chinese lessons; renhyuck

one

"Hyuck, are you going to band practice later?" Jaemin asks him after finishing up his food and cleaning up his part of the cafeteria table, "It's been a while since you've joined us, and we miss you or whatever." He rolls his eyes playfully. Donghyuck lets out a soft laugh, "I will, promise."

"You, sure?"

"What? Don't believe me?" He pouts.

"Nope-- OW!" Chenle groans, massaging the spot where Donghyuck pinched him.

"I will seriously go! Now finish up, class is almost starting."

The three of them were inseparable, they were the III of Hearts. The well-known band of NCT University. Consisting of Donghyuck, Chenle, and Jaemin. They were pretty well known on their side of the campus. But these days, Donghyuck hasn't really been attending band practice. How could he?

Not when he used to go with--

"Hey," Jaemin shakes him off his thoughts, "We have to go now."

Right, classes first.

iii of dumbasses

Lele: BITCH WHERE ARE YOU

Nana: I breathed? also I'm already here??

Lele: not you 🤥

Lele: HYUCK WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU FOR 30 MINS

Lele: Are you not attending today?

Haechan: ahaha hi besties...

Haechan: perhaps I just got hired at the cafe just across the campus

Haechan: AND I START TOMORROW

Nana: GIRLBOSS

Lele: HYUCK BROKE ERA IS FINALLY ENDING

Lele: best friend discount pls

Haechan: no.

Lele: I'm literally kicking u out of this band

Haechan: omg my love chenle!!!! noo!! ur so sexy ahaha *bites lip*

Nana: PUKE

Nana: don't you start tomorrow? why are you still late then?

Nana: ohoho chenle is gonna kill you

Haechan: IM COMING JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE I SWEAR

The door slams open as Donghyuck enters staggering and breathing heavily, clearly having run from all the way to band practice. "I'm here!"

"Finally!"

"Let's start then?" Jaemin grabs his guitar and gives Donghyuck a soft smile, "Welcome back, Hyuck."

He could only nod back in return, not really trusting his voice in case it might break. He feels bad for what he had put them through, ignoring their text messages and avoiding them just to avoid coming back into this practice room. It has too many memories. It still feels too soon.

But he knows that he has to get it together for the band at least. Chenle hands him a mic which he takes and approaches the drums. He has missed this, this room, his friends, the music. Perhaps this would be closure. Maybe this is what he needed to finally start the next chapter of his life.

His life without him.

"You're alright, right?"

"Of course."

He takes a deep breath, he can see his friends look at him worryingly in his peripheral vision. He has to prove that he's alright. He's okay.

He exhales, "One, two three!"