"What if he's hurt? What if something bad happened?" Renjun asks as he cuddles into Jaemin's arms.
"I've been trying not to think about that. This isn't like him. It's so out of character you know? I mean, I've known him since we were kids. It's not like him to just up and leave." Renjun nods and holds on tighter.
"He told me a few days before he left that he is so in love with Chenle, and I know he feels the same so why?" Renjun asks through his tears.
"Shh, baby it's ok. We will figure this out." He does his best to sooth him but he can't hide his own worries too.
Chenle has all but shut himself out. He won't leave his room other than for classes and his parents are starting to get concerned. He can't function like he used to. He fell hard for his basketball player and he's just gone. His mind goes back and forth from darkest fear to deep anger. He can't decide which one he should be at. He's asked his dad to look for him. To hire an investigator but so far nothings come up. His parents think it's silly for him to be so hung up on someone after only two months but they just don't understand true love. They were both in it for the money when they got married.
"Chenle sweetie, there is a boy at the door." He hears through the intercom system and jumps out of bed.
"He's back, my NoNo is back." He runs down the stairs trying to fix his hair, he hasn't showered in days and hopes he won't mind. When he gets down the stairs time freezes.
"You aren't Jeno? Who the fuck are you and why are you here?" He seethes getting in the poor boy's face.
"Don't you remember me? Im Jisung. We used to live down the street? We played together all the time." He shakes his head in disbelief.
"Yeah, I guess I do." He sits on the couch and stares at the floor.
"I guess now is a bad time?" Jisung asks.
"Yes, very bad." He says back as he starts to stand.
"Chenle! You will not speak to a guest like that." His mom says in a harsh whisper.
"Mom, I've never been so scared in my life." He whispers. She nods.
"I understand. Maybe just talk about old times with Jisung for a while? It might help ease your mind. I'll go talk to your dad he see if there are any leads." He attempts an appreciative smile.
"Thanks mom." He says before starting to sit again.
"Honey I'm worried about our boy. He's hurting so much." His mother says into her phone.
"I'm working very hard at trying to solve this. Did Jisung come by? I talked to his parents earlier." She smiles softly, remembering them when they were so young and innocent and nothing could separate them, at least until his parents moved away.
"Yes, they are talking now." He sighs into the phone.
"Good." She hangs up feeling a little more at ease knowing he's trying to find him. They had never met Jeno in person yet. Chenle wanted to wait until he was sure about Jeno's feelings.
After three days Jaemin had called the police to investigate and they didn't really have any leads. They found his phone in a dumpster just off campus and on the fourth day they did a handwriting analysis to find that it wasn't actually his writing on the note. Of course now they know there was foul play but why? What is the reason?
It's around three AM on the sixth day that Jeno is pushed out of a moving vehicle. He is delirious at the moment and doesn't know where he is so he just sleeps, right where he is, on the grass.
When he wakes, there is a man standing over him gently kicking his leg.
"Holy shit man, you need an ambulance." Before he can walk away Jeno grabs his leg and whispers "no". He shakes his head vigorously and sits up.
He can't speak well so he just hops up and pretends to be fine.
He looks around and sees he is on campus and limps toward his dorm. When he reaches the door he fumbles with the handle then reaches in his pocket for the key on instinct. He is surprised to actually find it there, it wasn't before.
He doesn't realize how loud he is being until Jaemin swings the door open. They make eye contact before Jeno loses all control and sobs in his arms. It's dark so Jaemin reaches for the light to check him over and doesn't like what he sees at all.
"Jen, fuck what happened?" He shakes his head, still sobbing, his words are hit or miss.
"It hurts, fuck. I don't, I didn't, I, I, I'm sorry." Jaemin shushes him and pulls him further inside.
When Renjun wakes in Jaemin's bed he has to do a double take. It's only four in the morning and he's sure he sees Jaemin holding Jeno but his mind could be playing tricks.
"Jeno? Is that you?" He quickly walks over and joins their hug.
"We were so worried. Chenle is lost without you." He says feeling Jeno stiffen.
When he settles down a little Jaemin pulls him to sit on the couch and continues to hold onto him. Renjun makes him a hot cup of tea and sends a secret text to Chenle to come over quickly.
"What happened?" Renjun asks as he sets the first aid kit onto the table. He shakes his head.
"J-just hold me please?" He begs. He's so happy to be back home away from the nightmare he endured for too long.
Soon enough Chenle gets there and walks right in. He loses his mind when he sees him sitting there, all busted up and hurting. He falls to his knees in front of him but Jeno looks away.
"Jen? Please look at me?" As hard as he tries he can't ignore his plea. He looks at him and immediately starts to sob again.
"You have to leave, go away. You can't be near me." As hurtful as these words are Chenle and well all of them know this isn't the real Jeno speaking.
"Hey. You need to stop pushing me away. I love you." Chenle says with full confidence. Jeno looks up with soft eyes and touches his face.
"I love you too. That's why you need to leave,
p-please?" He begs with such a desperation that it almost makes him comply. He frowns and crosses his arms.
"Alright spill. Where the fuck have you been and who hurt you?" He says forcefully.
"I-I don't know. I was getting into my car and they put a bag over my head and grabbed me. They pulled me into a van or something and drove away." Jaemin frowns.
"But your car wasn't found? The cops searched everywhere.
"I know, they took my keys. I'm assuming they brought it so it looked like I left willingly.
They chained me to a fucking pole in a smelly basement. They hit me and starved me. It wasn't until the older one came that I understood what they wanted." He takes a deep breath and shakes his head.
"The whole time I was there my eyes were covered. My hands were tied so I couldn't reach up to take off my blindfold. I couldn't see a thing. So when he came they put me in a chair. He hit me in the face a few times. I couldn't even see it coming." He wipes his eyes again.
