Chapter 24.

We are X-rays of something broken. Cursive bloodlines write every forecast: An orchestration of dissonance and innocent surrender.

Jaehyun decided to let himself be good to Taeyong. He didn’t go all in and said “Okay let’s be together.” But he hoped that even in a short time, he could get the door open. Now he knew it was his mother’s and father’s wish. It would be a lie if he said he didn’t wish for it either.

Taeyong was sitting in Jaehyun’s usual seat and Jaehyun joined the other. Taeyong looked at him hopefully and Jaehyun pulled Taeyong into a hug as the bus started driving towards school. Taeyong rested his chin on Jaehyun’s shoulder, not saying anything but it wasn’t needed. Jaehyun accepted the lunch Taeyong had made with a wide smile and they listened to music through a shared headset.

This coming week was devoid of drama. The party’s drama ended with Jaehyun and Taeyong the next day and Jaehyun was happy that Yuta had helped him at that time. He had kind of out at some point, the panic-attack taking control and he first heard about Yuta helping him after the party. He also heard about Doyoung helping him and he felt like he owed Yuta and Doyoung. Ten and Johnny were going strong, Mark even noticed a hickey on Ten’s neck which made the younger boy blush profusely and Hansol with being too innocent. Mark just kicked out after the other saying something about having a picture in his head that he did not want.

Jaehyun then went on telling about catching them together and Mark squirmed away. “Oh friends…” He said and stuck out his tongue. “Please tell me you don’t do anything in the locker rooms.” Mark said and looked at the two expectedly and Jaehyun raised his brow when Ten laughed, clapping his hands and Johnny’s smile grew wider. Mark’s jaw dropped. “GET YOURSELVES TOGETHER!”

The boys laughed. They were going to play basketball and sat on the benches before training started. Soohyun was once again fiddling with paper-work and small-talking with Taeil.

Johnny was about to say something when three girls came walking towards them. Hansol smiled at them, Mark’s eyes were fixed on his shoes.

  “Uhm, Mark.” Said the girl in the middle. She was a natural beauty, probably didn’t know it since she had put on makeup that she didn’t need. She wore a light blue headband with a small silver bow in the right side. Mark looked up with wide eyes but barely looked the girl in the eye. She must be a freshman Jaehyun thought. Hansol elbowed Johnny in the side and Johnny tried not to snicker. Jaehyun just smiled and patted Mark’s back.

  “Aren’t you, Eunhye?” Ten asked and Johnny frowned at him. Ten shushed him with a finger dangerously waving near the taller’s face.

The girl nodded and blushed. “I-I wanted to g-give this to you, Mark.” She said and reached out a letter, Mark’s eyes widened even more and he gawped at her.

  “Me?” He asked and took it with both hands, she nodded before the three girls bowed and hurried off giggling on their way out. Hansol gawped.

  “Who would’ve thought.”

  “Yuta was right about you Hansol.” Jaehyun said and patted the other’s back. Hansol groaned.

Mark though was staring at the letter. Jaemin came out of the locker rooms running over to them. “Hey Mark.” He said and Mark looked up at the other, he quickly moved the letter to his side, shielding it from Jaemin’s sight. Jaemin stared at the others with an oblivious expression. “What’s up?” He asked and started fixing his shoelaces. Mark stood and muttered something about putting this in his bag. Jaemin looked up, having to brush his long bangs out of his face.

  “Why are you so silent?” He asked and Ten beamed at him and reached out to pat his knee.

  “It’s nothing, have you been well?”

Jaehyun smiled and Johnny snickered. Hansol though leaned back with a groan. Johnny smirked at his friend and wrapped an arm around Ten who stared at Johnny incredulously. Then he seemed to shrug the odd action off and continued to talk with Jaemin. Mark came back still looking red. Jaehyun wondered if the younger had read the letter yet.

Then came the day where Ten and Jaehyun were in the library, doing their homework and Ten looked up at Jaehyun. “I’m thinking of telling my parents.” He said in a soft voice and Jaehyun raised his gaze.

  “About you and Johnny?” Jaehyun asked, putting down his pen to mark what page he had reached before closing his text book. Ten sighed.

