𝐉𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍.

Crime of Rejection; seven

❝Nobody wants lazy people...❞

“Donghyuckie!!” Jaemin squealed excitedly. Donghyuck is walking with Jeno to school, after they had agreed on it, like yesterday night, to catch up and just talk about anything in particular.

Jaemin launched himself at the duo and wrapped his long limbs at the pair. Jeno and Donghyuck, who were comparatively a bit shorter than Jaemin, buckled under the weight but managed to stay upright. Mostly thanks to Jeno, but anyway we don't have to dwell on what Lee Donghyuck can or cannot do.

“Hi Nojam!! Where's my— where's Injun?” Jaemin craned his neck, looking around the two for any sign of Renjun. Donghyuck chuckled and shook his head. “Jun called me this morning, he caught a cold and wanted me to tell Ms. Kang that he would be absent just for the morning. He'll try to attend in the afternoon” said Jeno, clipping his bracelet that Sungkyung had exclusively ordered online for the both of them, to celebrate their monthsary. She's a romantic, and it was cute.

Jaemin pouted, his mood dropping a bit at that. But then he brightened up just as fast, and Donghyuck could practically hear his brain whirring at top speed. “That means I'll have to work extra hard and pay attention in class so that I can let Injun copy my notes! Wah, Na Jaemin, you are a genius!” Jaemin said, patting himself on the shoulder.

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. Typical Jaemin. Always trying to impress Renjun, who, was also one of their best friends since forever. Forever doesn't exist, according to Jeno because he's a kill-joy. There was nothing much to impress, but still Donghyuck could tell that Renjun likes the attention. Because he's making Jaemin grovel for his.

Donghyuck wrinkled his nose, feeling a familiar itch behind his eyes. The feeling of wanting to cry. He held it in, because he didn't want to seem like a baby. For crying in a Math class, of all things. But he hated the stupid subject with his life, and everything he has.

No matter how hard he tries, he couldn't really be like his friends. He dozes off, gets stumped by how fast his teacher talks, or gets preoccupied by writing silly fanfictions to improve his literacy.

He's immensely proud of himself for improving this far in writing, but the same couldn't be said for his grades. He didn't want to make a fool out of himself by asking the teacher to repeat the entire lesson. It would be an inconvenience, and he doesn't really want to provide his classmates a reason to talk about him.

He may be the second most productive person in their group. But not in math. Never.

He rubs at his eyes, trying to will the dampness forming behind them, to go away. To not out him like this. The stress of this subject is piling up on him. He wonders briefly as to why he's feeling so sensitive these days. He chalks it up to side-effects of getting rejected.

But that's not a good enough reason to slack off. His mother constantly reminds him of that. People don't care if you're smart Donghyuck, they don't want a no-good lazy piece of shit like you in their company, she chastised. Her eyes were hard, but her voice was warm.

Plus, it wasn't like the teacher would let him off.

He wasn't performing very well, and his teacher, may have caught on to Donghyuck's little dislike for the guy.