Always by your side | Zhong Chenle

Chapter 10 - A Dream

The rest of the class passed in a blur of whispered conversations as the trio got to know each other. Renjun found himself laughing more than he had in years. By lunchtime, Ara had already introduced him to Belle and Julie, and the budding friendships felt natural.

Despite just meeting, Ara couldn't shake the feeling that she'd known Renjun before. There was something about him—his mannerisms, his aura—that felt strangely familiar. Yet no matter how hard she tried to recall, the memory remained elusive.

Renjun, on the other hand, remembered Ara all too well. But he kept that to himself, unsure of how—or when—to reveal the truth.

The school had a peculiar rule: boys and girls were required to sit separately during lunch. While Chenle often found ways to sneak over to Ara and Belle's table, today he took Renjun to meet his chaotic friend group.

As they approached the table, Renjun was met with an amusing sight. Jaemin and Haechan were locked in a dramatic tug-of-war over a cookie, while Mark and Jeno were unsuccessfully trying to mediate. Jisung, the youngest of the group, sat calmly on the side, looking completely unfazed by the commotion.

"Ah-hem," Chenle cleared his throat loudly, drawing their attention.

The chaos paused momentarily as the group turned to the newcomers.

"You must be Huang Renjun!" Haechan exclaimed with his trademark enthusiasm.

"Y-Yeah," Renjun replied, his nerves easing as the group welcomed him warmly. Within minutes, they were all laughing and talking as if Renjun had been part of their circle for years.

By the end of the week, Renjun felt at home with his new friends. One afternoon, as they lounged in the music room, Mark turned to him.

"Hey, Renjun, I heard you're good at singing."

Renjun blinked in surprise but nodded.

"We're starting a band," Mark continued. "It's a high school dream of ours. We've got Chenle and Haechan as vocalists, but we could use someone with your talent. Would you like to join us?"

Before Renjun could answer, Haechan cut in, "We need you, man!"

Renjun laughed softly. "I'd love to," he said, his voice sincere.

Cheers erupted as the group began brainstorming names for their band. When "NCT Dream" was suggested, inspired by their favorite artists and their shared dream of performing, it felt perfect.

As the weeks passed, the friendships deepened, and the band became a symbol of their unity. But amidst the laughter and music and they are planning to perform their first music made by themselves called "We Go Up" and they made other B-sides with it too, Renjun couldn't ignore the lingering question:

What if Ara still remembers me? 

For now, though, he was content to be part of her present, even as he carried the weight of their shared past.