Renjun wakes the next morning to nothing but silence. Which is unsettling. Usually Kyong was the one who woke him up by prancing across him as though he were looking for the right spot to lay on him. He always woke right before Kyong settled so that he could prevent waking the cat by standing up or something. But Kyong wasn't there.

With all the energy he can muster, he pulls himself out of bed. Figuring he was around here somewhere, he decides to go and set out the food.

Down the hall and stepping into the living room area, he freezes on the spot. His hand rests along the wall as the memories of the day prior rushes back to him. Coming home to find Jaemin, finding out that he was his soulmate and discovering all his expectations of his soulmate were now shattered.

On the couch, he spots Kyong, curled up against Jaemin who had his arms wrapped around him. The scene pulls at his heart. He almost wishes that was him. He wishes it could be him.

"You look so real," Renjun whispers. He starts to make his way over to the kitchen when he hears a hum.

"Looks can be deceiving." It's Jaemin. Of course. It's not like there was anybody else around here other than the two of them and the cat.

Renjun doesn't turn around as he walks over to the coffee maker. "I thought you were asleep," he murmurs. I didn't realize you would hear me, is what he doesn't say, but they both know that's what is between the lines. They're both aware of it. There's a yawn in response followed by the soft sound of footsteps as Jaemin makes his way over.

"It appears I don't need sleep," he says, plopping down into the seat by the table. Renjun finds it odd how he can hear Jaemin's movement; he can hear when he's walking and when he's sitting down or how he's able to touch the cat and seem to be able to feel her. How he can just sit down on the couch and the chair. It's weird considering he's not as real as Renjun. By that, he simply means that Jaemin is the closest thing to a spirit right now, so he'd expect him to be able to pass through things. Even more so considering he can't actually grab objects; he tried picking up a cup the previous night, before Renjun turned in for the night, and his hand couldn't grasp it. It was like his hand went through the object. Which made it so much more odd. It seemed he could only pass through objects if he were trying to actually grasp it or move it aside. Otherwise, he seemed completely real; living and breathing and one hundred percent real.

He turns, cup in hand, and looks at Jaemin in consideration. "What happens to you if I leave?"

"Leave?" The thought alone seems to alert him. He almost looks afraid.

"Yeah," Renjun says. "I have a class today so I'd need to leave. Not that you can't go or anything. I'm just curious whether you'd be able to stay here or if you'll end up being pulled along with me," he explains.

"I'll be okay to wait. Kitty can keep me company." As he says this, he's already looking over to the couch where Kyong laid curled up and unmoving ever since Jaemin moved.

"Her name is Kyong." He only says this when it hits him that he never actually told Jaemin what his cat's name was, and it would be weird to hear him say kitty all the time when she had her name. He doesn't mean to come off as one of those people who says something like 'how could you not know this' and when Jaemin looks to him, he knows he understood as a smile brightens up his face.

"Kyong will keep me company."

Renjun nods and then he has to hurry; he fills Kyong's bowl, takes a quick shower and he's rushing out thirty minutes later with a promise to see Jaemin later. For some reason, as he descends the stairs, he glances back and he almost smiles when he sees Jaemin by the door, waving.

*

Jaemin is by the kitchen table when Renjun gets back home. When Renjun and he make eye contact, there's that ear splitting smile. It doesn't hide the relief in his eyes, as much as he seems to want it to.

"How was class?"

"Good," Renjun responds, dropping his bag on the other chair and walking over to put the kettle in. "We got our assignments back."

"How did you do?" There's excitement in his tone that stirs up a warm feeling through his chest.

"Ace pass." It's something he, Chenle and Mark used through their school years. Whenever they passed, no matter the mark, they used the term so whoever it was didn't stress that their grade wasn't a good enough pass.

"Ace pass?" His lips curl up at the corners and this time, it's not that ear splitting smile, but something a lot more gentle and calm. It makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside and while he likes how Jaemin looks with a smile, he prefers this one, because it feels all the more special in comparison to the other. "I like it. Well done." He pauses, licking at his lips. "What do you do?"

"I'm an art major." He pours coffee into his cup, stirring. "What about you? What did you do?" he asks so softly, that his voice feels so different.

"I majored in medicine. Took photography as a second major." He turns around to face Jaemin as he speaks and the surprise must be evident on his face because he's chuckling. "Growing up, I wanted to be a surgeon. I wanted to be able to help and save people, y'know?"

"And photography?"

"I found out I was good so I tried it out."

"And what was it like?"

Jaemin's smile widens. "Never take on two majors. Or a major and a minor. Especially when you have a heavy major," he warns.

"I'll take your word for it," Renjun says, flashing a smile. He watches surprise shift across Jaemin's expression and then he's smiling too. He's close to grinning.

"Hey!" he exclaims excitedly, catching Renjun by surprise. What could have gotten him this excited?

"What?" he stammers in question, waiting in anticipation to hear what his response would be.

It's definitely something he doesn't expect. It catches him off guard as Jaemin responds, "First time you're smiling." He leans back, taking in Renjun's expression. "It's really pretty," he adds so softly.

Renjun flushes and, without any idea on how to respond, he stammers out a 'thank you' and turns back to the kettle. He can hear Jaemin chuckling.

"Of course," he says softly, and Renjun thinks he means it. Of course he's saying that, because he genuinely thought Renjun's smile was pretty. That's what he heard behind Jaemin's words and what made him smile again. He can't fight it off.