𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 •jaeyong• [On Hold]

7| Seven

Jaehyun felt uneasy as he unconsciously picked at his fingernails. He felt so jittery he was on the verge of anxiously biting them. His eyes kept throwing glances towards the closed classroom door. Worry and a distant fear glossed over his dark pupils, making them shrink.

The high-pitched ringing of the bell snapped him out of his nervous trance. He added that Monday, along with the whole of last week, of Taeyong missing school without any notice.

He tried texting Taeyong but got no response. At first, he thought he was out sick. But little red flags started popping up when Taeyong ignored his phone, and the leave extended to the beginning of a second week. He'd go to Taeyong's house, but he didn't want to be intrusive.

Is it intrusive, though? If you're concerned about the wellbeing of your close friend?

He walked over to Johnny and Ten, trying to reason with himself that Taeyong is probably fine, and he's worrying for no reason.

"Hey, Jae. Are you okay?" Johnny asked, noticing how down his friend looked.

"Yeah. Just tired," Jaehyun lied, plopping a seat on the vent as he waited for Johnny. "Are we walking home today?"

Johnny looked over at Ten, who was patiently waiting beside his desk, trying not to eavesdrop. "Ten and I were planning on visiting Taeil's new diner today." He was giving Jaehyun a look he couldn't pinpoint until Johnny moved his eyebrows to Ten.

"Oh. Oh! That's okay! I forgot I promised to walk with Hyuck today. So, imma just go meet up with him." Jaehyun scrambled off the vent and walked out of the classroom, cringing at how unbelievable he sounded.

He walked out of the school alone and sighed. It was getting colder, and he cursed himself for not bringing a jacket this morning after his father cautioned.

It was okay that he was alone that day. He'd rather walk by himself then disrupt his friends 'date'.

Wednesday

Everyone held a concerned confusion, watching as the ravenette treaded slowly to his seat. He had an unnatural heap of dark hair and wore a black sweatshirt with black joggers. It contrasted against his light skin and made him look ghostly. The dark bags weighing down his eyes put the icing on top.

Jaehyun couldn't believe it was Taeyong when he roughly sat in his seat and buried his head in his arms. Taeyong blended in well with the mood that gloomy Tuesday morning. The sky darkened with a gray undertone. It threatened to cry. "Are you okay?" Jaehyun whispered while he poked Taeyong's arm.

The other just nodded, his whole body skidding in the same direction as his head. "Okay," Jaehyun responded, not wanting to upset the older by prying farther.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It was the end of the day. Jaehyun was walking home alone again. He didn't mind, though. He was happy for Johnny's successful date, and let the boyfriends' spend time together.

Taeyong told him that he had to stay after school to catch up on the work from his absence. He was concerned for him. Taeyong was quite all class and wouldn't spare a word or glance to anyone the whole day. Even Jaehyun couldn't get a reaction out of him.

He was like a hollowed-out shell, absent within his own body.

Jaehyun made it to his house safely. He walked up the empty driveway and sighed. His parents weren't home, as usual. He was used to it and was grateful for the stable life his parents provided him. He just wished they'd spend more time at home with him.

They didn't even have to go out to do family things. A night in with take out and a movie was enough. But that was wishful thinking.

As he made his way to his bedroom, he thought about Taeyong and his mom. How closed they seemed. Then he thought about the tense conversation the two had the last time he was over. Maybe that had something to do with Taeyong's mood change.

He didn't dwell on it longer and chose to take a nap. When he woke up later, he would eat and do any homework.

Nobody's life is perfect. Not even the happiest person you would meet, everyone struggles a bit. Some people are better at hiding it than others.