Enemies - Zhong Chenle

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Chenle's eyes softened at the sight of the girl's face, seeing the tear stains on her cheeks, her nose and her eyes were red from all the crying. He reached out to wipe away the tears, and Jaerin unconsciously leaned into his hands, feeling comforted.

"I won't tell anyone, it's your choice whether if you want to tell them. But you look like you have a lot of burden, what happened? If you want to rant out, I'm all ears."

Chenle gave her a reassuring smile as Jaerin closed her eyes, preventing the tears to slip out again. She already embarrassed herself in front of him and she didn't want him to see her breaking down again.

"I-" Jaerin's voice wavered at the image formed in her mind, body tensed and shaking slightly. Chenle noticed her change and let his hands stay on Jaerin's arms, moving his thumbs in circle in attempt to calm her down.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I'm just staying here in case you want someone to listen to your rant."

"No," Jaerin voiced out, looking down at her fingers and fidget, one of the things she would do when she was anxious.

"I- I had a traumatic childhood, Jaemin probably explained you all of you when I was unconscious. My parents weren't the best parents, they despised me greatly compared to my brother, Jaemin, and I was their punching bag. They would use me to experiment their drugs, their new toys to hurt the other kids they kidnapped and torture me if I don't obey."

Chenle held onto her hands as he felt her shaking, the girl was trying hard not to have a anxiety attack to avoid making him panic. She grabbed onto his hands, squeezing it as she continued.

"Jaemin and Jae Eun were the ones I sticked to when we were in the dungeon. They sneaked me out of the place one night, but both of them were caught by the time I climbed out and they yelled for me to run. I didn't know what happened to them, but I am relieved that they were fine right now. Jaehyun found me almost dying in the streets since I was drugged with different kinds of liquid every day and brought me to the hospital with Taeyong."

Chenle partly knew the childhood they have through Jaemin, but he didn't know it was this severe to the point that her life, their life were on the line. He thought that it was only a family abuse. It seemed like it was more to kidnapping, abusing, drug offense and child abusing.

"I- I saw one of my f-father's men outside of the school compound today, he saw me and was approaching. I- I am scared, I- ran away."

Jaerin confessed, clutching onto Chenle again as he wrapped his hands around her waist in instinct, surprised but still held a firm grip so the both of them wouldn't tumble onto the floor.

"I don't want to go back there."

She murmured as Chenle patted her back.

"You won't. I'm sure Taeyong hyung and Jaehyun hyung will make sure you won't end up there. Jaemin hyung wouldn't want you to suffer again too."

Chenle comforted the girl. He pitied her for having to go through all the things she had been through, and he promised himself that he would protect her at all cost.

After a few comforting silence passed with Chenle rubbing her back and Jaerin calming down, Jaerin pulled away, her hand softly facepalming herself. Chenle puzzledly watched the girl, seeing that her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

"Thank you."

It was the first time Jaerin thanked him after almost two years and a half. Chenle tugged his lips into a smile, softly patting her head.

"You don't have to thank me, I thank you for trusting me to tell me."

"You better not use this to make fun of me, it is a serious matter."

Jaerin warned, still hiding in her hand and her other hand pointed at him as she glared through her fingers. Chenle nodded, smile not leaving his face.

"Since you helped me through this rollercoaster ride of emotion and stopped me from having an anxiety attack, maybe I can do you a favour? Just don't ask something ridiculous or i'm taking back the offer."

Chenle thought for a while as Jaerin removed her hand from her face and glanced at him. The boy was thinking whether he should ask for a favour now or later.

Hmm, should I?

"How about, letting me understand why you hate me and put this away, start a new friendship?"

Jaerin didn't thought he would ask for this but she already promised him a favour and she shouldn't be going back against her words. She hummed, looking down at her palms, a bit embarrassed to confess.

"It's the same as Taeyong and Jaehyun, you know," Jaerin motioned a bit as Chenle listened to her, nodding along.

"I just thought that maybe if I worked hard and make Jaehyun's wish to become the president come true on his sister, he would be happy and proud. After all, we were the same, always competitive for the best."

Chenle smiled, he could imagine a competitive Jaerin trying to win against Jaehyun hyung or Haechan hyung that have the same personality, or maybe himself too.

"But you came in, and always stood the first while I stayed the second. I was frustrated, but it turned into anger and jealousy when I noticed that you didn't necessarily need to work much and could still beat me to the first. I realised why I dislike you so much, but I couldn't bring myself to put away these feelings everytime I tried to since we mostly crossed paths with either one in a bad mood and I would be riled up again."

Chenle patted her, nodding in understanding as he spoke up.

"I may not be working when you see me, but you never know when a person is working harder than you in places you didn't see. It's not your fault for being angry and jealous, everyone will get jealous for something."

Jaerin glanced up at him, a bit shocked that he didn't laugh or mock her for confessing why she was acting like this towards him. Instead, the boy was smiling down at her, somehow he looked relieved that she told him and was very understanding. This doesn't sound like him.

"Are you ok? Why aren't you snapping at me? Are you Chenle? I thought he would mock me for this?"

Chenle chuckled at the girl's questions, finding her cute as she was lost by his words. Jaerin scanned him suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I don't hold a grudge against you, Jaerin. I just played along not knowing the actual reasons. I was very lost when you first started to glare at me, giving me hawk eyes."

"Ugh, why does it end up with me being the only idiot? Stop laughing."

The girl whined, having been embarrassed again and hid in her hands, side glaring at the male. Chenle removed her hands, looking into her eyes as she looked away with reddened cheeks. He pinched her cheeks and cooed softly, earning a slap for Jaerin who glared back at him as he chuckled.

"So can we be friends? No more enemies?"

Jaerin glared at him before glancing away, mumbling under her breath.

"Fine."

Progress 👀

Another update I promised

I'm going to college. I didn't take physics course, but my father insisted I sit in for the class and listen 🥺