⚠️tw: tragic backstories and crippling angst lol, mentions of deceased parents, drowning mentions, implied suic*de, grief, renjun’s cute english (all mistakes in his dialogue are intentional. enjoy)

i had no idea this would get such enthusiastic reactions. thank you everyone who requested a continuation, hope this makes you feel something and answers some questions ♡

this is part three of merman!renjun, find parts oneandtwo here :))

1:44pm: “did it hurt?”

merman!renjun glanced up at runaway prince!jeno’s prompt, who stared expectantly at him through the bars of his cell.

“what?”

the prince gestured at renjun’s legs and spoke matter-of-factly. “your tail. it’s gone. did it hurt?”

“oh… yes.” he wiggled his toes. “it hurt.”

“a lot?”

renjun paused and hugged his knees a little closer into his chest. “yes.”

“and you… can’t transform back.” pirate!you lifted your chin to make eye contact with renjun, who pursed his lips and nodded in response.

“magic is no-come-back,” he said with a shrug.

“irreversible,” the prince offered.

“irressimble. no merperson ever come back from land.”

your heart and eyes sank to your lap. “right.”

poor haechan.

you found yourself getting to your feet. “i… i’m gonna leave you two to catch up.” dusting off your palms on your hips, you cleared your throat. “let me know if you, uh, need anything, alright?”

renjun nodded.

“right. um… your highness.” you offered a quick curtsey towards jeno, who scoffed lightly at the difference between your usual domineering behaviour and your attempt at character continuity.

as you made your way up the stairs, you remembered the time pirate!haechan had first opened up to you about his past. you had both been younger, yet already best of friends.

“cap'n the only family you got?” he tossed a grape into his mouth.

“we have an older sister. on land, though. runs an orphanage.”

he made a noise of interest. “parents?”

you shook your head as you reached for another grape. “shipwreck, funnily enough. you?”

“three siblings. all younger than me.”

you chortled at the thought. “you? the eldest?”

“i’m more responsible than you give me credit for,” he retorted, a dramatic hand placed on his chest in mock offence.

“yeah, right. i’ll give you credit when you don’t slack off.”

he laughed, and the two of you sat in silence for a moment.

you reached the top of the stairs, and took a moment to let yourself adjust to the sunlight. scanning the deck through squinted eyes, you spotted haechan at the bow of the ship, his back turned to you as he stared out at the ocean.

“your parents still around?” you had asked.

his brow had furrowed at the stars above and his chewing grew hesitant. you had started to apologise, realising you’d struck a nerve, but he shook his head and reassured you it wasn’t your fault.

“dad’s there, yeah. mum’s, uh… mum was a mermaid.”

a sound of surprise escaped your lips.

“—or so my father told us. she came to shore, grew legs and lived as a human. had my siblings and i… and loved my father. loved us.”

you chose to listen in silence and watch as he focused on peeling the skin off the grape he held in his hands.

“we were at the beach one day. i guess she missed her home, ‘cause she barely said anything and just stared out to sea.” he took a slow, shallow breath. “i asked her to come and… and play with us. and she… took my hands, told me she loved me… let me go, and—and just walked straight in. right through the waves. didn’t stop. never saw her again.”

you didn’t know what to say, so you went with the safe option. “i’m so sorry.”

“nah,” he said, trying to disguise his sniffling with a deep inhale, “all in the past. i used to be mad about it, but i’m over that now. she’s probably happier.”

you sighed at the sight of him. he was barely moving, but his loose shirt and hair whipped around in the wind. no, you aren’t.

leaning your elbows on the taffrail next to him, you watched the hull of the ship split the ocean surface, leaving waves in her wake and advancing still.

you weren’t taken aback when you turned towards haechan and was met with tears streaming steadily down his cheeks, their trail from his grief-stricken eyes shining in the sun.

he could barely maintain eye contact with you, his gaze drawn to the horizon again. a wet exhale left his lips before he pursed them tighter and gripped the railing until his knuckles turned white.

“the merman’s telling the truth, then?” he managed, his tone laced with anger. “you can’t transform back once you grow legs?”

“haechan, i—”

“you can’t transform back, then what happened to my mum, huh?” he demanded, perhaps towards you, perhaps not. “you’re telling me she walked in to die? to drown in her own home?”

“haechan.”

“you mean i let her go for what? for nothing?”

“hey—”

he sniffed and shook his head, “no. no, it can’t be true. maybe he just doesn’t know her. my house is on the other end of the earth, he probably never even heard of someone returning because he’s never met—”

“haechan.” you caught his shoulder and he gripped your hand, to throw it off or for support, you couldn’t tell—until his breath was sucked out of his lungs, his head hung and he gave in to the sobs that racked his body. his weight fell forward as his knees buckled, and you caught him with practised foresight.

the two of you sank to your knees, his face buried in your shoulder and balled fists clutching the fabric of your shirt. murmuring your words of comfort and drawing circles on his back, you let him grieve his mother a second and final time.

when he finally exhausted himself and you stopped having to remove your hand from his head to wave away anyone who approached you, renjun climbed onto the deck in search of you. he frowned in confusion when he recognised haechan and stayed wary as he drew nearer.

haechan noticed his presence and pulled himself out of your arms and onto his feet. clearing his throat, he raised his eyes to the merman’s.

“i shouldn’t have touched you,” he began awkwardly, “i was… stupid, and… it almost cost you your life. i’m sorry.”

renjun looked like he didn’t know what to respond with. “you are welcome,” he replied hesitantly.

taken aback at the unexpected answer, haechan cleared his throat again and walked past the boy.

renjun turned back towards you, tilting his head in puzzlement. “why is he sad?”

you sighed deeply before standing up too. “haechan’s mother was a mermaid.”

renjun’s lips parted in shock.

“she had legs, too, and lived on land. but she missed the sea, so she said goodbye and went back.” you gestured over his shoulder at haechan’s disappearing figure down the stairs, his gaze following your hand. “he never knew merpeople couldn’t transform back, so he thought she was still alive.”

the boy didn’t meet your eyes when he turned back around. a moment of silence smothered any further words you might have said.

“and he tried help me and push me back in water.”

“… yes. he thought… you would be happier in the water.”

another beat.

“he is not happy.”

“no, he isn’t.”

you paused to let him contemplate.

“but. she was happy.”

“hmm?”

“his mother. she was happy.”

then it was your turn to tilt your head to the side.

“mermaids choose legs,” he explained, “his mother choose land.”

“merpeople choose to transform permanently?”

he nodded eagerly, “choose to t…ransform pernamamently. i choose because you protect.”

“because i protected you?”

“yes. i am in danger and you protec-ted me. i choose tarnsform tail to legs.”

you mulled over this consideration. “i… i’ll let him know. thank you, renjun.”

