno and Na Jaemin?"
"I-I-"
"You can do it."
"I think that I like-"
"Yes?"
"-them both," Renjun finished, hesitantly.
Taeyong looked at the younger, kind eyes holding no harshness or judgement.
"There you go."
Taeyong stood up, patting the younger on the shoulder.
"Renjun," the said boy lifted his head to make eye contact with the older, "I think we'll be seeing each other again soon."
Renjun nodded in confusion.
Always in confusion.
. . .
A/N:
Cliffhanger?
But I'm saving Jeno's part tomorrow ;}
I hope you enjoyed, and please please please comment, I LOVE READING THEM! <3
But also, Happy Thanksgiving guys!
Have a good night!
started : 2018.11.15
finished : 2018.11.21