Biochemical; NCT Dream

✯•Two•✯

"How long left until we're at the airport?" Chenle asks, twiddling the stick from the lollipop between his fingers.

Their mother checks the time, the skin under her wrist glowing blue and showing a digital clock. "We should be there in about half an hour, not long left honey".
Both boys let out a loud groan and slump back into their seats. As much as neither of them wanted to get on the plane, both of them wanted to stretch their legs after being cooped up in the car for over an hour.

The roads were busy and the traffic heavy. Renjun had already counted five roadside accidents they had passed since setting off. Some being cars that have ran out of charge, others being a crash or a small bump. The worse one of all was when you witness an Imperium victim.

The Imperium Virus doesn't care where you are or what your doing, if it thinks it's your time to die then that's exactly what will happen. Whether you're driving a car, on a date, at work, wherever it is you happen to be you will die if it's your time.

Renjun's mind wanders back to three years ago when he was in a history lesson. The class was boring but bearable, their seventy-five year old teacher was writing up the task for the lesson when one of the students started screaming and pointing at her back.
A large purple bruise could be seen crawling up the back of her neck. The veins bursting under the skin. The teacher drops to the floor, the bruises covering her face, now almost a black colour. The pressure becoming too much for her body to handle.
She was dead.

That was the first time Renjun had witnessed a death due to the Virus, but since he had never seen one. And he was glad of it.

It was great that scientists and doctors had found away to cure all disease and had found a way to revive people. But the Imperium Virus chilled each human being to the very bone. Once the virus has hit you cannot be revived.

Renjun tries to focus on something else, his eyes wandering over to Chenle, his green backpack placed in the seat between them.
"Do you have any more food?" He asks, tugging on the zipper and peering in.

"Mostly candy, I have the half eaten Doritos if you want some of those" the blonde offers, pulling out the bag and handing it over to Renjun who declines.

"I'll pass" he sighs, shifting and getting a little more comfortable in his seat.
Suddenly he feels the car jolt and come to a sudden stop causing Renjun and Chenle to be flung forward slightly.

"What the heck was that!" Chenle yells, removing his seatbelt and leaning over into the front of the car to make sure everything was okay.
There was no answer from their parents, both of them staying as still as statues. "Guys? Hello?" Chenle waves a hand in front of their faces "Mum? Dad? There's cars beeping you need to drive"

Now it was Renjun's time to remove his seatbelt and see what was going on, his eyes darting to his mother who was staring straight ahead. "Mum?" Renjun asks, his eyes moving up to see what was so important. He immediately regretted it.

He smacks a hand over his mouth in an attempt to smother a gag at the sight he saw. People were fleeing their cars, old and young, each of them covered in the deep purple bruises before falling to the ground.

Quickly he grabs onto Chenle and tells him to sit back down before looking back over at his parents. "We have to go, can't you drive around?" Renjun panics, shaking his father a little to try and make him drive.

"Renjun?" His mothers soft voice says causing the brunette's head to spin to look at her.

"Mum we have to keep driving" he urges but she only shakes her head, slowly turning it to look into her sons eyes.

"Take Chenle and run"

Renjun's heart drops as he looks down. Small blue blotches were visible on her wrist, slowly moving further up her arm.

"What's going on!?" Chenle yells from the backseat and it seems to shake Renjun back to reality.

"B-but what-"
He was cut off when his mother rests a hand against his arm, his father taking tight hold of his hand.

He felt like he was going to be sick.

"Go" his father says sternly as he gives his sons hand one last squeeze.

How did this happen so quickly. Only minutes ago Renjun was worrying about the plane journey to China, but now he was worrying about far more.
He takes a deep breath, placing a soft kiss to each of his parents cheeks before moving back next to Chenle.

"Grab your backpack, we're leaving" Renjun says, grabbing his own backpack before opening up the car door and running around the other side.

"What? But what about mum and dad?" Chenle asks, climbing out of the car anyway. "Hyung answer me!"

Renjun sighs and rests a hand on his brothers shoulder. "I'll explain later, but now you need to come with me" he gives his shoulder a small squeeze before moving down his arm and taking his hand. Renjun takes one last look at his parents before turning around.

They both start running, trying their best to avoid on coming cars. The traffic was moving pretty slow but the gaps were small, meaning they had to squeeze their way through, earning some angry drivers yelling at them. The whole time Renjun keep tight hold of his brothers hand too afraid to let go in case he falls behind and they loose each other.

Suddenly, Chenle trips over, falling to the ground with a groan. "Are you okay?" Renjun rushes, tugging the blonde back to his feet and brushing him off.

"Yeah I'm fine" he says, wincing as he examines his scraped and bleeding hands.
A loud horn causes the two boys to look up, their eyes widening when they spot a truck coming straight towards them.

Renjun quickly takes Chenle's hand ignoring the cry of pain his brother let out. They sprint to the road side and watch as the truck speeds past them.
The brunette lets out a sigh of relief and pulls his brother along again but Chenle doesn't move. "Come on we need to go"

"No!" The blonde yells, a glare in his eye. "I am not moving from this spot until you tell me what's going on!" He stomps his foot on the ground like a child throwing a tantrum. "Why did we leave mum and dad?"

Renjun could feel tears welling up in his eyes and takes a small glance over Chenle's shoulder at their car that was now far away on the other side of the motorway.
"Th-they" he takes a deep breath and composes himself before meeting Chenle's eyes. "They caught the virus"

Chenle only scoffs "nice try, what's the real reason"

The brunette's eyes widen as he looks at his amused brother. "I-I'm being serious. I wouldn't lie about that!"

"Bullshit! You're trying to get me back for my little joke this morning" He moves closer to Renjun and places a hand on his shoulder. "Nice try bro"

Renjun's heart sinks. "I'm not lying"

"But they're not even fifty yet, how could they possibly catch the virus?" He still didn't look convinced.

Now he thought about it, it didn't make sense that their parents had caught the virus. They were far too young. "I-I don't know, but I know what I saw. They told me to leave because they didn't want us to see them like that" Renjun explains, his hand pointing towards the road.
His head drops and a tear rolls down his cheek. He sinks to the grassy floor and buries his head in his knees letting out a sob.

"Hyung?" Chenle asks softly, crouching down next to him and rubbing his back comfortingly.

One thing Chenle knew was that Renjun never cried. And that's how he knew everything he had just said was true.