when in time, nct dream

chapter twelve

"So are any of you in relationships?"

Mark chuckled awkwardly from Hyuna's left, not expecting the question. "Um... Jeno and Nayeon are dating but besides them, no."

Hyuna hummed, new thoughts forming as she leaning back against the couch. Donghyuck shuffled from her right, "why are you so interested in our personal lives?"

Hyuna straightened her back, eyes a bit wider as she sat up once again. "I-I'm just curious, is all."

Donghyuck lifted an eyebrow, leaning against the sidearm of the couch, "I was kidding but alright." He yawned, clearly uninterested in the movie. "You in a relationship or anything?"

Hyuna sighed inaudibly, leaning back. "Nope. Didn't have much going on before coming here. Pretty average at school, but I was in drama club and the council."

"Drama club and council? What was that like?"

Hyuna shrugged, "I was only working backstage for the productions. My school did a lot of Disney princesses and fairytale movies so I thought it'd be nice since those are my favorite movies."

"You like Disney princess movies?"

Hyuna nodded, "definitely. Can't tell which one is my favorite, though. All of their stories are quite unique."

"Except Elsa's. I mean... an ice queen in a world of people that have no powers? Imagine us living in a world where we couldn't bend any of the elements. Speaking of elements, Jiyoung is an air prodigy. Are you one too?"

"Nope. Just a regular air bender, sadly. Are any of you prodigies?" Hyuna asked Donghyuck, her interest in the movie blowing over after the conversation with Donghyuck too off.

"Jiyoung is the only special one here. Although all of us are finishing up our master classes at the academy." Donghyuck said, shaking his head.

Hyuna smiled, "well then I wouldn't say she's the only special one. It's hard to even begin master classes, especially at the one and old Elemental Academy in the Republic. Chenle and Jisung are graduating with you and the others as well?"

"Yep, they're probably going to graduate in a few months, though. They're both highly advanced in their skill sets and are going to be two of the youngest graduates. Jisung's father is the youngest though, he graduated from masterclasses at the age of seventeen."

"Jeez," Hyuna laughed quietly. "I'm assuming he's one of the trainers now?" Donghyuck nodded. "But what about Jiyoung? She only began training how long ago? I mean, she's still quite new too."

Donghyuck nodded, "sure is. But since she's a prodigy, she picked on stuff ten times faster than the rest of us. She'll be graduating with us."

Hyuna hummed, "and you guys aren't jealous of her or anything?"

Chenle, who had just come back from the kitchen after getting a soda, overheard the same snippet of the conversation and decided to join in. "She's our friend, we'd never be hatefully jealous. Maybe a bit envious, but that's all really."

He side-eyed the girl as he took a seat next to Jisung, the younger boy thanking his friend as he took a bag of chips.

"Hey, do you think it's a bit weird how she keeps asking all these questions too?" Jisung asked quietly once Chenle sat down.

The dark-haired boy nodded slightly, noticing Hyuna and Donghyuck had gone off into their own conversation once again. "I mean yeah but maybe she's just interested in our lives. She never met her sister before and now she's getting thrown into our friend group, must wonder what it's like or something."

Jisung bobbed his head up and down slowly, "well... yeah but," he trailed off, discreetly looking at his friend conversing with the new girl. "I don't know there's just something off, I can feel it."

"Are your feelings reliable?" Chenle asked, serious about the question even though it sounded like a mocking joke.

"Well, I'd hope so. It's more like my bending or something that can tell somethings wrong or off. They were right when that whole thing with Noona happened."

Chenle nodded, "let's just give it a bit. Maybe you're just cautious after what happened, like Jaemin Hyung."

Jisung nodded, looking over at Jaemin and Jiyoung dozing off slightly. "Just like Hyung..."

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there was an "easter egg" or smth in the last chapter but i don't think anyone noticed 😭