dysthymia | zhong chenle

삼십삼

❝ i read her eyes and her lips but i discovered a dust-covered heart close off like a restricted section ❞

¤━━━¤

the breeze was cool, calm, collected, along with the unmatched tone of the atmosphere, things seemed to be the same tense it had been since three years ago. it felt like déjà vu: this setting, this feeling, these people

it was a nightmare formed nostalgia.

"we've got this" she breathed in, assuring herself as jungwoo glanced at her with a forced smile. the courting was today, and she had almost hoped this day was never to come despite the whole of nct preparing for this particular day for months on end

"we've got this" taeil nodded, adjusting his earpiece and giving an ok sign to ten on the van.

chenle was silent, lips screwed close and hands so deep inside his pocket that holes were practically drilled into the bottom of them. he was tense, extremely tense that even a single touch from hyejin, he would flinch and soar his eyes towards her.

the evidence box was currently being held by hyejin, but was shortly taken out of her hands as they entered the building, finding their way to the green room.

"you seem more nervous than me" she joked, bumping chenle on the side. he didn't react, instead visibly clenching his jaw. she glanced at taeil and jungwoo as if to ask if they had any clue what was going on with chenle. he was never nervous for something like this, and on top of that, he was only there to hand evidence to jungwoo.

"excuse us" she nodded to the two, and took chenle by the arm to drag him along the corridor towards the restrooms which inhabited less of a chatter.

"what's going on?" she asked, general concern etched in her face.

"nothing"

"that's not what your eyes are saying"

eyes gave away everything. each lie and each truth, and for someone to be able to read through in a glance, meant that there was a true undeniable connection between the two.

"it's nothing, i'm just nervous that we won't pass and he'll still be out there after all that time" good lie.

furrowing her eyebrows, she slipped her hands into his pockets, prying his hands out and simply holding it in hers. they were cold, freezing cold. so cold it was as if it was dunked in a pool of ice. but what was worse, was there was swear emitting from it, cold sweat.

"holy shit you're freezing" she breathed, pulling her hands up immediately to brush the strands from his forehead away. but from that one touch, she felt more droplets of sweat.

"this isn't normal, what the hell is going on?" she looked straight until chenles trembling irises, yet he still had the audacity to say 'nothing'

"you're overreacting i'm fine, just get the case done" chenle pulled her hand off his skin, afraid his body was going to snitch. stalking off as quick as possible, she was left alone in the corridor, a million worries invading her head.

"he's right" she exhaled sharply "i'm overreacting"

¤━━━¤

"guys, wheres the bullet?" jungwoo asked, shuffling through the box while being minutes away from the actual courting

"is it not in there? chenle said he checked three times before leaving" taeil rushed towards jungwoo, messing up the neatly piled sheets

"where is chenle? he can't go missing now" the younger boy groaned, panicking as he hands got clammy with stress.