Villain kids

13

The tall boy ran after him, weaving through trees until a flicker of blonde hair caught his eye—just barely visible from the other side of a thick, gnarled trunk. A little bundle of heartbreak hiding behind bark and shadows.

He slowed down. The sound of quiet sobs reached his ears, and Jisung winced. Crying. Great. His worst nightmare. He’d only dealt with crying like… twice. Ever. Both times ended in emotional scarring and a nosebleed.

But still, he rounded the tree and spotted Chenle, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand, completely unaware he had company.

Jisung quietly sat beside him, not saying anything. Just... being there.

Eventually, Chenle noticed someone had joined him. His head snapped up and he frowned, though the red-rimmed eyes and blotchy cheeks made the glare about as intimidating as an angry kitten.

Chenle: “What are you doing here?”
His voice was low and hoarse—clearly worn out from crying.

Jisung: “Wanted to talk to you... about Jeno.”

Chenle: “I don’t wanna hear it. He’s a dick.”

Jisung: “You know… I had a crush on him too. Like, three years ago.”

Chenle: “Wait—you? You hated each other back then.”

Jisung: “Oh yeah, we still kinda do. But that’s just our dynamic now. Back then… he saved me. Some Isle kids tried to run over my foot with a motorbike. Jeno got in the way. No hesitation.”
He paused.
“I’ll always be grateful to him for that. He’s nothing like Jafar, not really. He belongs here at Auradon. He’s got a heart that actually works, you know?”
His voice was soft, almost reverent. And for some reason, it made Chenle feel safe. Like he could breathe again.

Jisung: “Jeno’s never liked anyone. Ever. Until Jaemin.”
He looked at the ground for a beat, then back up.
“I know it sucks. It’s like—of course the guy you like falls for someone the moment you gather the guts to admit it. But... I got over him. So you can too.”
He smiled faintly.
“You’re a fairy. You fly. You sparkle when you sneeze. You’re the son of the Fairy Godmother. Getting over an Isle kid should be easy for someone like you, right?”

That made Chenle snort, even if it was through a sniffle. But the smile was real this time.

Chenle: “You’re right. I guess I was just mad... I couldn’t even sleep ‘cause I kept thinking about them. But... yeah, you’re right. Do you think I should apologize?”

Jisung: “That’s your call. If you still wanna be around us... yeah. If not, we’ll survive.”
He nudged him lightly with his shoulder. “Probably.”

Chenle: “I’ll think about it... Maybe I’ll join you for lunch tomorrow.”

Jisung: “Cool. Just—don’t tell anyone what I told you, okay? Literally no one knows. Not even Hyuck.”

Chenle: “Wait, really? No one?”

Jisung: “Not a soul. So if you could just... keep that to yourself? Especially from Jeno?”

Chenle: “Don’t worry, Sungie. Your secret’s safe with me.”

And just like that, the air between them felt lighter. Still cracked around the edges—but mending, one soft word at a time.