“you are welcome,” he responded with certainty, offering you his first smile, albeit small.

you managed to smile back. “alright,” you declared, “how about some lunch? you hungry?”

i reckon there’s room for part four.. hm hm thoughts thoughts

part one|part two

taglist:@whattaweeb@radiorenjun

⚠️tw: swearing, violence, haechan’s a bit of an ass in this, but he has his reasons

this is part two of this au!

1:24pm: “will someone remind me why it is we’re taking him with us?” pirate!haechandemanded.

pirate!you shot him a look. “he stays.”

he scowled back at you. “look at him,” he said, nudging his chin in merman!renjun’s general direction, “he can barely walk.”

glancing over, you had to admit that haechan’s observations were right—having given up attempting to stand a while ago, renjun sat alone on the edge of the deck. he was staring down at the wood under his new feet with a slight frown, like he was wondering why the dark grains weren’t rolling over each other as waves would. the clothes given to him were too big for his frame, and his hands and feet were barely visible in the sea of sleeves.

“he doesn’t belong here. why he’s stupid enough to stay, i couldn’t say.” turning around, haechan started to scrub the railing with more aggression than ever.

“well, he obviously didn’t want to go back, so lay off it, will you?”

haechan scoffed like he had given up. “you know what? fine.” throwing the rag back into the bucket, he shrugged rather dramatically. “i’ll just accept that i can’t possibly fathom why a merman won’t go back into the ocean.” with that, he left, stomping away with as much dignity as he could muster despite leaving his chore half-finished.

sighing in frustration at both yourself and him, you picked up his bucket and continued his job.

you decided not to chase him up—you knew the grudge he held, and you weren’t about to sour his mood further just for the sake of it.

you also knew haechan wasn’t being ridiculous, nor was his reasoning questionable. you remembered the terror in renjun’s eyes when he turned back at you, the wordless pleas to save him, his desperate hands clutching at your shoulder. you only had the capacity to be confused after you led him back onboard.

tossing the rest of the water in the bucket over the railing, you carried it below deck, then remembered you had yet to offer renjun some food. visiting cook!kunandcook!chenle in the kitchen, you cleared your throat to announce your presence over the rapid chinese conversation the two were engaged in. they poured you a bowl of a simple soup, and you blew on it softly to cool it down on your way above deck—you were sure renjun wasn’t used to steaming hot meals.

shouts and sounds of a scuffle caught your attention midway up the flight of stairs, and you rushed out to see what the commotion was about.

alarm overrode your senses as you recognised renjun in the crowd gathered at the far end of the ship—pinned down onto the railing by none other than haechan, who was yelling in renjun’s face about something you couldn’t quite make out. even in the chaos, renjun spotted you in his peripheral vision, and opened his mouth to scream for you.

you dropped the bowl and broke into a sprint, your breath hitching as haechan reached down and hooked his arm under renjun’s knees. panicking, the boy kicked out, which only aided haechan in lifting him completely off the deck. you almost swore his hand was searching for something to hold onto as he plummeted.

it all happened so fast, and you were so far—one moment, he was scrabbling at haechan, the next, he was slipping off the railing… then he was airborne, but not for long.

“what are you doing?!” you screamed, almost shoving haechan to the side.

“putting the fish back where he belongs,” he replied breathlessly, barely looking at you. “why? you gonna tell me i shouldn’t have?”

you caught the railing in your hands, leaning over to search for renjun in the water. a cloud of bubbles had risen to mark where the merman had landed, and you held your own breath as you waited, not knowing what to expect. was he just going to swim away? would he wave goodbye?

when most of the bubbles cleared, you caught a glimpse of the white shirt he had been wearing.

even though the blue of the ocean blurred your view of him, the pit in your stomach grew as you realised the shirt wasn’t sinking, and neither was it still. in fact, the sleeves were still flailing around erratically, the unnatural movements slowed by the density of the water.

barely thinking, you kicked off your shoes and threw off your hat. you were about to shake off your jacket when a hand pulled your shoulder back and away from the edge. you let out a cry of shock, whipping your head around to see captain!taeyong, who shook his head at you sternly. you tried to shrug him off, but he only held on tighter.

“haechan,” he said, “fish-boy’s drowning. you go get him.”

the boy’s face turned incredulous. “why me?”

“you threw him over. you get him. go.”

you weren’t shocked when haechan audibly swore under his breath, but started kicking off his shoes anyway. he wasn’t one to cross the captain’s orders, and he wasn’t about to start.

still grumbling, he jumped onto the railing, calculating the distance from the ledge to the water below. he spat out to the side, swore, then pin-dropped perfectly.

you watched as haechan disappeared under the surface, and reemerged a few moments later with a panicking renjun in his arms, yelling at him to shut up and relax.

two of your crewmates had lowered the rowboat onto the water when haechan had jumped. he dragged renjun towards it, pulled himself up and helped renjun in before leaning back and waiting for the crew to haul the boat back up.

when they were both back on deck, renjun was still spluttering up water from his lungs. you crouched next to him and thumped your hand on his back rhythmically, encouraging him to cough it out. tears flowed down his cheeks as he struggled for breath—he had obviously never experienced coughing before.

“for the stars’ sake,” haechan challenged, “why is he still here, inconveniencing everyone? huh?” he leaned into renjun’s face threateningly, “you get caught accidentally, we let you go, and you ignore that? you could have just transformed back and swam away, but no. you just had to make me get my clothes wet, didn’t you? why? you determined to piss me off?”

still doubled over on his knees, renjun had managed to stop coughing. he didn’t move from his position, his chest still heaving as he panted. you noticed his fingertips pressing into the wooden planks under his palms, his nails turning white with the pressure. his shoulders quivered and jaw was clenched tight.

your lips parted in realisation.

“he can’t.”

haechan probably hadn’t heard you over the sound of his own blood roaring in his ears. “what?”

“hecan’t,” you repeated, looking up at him, “he can’t transform back.”

renjun’s silence only confirmed your theory.

haechan blinked. his hands slipped off his hips, and his jaw went slack.

you could only imagine how haechan must have been feeling. how his chest must have tightened with the confronting truth, how he must have forgotten the world around him.

that you could only guess—you knew what thought was whirling through his mind.

“come on,” you said gently, gripping renjun’s shoulders. “can you stand?”

he nodded shakily, and you thought you heard him choke back a sob.

leaving haechan to some space to himself, you led a trembling renjun below deck to get warm. you sat him down on a crate next to the brig, murmuring reassurances to him, and started searching for a spare blanket.

“what the—renjun?”

you had almost forgotten the brig wasn’t empty, so you weren’t alone below deck. you turned to see runaway prince!jeno, who was usually rarely awake, clutching at the bars of his prison.

you frowned in confusion as renjun cried out incoherently, launching himself off the crate to kneel in front of the prison. “je-no!” he exclaimed, sounding just as shocked as the prince through his accent.

