Fake Smile | Jaeyong Nct

18

In a trembling moment, get your dreams.
If you can feel it, reach out.
I can. I measure with a tremor in my heart,
with full of excitement.
We gone lit up.
_______________

On the way back to Taemins apartment there was an uncomfortable silence in the car. Jaehyun had gripped the steering wheel quite tightly as his ankles came out white and still seemed incredibly angry. Taeyong didn't know what to say. He didn't want to upset his boyfriend even more. Uncomfortably, Taeyong bit his lip. Of course, he could imagine that Johnny wasn't on their side, but he still wanted to know what just happened. Taeyong had never seen Jaehyun as angry as he was right now, and this scared him a lot. Jaehyun was not someone who got angry quickly, so his fight with Johnny must have been really extreme. Even when they arrived at Taemin's apartment, Jaehyun left the car without another word. Sighing, Taeyong followed him and unsteadily grabbed the other's hand, also fearing that the other would only pull his away. But Jaehyun found the gesture a bit too relaxing and interlocked their  fingers before he pressed the bell. It was not long before Taemin opened the door for them. Taemin also seemed to realize immediately that their plan had failed, so he decided to call Baekhyun for another crisis meeting.

While they waited for Baekhyun, Taeyong followed by Jaehyun, brought his things to one of Taemin's guest rooms.Uneasy, he put down his luggage and turned to his friend. He still looked angry and disappointed. Taeyong looked at him for a moment, played restlessly with his slightly shaking hands and tried to find the right words. He felt incredibly bad. He did not want Jaehyun to fight with Johnny because of him. After all, they were best friends. He didn't want that to change just because he had a fight with Lei. He didn't want Jaehyun to lose his best friend because of him.

"Jae?"
Uneasy, he bit his lip and looked at his friend.
"I..I'm sorry, this is all completely my fault. It never meant to put me between you and Johnny. I'm sorry."
Confused, Jaehyun raised an eyebrow while listening to his boyfriend. He couldn't believe Taeyong was blaming himself.
"Tae--"
But Taeyong wouldn't let him speak.
"I am really sorry, and I won't be angry with you if you go back to Johnny. I never meant to ruin your friendship."
Frustrated, he rubbed his face.
"Johnny is your best friend and I ruined it. I never wanted anyone to fight about me. This is all my fight. I have to face it alone. It's the only way I can do as little damage as possible."
Shakily he inhaled while Jaehyun tried again to interrupt Taeyong. But he tried in vain.

"It's all my fault. Lei would have behaved very differently towards me if I had treated him differently back then. I have to blame myself for all this and, God yes, of course I deserve it all. After everything I have done, I definitely deserve to be hated by him and yes, he is right, I am pathetic. Incredibly pathetic actually. I'm the reason you're losing your best friend. I-I..."

Jaehyun could not listen to this any further. With a quick movement he pulled the smaller one to himself, grasped his face with his hands and looked deeply and intensely into his eyes.

"Listen to me Taeyong."

With big eyes he returned his look.

"Never say you're pathetic, do you hear? This is definitely not your fault. Lei is the one who's ruining everything, not you. It's not your fault at all. Tae, I love you. I'd never leave you alone in this fight. You're definitely not pathetic. Whoever told you that is the stupidest person ever, because I've never met anyone who cares as much about others as you do. You are incredibly loving and adorable. You are an inspiration and motivation for so many Tae. Please, don't ever speak bad of yourself again. You always manage to put a smile on my face. My heart beats three times faster every time you are near me and the butterflies in my stomach are tumbling. In my eyes you are just perfect. There's no one who can charm me as much as you do. Johnny is stupid if he keeps taking Leis' side. He's too much manipulated that he can't see what's real and what Lei's lies are. Lei has him completely wrapped around his finger that even I, as his best friend can't convince him anymore. But all this is not your fault Baby. Please promise me to never speak bad about yourseolf again."

During Jaehyun's speech, Taeyong's eyes became more and more tearful before the tears slowly began to run down his cheeks. Jaehyun's words triggered so many emotions in him.

"I..I promise."

He wrapped his arms around Jaehyuns neck and united their lips. Jaehyun always managed to find the right words for every situation and to calm the people around him. Jaehyun immediately returned the kiss and pulled the elder tightly into his arms. It worried him very much that Lei managed to take away Taeyong's self-confidence and self-esteem. Jaehyun separated from him and gently wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"I love you. I hope you'll never forget this, Tae"

Sobbing, Taeyong wiped his teary eyes.

"I love you too."

Smiling slightly, Jaehyun stroked his cheek while the doorbell rang in the background. Baekhyun had probably arrived. Jaehyun gently grabbed Taeyong's hand. "Let's go downstairs to the other two." Taeyong nodded slightly, rubbed his eyes once more and then followed Jaehyun downstairs.

_________

"So"
Baekhyun glanced at everyone in turn. They had all gathered again in the living room to discuss the situation.
"So since plan A definitely failed, let's move on to plan B"
Taemin breathed in frustration. "I'll call Jimin directly and ask him to come over."
Taeyong bit his lip uncomfortably. He still didn't feel comfortable involving more people.
The others nodded approvingly though, which made Taemin pull out his mobile phone and leave the room. Sighing, Baekhyun leaned back on the armchair. "I don't understand why Johnny didn't listen to you properly for once."
Jaehyun shrugged. "Lei seems to have manipulated him too much. I just had to mention that Tae and I are together again and he just started boiling with rage."
Baekhyun shook his head incredibly.
"I just don't understand why you'd believe someone you knew much less than you. Lei is the new one and yet he trusts him more? It's incredible."

Jaehyun nodded in agreement immediately. Taeyong himself had asked himself this question again and again. It didn't make sense for him either that Johnny stood up against him, although they had known each other for so long. Johnny was one of the first people he got to know as a trainee.
It hurt him that their close friendship broke up because of something like that and Johnny now seemed to hate him from the bottom of his heart. He had always thought that they had all grown closer over the years, that they had all grown into a family.
Whil he was deep in his thoughts, Taemin entered the living room again and let himself fall on the sofa beside them. "Jimin said he would try to come over tomorrow. Cross your fingers that plan B will work."

"It has to work, otherwise I don't know what to do anymore..."