  “Yeah, I feel a bit odd when telling them I’m visiting Johnny again and I want to bring him to my home as well.” Ten and Jaehyun shared a gaze, then both of them started to pack their stuff. “He doesn’t know about how they are.”

Jaehyun stood, he was wearing a frown while stuffing his books into his bag. “How is Johnny’s parents?”

A smile made its way to Ten’s face. “Just lovely, they said that Johnny had spoken about me for some time.” Ten laughed and Jaehyun couldn’t help but smile.

  “Really?” He asked and felt hopeful. “Then you should try.” He said.

Ten nodded and hoisted his bag over one shoulder. “I will.”

Jaehyun waved at Taeyong when the bus drove off the next day and he walked towards the school gates. He met Johnny sitting at the tree with Hansol. He stood up and walked towards Jaehyun. Jaehyun frowned. Ten usually met before Jaehyun, he should’ve been there.

  “Have you seen Ten?” Johnny asked his eyebrows knitting together and Jaehyun felt an uncomfortable feeling fill his chest.

  “No.” He said breathlessly.

Johnny showed Jaehyun his phone. “I wrote him yesterday and this morning, he hasn’t answered any of my calls either.”

Jaehyun looked towards the gates. “Maybe he’s just running late and dropped his phone into the toilet?” He suggested and he could visibly see Johnny calm down.

  “Yeah, you’re right.”

Jaehyun gripped onto his back pack and flash a smile at Johnny. “Let’s wait, if he doesn’t show we can go visit him after school.”

Jaehyun though knew Ten wouldn’t show up. He had told his parents. Something was definitely wrong.

Jaehyun agreed with Johnny to go to Ten's house after school. He ran towards the bus and got on it, running towards Taeyong.

  “Ten…” He panted. Taeyong stood and softly pulled Jaehyun to sit down. “He needs our help…”

Taeyong nodded. “Then let’s help him.”

Jaehyun’s father drove towards Ten’s house and everyone got out. Jaehyun wiped his forehead as he looked at the door. Remembering that day where he stood there with his shoes in his hands, bare feet on the pavement. Taeyong was squinting against the sun and Johnny was eyeing the window.

  “The curtains are drawn. He’s probably in his room.” Johnny said and Jaehyun’s father sighed.

  “Some parents…” He muttered to himself and Jaehyun felt Taeyong’s hand on his shoulder.

Jaehyun walked towards the door, knocking on it a few times and stepping back. The other three stood right behind him.

Then the door swung inwards, revealing Ten’s mother. “Ten’s not available.” She said shortly but Johnny reached out a hand to stop the door from closing. Jaehyun walked forward passing Ten’s mother without a word. Ten’s father came into the hallway.

  “I don’t want you-”

  “Hello Ten’s parents.” Jaehyun’s father smiled at them and Taeyong stepped in between Ten’s father and Jaehyun. Johnny and Jaehyun shared a gaze before running up the stairs.

  “Get down!” Ten’s mother yelled but Jaehyun and Johnny sped towards Ten’s room, their steps resounded in the wide hall and Jaehyun led the way towards Ten’s bedroom which was to the left and at the very end of the hall. Ten’s parents were wealthy, the walls white and decorated by fancy paintings, Ten’s humble nature wasn’t from them, that much Jaehyun knew.

The door was locked from the outside, Jaehyun’s heart shattered as he turned the key and pushed the door open, stepping into a dimly lit room.

  “Ten?” Jaehyun called out softly and noticed a lump on the bed. Johnny hurried towards Ten with long strides and kneeled down beside the bed, one hand combing through Ten’s hair and the other on his shoulder. Ten started crying, but he didn’t move. Johnny whispered comforting words. Jaehyun went over to the closet, pulling out a bag and stuffing it with some of Ten’s clothes, he didn’t think too hard, Ten loved to steal his clothes so he could leave his hoodies behind because Ten would steal his. Jaehyun grabbed the belongings he knew meant a lot to Ten and he hurried into the bathroom to bring some more hearing Taeyong’s voice downstairs.

