Chapter Text
Prologue
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It was heavy rain in that evening, the dark and gloomy sky is occasionally struck by lightnings and thundereous sounds, accompanied by the cold wind and mist, the road is wet and those who doesn't has umbrella above their head is running around to looking for shelter. But a dark haired boy seems like he doesn't care if the rain is wetting his clothes, he walked slowly, head hung low, his gaze blurred with tears that now mixed with the pouring rain on his cheeks, hands hidden inside his now soaked coat.
But no matter how slow he walks, no matter how much he doesn't want to be here, he should be. The boy bites his pale lower lip, he is cold. He feeling sick, but he doesn't want to take a step inside. He doesn't want to go home. He actually considers if it would be better if he just walk away now, he has endured it for long now hasn't he? It's enough until here. Just when he was about to take turn, the damned door is open wide, at that time a lightning struck again, shows the boy boldly the man in front of him, with a cold stare, with a ruthless face.
The boy's voice choked in his throat and his face paled than it already is when he felt a strong breaking grip on his wrist, drags him into the hell hole they called 'home' forcefully. "I-it hurts..." he said with tremble, his voice is unstable because his body was shaken quickly. But the man doesn't listen, do not want to listen, more precisely.
"Father!"
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Seoul is really different then the last time he seen it. Jeno thought for himself as his dark orbs eyeing the city busy morning routines through the window of the car, which is driven by his personal driver. He was too busy to amazed at the so much change of his hometown when he left it seven years ago, that he wasn't even aware that he almost at the front of the school yard, until the moment he glanced at the window, he hurriedly made a sound.
"Ahjussi, it's fine right here, just pull aside."
The driver look at the boy over his shoulder.
"Is that okay?"
"Yes," Jeno smoothed his school uniform that doesn't even wrinkled by a bit, a white shirt uniform with a gray blazer, and a bright blue long tie wrapped around the shirt collar. He buttoned his blazer firt before getting of the car.
"Hopefully your first day of school will be smooth, young master."
Jeno smiled widely and his eyes smiling too, bows politely. "Thank you ahjussi."
When retold, it's his first day to enter this high school at the beginning of semester, his father is moved again to Korea for work's matters. Just like they did when they moved to California years ago, it was two sided for Jeno, he's happy because he can leave in his hometown again, but also kind of sad to leave those who already has bounds with him behind. But now is for now, Jeno is entering his new class with his new teacher, the loud class with chattering sounds everywhere is suddenly quiet down when they saw the homeroom teacher come in.
"Listen all," she started as she hits her table twice with a ruler.
"We have a new friend here, introduce yourself first." she take step back and Jeno nods, looking at his soon to be new friends with his usual bright smile.
"Hello, I'm Lee Jeno..." he spoke in english first, he explained the reason he moved, his hobbies and interest, and mentioned the others.
"I can also speak Korean but I guess now is not as fluent as I used to be since it's been so long, thank you for the time given to introduce myself, I apologize if there is any mistake. Please take care of me." then he ends his introduction with a deep bow.
So smart and polite, a loud applause greeted him from all sides. Most of them the female students, of course. The men just yawned as they clapped their hands unwillingly. His intro is good enough for a new kid, although Korean school curriculum has English lessons since elementary school, it seems that for teenagers, people who speak fluent English like that really are a plus.
"Okay Jeno, you can sit on..."
The teacher's eyes is scanning the whole class, before she found the one and only empty chair.
"Ah, you can sit with Renjun." Jeno look at the pointed table, the one in the back and at the corner near the window, Jeno nods and drags his feet before sit himself beside a dark haired boy who apparently being the only one who didn't pay any attention at all in Jeno's introduction, he stares through the window, gaze outside the class scenery emptily, like he has something in his mind. Jeno is unsure whether he has to do it or not, but like the kind and social boy he is, he distract the boy from his daydream.
"Hi, I'm Jeno." The boy turns around to face Jeno, Jeno is slightly felt a sudden pity when he saw the boy's face, the face is... How does he say this, is somehow pretty yet handsome, but the hollow and gloomy eyes is stare back at him unwillingly, there's dark lines under his eyes, and a few bruises in the corner of his mouth.
"Renjun," he said quitely. Jeno pressed his lips together, now feel a bit guilty because he felt like has disturbed this boy and uncomfortable with the unfriendly and unwelcoming tone in his voice. Then his teacher's voice is pull his whole attention to just let Renjun be.
"Class, open page 90 now..."
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Jeno's first impression of Huang Renjun was: a classmate who shouldn't be approached. Yes, the name of the student beside him is Huang Renjun -as he read the surname on his book- the kid has ignored him by the time he arrived here, all the efforts of him to get to know each other better is coldly rejected. Jeno actually understood himself boring, but this time it was him the only one who implying it directly. Jeno intends not to chat with him again.
They were one of the students who stay at class when the break bell is rang, after he rejected many offers from the girls to eat together at canteen or show him around the school as he politely said he'd be fine to spend it in class, but because Renjun's first impression was not so good in his eyes, there was nothing they talked about during the time.
Jeno just drawing something on his notebook while Renjun looks like he's playing something on his cellphone. Jeno occasionally glanced at Renjun. From the posture he sitting, he knew that Renjun had a body that is smaller than him. Even half of his hands is hidden inside the sleeves of his oversized blazer. Jeno try not too pay too much attention, but he can't help but notice some bluish bruise is peeked from the boy's collar.
"Is there anything wrong?" a small hand waved in front of him and Jeno is stuttered when he realized he had been caught staring for too long.
"N-no, I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable."
Renjun just sighed softly and return to what he's doing earlier and the quiteness that has been settled inside the room is disturbed by loud steps that approaching, suddenly a tall boy with a round eyes comes inside their class. Jeno looks up at him and noticed his very big and round eyes set themselves on Renjun who doesn't aware his arrival because he was wearing earphones.
"Injoonie," the deep voice calling as he now in front of them, Renjun quickly take off his earphones as soon as he realizes it. He stares back at the boy questioningly,
"What's this?"
He said with one of his eyebrow raised, he was implying to the desk of Jeno and Renjun that pin together.
"Hoyeon-sunsaeng told me to, he's a new kid, doesn't have any books yet." the small boy explained, Jeno frowned at the tone of his voice.
"Oh," the tall boy responded with a nod, as if the silent is enough for Renjun, he decides to break the tense on the air.
"Um, Jeno. This is our senior, Lucas-sunbae." he introduces the tall boy, Jeno nods and smile even though Lucas has cynical expression at the time. "I'm Jeno, nice to meet you." Lucas stare down again at Renjun, he shifted on his seat but Jeno doesn't aware why.
"Let's go outside Injoonie,"
Renjun unconsiously look at Jeno before turns to Lucas again. "What for?"
"Something, come on." he said with a firm voice, like he's trying to say he wouldn't accept a 'no' Renjun looks unsure but get up from his seat anyway, Jeno feels Lucas dagger stare is on him again before the two of them is get out of the class with Lucas' arm slung on Renjun's shoulder, Jeno notice how small Renjun is when he stand beside Lucas. He doesn't even know why but felt a rush of disappointment when they completely disappeared from his view.
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Renjun did not return to the class even when the bell has rang, Jeno stared at the empty chair beside him with an uncomfortable and bitter feeling, he knew this was only his first day in this class, but he could not ignore the fact that he was curious about Renjun, why is that eyes is so gloomy? like looking at dead stars inside them.
He decide to borrow his book for the next class, he still has tomorrow, if the kid decide to not come back even after school is over.