RIBS, NCT DREAM

THIRTY TWO

IMESSAGE: MARK HYUNG

jeno:
i really need someone now

mark hyung:
jeno?? what's going on??

jeno:
I broke up with jaemin today

mark hyung:
im calling you.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

INCOMING CALL: MARK HYUNG

ANSWER?

YES.

mark:
God, Jeno. What happened?

jeno:
I did it. I broke up with him hyung.

mark:
Hyuck is next to me now.
Are you okay with him listening?

jeno:
Sure.

donghyuck:
Jeno? What's going on?

jeno:
I broke up with Jaemin today
because I'm an asshole and Jaemin
is a liar.

mark:
Hey, come on.
Tell us why you did it and we'll let
you know if you're an asshole or not.

jeno:
I told him my doubts of him and
Renjun. He said they were just friends.
When I asked him if he saw
himself developing feelings
in the future, he was silent.
That was the breaking point, I guess.

donghyuck:
Jeno, I'm glad you did it.

jeno:
Really? I thought you'd be
upset with me now.

donghyuck:
Jaemin texted me saying he
thought he was developing
feelings.

jeno:
...

jeno:
Are you saying you knew what was
going on, but you never even
thought of telling me?

mark:
Hey, Hyuck had a valid reas-

donghyuck:
Yeah, I knew.

jeno:
I can't believe you. You lied.

donghyuck:
You never asked, I never lied.

jeno:
I asked you, at the park, if you
thought Jaemin would cheat on me.
You said no, knowing damn well
Jaemin was thinking of Renjun.

mark:
Jeno, calm down.

jeno:
No Mark, I won't fucking calm down.
Screw you, Donghyuck. I thought I
could trust you, but it seems
like you like Jaemin a little bit more.

donghyuck:
That's not fair and you know it, Jen-

jeno:
Don't talk to me. You and
Jaemin can have fun by yourselves.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

INSTEAD OF GOING HOME, JENO WALKED TO THE PARK.

After ending the call with Mark and Donghyuck, Jeno really did not want to go home.

He started crying, sitting on an empty bench. He cried for his broken relationship, his now broken friendship, his stress. He cried, and cried, and cried. Jeno knew he was overreacting, but he relied on his friends as if they were family, since his real one was so negligent. Their lying made him feel betrayed. Maybe he was acting dramatic. Maybe it was the built up stress and tiredness that was making him act this way.

Jeno didn't even remember how long he had sat and cried for. He didn't even notice the stranger sitting next to him.

"Are you alright?" A soft, gentle voice asked him.

Jeno turned his head to face the voice. He saw a boy, one who looked like his age. The boy looked worried.

Great, a complete stranger saw him cry his eyes out like a damn baby.

Jeno wiped his eyes with his sleeve, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I think we both know you're lying."

Jeno tried not to show his discomfort when the stranger said lie.

"Listen, I don't know you. You don't know me. You can use me to rant to, I can just tune it out or I can listen and try to give advice. Pick your poison."

Jeno lightly smiled, "Are you sure you want my emotional baggage?"

"It seems to me that everyone but me has emotional baggage, I can take it."

The stranger smiled back, showing off his dimples.

"God, where do I even start?"

"From the beginning. It always helps to start from the beginning."

"My parents are doctors. They pressure me to study my ass off. They want me to become doctors like them. The thing is, I play basketball. I love basketball, but my parents think it's all bullshit. It's really difficult to balance schoolwork and practice at the same time. I have, I had a boyfriend. We've been dating for two years,"

"Wow, that's long," He whistled.

Jeno smiled, "Yeah, we were a pretty good match. I always felt bad cancelling plans because of how busy I was, but he always said it was fine. We made a new friend, and I saw them together. My instincts told me they weren't just friends."

"Oh boy, that's rough."

"I agree. So I started to ignore him, which I admit, is shitty. I confronted him about it. He couldn't answer me when I asked him if he saw himself liking the new friend."

"Geez,"

"So I broke up with him. And now, I just got into a fight with our other best friend, because guess what? My supposed best friend knew my now ex was possibly developing feelings, but never told me. I'm surrounded by liars."

"Damn."

"Damn indeed." Jeno turned to face the stranger, "So? Any advice?"

"I'm going to be honest, I have none."

Jeno scoffed, "Alright well, thanks anyways."

"Just keep doing your thing. Study and practice. Focus your energy on your future rather than your friends. Friendships can heal and come around, but your future is permanent."

Jeno smiled, "Thanks, stranger."

He smiled back, "No problem, stranger."

"I'm going to go now. Thanks, again."

"Yeah, yeah. I wish you the best."

"You too."

Jeno got up, and started to walk back home.

He stayed up that night, eyes puffy and nose stuffed, studying for his next test.