𝙳𝙴𝙲𝙴𝙸𝚅𝙴𝙳 |ᶰʲᵐ

Chapter 6

The weekend has finally come to an end and Shinrae was gathering her stuff before going to school. She went to the bathroom just to tie her hair up and sighed. She wasn't looking forward to go to school today after all the drama that's been happening to her recently. She stepped out and grabbed her backpack before heading downstairs. 

Shinrae came across with Jaemin when she was just about to close her bedroom door. They looked at eachother but did not spoke, they haven't been talking since yesterday. Jaemin chose to stay away and give her the time till she finally wants to talk to him. Shinrae went straight into the kitchen to see her family already seated with Jaemin tagging along from behind. 

"well I better get going before I miss the bus," she said as she stood up from her seat and puts away her dishes. She kissed her parents on the cheek before storming out to the front door. 

"shinrae wait!" her mother spoke but she was too late. 

"she forgot her lunch," her mother pointed out and the brown paper bag that was on the kitchen counter. Jaemin also stood up from his seat,

"I'll do it, I will give it to her," he insisted as he grabs the paper bag and ran out of the house. He took a turn towards the right, hoping that he made the correct decision as he is still unfamiliar with the neighborhood. 

A few students suddenly emerge from a far making Jaemin slightly relieved. The bus stop was just nearby. He slowed down and walked up to the crowd, searching for Shinrae's red back pack. He then soon spotted the girl standing with head laid low and walked up to her as he tapped her shoulder. 

She turned to face the male with wide eyes and grabbed a hold on his hand. She looked around to see whether people have noticed but thankfully there wasn't. She turned to look behind Jaemin to see her friend, Hyejin approaching her as she waved from afar. Panicking, Shinrae drags Jaemin away to an alleyway that wasn't that far. She pushed him against the wall looking concern.

"are you crazy? people might see you. what are you doing here?" she said. Jaemin stared down at he as he lifted the paper bag up in the air and showed it to her.

"your lunch," he said as she looked up at it and took it from him. She backed up and sighed.

"you know you shouldn't have done this, its dangerous," She said.

"but then again thank you," she added making the boy smile. She started to walk away but turned around once more. She look down at her wristwatch,

"you should wait for about ten to fifteen minutes before heading back towards the house. " He nods in approval.

-

Shinrae made her way back to the bus stop meeting her friend, Hyejin. A smirk plastered on her face as she saw Shinrae walking up to her, she nudges her arm playfully, "Who was that? Are you seeing someone? " she cooes.

She scoffs. "No, that's just my neighbor. " Hyejin looked at her friend, not satisfied with her response but decides to shook it off. She didn't want to ask anything further, her friend has been having a bad week after all.

The two reached school and went straight two their lockers that were coincidentally next to each other. Shinrae  took out things that were needed for first class till someone harshly bumped into her, making her stumble.

Shinrae winced in pain and cussed under her breath and looked up at the two individuals that just walked passed her, one of them gave an evil look.

Jung Seok-in and Kang Mi Ra, the ex and the ex best friend. The typical ex boyfriend cheated on your own bestfriend. Hyejin was the one who found out about the two who just stepped out of a hotel together all lovey dovey.

What's worse is that it happened during his and Shinrae's first one year anniversary with him. She was too inlove,  and now its replaced with resentment. She has loosen trust, making her to feel more cautious when it comes to talking to new people.

Finding out that the two were seeing each other for months broke her. It broke her so much more when her own best friend, Mi Ra to turn her back on her and chose to hook up with her boyfriend. Mi Ra was jealous of Shinrae, in rage for snatching Seok In from her. Well, at least she got what she wanted now.

The break up happened about a week ago, recently. Shinrae has been keeping it to herself on how broken she is from her family, she didn't want them to worry. It was a tough process to get over it, but everytime she was recovering, Seok In just keeps calling her. Making her go back to square one.

She's trying her best to hold on.

"are you okay?" Hyejin asked with a worried look on her face. She helped her friend as she stood up and brushed off her school uniform.

"I'm okay," she said with a small smile. She felt a small sense of pain, looking down she saw a small purple bruise on her wrist. She shook those thoughts for a moment and proceed, just making her way to class with her friends ofcourse.

-

Taeyong and Mark returns to the company, now in the office reporting to the CEO about the information they've got from the Na's a few hours ago.

"he didn't come home sir," Mark pointed out with his head laying low. Soo Man looked at the two and laid back against his seat. Taeyong leaned forward from his seat.

"should we report to the police? Just finding out the recent accidents or deaths," he suggested.

"are you crazy? The compan-" SooMan cuts off his assistant's sentence and cleared his throat.

"i have connections, that could be a good approach for now"

"but sir if he isn't in that stupid list what are we gonna do?" the annoying assistant spoke once again.

"that's something me and the nct members along with Jaemin's family to discuss further," he said.

Taeyong and Mark stood up and bowed before leaving the room. The CEO has instructed his assistant to call Jaemin's parents telling them to come by the company tomorrow afternoon.

"we need to inform his parents about what i am about to do about their son's sudden disappearance"

-

School has ended pretty quickly and it was time to go home. Shinrae was walking home with Hyejin, arms clinging with eachother. The two got inside the bus and separated from each other just a few blocks away.

"see you tomorrow rae," Hyejin cheered from afar making her smile and waved back at her.

"see you tomorrow," she murmured to herself and walked her way home. She quickly made herself inside, removing her shoes as she lazily enters the house.

The house seems a bit quiet. She went to the kitchen to see Jaemin by the sink, washing the dishes.

"where's everyone?" she spoke as the guy turned to look at her.

"few errands somewhere in town, she brought Hyunjae with her and your father isn't home yet so its just you and me," he responded in a quick pace but she managed to understand it.

Groaning, she made her way into the kitchen to get a quick drink. The turned on the tap and drank its water. Jaemin who was now standing next to her was focused, too focused till he noticed a bruise on her right wrist.

Jaemin didn't have any hesitations but to just grab a hold onto her arm making her startled.

"what happened to you?" he said in a serious tone. Shinrae was trying to make an excuse but all she did was to nervously laugh.

"oh this? I fell," she responds bluntly.

"come here,"