The bell rang. A sign that it was time for the students to go home. Well, except for the music club's members. They had to go to their gathering room for another meeting.
"Where are you going?" Jaemin asked Renjun who lazily got his bag and swung it around his shoulder.
"Murev, of course." Renjun sighed. "Not that I'm comparing or anything, but I've noticed that Mark-hyung has been doing a lot of meetings lately." Another sigh escaped his mouth once he got outside the classroom. "Why are you following me again? Where is Jeno?" He asked.
"He's sick, right? He's in the clinic right now. I think Jaehyun-hyung is there with him, too." Jaemin shrugged.
"Jaehyun-hyung is also sick?" Renjun asked.
Jaemin smacked his head. "No, you idiot. He's there to accompany and take care of Jeno." He said.
Renjun stopped on his tracks once he saw a familiar figure, who just got out of the locker room. His face immediately brightened and he smiled.
"Dude, why did you have to stop without any warnings?! That hurts!" Jaemin said, rubbing his arm which bumped the wall because Renjun stopped walking.
Jaemin's eyes looked at what Renjun was looking. He raised a brow and looked at Renjun, who was smiling. "Woah, what's with the smile? You look creepy." The older didn't reply, and was just looking at the girl walking away from them. "Who's she? I don't recognize her." Jaemin asked.
"She's... nice..." Renjun sighed and just looked at her dreamily.
Jaemin rolled his eyes at his friends and pushed him away to snap him back to reality.
"Jaemin?!" Renjun blurted out louder than he's supposed to. His head bumped on one of the posts in the hallway.
"You aren't responding to anything I'm saying!" Jaemin rolled his eyes for the nth time already. "I was asking you. Who is she?" He smirked.
"Can you not?!" Renjun pushed his face away and continued walking. He smiled when he saw her walking not far away from them.
He decided to walk away from Jaemin to avoid his questions.
"Wow, look at that guy replacing me for someone he barely met." Jaemin scoffed while watching Renjun walk away from him. He sighed, "Aigoo~ I think Renjun''s already liking someone." He smiled.
"HyeJin~" Renjun singsonged as he skipped towards HyeJin.
HyeJin's eyes widened when she heard Renjun's voice. Her heartbeat started to beat fast as she turned her head around.
She smiled, "Hi Ren~" She greeted.
Renjun raised a brow while smiling, "Ren?" He chuckled.
HyeJin nodded, "Yeah. Ren, from Renjun." She giggled. "W-Why? don't you like it?"
"Nah." Renjun shook his head and they started walking. "I like it, so keep calling me Ren all you want." He smiled. "Because you're also the only one who could call me that."
🎶
"I'm so sorry for this sudden meeting. It's just that, I remembered that the winter fair is about to start, and we haven't decided about the ending duet yet." Mark said, while carrying a lot of books, as soon as he entered the room. "The duet—" He coughed awkwardly, remembering the duet. "I mean, the opening... would still be done by me." He said.
"It's okay, senior!" Some of the members said.
"Hey, did you come here alone?" Renjun asked the girl who was sitting beside him.
"No, Haewon would follow me here—"
"Jin." HyeJin's words were cut off when she heard someone call her name.
"Oh, Haewon!" She immediately stood up and greeted Haewon.
The eldest of the three squinted her eyes when she saw that HyeJin was with Renjun.
"You've got some explaining to do later." Haewon said and sat behind the two of them.
"Oh, crap."
🎶
The whole meeting, HyeJin was quiet, and Renjun was starting to wonder why.
HyeJin knows that everyone will ask her the same question: Why was she with Renjun?
She mentally face-palmed, remembering that she shouldn't be attached to Renjun that much.
She let out a sigh unknowingly, also remembering her projects that were all due tomorrow.
She noticed that her other friends were also seated beside Haewon. In fact, they were all there, occupying the third row. She was the only one in their group seated on the second row.
"You okay?" Renjun asked her when he noticed that she has been quiet for the past few minutes. He was worried, because maybe, he thinks that it was also his fault for coming with HyeJin.
The younger was snapped back into reality when the person beside her talked. She slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah..."
"So!" They turned their heads towards the president in front who unintentionally slammed his hands on the desk. Mark smiled sheepishly, "Time to vote!" He grinned.
HyeJin was lost. Was she zoning out that long that she couldn't remember anything Mark said? "Vote...? For what?" She whispered and sat properly.
Renjun chuckled silently. "So you really aren't listening." He said. "To vote for the two people who will be singing at the winter fair opening." He answered.
The younger just nodded as a reply, not even bothering to look at Renjun in the eye, which made the latter confused.
"I nominate Byun Baekhyun!" A tall man, who seems to be in the college department said
Mark shook his head. "We cannot nominate officers and besides, Baekhyun-hyung is already in college, Chanyeol-hyung." He laughed, and the audience did, too. "You're also in college."
