The Difference

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

∆∆ ∆∆

Jeno holds his head in his hands, trying his best not to scream. He didn't want this, he wanted nothing like this.

"–Her name is Kim Chaeyeon and she's 16 years old. Her parents are good business partners and they are all ready to plan it out. So Jeno-"

"NO!" The living room goes silent as the youngest Lee sibling finally cracks. "I don't want this. I don't care about your stupid business, I don't care about some 16-year-old bitch, and I don't care about your connections. I don't want this to be my life. I don't want you people to play puppeteer with my life. I hate this, I hate all of it. I don't want anything to do with your fucking business, it isn't me. It won't ever be me! I can't stand you." He glares at his mother and father, anger burning through his eyes.

It takes his father a moment to react. "Lee Jeno, I suggest you watch that mouth of yours. Do not curse at me nor your mother like that. We have set up the date and you will go-"

"I'm not fucking going!"

The sound of a hand against skin resonates through the house. Jeno's eyes widened in surprise. Never once had his father nor mother hit him. Not him or his siblings. He keeps his head turned to the left as his father continues to shout at him. "–You are part of the Lee family, and you are acting like a disgrace. I will not have my son acting like a hooligan, or you are no son of mine."

"Fuck you." Jeno walks to the front door and pauses. "The only disgrace here is your care. You're supposed to be my parents, so start fucking acting like it."

And with that, Jeno is out the door.

Mrs. Lee turns to her husband. "Dear-"

"Save it Myungjae. He is being extremely disrespectful to our name and our family. And I won't tolerate it any longer. That damn boy has no respect for his own worth, and until he realizes how completely idiotic he's being, I won't let anyone else argue against me." He turns sharply to his wife. "Do you understand woman?"

Myungjae takes in a sharp breath at the tone her husband uses. She glares at the man and stands before him. "You may be the head of this household Jeonghan, but that does not make me inferior. We built this family and this business as equals, so do not ever refer to me, your wife, as 'woman' again? My gender does not make me inferior, so do not use it in that manner." She steps away to go upstairs. "Oh, and for the record; as much as I would like Jeno to follow in our footsteps, this is his life, not yours. You have two other sons who are willing to take care of the company, so let the boy have some freedom. He is only a teenager, so I suggest you learn when to shut your mouth." She stomps up the stairs fuming.

Sooyun comes out of her room with Chan in her arms to see her mother sighing loudly. "Mom?"

The older woman turns to her daughter and grandchild. "Dear, if there is one thing I've learned in this world, it is that we should never let men walk over us. We must stay strong." He caresses Sooyun's cheek lovingly. "Stay the strong girl you are, ok sweetie?"

Sooyun smiles. "Of course mom, I'll be strong. Just like you."

∆∆

Jeno sighs loudly as he walks through the city. He had no idea where he was going, he just let his feet wander and followed where they would go. He loved his parents, he really did. He respected them and their business, but he didn't want any part of it. He wanted to live his life, not theirs. He had been shielded his whole life, always told someone else would do it. Always kept away from things that his parents deemed "dangerous" and "useless". He never got to play at a playground, he never was allowed to make mistakes that he could learn from. He was kept in his house while his older siblings went off into life proud of their family name.

Jeno didn't hate where he came from, he didn't hate his family name. He didn't hate being part of the Lee Family. But he just wanted to be independent. He wanted to know what freedom was like. So of course he became rebellious, he snuck out, broke rules. He did everything he could to get his parents to change his course in life. He wanted to choose his own path, and he wanted his parents support while he did it.

But no, to his father, Jeno was a disappointment. A mistake. He didn't live up to the expectations, he wasn't like his brothers. He was what his father wanted. In his father's eyes, Lee Jeno was a failure. He wasn't smart and wise like Doyoung. He wasn't strong and opinionated like Jaehyun. He was Jeno. Wild, carefree, energetic, passionate. He was everything that his parents wanted to control.

Jeno soon finds himself on the doorstep of a familiar house. The small porch and large front windows. The roses in the flower box, the bright blue door. He had arrived at Jaemin's house.

Jeno knocks on the door twice, waiting patiently.

"Jeno?" The door opens to reveal a slightly disheveled Jaemin. His golden hair untamed and messy. His baggy sweatpants and a plain black T-shirt. "What's wrong?"

"My parents...." He couldn't do it. He couldn't talk without crying. He didn't realize how broken he was until he had to speak. He was just so lost. He immediately starts crying, which clearly surprised Jaemin.

"Oh my god come in, quickly. It's gonna rain soon and I don't want you catching a cold." Jeno enters and Jaemin quickly closes the door. He brings the crying boy into a hug, running his hand through Jeno's hair to calm him down. "Shhhh...Jeno, take deep breaths ok. Breathe...shhhhh...You're ok. You're safe, alright? You're ok. You'll be alright." Jaemin leads him into the living room and sits him on the couch. "I'm going to put the pot on for some water, grab a blanket and then you're going to tell me what happened." Jaemin rushes off and comes back only minutes later with a cup of tea and a big fuzzy blanket. He wraps the blanket around Jeno's shoulders and puts the mug on the table. He takes a seat on the couch and leans both him and Jeno back so that the boy was lying between his legs.

"Now. Tell me what's wrong."

"....My parents...."

∆∆ ∆∆

∆Hey guys, I'm back :/ I started online classes today and it was pretty interesting. I hope you all are staying safe through this. Remember to keep clean, ok? Well, I'll see you soon∆