  “Is this how you treat your child?!” He said in a raised voice and Jaehyun froze for a moment, feeling so grateful for Taeyong being there with him. Jaehyun grabbed Ten’s school bag and filled it before dropping it at the door. Ten wasn’t moving one bit. Johnny looked over at Jaehyun pleadingly and Jaehyun ran over to the bed, Johnny moved aside and went over to the bags, wiping his face with his sleeve.

  “Ten?” Jaehyun called and he pushed Ten’s bangs out of his face. Ten’s eyes opened, they looked wide and innocent like that day where they were caught. “My sunshine?” Jaehyun smiled and Ten blinked at him, eyes full of hope. “I’ve come back for you.” Jaehyun said and wrapped his arms around Ten that started to scoot closer to him. Ten’s nose scrunched up as he cried out and he clung onto Jaehyun who lifted the smaller up in his arms. “I’m here now, Ten, ssh…”

  “You came back for me!” Ten cried into his neck. “You didn’t leave me!” He sobbed and Jaehyun kissed Ten’s bare shoulder as the other was wearing a shirt Jaehyun guessed would be Johnny’s. Ten wore his favorite pajamas pants and socks and Johnny heaved up in the bags and followed Jaehyun.

  “His shoes are in the hallway.” Jaehyun said as he turned to go down the stairs. Taeyong looked up at them with an unreadable look and Jaehyun’s father just pushed Ten’s father away.

  “I’m taking my son with me.” He grumbled and Jaehyun noticed Ten lift his face and look at Jaehyun. He looked so innocent as if he experienced kindness for the very first time and Jaehyun wondered how much pain the other had been through. Compared to Taeyong, Ten was abused mentally and verbally, the only time he was hit was by his mother who threw stuff at him. Ten still had a scar on his right cheekbone from that day. Jaehyun pressed his lips to it and Ten’s eyes closed, exhaling shakily in relief.

Johnny opened the door and Jaehyun carefully got in, lowering Ten so his head wouldn’t bump into the roof of the car. Taeyong appeared in the front passenger seat, looking at Jaehyun as if checking if he was okay too. Jaehyun’s heart ached, the door that he was trying to push aside opened even more and he noticed water trickling by his feet towards his heart. It looked dry, and Jaehyun stood in the opening the door had made and watched the water stream in. He wasn’t sure if it was good, if he would let his heart drown in the love Taeyong seemed to shower over him. Still he knew he needed it and he knew that keeping the door closed wouldn’t help him in the long run.

Johnny threw a blanket around Ten’s shoulders and Jaehyun helped Johnny wrap Ten in the blanket. Ten rested his head on Jaehyun’s shoulder, not wanting to leave his embrace. Jaehyun’s father started the car and left the driveway. Jaehyun ran a hand through Ten’s bangs. His hand rested on the other’s head; thumb brushing over Ten’s cheek as he felt Ten calm down. He looked over at Johnny who sent him a not-so-convincing smile as if to tell him he would be okay. Johnny’s hands trembled as ran them over his face and through his hair. Jaehyun knew how he felt. It was tough seeing someone you love going through that much pain and not knowing how to comfort them.

Had Taeyong felt like this when Jaehyun nearly jumped into the river? Jaehyun decided not to think of it, instead he smiled when Ten sighed, breath ghosting over Jaehyun’s neck.

  “We’re going home.” Jaehyun said pulled his chin back to see Ten’s reaction. The other was smiling.

A/N:

I am so sorry for taking so long with updating! I've been so busy with au pair stuff and getting my visa, that I have only had the time to finish When We Fall. Now it's done and I have more time for this story. I am still busy with au pair stuff and it's my birthday tomorrow so everything is happening very fast. My time as a 20 year old will begin tomorrow. R.I.P Teenage Emma. She did a lot of great stuff but damn I can't wait to leave her behind HAHA JK I AM JUST BEING EMOTIONAL

Remember Jaehyun's flashback about how he and Ten got caught by Ten's parents and Jaehyun was thrown out, not standing up for Ten? Well now he has done it. Also... THE NEXT CHAPTER IS SO IMPORTANT AND GUYS- I'M GOING TO SHARE IT WITH YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
 - You're going to love the next chapter, I am loving it ^^

Comments are very appreciated, thank you for all the love <3

Love,
Emma <3