Stay With Me (Short One-Shots) (NCT X NCT)

Stay With Me P.173 (Taemin)💖

The flashing lights of Seoul's bustling streets pierced the night as Taeyong made his way to the NCT dorms. His heart weighed heavy, a nagging ache that he couldn't shake off. He had been living in this whirlwind for far too long. As the leader of NCT, he carried the weight of their success and wellbeing on his shoulders, a responsibility he took seriously.

But there was something else that had been gnawing at him for years, a semi-relationship with Na Jaemin. It had started in 2020, a year filled with uncertainty and chaos. They had found solace in each other's company, stolen moments between practices and performances. It was a secret, a delicate dance they had been performing ever since.

Taeyong pushed the door open to the dorm, greeted by the chatter and laughter of his fellow NCT members. They were like a second family to him, and he wouldn't have it any other way. But tonight, his thoughts were consumed by the one person who had managed to slip past the barriers he had erected around his heart. Jaemin, with his charming smile and mischievous eyes, had captured Taeyong's heart in a way that no one else had. Their connection was undeniable, and yet Taeyong had been relentless in his refusal to commit to anything more than stolen kisses and secret glances.

As he entered the living room, Jaemin was there, perched on the couch, his fingers absentmindedly strumming a guitar. Taeyong couldn't help but admire the way Jaemin's profile was illuminated by the soft glow of the lamp. It was moments like these when he felt a tug in his chest, a longing he couldn't ignore.

"Hey," Taeyong said, his voice soft as he took a seat next to Jaemin.

Jaemin looked up, his eyes meeting Taeyong's with a mixture of longing and sadness. "Hey, leader."

Taeyong hated seeing that look in Jaemin's eyes. It was a look that said, "I want more," and Taeyong had always been the one to pull away. He had convinced himself that it was for the best, that his role as leader required him to be focused solely on the group. But the truth was, he was scared. Scared of opening himself up to the vulnerability of a real relationship, scared of what it might mean for NCT. He had become an expert at building walls around his emotions, and it had cost him the one person who had managed to breach them.

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them. Taeyong knew he needed to say something, to address the elephant in the room, but the words eluded him.

Jaemin, ever perceptive, sighed softly. "Taeyong, we need to talk."

Taeyong nodded, his throat feeling dry. "Yeah, we do."

Jaemin set the guitar aside and turned to face Taeyong fully. "I can't keep doing this, Taeyong. I can't keep pretending that what we have is enough."

Taeyong swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. "Jaemin, you know how important NCT is to me. I can't let anything jeopardize that."