The Rules | JAEMIN

Chapter 15

Zhilan's brain might not have been tired but her body sure was, probably from her injury. She ended up sleeping most of the day, the sky already dark when she woke up.

Not moving wasn't that big of a problem. Her smoking addiction was though. The need for a cigarette was driving her mad and she couldn't hold it in any longer.

Zhilan opened up the drawer, taking out a pack of cigarettes. She sat up, adjusting the curtain before opening the window. She placed the cigarette between her lips before lighting it. 

Zhilan felt her body calm down as she took long drags, careful to exhale out the window. The last thing she wanted was the fire alarm in their room to sound, knowing that Renjun might murder her if that happened.

Just when the cigarette was almost done, the door burst open, making her head whip around.

Crap.

It was Jaemin and he did not look happy one bit. Zhilan removed the cigarette from her lips, about to make up an excuse as Jaemin approached her but to her surprise, he placed the ash tray from the living room on her bedside table.

"Try not to burn this place down, please." Jaemin said softly before walking away. Zhilan blinked a few times before stuffing the butt of the cigarette in the tray.

"Jaemin!"

Jaemin stopped, turning his head around. "Yeah?"

"Um. Thanks." Zhilan said softly, not really sure why she had called him in the first place.

Jaemin slowly nodded his head, adjusting his leather jacket before continuing out of her room and closing the door behind him.

...

When Jaemin came to her room the next day, Zhilan noticed that there was a lot more than just food in his hands.

His hair was also messy, like he had just rushed back from somewhere. "Did you leave this morning."

Jaemin nodded. "I prepared a bit more this today."

Zhilan stared at the iPad and pack of gum he was holding in one hand, a plate with bread on it in the other.

"While you eat this," Jaemin placed the plate in her hands, "I'll explain everything else."

Zhilan nodded, too hungry to really care.

"So I got this unlocked for you, which is what I had to pick up." Jaemin said, lifting the ash tray and placing the iPad where it was. Zhilan immediately swallowed the bread in her mouth.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Zhilan exclaimed as Jaemin took the cigarettes and lighter from her drawer as well.

"Listen." Jaemin instructed, slipping the new items in his pocket. "Or I'm going to take the iPad away."

Zhilan wasn't very happy but she let the male continue as he lifted the pack of gum.

"When you have a craving, chew this instead." Jaemin said, shaking it before placing it on top of the iPad. Zhilan wasn't too thrilled though.

"You know quitting isn't that easy, right?" Zhilan said, aggressively shoving a piece of bread in her mouth. "If it was, I would have quit a long time ago."

"I know, it took Jeno a while too." Jaemin said, running his fingers through his hair. "You're going to feel miserable and hate life, but you're not alone. Your friends and the other Phoenixes are here too."

Jaemin unlocked the iPad, showing her a schedule that was on it. It displayed when each of her friends were in class, and which ones were available at any given time.