“you two… know each other?”

jeno glanced at you, then back at the merman. “renjun freed me and saved my life.” the boy nodded profusely in support.

“uh… you’re still very much imprisoned, your highness.”

“no, no, no—” the prince started to correct you. “—in the merpeople’s palace.”

part three

MAZE TRIAL ZERO: An NCT Dream x The Maze Runner AU (Report: Day One)

[WORLD IN CATASTROPHE: KILLZONE EXPERIMENT DEPARTMENT Memorandum]

Folder:MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Progress Reports > Folder: Week One > File: Report: Day One

Attached files > File: Potential Subject Profiles

Report: Day One (01/01/231)

• 12:00: SUBJECT 01 summoned to PREP WARD.
• 12:30: PREP SHOT administered to Subject during operation to insert BIO CHIP into Subject’s KILLZONE.
• 17:00: Preparations to insert SUBJECT 01 into MAZE completed.
• 17:00:08: ELEVATOR activated. Ascent into MAZE begins.
• 17:00:36: SUBJECT 01 wakes inside ELEVATOR.
• 17:00:41: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.

BIO CHIP indicates acute activation of sympathetic nervous system: elevated heart rates, incr. perspiration, heightened adrenaline and cortisol levels, widened bronchial passages, temporary deactivation of all immediately non-essential bodily functions.

BIO CHIP measures heart rate past 100 BPM. Peaks at 154 BPM.

Note: Side effects of PREP SHOT include impermanent retrograde amnesia, nausea, spatial and temporal disorientation. SUBJECT 01 may experience fluctuating perception of time in ELEVATOR.

Transcript of ELEVATOR audio recording at 17:00:00:

Recording Begins.

[Elevator gears grinding. Continues for approx. 36 seconds.]

Sedative properties of PREP SHOT fully wear off as SUBJECT 01 wakes with a gasp.

[Nausea causes emesis.]

[Spluttering as Subject recovers and orients himself.]

SUBJECT 01: What the… (inaudible.)

[Subject stands.]

SUBJECT 01: Hello? Hey! — hello?

• 17:01: ELEVATOR completes ascent into MAZE.

[Silence for approx. 5 seconds.]

[Elevator doors open overhead.]

SUBJECT 01:[REDACTED]!

[Silence as Subject recovers from sudden light.]

Remainder of audio consists of Subject climbing to exit Elevator.

Recording Ends.

• 17:03: Subject enters HOMESTEAD.
• 17:03:11: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.
• 17:03:31: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #43 captures Subject examining the surroundings, spinning in circles as Subject processes INNER MAZE WALLS.

BIO CHIP indicates further activation of sympathetic nervous system: elevated heart rates, incr. perspiration, heightened adrenaline and cortisol levels, widened bronchial passages, temporary deactivation of all immediately non-essential bodily functions.

• 17:05:37: Subject collapses to knees. Minor bruising occurs. Remains in position for approx. 6 minutes.
• 17:05:55: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.

BIO CHIP indicates incr. activity of parasympathetic nervous system: decr. heart rate to 99 BPM at 15:10:22. Heart rate lowers to 94 at 17:11:03.

• 17:11: Subject stands and walks towards SOUTH WALL.
• 17:16: Subject reaches SOUTH WALL. Knocks on the stone twice. Places his fingertips on the stone and runs it along the wall until he reaches SOUTH DOOR.
• 17:18: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 captures Subject reaching SOUTH DOOR and looking into the MAZE. Remains in position for approximately 1 minute.

BIO CHIP measures incr. activity in medial temporal lobe as Subject processes spatial components of the MAZE beyond SOUTH DOOR. Subject’s sympathetic nervous response is activated.

Transcript of SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 audio recording at 17:18:52:

Recording begins.

SUBJECT 01: What…?

Recording ends.

• 17:20: Subject turns and walks away from SOUTH DOOR. Subject approaches FOREST.
• 17:26: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #93 captures Subject reaching FOREST and walking west along tree line.
• 17:28: Subject sits at edge of FOREST, looking to SOUTH WALL.
• 17:29:35: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.

BIO CHIP indicates activation of sympathetic nervous system and heightened activity in prefrontal cortex.

• 17:48: Subject stands and walks toward SOUTH DOOR.
• 17:52: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 captures Subject pausing in front of SOUTH DOOR.
• 17:52:36: Subject enters MAZE SECTION 6.

BIO CHIP measures incr. heart rate, peaking at 137 BPM at 17:57:36.

• 17:53: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #4 captures Subject walking slowly down SOUTH DOOR CORRIDOR.
• 17:54:19: Subject reaches first alternate path. After careful consideration (heightened activity in prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe), Subject turns right.
• 17:54: Further exploration of SECTION 6. Encounters 3 dead ends. Continuous active use of medial temporal lobe and hippocampus indicate spatial memory at work.
• 17:57:43: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #7 captures Subject staring up at darkening sky, turning back after approx. 9 seconds and retracing steps to HOMESTEAD.
• 17:59:50: Closing of all MAZE DOORS initiated.

BIO CHIP measures sharp incr. in adrenaline levels as Subject breaks into a sprint.

• 18:00:00: MAZE DOORS close. MAZE BEASTS #1 through #8 are released into the MAZE from respective SECTIONS.
• 18:00:00: Subject collapses to knees. Further bruising occurs. Remains in sitting position for approx. 1 minute, recovering from fear response.

Transcript of SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 audio recording at 18:08:57:

Recording begins.

MAZE BEAST #6: [Screeches]

SUBJECT 01:[REDACTED]!

[Subject stands and distances himself from CLOSED SOUTH DOOR.]

Recording ends.

BIO CHIP measures activation of parasympathetic nervous system and incr. activity in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

• 18:10: Subject approaches ELEVATOR and opens hatch. Subject examines contents of Elevator and jumps in.

Transcript of ELEVATOR audio recording at 18:10:14:

Recording begins.

SUBJECT 01: [Reading labels on boxes] WICKED.

SUBJECT 01: What the [REDACTED] does WICKED mean? (Inaudible.)

Remainder of audio consists of Subject reading labels of equipment and supplies aloud.

[Click as Subject turns on a torch.]

Recording ends.

• 18:11: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #43 captures objects being thrown out of Elevator. First, a sleeping bag, followed by a bag of clothing. Continues until all supplies are unloaded from Elevator.
• 18:15: Subject climbs out of Elevator and closes hatch. Proceeds to organise supplies.
• 18:23: Subject completes supply organisation. Begins setting up makeshift tent.
• 18:39: Subject completes tent set-up. SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #78 captures Subject starting to eat in rations.
• 19:11: Subject sets up sleeping bag and prepares for sleep.
• MAZE BEASTS continue to howl and screech throughout the night. As a result, Subject experiences difficulty falling asleep. Audio recordings from SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #78 coincide with BIO CHIP measurements of bursts of activity in sympathetic nervous system at 19:12:37, 19:23:40, 21:05:36, 22:46:29, 23:07:47, 23:07:49 and 23:34:40.
• 23:38:47: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.
• 23:39:56: Subject accesses NAME MEMORY FILE.