"I thought I was going to die, I thought this was it. He hit me a few more times and then he said to stay away from you." He says looking at Chenle.
"I said no, I said I love you and he kept hitting me. He came every day after the sun set, to break me. I never once said I would leave you until he said he was going to hurt you. He said if I didn't back off, you would die." He leans forward and kisses his lips.
"Please stay away from me? I don't want you to get hurt." Chenle smiles softly and pecks his lips.
"Fuck them. I'd rather die with you in my life then die from you being out of it." He grabs the first aid kit and starts to clean his wounds. He gently kisses all of his bruises before he gets to his lips.
"I was so scared that I lost you, that you were hurt, or worse. Jeno I can't live if I don't have you. I don't want a life without you in it." Jeno now knows that while he fell hard, Chenle fell harder. He kisses him longer, softer, with more passion than he has since they started kissing. His heart is so full. From the love he receives from his friends to the love of the most important person in his life.
"It would kill me if something bad happened to you." Jeno says against his lips.
"How do you think i feel?" Chenle asks, now letting his tears free fall. Jeno nods, he takes his hand and kisses his fingers.
"If we are going to do this, then we need to at least keep a low profile in public." Chenle nods.
"I Can do that, after the police figure it all out then we will be ok again." Jeno smiles.
"Come here.". He requests so Chenle gets back onto his knees.
"Can you stay tonight?" Jeno asks, knowing the answer all ready.
"I'm not leaving your side." Jeno gives him a look and he sighs.
"At least not for tonight,but just so you know? When this is all over, I'm getting an apartment just for us to share while we finish school." Jeno smiles softly but deep down knows it will probably end with him dead. The threats to his own life were nothing to take lightly.
Chenle cuddles him in bed this night, and he feels peaceful for once since he was taken, even if it's only for tonight.
Throughout the next week Jeno is very jumpy and distant. He doesn't want any of his friends and especially his boyfriend hurt. He did agree to talk to the police but only over the phone. He doesn't know if they are being watched. Luckily for him Jaemin went behind his back and got a policeman to watch over him. They only agreed to do it for a short time but it helps the others feel a bit better.
When Jaemin catches up with him to walk him to class he tries to get away but Jaemin holds him back.
"Hey. Stop shutting us all out ok? Did they threaten me or Renjun?" Jeno shakes his head no.
"Good then let me walk with you. Are you going to class?" Jeno shakes his head no again and whispers in his ear.
"I'm going to call the station, they want me to listen to a few voices and see if I can tell who it was." Jaemin shrugs.
"I'll walk you." They walk in silence mostly because Jeno is afraid to say anything too loudly.
"Want me to stay?" Jaemin asks.
"No, I have to do this alone."
He didn't realize that doing this, especially hearing one of the voices would send him in a downward spiral.
He starts to withdrawal even more and Chenle can't take it anymore.
"Mom, where is dad? I need to ask a favor?" She hums into the phone.
"Check his office dear, I'm shopping right now but honey? Jisung is coming over for dinner again tonight. You need to be there, your father says it's important." He rolls his eyes. He's been feeling more and more like they are shoving an old friendship down his throat. Maybe it's to make him feel better, he doesn't know but he's tired of it.
He walks in and sees he's not here but something is drawing his attention to the desk. He frowns and backs away.
After a few days he calls him to meet him at the campus library which he's all too happy to do.
"Hi son, what's up?" Chenle grabs his hand and pulls him away.
"I need your help, with Jeno." His dad stops in his tracks.
"I thought he left you? What exactly are you needing me for?" Chenle pulls him again and he starts walking. He smiles when he sees him sitting on the bench by the tree. He wasn't sure if he'd show up with the way he's been acting.
"Just come with me." He nods and follows him. Soon he is face to face with him.
Jeno stands, his hands fiddle with the ends of his shirt. They've never met and he's terrified. Chenle grabs his hand which soothes him right away.
"I want you to help us find his kidnappers so we can stop all this bullshit and be the couple we were meant to be." His father frowns and looks him over.
He purses his lips and gives Chenle a bright smile.
"Maybe there is a good reason not to be together. Maybe he should stay away from you for your safety."
Chenle frowns and runs to Jeno as he collapses to the ground in fear.
"I'm sorry, p-please d-don't hurt me." Chenle looks him dead in the eyes and stands in front of Jeno.
"How could you hurt my boyfriend? You dick! You knew how much I loved him and for what? So I could marry Jisung? Fuck you. I saw the bogus marriage certificate on your desk you prick. I knew you were a piece of shit but deep down I didn't want to believe it." His dad chuckles as handcuffs are being placed on his wrists.
"I guess you are too smart huh? You figured me out." Chenle's jaw clenched in anger.
"It wasn't just me. After sleeping with my boyfriend the other night." He pauses and watches the look of disgust on his dads face.
" you called me and I had it on speaker. You kept asking me about Jisung and I couldn't figure out why then but the fear I saw in Jeno's eyes told me everything." He scoffs.
"So I set this up just to see if my instincts were correct." He sighs as Jeno takes his hand.
"I trusted you." He simply says before his father is hauled away.
"Will you still be able to love me?" Chenle asks sadly as he lays in Jeno's arms. Jeno rubs his hand on his back and kisses his head.
"You are not your father. You would never be capable of hurting anyone that way. Of course my love for you hasn't changed, it could never."
"Hey Jen? I think I want to have one more pool party before my house is sold. Would you want to come and spend the weekend with me? We could te live those memories like when we first met?" Jeno smiles widely.
"Ok, but no asshole basketball players and maybe just us?" Chenle's smile widens.
"It sounds perfect, I love you." He whispers.
"I love you." Jeno replies equally as soft.