Since the afternoon, the rain had gotten heavier and the thunder had rolled in. At nine past eleven that night as the rain fell loudly on the roof, Kaede sat up in bed, wide awake, clutching her pillow tight, praying for the storm to stop. But the thunder continued to sound and Kaede continued to jump with every crack of lightning.
She considered jumping into someone else's bed but decided against it, reassuring herself that the storm would pass soon. Seconds later, though, the storm clouds began spitting out hail, sounding like marbles falling on concrete.
That was the last straw for the terrified girl. She leapt out of bed, slid on her bunny slippers and made her way out of the dorm. Pillow in hand, she slipped out the front door and headed for the stairs. The plastic sole of her slippers slapping against the tiles with every step echoed around the empty stairwell leading down.
A sudden rumble from the sky hurried Kaede's feet and she soon found herself standing outside the Dreamies dorm. She hurriedly punched the code in the keypad then dashed inside. Shockingly, Jisung wasn't sleeping on the couch. Kaede wondered why.
Quickly and quietly, she snuck down the hall and into Jisung's room. She shuffled over to his double bunk bed where he was sleeping spread-eagle on the single top bunk.
Slipping her slippers off, she stepped onto the double bed and reach up to tap his shoulder. "Jisungie."
No response.
She shook his shoulder. "Jisung."
Again no response.
She tried again. This time he grumbled incoherently and slightly raised his head, cracking his sleepy eyes open.
"Kaede?" he mumbled.
"The storm," she said. "I'm scared. I can't sleep. Could I, maybe, sleep with you? Please?"
"Sure," Jisung muttered. Half-asleep but without hesitation, he sat up, grabbed his pillow and hopped down to the double bed where Kaede was standing.
"Come on," he mumbled, falling onto the mattress. Eyes already closed again, he tugged the blanket from under his body, pulled it over himself then held the other side up, waiting for Kaede.
Grateful for his lack of protest or teasing, Kaede put her pillow down then laid next to Jisung. He draped the blanket over her then seemed to fall back asleep.
"Thank you," Kaede murmured, curling her arms and legs into her.
Another loud crack of thunder sounded. Kaede flinched and squeezed her eyes closed. Contrary to what Kaede thought, Jisung was not asleep. He felt her flinch and opened his eyes. He saw the way her face scrunched up in fear and reach out to grab her hand.
Kaede's eyes shot open in surprise. Jisung offered her a small smile as he dragged her hand in between them and entwined his fingers with hers. His hand was almost twice the size of hers but that only comforted Kaede more.
And as they two friends lay in the dark, facing each other with their hands between them, Kaede felt all her fear melt away and something new spark.
What? She didn't know for sure. It was something, though.
YOU ARE READING
NCT ROSE
Fanfiction'SM Entertainment to debut a new NCT sub-unit consisting entirely of girls' ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘❤∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ If NCT had female members. ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘❤∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ Discontinued
