"do you think he'll ever be back?" renjun asked, lying on the grass in a park, and looking at the grey clouds above his head.

"he will." jeno said. "and if he doesn't, we'll go look for him."

☁

one full week had passed since shotaro's arrival.

the angel was more of a burden than an actual reassurance for renjun and jeno.

he reminded them of jaemin, the same angelic presence, but definitely not the same feelings.

it hurt a lot.

but thankfully, they had each other to talk about it and to lean on each other's shoulder.

even if shotaro yelled at them whenever they talked about jaemin, the two boys continued to do it when they were alone.

and it helped. perhaps not to get better, but at least to find comfort and caring in another person.

☁

"oh god, guys, i'm so sorry, but i imperatively need to go. stay here together and enjoy." shotaro said running out of the café they were in.

the angel had bothered them for two whole days to go to this café, and now that they were here, he had to go... renjun and jeno didn't understand what was going inside this angel's mind.

and so, they stayed together there, mostly talking about how they missed jaemin, and none of them were aware of shotaro spying on them behind the café's showcase.

he still had to finish his mission after all, and café dates were known to be very efficient.

☁

one whole month without jaemin.

jeno and renjun were starting to lose hope.

shotaro was more and more annoying. he kept trying to lift their mood – which should be something good to do – but he didn't understand that the two boys were still deeply affected by jaemin leaving.

"where is he...?" renjun asked sadly, not having tears left to cry.

"where all angels should be... but he's suffering..." jeno replied. "now, sleep baby... you need it." jeno added barely above a whisper, closing renjun's lids with his fingers before pulling the boy more against his chest.

they needed each other to stay strong, and they knew it.

that's why they started getting closer.

being touchier.

calling each other pet names.

sleeping together at jeno's house.

they both had the same goal. get jaemin back.

and even if they used to be fighting for it, they couldn't anymore.

it's crazy how a mutual loss could make two enemies closer...

☁

"i know what will lift your mood!" shotaro yelled. "i bought two tickets for the love ride!"

jeno and renjun looked at the angel dancing around in the middle of the funfair, with two pink tickets in his hand.

"shotaro, we want a ride to above the clouds. not to this stupid love train." renjun told.

"but... i used my own money to pay for them..." he said, using his puppy eyes.

"let's go then." jeno rolled his eyes, snatching the tickets from shotaro's grip and taking renjun's hand to pull him towards the ride.

"yes! i feel like they're getting closer every minute!" shotaro did a victory dance in the middle of the crowd.

☁

"r-renjun..." jeno's voice was muffled by his sobs. "d-did he l-leave me? j-just like m-my father?"

renjun held jeno's head against his chest firmly.

they were both lying on renjun's bed since jeno had barged in crying like a madman.

turns out it was his father's death anniversary, and it made memories flash back, and jeno's fear of losing his loved ones strike again, stronger than ever...

"of course not, jen." renjun hushed him. "he was forced to leave."

"b-but... he l-left. h-he chose t-to... h-he told m-me."

renjun combed jeno's hair with his slender fingers.

"jeno, leaving you hurt him as well."

"y-you c-can't know t-that!" jeno cried harder.

"he kissed you, jeno. he kissed you." renjun told slowly. "he loves you, just like you do. he would never had done that otherwise."

jeno didn't answer, instead, he muffled his sobs into renjun's chest, his arms gripping on his waist.

"him, you and i are equally affected... we're in this together..."

jeno's sobs eventually died down, but tears continued to go out from his eyes.

"r-renjun?" jeno asked, looking into renjun's beautiful eyes.

"yes, dear?"

"promise me you won't leave me..."

renjun smiled, deposing a kiss on the boy's forehead. "never, jeno. i stuck to you from the day i got in korea. and i don't intend to change that."

☁

"are you two together?!" shotaro asked a bit too loudly.

"what makes you think that?" jeno raised a brow.

"well, there are four chairs around the table and yet, renjun is sitting on your lap, you have your hands around his waist and you often give each other cheek kisses." he listed.

two months and a half.

that's how long jamein had been gone.

and now, having the other around wasn't sufficient anymore for jeno and renjun.

they needed more, they needed contact. they needed someone to fill up the empty place that jaemin had created in their hearts.

and guess what? jeno was perfect for renjun, and renjun perfect for jeno.

but they would never get together without jaemin being here. never.

he was part of them.

"we're not together." renjun clarified, snuggling more into jeno's embrace.

"you're not?!" shotaro yelled again.

"why are you yelling like that?" jeno

"it's just that... you seem close..."

"are you trying to set us together or what?" renjun rolled his eyes.

"well..." shotaro rubbed his nape. "to be totally honest, it was jaemin's mission..."

it was the first time shotaro had said jaemin's name out loud since their first encounter, and he could see how much it affected the two boys.

"we won't get together." jeno said sternly.

"but you look good together." shotaro said.

"no." renjun continued.

"but- "

"not without jaemin." the chinese added.

"oh..." shotaro leaned back on his chair.

and for the first time, renjun and jeno could see sympathy in his eyes.

yes, shotaro felt bad for what he was making them endure. he felt bad knowing that jaemin was rotting in a cell up there.

sure, he would never disobey an angel rule, but he couldn't leave jeno, renjun and jaemin like this. they didn't deserve that.