Transcript of SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #78 audio recording at 23:39:57:

Recording begins.

SUBJECT 01: Mark.

[Subject laughs and repeats his name twice.]

Recording ends.

[WORLD IN CATASTROPHE: KILLZONE EXPERIMENT DEPARTMENT] MAZE TRIAL ZERO: Official Proposal

Folder:MAZE TRIAL ZERO > File: Official Proposal to Dr Ava Paige

To the desk of Dr Ava Paige

Date: 03/01/230

To Dr. Paige,

I write to you in regards to a new experiment proposal from the Department of Experimentation.

In order to map out the neural pathways of those Immune to the Flare in hopes of developing a universal cure for all, there remains an inherent need for new and efficient ways to stimulate subjects with an adverse environment for observation as to how Immune brain structures differ from those susceptible to the Flare virus.

Thus we present for your consideration:

THE MAZE TRIALS

in which subjects are placed in an unknown environment (The Maze) and are tasked with escape.

Please see the Details of Stakes Involved, Predicted Cost and Ethical Implications, attached as separate files.

In its preliminary stages, we have selected 10 Potential Subjects to participate in the first Maze Trial, to which we have coined the term Maze Trial Zero.

Profiles of Potential Subjects have been attached as separate files for your viewing.

We thank you for your time and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,

Jeong Jaehyun

Head of the Department of Experimentation

World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department (W.I.C.K.E.D.)

[WORLD IN CATASTROPHE: KILLZONE EXPERIMENT DEPARTMENT] MAZE TRIAL ZERO: Potential Subject Profiles

Folder:MAZE TRIAL ZERO > File: Potential Subject Profiles

Subject 01

Name: Lee Minhyung (Mark)

Age: 18

Origin: Toronto, Canada

Status: Immune

Notes: Given his being the eldest of the group, he has already displayed acts of leadership for his fellow subject candidates. Seems to have a particular affection towards Subject 02.

Subject 02

Name: Park Jisung

Age: 15

Origin: Seoul, South Korea

Status: Immune

Notes: Youngest of group. Initial tests showed highest fear response to given stimuli alongside Subject 04. Close observation and comparison of results recommended.

Subject 03

Name: Lee Jeno

Age: 17

Origin: Incheon, South Korea

Status: Immune

Notes: Most compliant to directions. Frequent mediator of conflict between subjects (see Subject Observation Report 03.1.3). Initial tests show increased intelligence and advanced problem solving skills. Physical tests show consistently high results. Seems to have formed a friendship with Subject 07, who arrived at facility on same day.

Subject 04

Name: Lee Donghyuk

Age: 17

Origin: Seoul, South Korea

Status: Not Immune

Notes: Brought to facility as control subject while recruiting Immune siblings. Initial tests show advanced problem solving skills and highest fear response to given stimuli alongside Subject 02. Close observation and comparison of results recommended.

Subject 05

Name: Zhong Chenle

Age: 16

Origin: Shanghai, China

Status: Immune

Notes: Brought to facility by mercenaries in exchange for reward money upon finding him Immune after Crank attack. Seems to have formed a friendship with Subject 10, who is the same age. Hostile towards staff. Total of 4 behaviour warnings issued thus far.

Subject 06

Name: Huang Renjun

Age: 17

Origin: Jilin, China

Status: Not Immune

Notes: Particularly uncooperative in initial transport process to facility (see Subject Observation Report 06.1.1). Additional personnel called in for restraint when subject managed to get a hold of guard’s taser and proceeded to attempt escape. Controlled doses of amnesia-inducing pills administered, subject now cooperative and willing to follow orders.

Subject 07

Name: Na Jaemin

Age: 17

Origin: Jeonju, South Korea

Status: Not Immune

Notes: Surrendered to W.I.C.K.E.D. by parents at Korean Peninsula control border. Mostly compliant, if not silent. Initial tests show increased stamina and physical ability. Seems to have formed a friendship with Subject 03, who arrived at facility on same day.

Subject 08

Name: Liu Yangyang

Age: 17

Origin: Düsseldorf, Germany

Status: Immune

Notes: Surrendered to W.I.C.K.E.D. by parents at Germany control border. Only speaks to Subjects 05 and 06, given the language barrier between the rest.

Subject 09

Name: Osaki Shōtarō

Age: 17

Origin: Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Status: Not Immune

Notes: Recruited at Japan control border. Has refused to speak since arrival to facility, even to Japanese-speaking staff. Otherwise unable to communicate with other subjects due to language barrier.

Subject 10

Name: Jeong Sungchan

Age: 16

Origin: Seoul, South Korea

Status: Immune

Notes: Seems to have formed a friendship with Subject 05, who is the same age. Initial tests show advanced problem solving skills and good physical ability.

MAZE TRIAL ZERO Masterlist

An NCT Dream x The Maze RunnerAU

What if Alby wasn’t the first Glader?

• enjoy as i write purely for self-indulgence, born from my love of the series and a passion for putting my biases in fictional situations of mortal danger
• this series will be formatted as report files from W.I.C.K.E.D. as they test out their maze on our seven boys from NCT Dream
• there is no y/n in this series, only secondary observation reports
• to clarify, this plot can be read as a ‘prequel’ to The Maze Runner by James Dashner. there may be references to preexisting characters, however they will not be active agents in this series. technically, this is an alternate universe for the dreamies, not thomas and his friends.
• the warnings below should be enough to prepare you all for what’s coming lol. buckle up

⚠️ tw: major character death, violence, grievers, swearing, graphic depictions of gore and blood, weapon use, possible spoilers for The Maze Runner series. i cannot stress enough that you should read at your own discretion.

naturally, the genre is horror and will involve scientific observations to suggest adverse emotions, such as fear.

• this is a work of fiction closely tied to James Dashner’s novel series, The Maze Runner. while i do not intend to plagiarise any of his works, i will be using many of his plot points, including the maze, grievers, w.i.c.k.e.d., and some characters, e.g. Dr. Ava Paige, etc., however, the details of the plot will be of my own imagination.
• i do not own these characters, nor do i own James Dashner’s name or those of NCT Dream’s members. i am merely borrowing them for alternate universe purposes.

