bad chemistry

thirty - two

They both stand in front of each other awkwardly since it's been a week since they actually saw each other. Minju is getting her makeup fixed as Jeno is wrapping bandages around Minju's knuckles so that she wouldn't get hurt. His black hair returned gloriously as Minju tries to not look at his direction as often as his visuals shine brightly within the set. No words are said between the two as Jisung and Donghyuck watch awkwardly from the side. 

Donghyuck nudges Jisung's shoulder annoyingly as he whispers, "Weren't they in a good relationship?" 

"I have no idea..I've never seen them like this." 

"It's your damn job to find out, idiot..." 

Minhyung intervenes soon after as he stands between the two to stop Donghyuck from being so damn nosy. "Shut up, you're going to get all the attention weirdo." 

Jisung laughs at his response, earning a punch on the shoulder from the older in return. He whines quietly soon after he rubs the spot where Donghyuck punched him. Turning their attention towards the director, they all then take a step behind the production team to watch the view. Renjun and Jaemin are both on a mission that Minhyung leaves as he needs to assist them. Jeno looks down at Minju, who is avoiding his gaze, as he speaks up first, "When you punch, make sure your arms are straight. They should not be bent or else you might injure yourself." 

Minju nods quietly as she watches his demonstration, as she follows in imitation soon after. Turning around, Jeno then leaves to the side as he places Jisung in charge of watching her. Jeno makes his way towards his office, as Minju quietly stares at his back-view while biting the inside of her lip. She didn't understand the growing tug within her chest as she realizes that Jeno is distancing himself from her. She understands since she, as well, should not be with him.

The movie shooting finishes late into the night as Minju tiredly takes off the bandages and her uncomfortable clothes. Everyone wraps up the production as she makes her way to the bathroom to change into a comfortable pair of sweats and a hoodie. Leaving the bathroom, she turns her head to the side as she realizes that she is one door away from the SWAT team's office. She tiptoes quietly towards the room without realizing as she stands quietly from the outside. She realizes her mistake as she finds herself quietly staring at Jeno from the window as he is typing and writing things furiously without even taking a break. 

She continues to watch him before she finds herself making direct eye contact with Jeno. Neither turns away first, but Minju eventually tears away from looking at the other as she makes her way towards the exit of the station as Jisung soon finds her at the front. Jeno continues to look at the empty space as he looks down at his notebook that he was scribbling on before closing his computer. 

He knows that he can't do anything on the impulse. 

But he really needs it. 

"Yah Lee Jeno.. why did you drink so much?" 

Donghyuck nervously shakes the other as Jeno is slumped over in front of the police station, wasted as shit. Donghyuck wonders when Jeno made his way towards a pub, paid, and then made it back to the police station without missing his wallet or his cell phone. Jeno's face is painted red as he mutters things under his breath that Donghyuck is not able to make out. Donghyuk tries to help him up so that he can go home with Donghyuck rather than being a drunken embarrassment in front of the police station. 

But before he does, Jeno resists from the other as he rests his back against the front door. Donghyuck apologizes towards the other officers, as he knows it will take time to drag a drunk male away. Jeno's fist pounds onto the ground as Donghyuck cries out instead, "Ow! Bro, what are you doing? Doesn't that hurt?!" 

Jeno laughs with pure craziness as Donghyuck finds himself slowly getting scared of the other as he continues to laugh even though his fist is now scabbed with blood from doing so. Continuing to laugh, Donghyuck realizes that there are tears falling down the other's cheek slowly as he worriedly sits next to the other. Taking his hand, he starts to wipe away the blood with a tissue but Jeno shakes his head in response to it. 

Donghyuck confusingly watches as Jeno's eyes continue to water as Jeno finally speaks up, "It doesn't hurt there at all." 

Donghyuck watches as Jeno's other hand starts to point to his own chest, locating where the heart is at. Jeno looks at the other with the teary eyes that brighten the sadness within his emotions as he adds quietly, "It hurts right here...out all of the places that I don't feel pain..this is the only place I feel pain." 

"Why?' 

"Because...I don't want to lose her the way Yeji threw me away...but...she is the only one that makes me feel this way. And I really...like her. What do I do?" 

Donghyuck places the tissue onto the ground as he focuses on the other's face as he replies back with the same amount of emotion that he feels for his friend, "Then you need to confront it." 

"I can't...she's going to be in danger." 

Donghyuck watches as Jeno's head drops to face the floor as he slumps to the side as his visions turn into a haze as the mixture of tears and drowsiness from the alcohol starts to affect him more. Donghyuck holds him up as he shakes his head quietly at the sight as he remembers how Jeno was this of a mess when Yeji left him. He was the there when Jeno almost killed himself by drinking way too much alcohol. And now, he knows he needs to get the other out of the slump.