𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀; nct dream

twenty two

Chapter 22: Half Empty

Lee Donghyuck had a very 'half empty' way of thinking in life.

Could you blame him? He wasn't exactly leading the life he thought he would be when he was young.

His heart ached for the dreams he once held, since they had all been transformed to that of a nightmare. It also ached for the family he left behind. But if what Chenle had told him was right, his parents had practically sold his soul to the hospital.

He was nothing but a burden to the couple whom he once gave the title of 'parents' to. Yet now, as he scrutinised the photo of the three of them together...happy...he couldn't help but feel a rage take over him as he knew they had moved on...without him.

So really, what was there in life to be optimistic about? How could he change his pessimistic view to a 'half full' kind of mindset?

He wasn't granted much more time to ponder on such thoughts as the rapping of knuckles against the closed door snatched his attention from the photo.

"Come in," he muttered with a menacing tone. He truly wasn't in the mood to deal with people, especially after his dear friend, Chenle, had enlightened him with news of what he had overheard the day before last.

He was a lost cause? Like hell he was. He knew what he had to do, and would do whatever it took. He was going to run away with Mark, as the older had wanted for so long.

He didn't mind who joined them on their journey, but he wouldn't live under the same roof as such sadistic nurses with brutal disciplining tactics.

"Hey Ji," the older murmured quietly while throwing himself backwards on the bed. "What has you here?" He continued, eyebrow raised as he stared at the chipped paint upon the ceiling, finding it much more interesting than he should have.

"I just need to talk to you, Hyuck."

Donghyuck jumped up at this. He hadn't really heard Jisung being serious. The younger spouted bullshit for a living. Yet here he was, brows furrowed and a hurt look glinting in his eyes.

Park Jisung - who had claimed to have lost all emotions - was scared, sad and clearly disoriented and was looking to his delusional best friend for help.

Jisung fiddled with his fingers as he gratefully took the seat beside Donghyuck on the bed as the older  patted it. 

"Lele told you what he heard....Didn't he?" The pinkette hesitantly asked, eyes forming a glass covering as he tried to hold in what had been bothering him for hours now.

Donghyuck nodded slowly, not too sure where this conversation was going . "What about it?"

"He's been trying to convince me to leave with you all. I can't, Hyuck," he explained, his oversized top providing him with sweater paws as he flapped them around to express his agitation.

"Why?"

"She'll come back. Won't she?" He asked, tucking his knees into his chest as he let his head fall into the older's shoulder for comfort.

Donghyuck had never seen Jisung so vulnerable before, and it honestly startled him.

How was he meant to handle the teen with care when he wasn't as experienced as Chenle on what pushed his buttons and what didn't.

"Your sister?" He hesitantly tried, hoping that this would pluck a string of hate in the younger. "Are you talking about your sister?"

Jisung nodded against the others chest, looking for some warmth on the cold winters day.

"She left you here, Ji. Now we have to do what it takes to survive. I see that now....I need to survive!"

Jisung lifted his head, staring deeply into Donghyuck's eyes as if he was looking for an answer to a question that he had never even asked.

"And why do you need to survive?" He quipped, almost chuckling at the irony of it all. "There's nothing left for us, Hyuck! Why the fuck do you want to get out, only to be chased forever?"

"God dammit Jisung!" He yelled, standing up to walk away from the younger before he saw the tears that began to well up uncontrollably. "At least running gives me more of a thrill than being locked up in here does. At least I'm able to pursue my love life with Mark instead of having to tiptoe around the nurses who would surely punish us for considering love. Maybe, Jisung, I would feel more alive if I was trying to outrun my inevitable fate, instead of sitting here and waiting to die....Wanting to die!"

There was no response as the younger saw his friend cry. Saw the weakness that this hospital had dragged out of each of them. Hope. He saw it in the eyes of the boy he loved, and he saw it in the eyes of a love-driven boy who wanted freedom. Who deserved freedom.

"Fine," he mumbled, heart almost sinking as he thought through all the things that could go wrong with this dangerously unrealistic plan. He wanted Chenle enough to abandon the hope of his sister's return. So, with great hesitance, he stood. "I'm in."