Folder: MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Pre-Trial Preparation and Planning

1. File: Official Proposal to Dr Ava Paige
2. File: Potential Subject Profiles
3. File: Details of Stakes Involved
4. File: Predicted Cost
5. File: Ethical Implications
6. File: Map of the Maze

Folder: MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Progress Reports > Folder: Week One

1. Report: Day One
2. Report: Day Two
3. Report: Day Three
4. Report: Day Four
5. Report: Day Five
6. Report: Day Six
7. Report: Day Seven

Folder: MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Conclusion

1. File: Discussion and Advice for Future Development

⚠️tw: weapon use, mentions of blood

1:07pm: “well, you’re not cod.”

it was not the silky smooth skin (scales?), nor the somewhat fascinating slits for gills flaring in the creature’s shock that first caught your attention. not even the wriggling tail, shimmering golds and greens and blues even in minimal sunlight with every movement.

it was the eyes. the wild young eyes that defied the status of prey and established itself as a living being, not just a body of meat and bones. there was a soul there, so hungry and alive, barely containing the storm behind them.

it was startling how such fire could come from a child of the sea.

thetis had blessed you today with your first close-up look at a real merman, suspended above you in a fishing net. still hissing and thrashing, it bared its teeth at you and the crew, fighting for freedom, but only managing to tangle itself further in the process.

“lucky catch?” first mate!johnny mused, shrugging his shoulder.

“didn’t think we’d see merpeople in these waters,” quartermaster!jaehyunmuttered.

cook!chenle was shaking his head. “we can’t eat that,” he said, arms crossed over his chest.

“no shit,” pirate!haechan replied, “we’ve all heard the stories — men’s blood freezing up in their veins.” he shuddered. “don’t know about y'all, but i’m not about to have my blood turned into slush.”

your crewmates’ words hung about you like the low-hanging clouds on a still day, and yet you couldn’t take your eyes off the creature, so very clearly out of its element.

to see such a beautiful, fatal beast struggling in such a way under your hand, exposed and vulnerable — so wonderfully voyeuristic and intimate, you couldn’t help but become intrigued by it. him.

his eyes had turned from furious to panicked as the net was lowered down onto the deck, grabbing at the ropes and swiping desperately as if his claws could cut through in such a time.

you still had yet to say a word, still stunned with awe as he spilled out onto the wooden deck along with the rest of the catch — but found yourself lunging forward as you saw your crew stepping forward to handle him however they planned.

hand at your sheathed cutlass, you stepped in front of the merman, turning to face your crew with a daring glare.

“you won’t touch him,” you warned, raising your chin to challenge anyone to question your authority.

jaehyun let out a sigh and motioned for the others to step back. they begrudgingly obeyed, just as the captain’s quarters opened and captain!taeyong, your brother, stepped out on deck.

“what’s going on there?”

“merman, sir,” cabin boy!jisung piped up, “pulled up the fishing net and there he was, sir.”

“merman, you say?” taeyong repeated, taking his time down the stairs. “you mean that boy?”

looking back at him, your jaw dropped as the boy’s tail seemed to melt away, fins into flesh and bending into knees — real knees, ankles and feet and all — right before your very eyes.

the boy’s face was twisted with nausea and pain, and you realised he must have been enduring the sensations of new limbs being created in real time, bones fusing and scales sinking into skin, then splitting into two separate legs. you winced as he visibly fought back a strained groan of agony.

you took a second to process the transformation before you as the crowd parted for your captain like the splitting sea as he approached. you clenched your jaw when he signalled you to step aside, but you did so cautiously nevertheless.

crouching in front of the naked half-boy, taeyong ignored his (weaker) warning hiss and held a short blade under his chin, tilting it upwards so as to get a better look at his gills as they vanished, fusing back into the skin of his neck. he took a long gasp of air, strained with the position he was held in.

“now, what’s a pretty thing like you doing in our fishing net?”

instead of replying, he snapped at his hand, jaws opening to reveal a normal, human set of teeth. instead of flinching, however, like most of the crew, your brother gave him a warning of his own, stabbing downwards at the half-boy’s no-longer-webbed hands. the blade caught the gap between his thumb and finger, which would have pinned him to the deck had he still been in his merman form.

your grip tightened on your cutlass’ handle as the creature yelped in shock. “taeyong, enough!” nudging him hard out of your way, you reach down and pull the knife out, throwing it aside. you turn on your brother, recovering from his fall. “get away from him,” you snapped, only to be met with laughter.

“what’s it to you, whether it dies or not?”

“you’ll leave him alone, and that’s that.” you tried to put as much finality as you could into your voice, half-worried it wouldn’t be enough — but to your surprise, taeyong snorted and gave you a nod.

“suit yourself,” he placed his hands on his hips, “what would you have us do with it, then? leave it in the sun to dry?”

the merman let out a low growl at that suggestion, but you ignored it.

“we let him go.”

pirate!jaemin threw off his shirt to drape over the shivering boy as he was hauled up onto shaky new feet, legs buckling and knees giving in with the first few steps he took.

as soon as he could take certain steps, taeyong ordered for the plank to be taken out, and they were quick to usher him onto it to drop back into the sea. he hadn’t helped at all, squirming profusely in protest all throughout.

the boy’s previous feral ferocity had long since gone, and his eyes now screamed of a strange panic and fear. glancing from the horizon to his feet and the waters below and back, he seemed to be hesitating. wasn’t the ocean his home?

you didn’t dare move a muscle in anticipation until he looked desperately over his shoulder, staring straight at you — begging for mercy from the only person who had granted it to him.

pure instinct launched you forward, stepping onto the plank and tiptoeing over to him, ignoring your crew’s exclamations behind you.

“it’s okay,” you called out, “you can come back.”

the boy clutched at the shirt, wrapping it tighter around himself as he trembled in cold, beautiful face twisted in anguish.

“come back with me,” you beckoned, reaching your open hand out. “i can protect you.”

you realised you didn’t even know for certain that he knew what you were saying, but your eyes seemed to say enough for him. he managed a shaky step towards you, then another, and another, until he was within reach for him to take your hand (albeit tentatively).

the plank was nowhere near wide enough for you to support him side by side, so you offered your arm and shoulder for him to grab onto and lean on as you led him back onto the ship. the crew allowed enough space for him to collapse to his knees almost as soon as he climbed back on deck, and you ordered for jisung to bring him a new outfit.

soon, the crowd dispersed, returning to their duties — you looked up from helping him put on a clean shirt to taeyong, grinning down at you.

“you’ll be responsible for it from now on,” he said.

“i know.”

“good,” he nodded slowly, seeming to be proud of himself.

you fastened the last button for him and examined his face as he stared down into his lap.

“do you have a name?”

the boy’s pale lips twitched, like he was trying to form words as you had done.

you repeated your question, softer and slower.

you didn’t know what voice you were expecting from him, but it was more melodic and fragile than you could have ever imagined.

“renjun,” he murmured, “my name is renjun.”

