breathless heart - nct, norenmin

💔 12 💔

at that point, jaemin was sobbing.

why?

let's say it was a mix of everything.

his condition was getting worse every day.

the comeback approached.

jeno and renjun knew about his disease.

they were willing to help.

all in all, a mix of everything.

"jamein, don't cry..." renjun said, approaching jaemin and wiping his tears with his thumb.

"i-i-i c-can't..." the younger boy sobbed, leaning against renjun to hide his face.

renjun rubbed circles on the boy's back as jeno approached both of them.

"why are you crying...?" renjun asked placing his chin on jaemin's shoulder.

"i don't know..." jaemin replied, trying to calm his sobs.

he felt his heart beating erratically in his chest because of his crying.

he couldn't even cry in peace.

his heart would bother him anytime....

"it's just... everything..." jaemin told.

he was tired of having to wake up at 3a.m. so that his mother could give him his medication.

he was tired of staying silent about his condition.

he was tired of being out of breath.

he was tired of stressing non-stop for the comeback.

he was tired of being tired...

but he wasn't the only one who was tired...

his heart was too.

and it didn't miss recalling jaemin this as soon as the boy started talking about everything he was tired of...

"jaemin, breathe." renjun pulled out form the hug to cup jaemin's cheeks. "slowly, breathe..."

a dozen of words had just left jaemin's mouth, and he was already out of breath, gasping for air.

shitty disease...

"my condition... will never... get better..." jaemin let out, new tears escaping his eyes.

"of course, it will, jaemin..." renjun replied. "jeno and i will help you. day and night. okay?"

jaemin nodded, sniffling from time to time, and often catching his breath.

"it feels good... having someone else... who knows..." jaemin told, making jeno and renjun smile.

"you should have told us before, jaemin." jeno said.

"i know... but... i was... scared..."

jeno used one of his hands to caress jaemin's head, from the top of his scalp to his nape.

"you shouldn't be." jeno continued. "we care for you, jaemin. neither renjun nor i would let you suffer..."

💔

"huh... jaemin is crying, and he's asking for jeno." xiaojun declared, entering one of the practice rooms of sm entertainment.

all the boys present in the room turned their heads towards him, their brows furrowed.

"jeno went out with mark and yangyang to buy us some coffees." kun replied.

"oh..." xiaojun stayed in the door frame, not really knowing what to do. "okay... well... huh... i guess i'll leave then..."

as xiaojun turned around, he bumped into renjun who was coming back from the bathroom.

"oh! xiaojun. what are you doing here? i thought you were rehearsing the 'make a wish' performance?"renjun told with a smile.

"yeah, but jaemin is crying hard at the moment, and he's asking for jeno." xiaojun explained.

"what?!"

before xiaojun could think about repeating himself, renjun dashed away towards the practice room where they were repeating.

he slammed the door open, catching the attention of all the boys that were inside, surrounding jaemin.

renjun made his way to the group surrounding jaemin.

"jaemin, what is happening?" taeyong asked him. "you can tell us..."

"j-jeno..." jaemin replied sobbing on the floor.

"jaemin..." renjun spoke, catching jaemin's attention.

the crying male lifted his head, his eyes glistening at the sight of the chinese male.

jaemin's sobs calmed down a slight bit, and he made grabby hands at the chinese.

"it's okay, i'll help him calm down." renjun said, taking the boy's hand and pulling him out of the practice room, leaving the other boys completely dumbfounded.

"jaemin, breathe. calm down and breathe." renjun said, cupping the boy's cheeks once they were alone in the corridor. "what is the matter?"

"i-i can't..." jaemin said between sobs.

"you can't what?"

"d-dance... and... s-sing..."

"of course, you can jaemin, you're an idol. you've been doing that for years." renjun wiped a tear away with his thumb.

"n-n-no... it hurts..."

both boys turned their heads when they heard loud steps coming towards him.

"hey, what is happening? the others told me xiaojun had come for me." jeno said, approaching the two boys.

"jaemin is insecure, but you need to tell him he has no reason to worry..." renjun told, indirectly speaking to jaemin.

"is it because of the performance?" jeno asked, allowing one of his hands to run through jaemin's soft hair.

"he is scared that he won't manage to sing and dance at the same time..." renjun said.

jeno sighed. "of course, you will... jaemin, adrenaline will kick in, and everything will be alright. you'll perform wonderfully... just like you always do..."

jaemin continued sobbing, leaning against renjun and using one of his arms to pull jeno closer to his body.

the comeback was tomorrow.

he truly hoped that, as renjun and jeno had said, everything would be alright...