when in time, nct dream

chapter fifty-three

[ chapter fifty-three: epilogue ]

Two Month Later

Rain poured down outside, encasing the world in a layer of reflecting gloss.

Inside their own homes were twelve teenagers. Well, kind of inside their own homes? Mark was sat inside one of the guest bedrooms of the Fire Nation Palace, happy to be spending time with his girlfriend, Yiren. Renjun was sat in his room in Korea along with his own girlfriend, Sooyoung. Jeno was sat inside his room alongside his girlfriend, Nayeon. Jaemin was sat in his room, accompanied by his girlfriend Jiyoung.

And then there were the three single friends of the group, Donghyuck, Chenle, and Jisung. They weren't complaining though, they still loved having their own personal space.

"Did you hang it up?"

Jisung nodded, picking up his computer from his desk and walking over towards one of his bedroom walls. On it hung a picture frame, a paper certificate with his name inside.

"I think this certificate is my greatest achievement in life," Jisung concluded, walking back over towards his bed, placing his computer down, and hopping onto his bed.

"Chenle, did you hang yours up too?" Sooyoung asked, scanning the younger boy's screen.

Chenle nodded, "well, I didn't hang it up but I did laminate it. It's in my folder of somewhat important stuff and achievements."

"You have a folder for all of your achievements?" Nayeon asked. Chenle nodded, groaning as he picked up the said folder.

He held it up on the screen, smiling proudly. "It is quite thick if I do say so myself. Just goes to show how absolutely amazing I truly am."

The others laughed at the younger boy's joke, happiness radiating off of each of them once again. Or at least, most of them.

"How are you feeling, Hyuck?" Jiyoung asked, noticing the way he only slightly smiled or chuckled at Chenle's joke when he was usually one of the loudest laughers.

Donghyuck hummed, "I'm alright. Still a bit sad, you know, but I'll get over it soon so don't worry about me too much," he smiled.

"Remember we're always here for you if you ever need to talk or something," Jeno added, making sure to reassure any doubt Donghyuck had within him.

The dark-haired boy nodded, smiling at his friends over the screen. "I know, I know." He looked away from his computer, gazing outside his window.

"I guess some love stories are just better off as fairytales," he sighed, a sad smile on his lips.

and i was running far away
would i run off the world someday?
nobody knows, nobody knows
i was dancing in the rain
i felt alive and i can't complain
but now take me home
take me home where i belong
i can't take it anymore

━ runaway, aurora

━━ • 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗 • ━━

when in time;
simplydreamies