—

part two

☆ [nostalgic] summer romance!au renjun
happy super super super late birthday renjun!
find others here: johnny|haechan|taeil|taeyong|mark|jaemin|yangyang|yuta|sicheng|chenle|kun|yukhei|doyoung|jaehyun|jungwoo|ten|jisung

• “i don’t even like bugs.”
• jaemin shrugs as he shows his intern pass to the security of the front gates of the botanical garden
• he mentions that you’re accompanying him today as a visitor and you smile at the guard who pays you two half a gaze
• “well i mean - they’re butterflies not like cockroaches or anything so have some optimism?”
• you don’t argue, among your group of friends jaemin is kind of the symbol of optimism. sometimes it’s misguided - like now - but you don’t want to put a damper on his mood
• after all, he’s actually here to do a job
• you are here on a summer assignment you have to complete for a photography elective you added to your uni program for the next semester
• “nature photography” was the highlight of the project, everyone had been emailed a subject to take pictures of while off from school
• you had expected maybe the beach, or flowers, or even tourists walking around in floppy hats
• when you’d opened the professor’s email and saw “butterflies” you had not been thrilled
• but you were lucky enough to know that jaemin had scored his current internship at the botanical gardens, and while he was working with his weirdly favorite thing in the world - fungi
• he could also get you access to the butterfly garden, a large indoor space for the various breeds of butterflies from around the world, before it officially opened to the public
• “the pavilion is over there, i think renjun will be able to let you in.”
• jaemin says, pointing down a hill lined by pretty bushes that leads to a glass structure at the bottom
• you turn to ask if he wants to meet for lunch, but he’s already jogging in the opposite direction
• you sigh, fishing your camera out of your bag - which is something you’ve borrowed from your parents because ‘iphone photos are not allowed’
• they’re just butterflies like jaemin said, they’re like…cute bugs.
• you tell yourself as you get closer, turning the camera on and then coming to a pause in front of the glass doors that have a clear padlock on them
• you loop around and try to find 'renjun’ - but no one is in sight
• secretly a little relieved that you don’t have to go inside right away, you try to find a part of the glass structure where you can possibly get a nice shot of some of the butterflies from outside
• a lot of the vines and flowers get in the way, so you struggle until finally, you find a spot that’s open and peers right into the middle of the enclosed garden
• you can see the butterflies, little splashes of colors that fly past you - magnificent oranges, reds, and blues
• you admit they’re pretty
• but they’re even prettier because they’re not near you
• and then something - no someone - comes into your frame
• his narrow shoulders are engulfed by an oversized plaid shirt, sleeves rolled up by the elbows.
• over the shirt is a gardening apron and on his hands are a pair of worn-out gloves
• his profile is hidden by the dark hair that falls in a curtain and ends in a tickle at his jawline.
• one, bright streak of bleach blonde runs through the black.
• he reaches out to touch a half-bloomed flower and you watch as the butterflies float on by him
• you nearly drop the camera when he turns and locks his gaze with your own
• is that renjun? if so im going to kill jaemin! he didn’t tell me he was so infuriatingly pretty!
• without knowing how to talk to him through the glass, and because the words disintegrate in your mouth, you point to the camera
• “jaemin’s friend?”
• oh, you can hear through the glass
• “ye-yeah!”
• “one second.”
• the sound of a click and some scuttling turns your attention toward where the door to the garden opens for a swift second, just enough for renjun to step through, before it closes again
• probably to make sure none of the butterflies get out
• you grip your camera and when renjun doesn’t move, you make the small trip over to him
• “jaemin said you’re here for a project.”
• renjun speaks and his voice is softer when it isn’t muffled through glass
• “for my photography class in the fall, my subject is butterflies.”
• “what kind?”
• your eyes get a little wider with confusion
• “what kind?” you parrot
• renjun’s neutral expression doesn’t change
• “what kind of butterflies? there are over seventeen thousand species of butterflies - we might not have the species you are looking for.”
• “i-” you stammer, wondering for a split second if renjun is joking around, “there isn’t a specific species it’s just….all of them?”
• renjun tilts his head as if that notion doesn’t really make sense to him, but shrugs and turns toward the door again
• “im going to open it quickly so just follow me.”
• you make a sound of agreement, but when renjun pulls the handle and steps inside…..and you can’t move.
• the door closes behind him with a sound that makes you jump and renjun turns to stare at you through the glass with a furrowed brow
• “what are you doing?”
• he doesn’t bother opening the door again and you shake your head as a shiver runs through your shoulders
• “a-actually is it ok if i stay out here?”
• “i thought you needed to take photos?”
• “i can take them from here - this lens is r-really good.”
• renjun doesn’t seem to be buying your excuse, but he checks his watch and nods, before disappearing back into the middle of the indoor garden
• you take a second to try and figure out what happened - am i scared of going inside? is it the butterflies or is it renjun?
• you decide it’s the butterflies.
• renjun’s just a boy - you aren’t scared of that, but the thought of being somewhere covered with bugs
• pretty bugs or not
• is kind of ….. scary.
• you pick your camera back up and circle back to your original spot
• although renjun is nowhere in the focus, you are delighted to see some butterflies have come to nestle among the plants in view
• you bring up the camera and take some shots
• one butterfly is sitting directly on the leaves - big grayish, blue wings spread open and engulfed in the sunlight that shines through the glass
• you zoom in on it, capturing the full expanse of the wings that stand out on the green
• you get so invested you hardly notice the door open up again and then a voice speaks from behind your shoulder
• “it’s a pseudozizeeria maha.”
• you don’t turn around and just stare at the butterfly still
• “a wha- what?”
• “a pale grass blue. they’re native to south asia but are really common here too. they were first discovered by vincenz kollar, an austrian entomologist.”
• the sentence nearly makes you dizzy, but you thank renjun for the information
• not seeing the small shy smile that casts over his lips when you do
• you want to turn and show him the shot you took, but he’s already stepping past you to the other side of the pavilion
• the time sort of slips away from you before you can check it again and you only leave when jaemin comes jogging down from the greenery to whisk you off for lunch
• “should we invite ren-”
• you start, but jaemin is already twinkling eyes and nonstop talking about all the fun fungi he’s spent his day with.
• when you’re back home you start to look through the photos you took
• most of them aren’t super great and the shine of the sun reflects on the glass
• you know the only way you’re going to get a perfect shot (or at least an acceptable one for this dumb summer project) is if you go inside the actual butterfly garden
• sighing, you click to the last shot and are surprised to see that in the far left corner you see renjun’s hand - gloved and in the palm of it is a small butterfly that has landed just in time for your shutter to go off
• the rest of renjun is out of focus so you can’t even see his, very pretty, face
• isn’t it weird, that he can be around them so easily and im so scared?
• you zoom in a bit and wonder how nice it would have been to get a clear photo of the moment. that would be something you could definitely submit to your professor.
• before any more thoughts of renjun can float through your mind, your phone pings and you look to see jaemin’s contact name
