NCT : The Dream Lab

XII : The Origins of NCT 127

Seoul, South Korea. 2016.

Despite Jaehyun's unapproachable aura, Taeyong felt incredibly at ease in his presence. He could joke around and be his goofy self without any fear of judgment. Plus, considering how distant and wary Johnny and Mark acted around him, he felt even more concerned to make the newcomer feel welcome in their lab.

On the first night, he and Dr. Jung chatted until very late. Since the two scientists weren't coming from their little getaway, the student took the opportunity to invite his guest overnight at the dorm. He put comfy blankets and pillows on the bunk bed above his and showed him how to use the bathroom. He even lent him a pair of shorts and his favorite hoodie, which Johnny offered him a few weeks ago.

In the morning, they found the scientists in a pathetic state, crashed on the sofa and reeking of soju. Johnny woke up with a dreadful hangover, in an absolutely rotten mood and he completely lost it when he realized that Jaehyun had slept in the dorm in Taeyong's favorite hoodie. That was too much for his poor heart to handle at once and this led to their first real argument.

- You let a stranger squat in our dorm ?! he burst out when Taeyong and him were alone.

- We need him. And we do get along quite well.

- This place belongs to me, you have no right to invite him without my consent !

Taeyong's eyes widened. He was so shocked that Johnny, whom he trusted with his life, had pulled this card.

His cheeks became pink with anger.

- So what ? You think you're some kind of leader now ? This place belongs to you only because I accepted to become your pod person ! If I decide to leave today, you'll have no other choice but to go back to America with empty hands !

Without waiting for the response, Taeyong slammed the door behind him and then joined Jaehyun waiting for him in the sitting room. His breath was hitched by rage. He struggled to calm his throbbing heart and the doctor noticed he was on the verge of crying. Since it was already pretty late in the morning, he proposed to hang out and treated the young man a delicious meal. The student finally relaxed a little. Since he could now fully appreciate the benefits of not lucid dreaming for one night, he wasn't as tired as he used to be and his stomach wasn't upset anymore, which allowed him to literally eat like a horse in order to compensate for all the weight he had lost recently. He felt each fiber of his body regenerate. After a long walk along the riverbank for digestive purposes, he and Jaehyun caught up on their lives as if they were two old friends who met after a while.

The young man talked about his family, his hobbies, his bachelor degree in architecture, his friendship with Johnny, how he drowned in February... He talked to Jaehyun as if he was a diary, a brand new one, that he hurriedly scribbled with everything that crossed his mind.

Dr. Jung was more of a private person but somehow, he felt safe enough to expose the most sensitive part of himself in this heartfelt conversation. When Taeyong timidly asked about his childhood, he didn't hesitate to dive into those sorrowful memories again.

***

Hartford, Connecticut, USA. 1997.

The night was awful. Jaehyun really wanted to live, but he didn't have the strength anymore. He was almost dead already, looking more pitiful than ever. Of course, his parents had been there to support him fully at every second.

They never cried in front of him. Never.

But at this very moment, when his mother fell asleep next to him and his father went out to grab a coffee, the deafening silence left all the place for morbid thoughts.