Save Us {NCT Dream}

Day 16

Jeno shivers when the cold air hits his skin, he wasn’t anywhere he shouldn’t be. Just outside the dorms, looking out to the sky from the apartment corridors. It wasn’t like he dared to even go any further, if he wanted to follow his heart.

He would’ve taken all of them and ran, to someplace far and safe from the nightmare they’re in.

“Jeno? What are you doing out here?” Jeno tenses, Dooyoung.

“Nothing, needed a bit of fresh air” or more like getting a break from hearing the crying and panicking in the dorm

What day was it? Thursday.

“So polluted city air is your fresh air?” maybe, it was better than being in there where he’ll never escape their painful suffering.

Dooyoung walks over to stand next to him, “Hey, what’s wrong?” his hyung was so gentle, almost as if he’s approaching an injured animal.

But Jeno is beyond injured, he’s shattered, no fixing will get him back to the way he was before.

Jaemin’s screams still echoes in his head, he didn’t want to be with them at the moment because he feels so…...helpless. He feels that he should be doing something, anything to get them out of this mess somehow.

“The usual idol struggles hyung….” He tried smiling, his whole body ached.

What time was it? 12 midnight?

 “Jeno it’s okay!! Hyung I’m trying!! I’ll get it right!!! P-Please don’t do this to him!! I’ll get it right, Jeno I swear it’s okay!!! I’ll get it right!!”

“But I’m good”

_

Jeno flinched when a bottle came in contact with Jaemin’s head, the rest kept dancing with him. Tears long dried, they’ve got no more tears to shed. Jaemin is struggling with the new tight choreography, he’s been practicing every minute of his life but still couldn’t land on that one part.

“Jeno hy-hyung do so-something!” Chenle squeaks, but Geomjal heard and smacks the Chinese shoulder hard. “You think he can help? Why of course! Stop the music”

Haechan collapse, his body giving out completely, the vocalist laid on the floor as he pants for air. “He hadn’t been eating….” Jisung muttered.

“Stand over there, you too get the fuck up!” Hyulsik kicks him, but the boy has no energy spared to react to it.

Chenle and Jisung helps him up, but the vocalist himself is somewhere between conscious and unconscious, eyes only dazedly looking around, trying to make sense of things.

Jeno and Jaemin are told to be in the center of the room.

“Jaemin, Dance” and so Jaemin did the part, and like the past 2 hours. He can’t get it get right, and tripped instead.

The other Dreamies watched, but the torture has yet to start. Geomjal and Jikyun smirks.

“Jeno, hit him”

There were few collective gasps, Jeno’s eyes nailed to the three demons that were supposedly their managers. “W-What?”

“It’s obvious our punishments aren’t helping him, since you’re second best after Jisung, maybe a strike or two from you might help him” Jikyun says without the slightest sense of humane in his voice. His being crave for the pain of these young minds, it excites him.

Donghyuck woke the fuck up hearing that, but his body still limp and weak.

"N-No….” it came out like a whisper, and only the two holding him up could hear it. “Too far, that’s too far” Renjun chants in Chinese.

Jeno looked at the male slightly younger than him, his long sleeve sweater soaked in sweat and tears. But he smiled, “It’s okay Jeno, I won’t be mad” how the fuck can he do it?!

“I won’t, I’ll never” his voice wavers, but tried to keep his firmness. “Then Jisungie, would you do the honors then? Give your hyung here a punch or a kick” Jisung feels like he’s about to pass out, the fear overwhelming him.

“Do it or you’re the one getting it” Hyulsik dragging the youngest by his hair, pushing him at Jaemin.

“Please, a-anything but this. Please do-don’t make us do t-this” Chenle begged, only to be slapped. “I didn’t say you can talk brat” Geomjal snarled. Jaemin pleaded to the other, “Please Jen, don’t let them do this to Sungie. Protect Jisung Lee Jeno”

“I’ll do it”

Jeno wasn’t sure if that’s his own voice saying it. But seconds later, he can’t believe it was his hand that hit Jaemin on his shoulder.

“Again, that was weak. Do it right or he’ll keep getting it” Jisung, who walked back to the side can hardly contain his tears, not that he tries, maybe there were more to shed.

Jeno bit his lip, eyes closed shut as he hit the other. And so Haechan, who gathered just enough energy to hug the two maknaes close along with Renjun.

“Make it stop hyung, please” Jisung begged, but what can they do? They were still puppets with strings.

_

Jaemin is asleep, he at least knew that. Unlike him, not a wink since three days ago when that happened. Dooyoung left a bit while ago, Jeno sighs. With arms wrapped around his body frame, he enters the dorm. Renjun was on the sofa, staring at the blank tv.

“Why aren’t you asleep?’

“I don’t go to sleep until everyone else does, and you haven’t for far too long” Well, can’t blame him that freaking Insomia is a bitch, “You know I hate it when you do it right? That the maknaes knew and are worried too right?”

Renjun looks at him, everything he once was is gone. “Then why don’t you stop me?”

Jeno stood there, his mind searched for an answer.

“I don’t know”

Because how do you stop someone from destroying themselves when you’re somewhat doing the same?

“Why Hyuck isn’t eating?”

Jeno felt like he knew, but his mind is packed and he couldn’t find the memory tucked so deep in. “I bet they did that too, it’s not fair. They’re killing him”

“They’re killing us”

He corrected the Chinese. “Come on lets go to bed already” he’s sure he can’t sleep, no matter how how he tried or tired he was, sleep never comes, not when he knew he hurt his bandmates taht he swore to protect.

But it’s best he didn’t stress the eldest any further. It was 3 in the morning anyway.

Renjun leads him to their room, Jeno eyes the boy in Renjun’s bunk. “Let him, here drink this. It’ll help” Renjun picks up a cup filled with white liquid. “I don’t feel-”

“Drink. It. Lee. Jeno”

That was enough of a persuading for him, he took it and bottoms up. Jeno climbs into his bed, letting his head rest on the pillow. Somehow, he feels dizzy, the screaming in his head stopped, and soon gives in to the blacking dots covering his vision. Renjun is blessing, really.

Renjun sighs, he slips in next to Jaemin. His eyes glassy with the fact he had to use knock out juice to get these two to sleep.