lost and found ✁✃✁✃✁✃✁NCT 2020-𝖓𝖔𝖒𝖎𝖓

𝙱𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎

emplacement:NCT mansion
23/11/01

(so please just don't leave me, you got the best of me)

"hey, jen!"

the aforementioned male clicked his tongue. "it's hyung to you." jaemin rolled his eyes. "we're the same age."

"anyways, when jaehyun spoke of a ritual, did he mean like burning me in a fire?" he asked. jeno looked at him weirdly.

"okay, first off, why would you think it's about you? second, if every member had to go through it, there wouldn't be a gang."

jaemin huffed. "but he clearly winked at me! and since no one bothered to tell me what it was, i was hoping you could be the one enlightening me." he pulled out his puppy eyes.

jeno didn't spare a glance, knowing damn well he wouldn't be able to resist if he did, and continued eating his meal. "well maybe if you hurried up and finished your dinner, then you'll know by yourself."

the younger sighed. "you're no use."

the dinner table was close to fall down under the weight of all those plates and pots filled with delicacies and different dishes. taeyong, doyoung and kun really went all out tonight. what they mainly bragged about was that none of the dishes on the oak table were from restaurants or delivery orders. it was the biggest feast jaemin has ever seen in life, actually the only one, but that pretty much influenced his expectations of other feasts.

the half moon outside shone brightly, despite having a part of him not facing the earth. the plants and flowers wilted, the leaves leaving the trees naked, with an exception of our forest king.  the garden of eden prepared for its long sleep in the upcoming snow.

in no time, the whole team's stomach couldn't digest food anymore, and taeyong took the chance to grab everyone's attention.

"you guys all know, each year a new member arrives, we proceed with a traditional routine to make them officially part of us." everyone nodded, smiling wide at jaemin.

"yuta," taeyong called. "please fetch the lighter." jaemin visibly paled at those words, his brain yelling him to run out of this house while he still can. jeno glanced at his face and displayed an amused smirk, not that jaemin noticed.

"w-wait!" jaemin raised his hand. "a l-lighter as in a f-fire lighter?" taeyong nodded. in a few seconds, yuta came back with an old antique lighter.

"jaemin-ssi, would you please come up here." taeyong spoke in a formal tone. jaemin, panicking, gave jeno a look that said 'you told me they wouldn't burn me in a fire', and jeno simply shrugged.

defeated, the new comer slowly went to where taeyong and yuta were standing, whilst trembling. taeyong gave him his usual warm smile, like nothing was wrong, like he wasn't about to kill jaemin in a few minutes.

the leader opened his palm to reveal a silver chain with of the size of a wrist with a small plaque adorned with four small stones of peridots and his full name engraved on the back of it. it was nothing too extravagant, but the material was shiny, the stones reflected the rooms chandelier light onto the ceiling, and it obviously showed that it wasn't some cheap jewelry you buy at dollar store. jaehyun handed taeyong an ethanol bottle, which he applied on jaemin's hand and his own fingers. he then proceeded to wrap jaemin's wrist with a fabric that seemed like certified non-flammable curtains. then it clicked.

"you must be thinking why i asked yuta to bring a lighter for the ritual." taeyong chuckled. "don't worry, we're not gonna burn you." jaemin caught on jeno's face that read 'told you'.