seven 》nct dream

26

-l.dh-

If a person has an event that determines the course of their future, it's best to be on time.

Donghyuck realized that piece of knowledge as he moved through the hallways, already late for his first tutoring session.

In terms of graduating, he wasn't off to a very good start.

Approaching the library where his hopefully patient tutor was waiting, Donghyuck caught sight of a kid, nervously hovering by the door.

Fingers tugging on his worn sleeves, the kid peered through the glass, a familiar pink slip of advertisement crumpled in one hand.

Donghyuck thought about blowing past the kid, racing to the appointment he was already late for, but an attempt at kindness was always worth a shot.

"Hey." Standing behind the kid, Donghyuck obviously startled him, the unexpected voice making the student jump. Nodding to the paper in hand, the recovering rebel's head tilted. "You here for the club?"

"Uh, no." A mousy voice emerged from the nervous kid, quick hands hiding the paper behind his spineless back. A wave of disappointment hit the stranger, head hanging low. Donghyuck could barely hear the hesitated honest answer. "Yes."

While Donghyuck could have left and allowed his peer to continue the internal debate in peace, he stuck around.

"You know, when they first approached me about the club, I was afraid to join." Word that he had never shared before began to pour out, a curious pair of eyes watching his confession. "Sometimes it's hard to admit that you need other people, and even harder to find good people."

"But those people? In there?" Donghyuck gestured towards the library where his friends were waiting. "They're the best of the best."

The speech was wearing on the student's ability to decline, but there was still a hesitation. Stepping back, the boy shook his head. "No. Maybe I should just go home."

Like Donghyuck was going to let anyone say no to him. Following after the retreating boy, the Lee was filled with a sense of determination. "Come on. It'll be fun."

Scratching his head, the student's anxiety was clear. "I want to, believe me. But that whole 'making friends' thing isn't really my strong suit."

The stranger talked with his hands, so the Lee took the one outstretched towards him and shook it, catching the kid by surprise. "I'm Donghyuck. See? You've already made one."

The action could have bothered the kid, but Donghyuck could see the hint of a smile on his lips.

"We'll go in together, how about that?" Donghyuck's voice wasn't his usual blaring tone, but soft, inviting.

The stranger rolled the idea around in his head, on the fence either way. Finally he nodded, a smile finally breaking through. "Alright."

While the general area of the library was open and friendly, not everyone was loving the close environment.

"Hey! They're my favorite band too." Jisung grinned, pointing at the phone in the hands of the girl beside him.

"No way." She smiled, plans formulating in her mind. "We should listen to them together sometime."

Zhong Chenle's eye twitched, observing the pair in disbelief. Listening to music together was their thing, and this girl was trying to take that away. That wasn't the only thing she was attempting to steal from him. That was clear as she inched closer to Chenle's best friend, not even noticing his glare.

Shaking his head, Chenle attempted to rid his mind of the ridiculous thoughts. Listening to music was a normal human thing to do, and wasn't it him that had encouraged Jisung to branch out in the first place?

Well now as the two were sitting much too close, not even looking his way, he regretted that chunk of advice. There was nothing wrong with only having each other, he should have realized earlier.

Pulling a bag of candy out of her bag, the intruder of a girl offered one to a mesmerized beanstalk. "Would you like one?"

"Sure. I love those." With a smile, Jisung took one, finally paying the Zhong a bit of attention. "Chenle hates them though."

"Really?" The girl didn't care about Chenle's preferences, that was clear. "I eat these everyday."

The similarities were suffocating. First their taste in music, games, colors, candy, even their shared allergy of shellfish.

Chenle felt like he was staring at clones, but he knew Jisung loved the things in common.

Watching the two interact, talking as if they were the only people around changed the Zhong's outlook on a few things, girls in particular. Specifically relationships with them.

Questions, doubts, and disapprovals of Jisung's relationship with this girl, and even his own relationship with his girl. Things that had bothered him for a while, but now blared blatant in his face.

Desperate for a solution, Chenle knew what he had to do.