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"alright! everyone places, get in your places. we are on act two, scene one." mr.bae said through the megaphone, motioning everyone that was in the scene on stage.
backstage was were jaemin was slowly freaking out. almost never had he been so antsy before his time on stage, and the reason why now seemed so absurd to him.
"nobody's going to notice, why are you so damn worked up on people seeing it?" he muttered to himself, pacing back and forth in the dressing room.
"seeing what nana?" donghyuck just so happened to walk in at the wrong time as well, causing the younger to jump from the sudden visit.
"uhh, my fabulous chicken?" it came out more like a question than a statement.
"right. i don't know what the hell you are on but give me some of that later okay?" donghyuck punched jaemin in the shoulder playfully, then walked over to the vanity to grab his phone.
a sharp inhale left jaemin's lips when the elder punched him, which donghyuck definitely didn't miss, "i didn't hit that hard did i? sorry if i did, nana."
"n-no, it's fine." another lie.
"WE'RE STARTING IN FOUR!"
"you, sir, are going to explain what happened when we're done with rehearsals alright?" when jaemin made eye contact with donghyuck, he could see just how worried he was; sorry even.
"fine. but, we're going to your place to talk things out okay? that's my deal to you."
"i got your coffee and sugar cubes all ready for you, hon."
-🌙-
the two made it back to donghyuck's house, where his mother was home watching a bit of tv after work.
"hey kids, food is in the fridge if you're hungry."
"okay, noted!" donghyuck just closed the door behind him and jaemin, then dragged the boy downstairs to his room in the basement.
"i still don't understand why you pick the basement at your room. it's scary as shit down here." jaemin shivered at the slight chill of the room, while donghyuck was so glad he was back to the comfort of his home after a long day.
"not when you customize it to your liking."
"again, still scary as shit."
"oh, you're one to say mister i collect as many plushies as i humanely can." the elder retorted, plopping himself on his bed.
shoving donghyuck aside with his hip, jaemin made himself a spot on the latter's bed, "and you don't do that?"
"i just don't do it as intently as you do pretty boy."
"whatever, hyuck." jaemin laid himself back onto the mattress, letting his hair stray from its original style during rehearsals.
"right," the younger sat himself upright again, crossing his legs in the process, "the explanation."
not feeling the need to say much just yet, he just completely took off his top, exposing his bandaged up torso and arms. he kept his eyes on the other's reaction and saw the tinge of regret shining in his eyes once his brows furrowed.
"nana..." donghyuck couldn't believe what he was seeing right now. he didn't want to imagine the countless wounds underneath the cloth material. "i shouldn't have left. i knew that i shouldn't have left, then why did i--!" the elder felt his vision getting blurry, and he knew exactly why, "...why did i leave?"
jaemin rushed to wipe away the oncoming tears leaking out of his friend's eyes, "it was because i told you to. it's not your fault that i got hurt donghyuck. it wasn't."
"it may not be my fault, but i had the power to take you away from there. to avoid getting beaten up by that bitch." at this point, donghyuck's vision was blurry to where jaemin appeared to only be a big blob of color.
"it's okay, hyuck. i'm still living aren't i?" the younger went ahead and enveloped donghyuck in a warm hug. he didn't care about the physical pain he was feeling anymore; he just needed his best friend to know that what happened was unavoidable.
even if donghyuck were to save him from that one time, who said there wasn't going to be more times like that in where the latter wasn't there to save him?
"b-but...the scars..."
"we all have scars, whether it be visible or not; it's normal to have them." jaemin could feel donghyuck's tears running onto his shoulder, so he pulled away for a moment to wipe the tears away again. "how about you catch some shut eye now, okay?"
"but--"
"go to sleep, hyuck. and just know that you're forgiven. you've been forgiven really." jaemin had only spoke the truth throughout the whole entire time. he didn't blame donghyuck for any of this. besides, this was his battle to fight.
after getting donghyuck settled and tucked into bed, not forgetting a chaste kiss on the other's forehead, he put his jumper back on. as the male was heading up the stairs to the main floor, he could hear donghyuck say, "jeno and renjun would be so jealous right now."
"right, sure they would. i bet mark would be too." he waved bye to the male one last time before descending up the stairs.
"you leaving already kiddo?" donghyuck's mom asked, stopping jaemin at the door.
"yeah. i have to get back before my aunt comes looking for me."
"alright then. just be careful out there okay? the moment you don't feel safe, call me." she warned.
"already have you on speed dial mrs. lee." with that, jaemin was let out of the lee household.
it was already nighttime when he was walking to the nearest bus stop, the only thing lighting the way being the dim streetlights. he wondered how renjun and jeno would react when he confessed all of this. and by all of it, he meant from the wounds to his immense crush on the both of them.
would they just date him out of pity?
would they find him odd for liking two people at once?
"would they think i'm a weak kid trying to get some attention? a joke perhaps?"
-🍑-
five more days y'all. five more days until i'm home free, and off into summer break mode
also, hyuckmin friendship is just uwuwuwuwuwu and you can't convince me otherwise
