Mark Me

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<THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 11K READS WJFJEFJEHD>

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As soon as school let out, Jaemin rushed towards the park. He didn't want to deal with Donghyuk for the rest of the day but Jaemin knew that his friend would talk to him. He still didn't know about Jeno eavesdropping, nor did he care to explain himself after his moment in the lunchroom. But luck just wasn't on his side today, was it?

"Nana!" A voice calls behind him, but Jaeminc continues speed-walking towards the park. The voice continues to call for the boy, the deep sound slowly getting closer, meaning whoever was following him was closing in.

Jaemin makes it to the swings and puts his backpack down before sitting on the swing gently.

"Nana?"

"Go away Jeno."

"No." Jeno stands his ground, arms crossed as he looks down at the honey-haired boy.

Jaemin sighs in frustration. "If you want some explanation, ask me another day, I'm not in the mood."

"You won't answer me another day. Please...Just tell me what's wrong...Plus, you'd have to tell me eventually." Jeno reasons as he sits in the swing next to Jaemin. The younger sighs and looks down, watching his feet kick through the mulch.

"Have you ever heard of Osteogenesis Imperfecta?" He asks after a moment.

"Osteo-what?"

"Osteogenesis Imperfecta. It's a genetic disease that affects and weakens the bones. It's more well-known as brittle-bones disease. It's impact on life can be extremely small, or hugely impactful. I land somewhere in the middle." Jaemin sighs before continuing. "O.I., if we want to get serious, is a series of genetic disorders that result in frail and easily broken bones, stunted growth, breathing problems, hearing problems or hearing loss, blah blah blah."

"Is it...is it fatal?" Jeno asks, taking Jaemin's silence as room for questions.

"Not in itself, but if I were to injure myself badly enough, I could die. Like if I fell from a high place, or hit my head too hard, broke my back a certain way, or if my lungs close up. Stuff like that. It's why I can't play sports, both the risk of my breathing and my bone strength. The only part that didn't get affected was my height, I'm still fairly tall for people with this disease."

"So that's why Donghyuk got mad?"

"Yeah.." Jaemin looks at his bandaged fingers, sighing loudly. "Normally, a sprained finger from basketball, or being squashed wouldn't be a big deal for someone like you or any normal person. And it isn't a big deal for me, but in the long run, it weakens my hands, causing more risk for me. The more I get injured, the more at risk I am for it to happen again. It's a vicious cycle, really."

"I'm sorry."

"What's there to be sorry for?"

"I don't know...so many great experiences in life come with risk or big activities, and you can't really do that. Not without major issues in play. That kinda sucks."

"Tell me about it." Jaemin laughs. "I've been going my whole life with this disease, I've come to live with it. I hate it, I truly do, but I've accepted this is my fate. I can't change how I am. I just have to make the most of it. Which is also why I just want Donghyuk to trust me and to believe in me, he thinks I'm too fragile for anything anymore, and that's what I hate the most. No one thinks I can do it. No one believes in me anymore..."

"I think that's stupid." Jeno looks up to the sky. "You should determine what's believable and what's not in your life. If you believe that you can work or do a sport, then do it. Yeah, there are huge risks and your life is kinda on the line, but, you believe in yourself. And that's the most important opinion. Your own decisions. If you believe in yourself, then others will follow."

Jaemin pauses, then laughs loudly. The joyous sound rings throughout the empty park, it makes Jeno smile. "You're a real sweetheart, you know that?"

Jeno shrugs. "Only for you angel. Come on, let's get you home. You have work in 30 minutes and Taeil will be worried sick if you aren't there on time." Jeno stands and so does Jaemin. The two boys continue walking towards Jaemin's house, fingers intertwined and arms swinging gently.

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Renjun smiles widely when he sees his step-brother come out from the plane tunnel.

"Kun-ge! Over here."

The older man turns, his smile bright and distant once he sees his younger brother. "Renjun, it's been so long. You've grown so much." He laughs and ruffles Renjun's hair lovingly.

Renjun smiles and leads his brother out of the airport. "I stopped a taxi for us, so we kinda need to hurry. We'll go straight back to my place so you can unpack and rest."

"Lead the way little man."

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<oop, I'm back :) sorry it's taken me forever to update, my trimester just ended, and shit went down lmao I haven't been thinking straight lately. But I'm back and I hope you all liked this chapter, and you also now know Jaemin's medical issues hoohoohoo ;)) lmaoo ok I love you guys and thank you for being so understanding!! See you soon my Lovelies>