• did you get your shot? you can come with me on my next shift if you want to take more photos
• you type back a reply before you can even think of it in your head
• really? then I’ll tag along :) want to take some more photos
• jaemin confirms and then sends another paragraph talking about mushrooms and leaves and plants
• and you giggle because he’s funny and passionate, and also
• guess i might see renjun again?
• it’s hotter than you can put into words the next time you show up at the butterfly garden
• you’re standing outside in the absolute sweltering heat and maybe the thought of possible colder temperatures inside the pavilion are tempting
• plus - renjun is in there - he had waved at you when he saw you standing outside again
• this time his apron thrown over a short sleeve shirt and some long jeans
• he had motioned toward the door but you had just played off that you were ok outside. burning alive or whatever.
• you found the same spot as before, wiping the sweat from your forehead before lifting the camera up in hopes of catching a good picture
• but all you see through the lens was renjun, who’d taken the time to roll up the sleeves of his shirt and had seemingly abandoned the heavy apron somewhere inside
• his longer hair had been clipped back and he was reaching down to heave a bag of soil up and over his shoulder
• oh my god. oh my god. oh my god.
• you are caught between taking a photo and just aiming your lens somewhere else out of embarrassment
• either way, renjun doesn’t seem to notice and continues working, saving you from the horror that would be seeing him turn and stare back at you
• but this somehow goes on for the entire time you’re there
• you go to snap a photo, but renjun is somewhere in the frame
• it must just be bad luck and timing
• but by the time you’re sitting at the garden’s cafe with jaemin after his shift and you’re going through your photos
• all of them have renjun in them somehow
• “woah i thought your project was butterflies not huang renjun’s?”
• jaemin jokes, sipping his iced coffee with an overly excited wiggle of his eyebrows
• “shuttup - i just….it’s because i am taking them from the outside, i need to figure out a way to get inside and just take the photo and be done with it!”
• jaemin outstretches his hand
• “gimmie your camera, ill go take one”
• you snatch the camera off the table and vehemently shake your head
• “no. the last time i trusted you with something expensive, you broke it in the first five minutes.”
• “hey! i thought ipads were waterproof nowadays like technology really hasn’t come that far?”
• you roll your eyes in response, to which jaemin sticks out his tongue and then claps his hands together in revelation
• “why not ask renjun to take the photo?”
• “because i don’t know him that we-”
• with a dismissive wave of his hand jaemin cuts you off
• “he’s not a stranger - i know him! if i know him, you know him. plus renjun is super careful and responsible - he’s my age and ive already heard some of the directors talking about how they’d hire him as more than an intern if he wasn’t still in university!”
• wow, i mean i always got the impression he was mature, but…
• “c'mon, i bet he’ll say yes too! he’s really nice!”
• finally agreeing and promising jaemin you’ll ask renjun when you come back to the garden again
• you pretend the nervous feeling in your stomach is just because you don’t know renjun that well
• not because you also happen to think he’s breathtaking to look at - and that it’s going to be hell trying to explain to someone who knows so much about insects that you’re too scared to go inside and take a measly little photo of them
• you find yourself at home, with your laptop open, googling species of butterflies because you think you should at least pick one and ask renjun if he can possibly take a photo of that one
• maybe your effort will make the conversation easier
• maybe he’ll like that i know the latin name for a - what was it? gonepteryx cleopatra?
• of course, the next time jaemin brings you along - and abandons you with a thumbs up for his mushrooms and fungi - you are frozen still at the entrance of the butterfly garden
• like a broken machine - you just re-read the sign over and over again - announcing that the garden will be finally open to the public in a week
• and you nearly short circuit when someone clears their throat behind you
• turning around, it’s of course renjun, and he’s giving you a weird look that is already making this whole situation bad
• “h-hey renjun-”
• “do you want to go inside with me today?”
• you swallow and think you should really just suck it up and go inside. the butterflies aren’t going to sting, bite, or eat you - but
• “a-actually i wanted to ask you does the garden have any…..any um….gonep- um whats the word gonepetry? gonepetri? um-”
• without a beat renjun finishes the sentence for you
• “gonepteryx cleopatra’s? no, those butterflies favor the mediterranean so getting them here is hard.”
• “right…well actually i was wondering”
• renjun blinks
• “oh and you can call them cleopatra’s if you want. but unfortunately no, i don’t have any in the garden.”
• god ok, how do i pivot this conversation…
• “oh that’s cute, um actually i also have a question-”
• he waits expectingly and for some odd reason as the second’s tick by he gets cuter and you get quieter and it is just a huge mess
• and you think you should just book it and let renjun think you’re a weirdo
• when you finally lift up your camera and take a breath
• “do you think you could take the photo of a butterfly for me?”
• his brown eyes widen
• “oh - like the photo for your project?”
• “y-yeah. it’s just……im really scared to go in there…bugs are not my thing. i know it’s pathetic and they’re just butterflies but-”
• you look down and the sun and renjun’s gaze are getting too heavy to handle
• “but i just don’t know if i can even focus when there are so many flying around….does that make sense?”
• the beat of silence that follows is almost miserable but renjun just points behind him and says
• “follow me.”
• the next thing you know you are trying to keep up with him as he walks past the butterfly garden and down a path hugged by greenery
• it’s way past where you’ve ever been and you ask renjun where he’s going
• only for him to insist you hurry up a little bit
• before you know it you are both standing in front of a large, open iron gate, and behind it are rows and rows and rows of rose bushes
• they range in color and size and the smell that permeates the air is so lovely you suddenly feel like you’re in a fairytale
• renjun leans closely to inspect a couple and then stops in front of a bush adorned in the brightest pink roses you must have ever seen in your life
• “butterflies are attracted to roses, the colors are vibrant and they pollinate them.”
• “b-butterflies pollinate? like bees?”
• renjun laughs, the sound adds to the almost dreamy vibe - with the way it sounds like the lightest piano keys
• “yes and look - i can understand that you’d be scared of being inside a place full of butterflies, but here in the rose garden there are only a couple here and there.”
• he squats down and cups the petals of a flower with such a gentleness
• you follow and are surprised to see a butterfly, with bright blue wings, nestled in the center of the rose
• renjun flicks his eyes to your camera bag and you immediately understand why he’s brought you here
• without making too much noise you get your camera out and steady the lens - just one butterfly does not intimidate you like being in a glass, enclosed pavillion full of hundreds
• so you can take the photo easily - though just as you click the shutter makes a noise and the butterfly takes off
• you pout and look up to see if renjun is startled by the sudden escape of the focus of your photograph
• when you gasp and see that another butterfly, this one a bright orange has settled on the tip of renjun’s nose
• without missing the moment - you raise the camera
• and snap another photo, not taking the time to adjust the zoom or anything
• just wanting to capture the little miracle
• the butterfly seems to recognize renjun’s pretty face is not a flower, not that you fault the butterfly for thinking that it was
