Photographs; Noren NCT

♱•Seventeen•♱

"Quit!"

"What?"

"Quit now" Yeri looks at her brother sternly, she was now able to get out of bed although her back was hunched slightly and she would gently rest her hand over her stomach with each step she took.

"I can't quit, I have to help, he could have killed you!" Jeno was practically perched on the edge of his seat. He wanted to visit Yeri and tell her about how the case was going, possibly give her some hope that they were closer to catching the criminal but she seemed to explode when Jeno told her about the murder.

"But he didn't kill me Jeno! I'm still here, you don't have to do this, it won't change how I think of you. Please I don't want you helping" her eyes were begging, she looked like she was about to burst into tears. She slowly lowers her body back onto the bed and met Jeno's eyes once again.

"I want to help. I explained it all wrong, it's really not as bad as it seems. Yeah some of the information shocks me from time to time, but the people there are really nice, Jaehyun, the head of the case, he literally stays up day and night trying to piece bits of evidence together as if it's a puzzle. Donghyuck, he's harsh but an amazing detective and is also working incredibly hard, him and Jaehyun lock themselves in an office for hours working" his eyes drift to his hands, he fidgets a little before continuing.

"And then there's Renjun. He gets up in the middle of the night and sleeps in the reception of the police station waiting to hear anything on the case. He gets sent to take photographs of dead bodies just to help..." his eyes meet his sisters once again and her expression seems to have softened slightly "...they're doing all this stuff to help when they don't even know you, it's only right for me to help out"

Yeri sighs and slips her warm hand into his, squeezing a little "Jeno, that's their job, they get paid to do that stuff, you don't have to"
The sound of the door sliding open causes the siblings to glance to the side only to see a smiling Seulgi.
Yeri turns her attention back to her brother and lets out yet another sigh "I'll let you help if you promise me one thing"

Jeno straightens in his seat upon hearing this, he gives his sister a small nod to tell her to carry on.
"The minute it gets to difficult for you, or the minute you feel uncomfortable, you leave. Promise?"

"I promise".

•••••

Renjun unlocks the door to his apartment. His body felt numb and he practically had to drag his feet for him to move anywhere.
He drops his satchel by the door, his eyes move to meet a smiling Jaemin.

The younger boy sat on the floor, textbooks and notebooks spread out over the wooden coffee table. "Hey Jun, you okay?"

Renjun didn't answer, he simply kicked the door shut with his foot before crouching down and hiding his face in his arms. It was difficult to keep a straight face when at work, but as soon as he got home that's when he allowed himself to break down.

"Renjun?" Jaemin's worried voice fills his ears and he lets out a small sob. "Renjun it's okay come here"
He felt a pair of arms wrap around his body and pull him close, this only made him cry more.

"I-it was another murder, t-there was so many wounds, h-he didn't even l-look-" before Renjun could finish Jaemin shushed him, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"Come on, go get changed, I'll clear away my school stuff and make coffee" Jaemin placed a small kiss to the top of the sobbing boys head.
"Renjun I'm so proud of you, you know that right?"

Renjun didn't answer but Jaemin felt him nod beneath him.
They stay like this for a moment longer until he pulls Renjun to his feet and the brunette stumbles into his room.

Jaemin was use to this, seeing his best friend come home and collapse into a pool of tears. There was nothing wrong with it, it just proves that although Renjun puts on a brave face he is human after all and no one would enjoy seeing a dead body.

The worst one was a year ago when Renjun was working on a case where a father had murdered his wife and two children before taking his own life. Renjun spent every night sobbing into Jaemin's shoulder and crying himself to sleep. Yet even though he went through all of those things, he got up at 6:30 each morning and went to work with his usual bright smile and brave face.

Just as Jaemin was pouring the cups of coffee he sees Renjun walk out from his room and drop himself onto the couch, pulling the large fluffy blanket over his body.

The younger boy joins him and Renjun instantly rests his head on his best friends shoulder. "You wanna watch Frozen?" He asks, handing Renjun his steaming cup of coffee.

The older boy nods causing a smile to creep onto Jaemin's lips before he picks up the remote and turns on the movie.