criminals°nct dream [slow updates]

twelve: "no pain, no gain"

"Stand back up on your feet! Defeat equals death! Is that what you want??" The instructor yelled and his students all swallowed their pains- not wanting to piss him off no matter how excruciating it was.

However, a young man timidly walked out from the line. "But, it hurts... We trained overtime the day before and our injuries weren't able to heal fast enouㅡ"

SLAP!

He received a ruthless, hard cold smack from the instructor and he yelped as he fell helplessly onto the stoney ground.

"No pain, no gain, Jooyeon! You ought to know that!" The instructor shrieked with an intense, criticising glare.
"You're just weak! A small hit from me and you're already tumbling like a stack tower!"

The instructor, Geon, whipped his head around to search for a certain student from the crowd. "Iseul, come right here!"

A little girl, who hadn't even reached the age of 10, emerged from the many people who were much taller and older than her to reach Geon.

Yet, even before she could bow, she was instantly struck at the stomach with his foot- sending her flying far like a soccer ball before she landed violently on her side.

But not a single squeak passed by her lips.

Geon approached and hauled her up harshly by her thin shoulder. "You see that?? She received a much bigger hit than Jooyeon yet, she didn't whine in pain! And she's only a child! How come adults like you can't do the same??"

Iseul stayed quiet as she was too busy gritting her teeth to withstand the throbbing pain on her bones from the fall as well as her bleeding grazed skin that stung from the sand.

"Hyung!"

Jeno turns to Jisung at his call. "What is it?"

"Dinner," the younger tells and the other joins him to walk down the stairs.
"It's the first time I've seen you like that."

The older furrows. "Like what?"

"So...out of it. Unaware of your surroundings," Sung answers as he recalls Jeno being deep in thought before. "You're almost never like that. You're so sensitive usually- Ah! In a having a good instinct way, I mean!"

Jeno watches the young's franticness and scoffs in amusement- ruffling his hair.
"I just had something to think about."

They arrive at the dining area soon and their noisy meal time begins.

As usual, Jeno only watches them as they chatter continuously as he finds consolation from seeing their happy faces.

His silent demeanor makes him so vague to most others and it makes people push him to talk but with Dream, they know well enough that he just finds silence personally more comforting.

"Oh, right. Where were you during class earlier? It was torturous having to stay in there alone for so long. I almost skipped," Donghyuck says while looking at Jeno.

"'Torturous?' Doing what? Keeping your head on your neck?" Renjun jokes and Hyuck hisses. "You don't even listen to the teacher."

Jeno chuckles and stabs into his steak. "Just out."

His classmate gasps hysterically. "The audacity to skip without meㅡ Wait, I just remembered. Iseul was also out at the time. Don't tell me, you were with her??"

Jaemin howls. "OHhHhh, Jeno~ What were you doing with her?"

The subject furrows. "None from what you're thinking of."

Nana snickers and Jeno finishes his dinner.

He excuses himself out early and leaves the table to his room- exiting out to his balcony and lets the chilly, night breeze to caress his skin as his mind brings him back to the memory of Iseul before.

His fists clench on the balustrade and a heavy exhale leaves- creating fog from the heat of his breath.

"I miss you."