Alone | NCT

Chapter 18

Jaemin let out a small grunt as he stared at the questions in front of him, immediately wishing he had started studying for his exams earlier. Even though he had stayed up late studying with Jeno, a lot of the information wasn't absorbed by his brain.

"Class, you have five more minutes." Jaehwa announced. Jaemin eyed the ten unanswered questions he still had.

Crap. He thought to himself before choosing a random answer, hoping it was the right one.

...

Winwin was tapping his pen against his desk, lost in his own thoughts when Yuta and Taeil urgently entered his office. Winwin sighed before putting his pen down to look up at his friends.

"What?" Winwin asked his two older friends.

"Convince Yuta not to go back to the clan." Taeil exclaimed. Winwin raised an eyebrow at his best friend.

"Why would you do that?" Winwin asked.

"My father wants me back to begin training as the next Clan Leader." Yuta told him.

"Your father is in perfect condition and you're already perfectly trained." Taeil pointed out. Winwin nodded in agreement just he noticed the bruises poking from the ends of Yuta's shirt.

"Taeil, can you get Yangyang?" Winwin asked. Taeil tilted his head, confused. "He's in the WayV lounge."

"Okay?" Taeil said before quickly leaving the room. Winwin motioned Yuta to the chair in front of him.

"Sit." Winwin demanded. Yuta glared before following his instructions.

"Stop trying to convince me." Yuta said but Winwin only smirked.

"I haven't even tried yet. That only shows that you're still trying to convince yourself to go." Winwin pointed out before leaning back in his seat. Yuta's eyes widened as he realized his mistake.

"I hate how observant you are." Yuta muttered, just loud enough to hear. Winwin out his hands on his desk, palms up.

"Hands." Winwin said. Yuta eyed him. "Trust me."

Yuta reluctantly took his hands out like Winwin's. Before he could say anything, Winwin had quickly rolled up both his sleeves, revealing the cuts and bruises Yuta had.

"What the heck!" Yuta exclaimed, trying to pull his arms away but Winwin had a tight grip on his wrists, keeping his arms exposed on the table.

"This is why you want to go back, isn't it. Because if you don't, your father will do the exact same thing to Yuri." Winwin said softly. Yuta slowly nodded, avoiding eye contact.

Suddenly the door flung open, Taeil and Yangyang walking in, eyes wide as the stared at Yuta's arms. Winwin noticed Yuta clench his teeth. Winwin cleared his throat, snapping the two back to reality.

"What happens in this room stays in this room, got it?" Winwin asked. Yangyang nodded his hand before approaching the table.

"You know what you have to do?" Winwin asked the sprite.

"Yes." Yangyang nodded, before looking at Yuta. "Sorry if my hands are cold." Yangyang said before reaching out. Yuta gave him a small nod before wincing from the touch of Yangyang's hands.

The sprite worked his healing powers on Yuta's wounds, the kitsune's skin glowing from the power the sprite was emitting into him. The glow continued all over Yuta's body, a sign that the wounds weren't only on the arms. Once the glow began to die down, Yangyang removed his hands.

"Don't go." Winwin said, crossing his arms over his chest. He watched as Yuta sighed deeply before doing the same action.

"Fine."