Deja Vu - parkjisung

ch.2

dejavu.

now playing | things are fine... right?
2:32 ——⊙———— -3:50
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ

status : unedited.

"Jisung," Mark stepped forward, his hand atop the younger's shoulder as an offering of comfort. "We have to do something about this," His voice was strained, holding so much emotions for something he had no control over, and it pained him even more that he couldn't do anything about it.

"No," Jisung's answer was unexpected to say the least. It was firm, and the rest of the group knew, it would withstand their nagging protests. They just couldn't understand, why?

"What do you mean No?" Aeri whispered. Her eyebrows were strewn together in confusion as she stared up at the man. She couldn't believe the answer that spilled from his lips.

He was the last person to say no, but why?

No one knew what Jisung was thinking, they barely knew what his thoughts were before this entire situation unraveled. He was forever a closed book. They didn't blame him— knowing his past— however, it was the best time to speak up about something that laid numbly in his palms and simply he just tossed it aside.

Feeling the tension of their bewilderment and disagreeing silence, the raven haired male sighed deeply. He wanted them to know how he felt, but he was scared his words wouldn't do his heart any justice. It never did. "For once in my life again, I feel.. good. I feel light I'm— maybe not entirely 100% good, but a decent person. I feel so, free. This whole thing proves that I'm not a shitty man like how I portrayed myself as," He tried to explain.

Some of the others nodded along in slight understanding as a few stood still— piercing their eyes into the flesh of his face.

"Jisung," Aeri tried again, reaching forward with her right hand, but before a single pad of her finger could touch his skin— he jerked back.

"No I just wanna live my life without those restraints. I just wanna sweep it under the rug and never allow it to see light," Jisung's voice became higher with desperation. They could see the emotion clearly swim the depths of his eyes, and sink into his brain— leaving him headstrong to do as he pleased.

It was his life after all.

But when it would become too much, they wouldn't be able to carry the weight for him.

"You can't keep doing shit like that—"Aeri jutted her finger in his direction— just as stubborn to not let her stance cease. She wasn't gonna let some people's ugly actions in the past kill the boy she loved right in front of her. The last thing she wanted was him to regret his actions and have it all wash over him again in a sick like deja vu.

He's suffered enough. Why wouldn't he let her help him?

"I'm fine, perfectly fine," Jisung gritted his teeth, the mere four words barely escaping the grasps of his growing frustration.

Aeri could hear the bite hanging on his tone. But she pushed more. "Maybe now, but what if in the future it finally catches up to you?" She argued back— earning a few nods of agreement from the surrounding men.

However Jisung didn't acknowledge them. He kept his eyes on her, and her only. In that moment, it was only them.

"That won't happen," He countered her verbal attack, but it only threw fuel to the fire in her chest.

Reality began to settle upon Aeri as she stared back into his unwavering eyes. She saw it. She saw him. "How are you so sure?" The rawness in her throat from all the yelling began to seep into her system, washing over her with waves of pain. So much to the point, her voice came out hoarse and small.

"Because, Aeri, my life has been a down hill slope for  the last year and now things are looking up for me. I'm not gonna allow it to bring me back down again," He felt the weight lift from his chest and a gust of fresh air rush into his lungs— relieving him of the ache that had been present for the past 14 months. "I want to be happy! I want to stop hurting!"

"Trust me! I want that for you too, not like this though, but—"

"But what? What, Aeri?" Jisung's temper finally broke through the thin wall that held him back. His voice raised and it shattered the hum of their previous conversation— capturing the tension all in a single yell.

His breathing became ragged, and a cold sweat broke out on the edge of his hair line. Everything began to take a physical toll on him. He fiercely pooled his eyes into the hazel orbs of Aeri, silently challenging her to answer.

But like him, her patience had run too thin to continue this safely. She knew if she stayed any longer things would be said— some she's been meaning to spill and others that would bring them back to square one.

"Nothing," She took a reluctant step back. Her left hand raised to her scalp and ran her fingers through the silky brunette locks of her crown. "Do whatever you want," Her voice was strained— lacking of any energy left in her. "Be happy for all I care. But, I need some air. I'll be going,"

Without another word, the woman turned on her heels, ignoring the arms reaching out for her as she traveled up the stairs. She disregarded the concerned looks and Jisung's retracting hand. It hurt that he had tried to stop her, but it pained her more that he didn't follow her— instead Jaemin was on her tail as she left.

Once the basement door slammed shut— Jisung's head snapped away from the closed wooden frame and immediately turned towards the direction of one of his friends.

"I need to talk to you," The raven mumbled, hooking his arms with the older before dragging him to the basement's bathroom— enclosing both of them in a private space.

Once they were out of earshot, and Jisung let the man free of his grips, Donghyuck hopped above the sink's counter and sat down awaiting his words. "What is it?"

"I don't know what to do,"

. . .

thank you so much for 2k.
this early chapter is for y'all!