• as it flaps its wings and goes in search of another rose
• you brighten up when you look at the preview on your camera
• no blur or sun glare! it’s a perfect shot!
• and you lean close to renjun to show him and he leans in too
• and the centimeter distance only dawns on the two of you when you look up and renjun has already turned his attention on you two
• a heat spreads up your face, as it does renjun’s and you both pull back from the scalding feeling
• “i-”
• “sorry-”
• shooting back up to your feet you kind of wobble in this moment of awkwardness and then renjun asks
• “will you use that photo for your project?”
• “oh - if you don’t want me to i won’t, i think i can use the other-”
• “you can use it.”
• he rubs his arm and then locks his gaze back on you
• “but does this mean you won’t come back to the gardens anymore?”
• i guess since my project is done, he’s right. i don’t have any excuse to come and bother him by loitering around anymore.
• you pull your bottom lip between your teeth and give a little shrug
• “probably, jaemin’s internship ends soon too so-”
• “then would you be ok with seeing me- well-”
• renjun flusters
• which is somehow a shocking different from his usual blank expression of utter handsomeness. the stark difference is loveable and you almost have to stop yourself from falling over.
• “well what i mean is would you want to maybe see me - outside of the garden…..like not here but somewhere else?”
• “to hangout?”
• you grip your camera and renjun half nods, but then you can see he’s trying to think of the right word
• “yes to hangout and like….but different, like a different kind of hangout.”
• confusion settles on your face and you are about to ask what he means exactly when someone burst between you two
• “there you two are! sorry, was i interrupting renjun asking you on a date?”
• jaemin’s voice manages to echo even though you’re all outside
• and you push him playfully as renjun rids himself of jaemin’s body weight and huffs
• “aren’t you supposed to be looking at toadstools are something jaemin?”
• “first of all, toadstools are unscientific and not the correct term for a class of mushrooms. so mind your manners, and second - why would i want to miss the exciting moment where you too finally agree to go out!”
• you catch renjun’s gaze and it’s as big and as wide as yours
• “w-was that what you were asking, if i would go on a date with you?”
• the words shock you ask they spill from your mouth
• renjun nods, slowly, and then casts a look at jaemin
• “yes. before this one interrupted.”
• jaemin looks between you two as if he is guilty of nothing
• for a second you forget about him and then nod back
• “y-yes id love to!”
• renjun’s face softens and he’s about to ask for your number when jaemin claps his hands and the sound probably rattles the earth underneath you three
• “amazing! this is truly a moment to remember!”
• you and renjun both lurch at him and he laughs as you two tell him to go back to his mushrooms
• and yet somehow, you three are all smiles when the day comes to an end because you and renjun have set up a date and jaemin is taking most of the credit for it
• that summer, after you send the photo of the butterfly nestled perfectly on the tip of renjun’s nose to your professor, is one that stays with you forever
• you spend most of it with renjun, whenever he isn’t busy with his butterflies, learning more and more about him
• the little things like he doesn’t like cilantro, he frequently doodles and draws in his free time, and he breaks everything he does down into a meticulous step by step process
• you watch in fascination as he organizes his side dishes by the order he eats them, tabs the important dates in his planner, and pins your candid photos in a perfectly straight line above his desk
• you know some of his friends call him a stickler, but it’s really just another thing you grow to like about him
• after all - your birthday gets a special, green tab in his planner. green means extra, extra, extra important
• as for the butterfly garden …. you try a couple of times to go in. each time, renjun lists off a million reasons why butterflies are great and docile and not dangerous or scary
• but every time you kind of apologize and say you can’t do it - which renjun doesn’t hark on you for
• he just takes your hand and kisses the back of it, asks if you want to go visit jaemin or see the roses again
• and as much as you love your friend, there’s been too many instances of renjun leaning in to tuck your hair from your face and kiss you, all while jaemin pops up between you two like he’s at the movies
• and you two have to turn around and shoo him off as he insists he just wants to bear witness to the romance of the century
• you and renjun sprawl across his bed, looking up at the ceiling as he finds comfort in counting the stripes on your shirt in silence and you mumble about how the summer is almost over and you won’t be able to just be lazy like this with him anymore
• the days of doing absolutely nothing
• renjun props himself on his elbow and looks at you seriously
• “spending time with someone you love isn’t doing nothing. it’s the act of growing closer.”
• you almost blurt out that that’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever heard and you are going to cry
• but instead, circle your hands around his neck and flip him over to be under you
• poor renjun tells his directors he got bit by a species from the culicidae family (mosquito) to try and hide the blotch on his collarbone
• and while the directors are impressed with renjun’s knowledge of insects, jaemin just gives him the good old finger guns of 'yeah. sure’.
• your photograph gets great marks from your professor, who replies to the image with praise about the lightening and angle
• and the way you managed to capture both your boyfriend and the butterfly
• you read the email to renjun over the phone and can almost hear the blush on him when you say boyfriend
• you wonder if the future is going to be as sweet as this summer, can someone like you who is so terrified of the creatures renjun has structured his whole life around, really be the right choice for him
• and when you ask renjun this, on the day before your classes officially start in the fall
• he says that you don’t have to be just like him for him to love you
• it’s the fact that you’re so very you that he feels stronger about this relationship than he has about any other
• and who cares that you don’t like bugs. it just means that if you live together in the future he can be the one to get the spider under the cup and let it free while you lock yourself in the bathroom out of fear
• you giggle at this, your heart beating against your ribs at the thought of a future so domestic with the boy smiling down at you
• and the best thing is that future comes to fruition
• when a decade later you’re waiting for renjun outside of the botanical garden, where he strolls out with his co-worker jaemin whose holding a funny looking pot of yellow-topped mushrooms
• “date night for the newlyweds?”
• he wiggles his eyebrows the same way he did when you two were in college
• you shoo him off with the hand that has your wedding ring on it and you tuck your hand through renjun’s
• “date night for you and some fungi, jaemin?”
• he makes a face at your comment and bounds off in the direction of his car
• you look up at renjun who chuckles to himself and pecks your lips in a greeting
• “how are the butterflies this year?”
• you ask as you two turn to walk down the street
• “beautiful - do you think this might be the year you finally visit the garden?”
• you scrunch up your nose and mumble that maybe, you’ll have to see if after ten years your fear really hasn’t gotten any better
• he smiles and says you can take your time - ten, twenty, thirty
• he’ll be by your side when you decide it is time
• you stop to look at him - seeing for a moment the flash of the boy with the butterfly on his nose - and smile
• “and ill be by your side for anything and everyhing too.”
• he picks your hand up with his own - your matching rings gleam in the setting sun
• “i know, that’s why i married you.”