always ↬ leading me on || l.dh • h.rj • z.cl

·seven·

Donghyuck woke up to the sound of quite murmurs and sniffling. His head was throbbing and he couldn't feel his legs. We pressed his head deeper into the pillows and groaned, only just recognising that he was in the infirmary and not on the ground.

How did he get here?

"H-Haechan," Jaemin breathed, "are y-you awake?"

The elder hadn't even realised that the pink haired boy was holding his hand until he felt the grip on it tighten. His eyes widened drastically as the situation finally clicked in his head. He tried to sit up as fast as possible, but was stopped by a searing pain in his abdomen and he let out a whimper.

Jeno jumped up from his seat next to Jaemin instantly and was by Donghyuck's side in seconds; worry dripping from his expression as he stared into the brunet's innocent orbs.

How could anyone try to take that away from him? Why would anyone ever try to steal away the purity of a child's happiness? The small boy's golden orbs were overshadowed with a jaded sheen and Jeno really just wanted Hyuck to be free from his burdens.

He was too young to taste the coldness of the world.

"Hyuck, don't you dare even think about getting up," and although the words were harsh, there was a soft lilt to his voice that filled the younger with a mellow warmth like red wine served chambré. He missed it. The comfort he felt with the two. And maybe it was because of that feeling or maybe it was because of the way his body refused to move with his command, but he stayed nonetheless — not meeting either of their gazes.

A sigh ripped through the silence that had settled around them and Jeno plopped himself down next to Donghyuck on the infirmary bed, carding his fingers through the other's hair.

"We need to talk, Nana please stop crying and Hyuck-" he looked at the boy, "please co-operate with us, just this once. Please."

The injured boy locked eyes with the blonde, staring at him with a contradicted expression before turning his head to glance at Jaemin.

His heart broke when he did.

Jaemin's hair was a mess, eyes swollen and red from the endless waterfalls that escaped them. He seemed so torn, so tired. Donghyuck could see the way his bottom lip quivered, trying to suppress his cries.

He squeezed Jaemin's hand to get the boy's attention and tried to sit up again, this time using Jeno for support and rising slowly, wincing slightly at the pain that shot up his thighs.

"I'm so sorry," he was staring at his lap, biting his lip as his eyes started to water. "I'm sorry for running away. I abandoned our friendship with no reason. I left you two behind because I was a wimp. I never even tried. Jeno, Jaemin I-"

"Stop." The youngest had a hard look on his face, jaw set as he made the other look him in the eye. "Don't insult yourself, I didn't put my all into this friendship for you to do that. I... I just want you to tell us why. Why did you leave us?"

"Did we hurt you Donghyuck? We're so sorry if we did-" Jeno was hesitant to continue but he did anyway, "w-we wanted to be there for you. That's why we transferred, yet you kept on avoiding us. We scared you. We couldn't protect you like we promised. Sorry."

"N-No, guys stop. Stop saying things like that. It's my fault. I didn't face you guys, I didn't even talk to you once. I just turned away — always turned away. Throughout all of the time we've spent together, what have I really done for you? I just took and took and took and you gave-" he took a sharp inhale and let out a sob as he struggled to continue through his tears, "e-everything. You gave everything to me. Why did you even put up with it? My selfishness. My insecurities. Me. W-Why would you do that to yourself?"