Satisfaction [NCT]

3.

"Ruby." Taeyong mumbled. He had decided to buy her, she seemed to love him and he could already feel himself become happier. As he paid for the dog, his Finance status decreased ever so slightly, but for now, his satisfaction grew overall.

Ruby sat in the passenger seat of the car, looking out of the slightly opened window, as Taeyong drove back home. He knew his parents would be upset at the sight of a dog but Taeyong had a plan. He would just keep Ruby in his room and take her on walks every now and then. Right as he got to his neighborhood, he remembered that he needs so much stuff to take care of a dog. He turned around and went to the nearest pet store.

At the pet store he used some of the provided leashes to take Ruby inside. As he was looking at the different types of pet food a little girl came up to him and asked to pet his dog. She pet Ruby until her dad came over to say it's time to go. As she walked away, Ruby started to cry out just like she had done at the shelter. Taeyong tried to quiet her down by letting her and saying "shh" but she didn't stop until they were told to leave the store. He was told to put her in the car if she was going to make that much noise.

He ended up leaving Ruby in the car, with the windows slightly open. And going back inside to pay for the items he found.

———

Lucas spooned the older boy like normal. The two of them were very comfortable with each other for years. They were on opposing soccer teams in primary school and decided when they got in secondary school that they would start dating. For Lucas, he was very open about it, when he sees Jungwoo in public he gets this huge smile on his face and goes to hug him. If Lucas had it his way, he would kiss Jungwoo in public, but he doesn't want that.

Jungwoo has yet to tell people he has a boyfriend. His friends at school obviously know, but when it comes to his family, he is way too scared to tell them. For now, his family believes that he is dating a girl in his grade, Joy. Joy is willing to help Jungwoo lie to his parents if he needs to because of their strong friendship.

Lucas's family knows the entire situation with Jungwoo. They also know much of what goes on between the two when they are not in public. Although they act like they don't care what Lucas does, they care that he is not hurting himself or Jungwoo and they trust him to know what is right and what is wrong. For that reason, Lucas's Relations Level is always hovering around 100. Jungwoo's Relations is nowhere near as steady. Some days he feels so isolated from the world, causing Relations to drop significantly. Other days he feels loved by everyone he talks to, causing Relations to be almost filled.

Jungwoo was nearly asleep in Lucas' arms. The heavy breathing that once filled the room turned into silence, with the soft hum of a fan and the occasional kiss on Jungwoo's neck. The door handle twisted as Lucas's brother tried to come into his room but Lucas had locked the door. He slipped himself away from Jungwoo, who sleepily moved to compensate for the loss of warmth behind him, and quietly opened the door.

"Whats up Kun?" Kun stood silently and peeked into the room, seeing a sleeping Jungwoo. His face fell at sight of his past best friend.

"Uhm..." he muttered. "Mom and I are going to the store, do you want anything?" He looked at the door, ceiling, and floor. Anywhere except for the boy in front of him and the boy sleeping soundly in his brothers bed.

"No, I'm good. Is that really why you came all the way up here?" He asked, referring to his upstairs bedroom.

"Uhm... yes..." Kun paused before continuing to speak, "and mom asked for me to go check on you guys. You know, making sure you were being safe and all." Lucas now understood why Kun was being awkward, he wouldn't have come up here unless mom was truly demanding him to do so. That knowledge didn't make him feel any better.

"Okay, were fine, we don't need anything." Lucas stepped away from the door to close it, Kun walked away, ending their conversation. Lucas felt a knowing pain in his heart, whispering to himself, "they don't trust me".
Relations: 70.

———

Ten was drinking.
His body grew numb with every second.
Mind = 32
Physical = 48
Spirit = 94
Relations = 27
Love = 21
Finance = 93
No matter how much he drank, he could still feel it. Feel the pain spreading across him. Making certain ways of sitting painful. Why does this happen to him? He was told to be himself, but that person wasn't accepted. The people he once called friends were even scared to be around him. Scared that his presence would ruin them.

Maybe Ten is cursed. Maybe something is wrong with him. He took another shot, creating an image of a girl in his head. "Find something you like." He told himself. "This is what you are supposed to like."

The next day at school he talked to a girl in his class. He was determined to like her. The one bad thing— she knew he was gay.
And gays, were not allowed.