RIBS, NCT DREAM

THIRTY FIVE

JAEMIN WAS THE ONE TO GO WITH JENO TO THE NURSE. Jaehyun and Taeyong helped him bring Jeno to the room.

The three were told to wait outside while the nurse checked Jeno and his situation. The bell rang, signaling that their lunch period ended.

"Jaemin? Are you going to stay here?" Taeyong asked.

"Yeah, the rest of my classes aren't that important. I'll ask the nurse to email my teachers later." He told a small lie, he had his math class last period, but Taeyong would never let him stay if he knew that.

"Do you want any of us to stay?" Jaehyun hooked an arm around Jaemin's shoulders.

"No, no. It's fine hyung. I just want to be there when he wakes up." Jaemin weakly smiled.

"Alright, don't be too stressed. He'll be fine." Taeyong ruffled the younger's hair and smiled.

"Thanks."

Jaemin saw the couple walk down the hallway, to their classes. Knowing the nurse was still busy, he went on his phone to distract himself.

A few minutes later, he felt himself get shaken.

"Jaemin?" The nurse, Mrs. Choi, gently shook his shoulder.

Jaemin was familiar with Mrs. Choi. He had back problems in the past and found himself visiting her more often than they both liked. Due to this, however, he was able to be on friendly terms with the school nurse.

"Oh, yeah?" Jaemin wasn't sure when he fell asleep.

"Jeno's up and he's fine." She gave him a kind smile, "You can see him now. I'll email your teachers to excuse your absence."

"Thank you, Mrs. Choi." Jaemin grinned.

"No problem."

Jaemin got up and went inside of the room. The section where Jeno was put in was a tiny room with two beds. It was made for students who didn't feel well and needed a rest.

Seeing Jeno, who was normally big and strong, in the bed made him look uncharacteristically small.

Jaemin pulled over a chair and put it next to the bed. He sat down and simply stared at Jeno's sleeping form.

"Why are you here?"

Jaemin was startled by Jeno's voice. He didn't think Jeno was awake.

"You fainted, Jeno. You're at the nurse's room."

"I know."

Jaemin wanted to hold Jeno's hand. He wanted to hold it so badly, but he knew he didn't have that privilege anymore.

"How do you feel?"

"Like a train hit me."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"You overworked."

"I know."

Jaemin sighed, "I told you to not overwork. This is what happens when you do, Jeno."

Jeno rolled his eyes, "Jaemin, stop."

"No, I won't stop. You need to take on only what you and your body can take. You don't understand that hurting yourself also hurts the people who care about you."

"You will never know how it feels, Jaemin." Jeno increasingly felt upset, "Your parents don't push you every single day about being the best. I get a 96? They ask me where the other four points went. They are never satisfied. You will never understand what it's like constantly working with no breaks just so you can get a pat on the back. They have never told me they loved me, they only talk to me about grades. So, Jaemin, I can't stop."