Ren froze for a second, then slowly pointed at himself like he was trying to confirm he hadn't misheard reality itself.
"…Date?"
Ming nodded immediately, no hesitation at all, still clutching the roses tightly against her chest as if letting go would collapse her courage along with it, her face slightly red but her eyes steady and serious in a way that didn't leave room for jokes.
"Yes."
Ren blinked once, then again, then paused for a moment longer as his brain clearly tried to process whether he misheard or a misunderstanding, or just something that had skipped logic entirely before finally exhaling through his nose.
…This is too normal right?
He sighed and shrugged slightly. "Fine… let's go."
---
The night market was already alive when they arrived, lanterns hanging above in uneven rows casting warm light over crowded pathways, stalls packed tightly together with smoke rising from grills, sweet and spicy smells mixing in the air while people moved past each other laughing, bargaining, talking like nothing else in the world mattered, and Ren walked beside Ming with his hands in his pockets casually.
"So this is your idea of a date?"
Ming nodded lightly without looking at him. "Simple is better."
Ren tilted his head. "Simple I get, but I expected something more complicated. Maybe a setup. Maybe something dramatic. You don't strike me as someone who goes for peaceful things."
Ming finally glanced at him briefly. "You are already enough drama for one person."
Ren placed a hand on his chest like he had been stabbed. "That hurt more than it should have."
Ming didn't respond, but the faintest shift at the corner of her lips almost betrayed her.
They stopped at a small food stall squeezed between louder ones, Ren immediately sitting down in the chair.
Casually ordering, "Two of whatever is good," and the vendor nodded and started preparing food while silence settled between them, filled only with sizzling oil and distant chatter before Ming spoke quietly.
"…You always eat like this?"
Ren shrugged. "If it tastes good, I don't overthink it. Eating is eating. Turning it into something complicated just makes it worse."
Ming studied him. "That sounds like you in general. You don't really think before doing things."
As he said, "Is that so?" he leaned a little closer without realizing it.
Ming froze, her face turning red as she looked away.
"Yes!"
Ren watched her for a second, a faint thought crossing his mind.
…Cute.
He gave a small smile. "If you say so… I don't mind."
Food arrived soon after and they started eating while the market noise continued around them.
Ren occasionally leaning back between bites watching people pass while Ming ate quietly though her attention kept drifting toward him more than she realized, until a voice suddenly broke through from behind them.
"Hey."
Ren didn't react immediately, finishing his bite first before slowly turning his head.
Three men stood there with rough posture, slightly drunk expressions, and grins that didn't belong in a place like this, their attention locked directly onto Ming.
One of them laughed. "Didn't expect a face like that around here at night."
Another leaned forward, licking his lips "If you didn't have that mark…" his gaze lingered for a second, "you'd looked even better."
He chuckled under his breath "But I don't mind keeping you company even with it… hehehe!"
Ming's movement paused for a fraction of a second.
Ren noticed immediately—his chopsticks froze mid-air for a split second before slowly lowering.
The atmosphere around the table subtly shifted.
He didn't react loudly, didn't even raise his voice.
Just calmly placed the chopsticks down with careful precision.
"…What did you say?"
The man smirked. "I said she'd look better without that ugly—"
BAM!
The table cracked slightly as Ren's hand slammed down.
Silence dropped instantly.
He stood up slowly, no rush, no visible anger, just something heavier settling under the air itself.
"…Repeat that."
The drunk man frowned, suddenly uneasy. "What, you got a problem—"
THUD!
Ren grabbed him by the collar and slammed him face-first into the ground in one clean motion.
CRACK
A kick sent the second man flying into a nearby stall, wood rattling loudly.
"W-wait—!"
The third stepped back—but it was already too late.
Ren was in front of him in an instant.
"…Where are you going?"
BAM
One punch—clean and direct.
He dropped instantly.
The night market noise continued far away, but this space had gone completely still, like everyone had agreed not to breathe too loudly, while Ren exhaled once, rolling his shoulder slightly as if it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience before sitting back down.
"…Anyway, food's getting cold."
He picked up his chopsticks again.
Ming had watched everything without panic or shock, just quiet observation, as if she was studying him more than the situation, and after a moment she spoke.
"You didn't need to go that far."
Ren shrugged. "I did."
A pause.
Then, softer:
"I don't like hearing things like that about you. It's annoying."
Ming looked at him. "…Why?"
Ren scratched his cheek, gaze drifting aside. "Because it just is. People like that shouldn't be around you."
Silence stretched.
"…Idiot," Ming muttered quietly, letting out a soft giggle under her breath.
---
Ren leaned back slightly, eyes still on her for a moment before drifting upward toward the lanterns. The crowd noise blurred out, distant and unimportant.
Then, without thinking much, he reached out and lightly touched the edge of her cheek near the mark.
"…You know, you're beautiful like this too."
Ming froze slightly, fingers tightening around her spoon as she looked away immediately.
"…Don't say weird things."
Ren gave a faint smile. "Not weird. Just true."
Her ears turned faintly red.
"…Idiot."
But she didn't move away from his hand.
Ren leaned slightly closer, his voice soft but teasing. "…Shouldn't you call me Airen?"
Ming froze for a second, then immediately looked away.
"…Idiot," she muttered, but her grip on the roses tightened just a little.
A brief silence settled between them.
Ren glanced sideways at her. "Say it once."
Ming frowned slightly. "…No."
"Just once."
"…No."
Ren sighed dramatically. "So cruel."
Ming finally glanced at him for a split second. "…You're annoying."
But there was no real bite in it.
---
They finished eating, left the stall together, and started walking again through the glowing night market crowd.
They walked a bit further, the crowd shifting around them. Ren's hands stayed in his pockets as usual, expression unusually calm, while Ming occasionally stole small glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking.
Then suddenly—
Ren's eyes caught something in the crowd.
"Shit!"
He grabbed Ming's arm without warning.
"Hey—!"
Before she could react, he pulled her into a narrow alley between two shops.
Too tight. Too close.
Ming blinked. "What are you—"
Ren didn't answer. His eyes were fixed outside.
Through the gap he saw them—Azure and Lucia walking through the market, talking casually.
Ren's mind went blank for a second.
"…Why are they here?" he muttered.
Then realization hit.
"Wait."
He leaned back slightly against the wall, expression turning flat.
"…Why am I hiding?"
Silence.
Too late.
The alley was cramped. Their bodies were still close, forced into the small space, breathing slightly uneven from the sudden movement.
Ming looked up at him. "…Airen?"
Ren froze.
"…Don't say it here," he whispered quickly.
But it was already too late.
Ming, a little flustered from the closeness, repeated it softly again without thinking.
"Airen"
Ren's face turned red instantly.
'Why here of all places!' he thought, panic flashing through his mind.
The alley suddenly felt smaller. Too quiet. Too warm.
Their breaths mixed slightly in the narrow space.
Ming looked up at him, expression softer now, unsure. "…We're hiding from someone?"
Ren didn't answer immediately. His mind was still stuck outside, on Azure and Lucia passing by.
Then he exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah. Something like that."
But neither of them moved.