"Dang it." Chanyeol muttered which made the audience laugh.
"I'm so sorry for my friend back there." Baekhyun chuckled. "He's my number one fan."
They laughed.
"Okay, any other nominees?" Mark asked.
"Huang Renjun!!" Renjun turned his heads towards the person who just nominated him.
He gave the person a death glare. "Screw you, Donghyuck!" He yelled.
Renjun stood up, "I would like to nominate Lee Donghyuck—"
Mark immediately shook his head, "Nominees aren't allowed to nominate anybody else."
Mark laughed. "Baekhyun-hyung, please write Renjun's name on the board~" He asked.
Renjun groaned, "What the fuck? Who made that rule?" He said, sitting down once again.
And if Mark would be honest, he just thought of the rule just now. Renjun isn't the type of person who likes to perform in front a lot of people. That's why he's mentally sending a big thanks to Donghyuck.
Renjun saw his seat mate giggling silently.
The crowed nominated others. Chenle was also nominated by Jisung, and Donghyuck was also nominated by Wendy.
"Time to tally the votes." Baekhyun said as they started to tally the votes for the four candidates.
"Looks like Injoonie is leading!!" Renjun heard Jaemin yell at the back.
Renjun turned around and glared at Jaemin. "I might forget that we are even friends—"
"Huang Renjun won with a total of 26 votes." Mark announced and clapped his hands. "Followed by Zhong Chenle with a total of 24 votes."
The rest of Renjun's friends cheered and even whistled for him. Renjun sighed and mentally face-palmed. He was already thinking why he was friends with all of them.
It's not that he doesn't like to sing. He likes singing, it's just that he isn't really fond with the crowd.
"Okay, Renjun, please stand here in front." Sihyun said, pointing at the spot beside her.
Renjun sighed. "Oh God, what did Jaemin make me go through." He muttered in Mandarin, which made he girl beside him laugh.
He suddenly remembered that they share the same language.
Renjun hid a smile and stood in front.
"Now, for the girl's part." Sihyun said and smiled.
"Lee HyeJin for the win!" Chenle said, causing HyeJin to look at him.
"Chenle... just what in the world are you doing?" She raised a brow.
Chenle just smiled, "I'm doing this for my beloved dongsaeng." He giggled. "Lee HyeJin for the win! Go for it, HyeJin!!" He laughed.
HyeJin face palmed herself. "Whatever."
"I nominate Jo Yuri!"
"Kim Haewon!" Haerin souted. "I nominate Kim Harwon!"
Haewon looked at the girl beside her with pure disgust, "Haerin, are you out of your mind?!"
"I noninate Park Jungyeon!!" Minji stood up and raised her hand.
HyeJin laughed, "Seems like all of us are about to get nominated." She said and looked at the board that had their names on it.
"I would like to close the nomination!"
Sihyun nodded and listed the names on the board: HyeJin, Yuri, Haewon and Jungyeon.
"Let's start..." She smiled. "Who votes for HyeJin?"
Sihyun counted the people who were voting for her. Believe it or not, even her friends voted for her.
She was looking at Renjun, who looked like he was battling with his mind, whether to raise his hand or not.
"19 votes for Ningning." Mark said.
"Mark-hyung, wait..." Renjun said.
"What is it, Renjun?"
"Can I vote too?"
Mark nodded, "Of course you can."
"Make the number of votes 20." Renjun said.
The moment he said that, his friends immediately yelled at the top of their lungs.
"I hate you guys." Renjun muttered.
"Now, for Jungyeon." Mark said.
The vote continued and HyeJin must admit, she was nervous. A part of her was scared, but a part of her wants to do the duet with Renjun.
She looked down and played with her fingers.
"Don't worry, you'll do the duet with Renjun." Haewon whispered and patted her back.
Her eyes widened. "You aren't mad at me?"
"Why would we get mad at you?" Koeun smiled. "I only have 12 points. You'll win this—"
"Jo Yuri, 23 points."
"Oh."
Haewon looked down when it was announced that she didn't win.
She looked at Haewon and smiled. "It's okay, thank you for believing, Haewon."
"Renjun and Yuri will be singing on the winter fair closing."
🎶
"Where is she?" Renjun asked his friends the moment the merting ended.
"HyeJin?" Haechan asked and Renjun nodded. Haechan smirked. "Why are you looking for her, Renjun?" He asked.
Renjun pushed his face away. "None of your business!"
He went outside the meeting room only to see that there were no students in sight. He badly wanted to do the duet with HyeJin.
It's kinda weird that it feels like he's in the same situation as Mark and Eunmi before. It's all coning back to him now.
He sighed, giving up. "I'll just go to the locker room."
"We'll go with you."
📚
Dear Renjun
I wish I've known you sooner. We could've gotten closer the soonest :( I didn't know that you were this kind and helpful. I'm so thankful though, even if you don't know me ^^
—l.hj
—tbc