Guilt Trip {Noren}

Chapter 7

"I'm going to ask you a genuine question, Donghyuck, and I want a genuine answer."

"Well, that depends on what the question is," Donghyuck replied, not looking up from his book. It was raining heavily that evening, hence why there was no one outside. Friends could only communicate through texting, and the constant vibrating of Donghyuck's phone annoyed Renjun to no end.

"Why is it that any time I go anywhere, there's people whispering? Like, even when they were just talking they immediately go quiet. Why is that?"

"Ah, see that you may just need to ask them," Donghyuck sarcastically grinned. "Sorry."

"You have a point, I guess," Renjun sighed and flopped on his bed, narrowly avoiding hitting his head on the backboard. "Why me?"

"Reasons. I mean, no offence, but have you not realised you're a bit of an outcast here?" When Donghyuck said it like that...

"Of course I have."

"Then think a bit further. Or ask someone else."

"Aren't you supposed to 'know' a lot?" Renjun raised his eyebrow at Donghyuck, figuring he might be able to persuade him a little.

"Yes. And I do."

"So why can't you tell me?" Donghyuck threw his phone on the bed.

"Fine! Since you want the information so badly apparently..."

"No wait! Am I going to regret-"

"...the school kinda sorta thinks you and Lee Jeno are dating." Renjun stared at Donghyuck for a few seconds, incredulous. "Which I personally think is bullshit. I mean it's such a reach, don't you think? But then again..."

"Why the fuck would the school think that?" Renjun was now starting to sweat, and his hands subconsciously formed a fist. Donghyuck simply shrugged.

"Apparently someone saw you two on Saturday when Jeno was practicing. He never lets anyone see him practice, and I mean never. Something to do with 'the surprise element'," he shrugged again and went to plug his phone in to charge. "So then they told someone and then the someone told someone, and you know how it is."

"...amazing," Renjun muffled out, lying face down on his pillow. His brain ran through a list of new questions now, but they all amounted to this one: why him?

Knowing what the whispers were about was a whole new experience, and one Renjun disliked almost as much as everyone else as a whole. He'd earnt attention, but at what cost?

"Is it true?" His seatmate, Jisung, once mumbled to him.

"About what?" Renjun said, knowing full well what he was asking about.

"That you and Jeno are dating? He refuses to tell us anything," he whined.

"If he refuses then I do too," he coldly answered. The teacher walking past them both made them shut up temporarily, but it wasn't long before Jisung said something again:

"Do you want my guess on things?" Did he really want his guess? Not really. Did he say yes anyway?

"Go ahead."

"I have a theory he's questioning...stuff. And-" the teacher glared at them both before Jisung continued quickly, "-and since you're new, it makes you like..."

"Easy to use? Somehow, I doubt he has bad intentions."

"Of course not, but like-"

"Jisung..." the teacher warned, and he hung his head, pretending to write something on the worksheet he'd barely started. Renjun was almost finished.