𝗝𝗔𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡 𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 °

↳ something to fight for

It's been four years since your best friend, Jaemin, had debuted with his group, NCT Dream. You remembered how excited Jaemin was when he first got street-casted- he had the brightest smile on his face.

Jaemin would update you from time to time about the process, his relationship with the boys, and his rough trainee days. Though it wasn't allowed, Jaemin just had to share his journey with you as he wanted to share every moment with the person closest to him. He would try his best to meet up with you or send a text or two whenever he could.

However, this didn't last forever. The boys quickly became popular, seeing how they came from one of the big three companies in the industry.

Though it was expected and you mentally prepared for it, your heart still ached as Jaemin seemed to grow further and further away from you.

You told yourself that this was his dream and that you should be happy for him. And you were- but deep down you couldn't help but feel slightly bitter about it. It made you feel like you were being left behind; he was chasing his dreams while you were stuck deciding on what to do with your own future all by yourself.

You wished Jaemin was here with you, to help guide you or support you on your own journey.

But of course, that was impossible.

One day at school, you and your friends were chatting in class when one of the girls suddenly yelped. "Eh?" they said, frowning at their phone.

"Jaemin was injured!"

"Jaemin? As in, NCT's Jaemin?" someone else questioned.

Your eyes widened and you rushed to the person with their phone. "Can I see that?" you blurted, pointing to the phone. Your classmate nodding, handing you the device. You looked at the screen worriedly, reading the headline:

Jaemin Takes Break From NCT Dreams' Comeback.

Your friends patted your shoulders as you continued to read the article.

Health issues...since trainee days...

You immediately tried to call Jaemin, but the line was dead. You tried to text him, but it wouldn't go through. "What the..?"

Tears started to prick your eyes. Why didn't he tell me? you thought. You wanted answers. You needed answers. Jaemin had put on a strong front when he talked about their practices, but not once did he mention any health issues. He always made sure you wouldn't worry.

That idiot, you scolded as you wiped your eyes. Of course he wouldn't tell you.

Here you were, jealous of your own best friend when in reality he was working hard to get through such a tough time. And now, you couldn't even reach him.

What kind of friend were you?

Days, months, and an entire year had went by since Jaemin's hiatus was announced. You still haven't heard a word from him, but you eventually accepted the fact that he was no longer a part of your life.

That, however, didn't discourage you from supporting him. You prayed that Jaemin would get better as the days went by, hoping he would join his members as soon as possible during their comebacks- in good health, of course. You often glanced at the news just to see if anything would change, however you were left with disappointment.

While you focused more on school, you made sure to be up-to-date with Dream's activities, listening to their music as much as you could when you had the time. Your friends began to join in, growing fond of the boys and their music.