Matryoshka Doll - NoRenMin ✔︎

Chapter 7

Jaemin struggled with getting his shirt on properly, already late for the day and rushing out the door as he fixed his turtleneck with one hand and held onto his bag with the other. Mark had already left their room, leaving Jaemin to scramble to class alone lest they both be late.

"Need help?" Someone asked, grabbing his bag without waiting for a reply.

"Oh than-" Jaemin began, suddenly stopping when he realized who it was. "Wait, I don't need your help." 

The used to be white hair had faded drastically, now displaying a dirty blond kind of colour. An eye smile that would’ve melted anyone’s heart, and the body of a Greek god. It was a blessing and a curse in one.

"But I was just being kind. No need to snap at me for being nice."

Jaemin wanted to sit down and breathe. He didn't know how he was supposed to act with someone else of another religion. He didn't know how his parents would react but he knew Jaehyun would be disappointed if he found out how Jaemin had been acting.

"I just don't want your help, Jeno," Jaemin calmly explained, dashing off with his bag before another useless conversation could ensue. The worst part was that he knew Jeno was right and he didn’t have any reason to be mad at the help but he truly didn’t want to interact. It was stupid but it was logical in his thought process.

He didn't even eat breakfast that morning, going directly to his class where he rested his head on the desk and waited for his teacher to arrive. Class was another situation.

The first class started off with all students of the same religion and throughout the day, the classes began getting mixed with other people with different beliefs. He was still getting used to that, completely confuzzled how they thought he would adjust immediately or mayhaps, they never expected him to adjust and simply wanted him to suffer.

Jaemin could handle the classes although at first it was nerve wracking to be in an environment with 'foul' creations. Over time, he had learned how to fully ignore them or simply sit down in an area surrounded by Christians.

One thing he had learned to greatly appreciate was the fact that he could use his phone. Not only had it helped in getting his homework done much more faster than others, it was also a source of distraction for the times he could be with no one, not even Mark.

Jaemin ventured around the school on one such particular day. He didn't have Mark with him and he decided that he would do something he had never done before. 

Walk around school during lunch by himself. 

The only thing he did not expect happening during his walk was to be cornered by a group of three boys. Boys he had never even seen before but he knew were in his form.

"Oi!"

Jaemin turned his head to be met with several faces he had never seen before. He felt fear build up within him as he realized they didn't have the aura of someone with the Holy Spirit within them.

He sped up, not wanting to be in the same place as people that didn't match his views. It wasn't exactly too bad to be confronted by them but he was scared. Living in a household that showed him to believe one thing and avoid everything else had set a mentality in him that had to be slowly taken apart and reconstructed to one that wasnt as bigoted as his.

"Hey?! Didn't you hear me?!"

Jaemin ignored them and made his way down the hall.

A hand suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder and he was aggressively turned to face the individual. Jaemin felt a cloud of fear in him and he looked around the deserted hallway to see if anyone else was there.