The droplets that trickled on top of him flow rapidly with his streaming tears. Clouds as grey and gloomy as the day he was standing in shadowed over his still figure, somber and cold. The crowd around him didn't bother his dull thoughts, as he let the rain flood down his face, wetting him completely. The loud thunder echoed from a distance, after flashing a blinding light that shone the tombstone by his feet. Flowers that gathered in a bouquet seemed to be withering away with the mob that was dying out, abandoning the devastated male.

He crouched down by the grave, tracing out the letters delecately with his fingers. First, 'Zhong'. He didn't know if he would function properly without her by his side. They were a family, his only family. He lost one, and that was like loosing his whole and himself. Then her name, N-I-A.'Nia'. He traced over it again, and again. Chenle had always loved how her name sounded in his head, as if it would ring like the melodic bells of the high hills.

His head slightly glanced at his father, kneel down across of him. The man was clutching on to another stuffed bouquet of his mother's favorite flowers. He could see him lightly sobbing, holding back his tears with his might. His father wasn't the type to bawl his eyes out. But he knew that he was completely heartbroken of their lost.

He was more worried now. Chenle and the head of his family never got along well without his mother. She was the knot of the two ropes, representing as him and his father. How was a bridge suppose to stay together if the ropes of the bridge weren't tied together? Surely, it would fall apart.

'She had been suffering through a terrible heart disease, I'm sorry but it's too late.'

The doctor's voice had never been so annoying to him, but it just kept on rewinding inside of him like a ceaseless echo. The night when they arrived at the near by hospital, he watched his mother, laying on the white sheet, face all parched and lifeless. He couldn't do anything but weep, as she flashed her last smile and see it crinkle away.

The dreadful news wasn't just affecting the two Zhongs. A lady was watching the two sorrowful souls under an elegant umbrella, the back of her son's navy tuxedo. Renjun couldn't help but stare sadly at the younger, comforting his mother as she lightly dab her tears with a damped cloth.

Chenle whispered his last prayers and stood up, catching the attention of his father. The man just dolefully glance at him, sending a soft grin. The blonde lowered his bangs, covering his eyes with shame. His hands clasped with the hem of his black suit, pulling and tugging constantly.

A pair of slender hands then swaddled around his waist, pulling him into an embrace from behind. The person's head then laid on the back of his neck, resting hesitantly.

Chenle quietly gasped, but then snuffled and sunk his head deeper into his collar.

"I'm sorry." It was the countless time the other had apologised to him for his loss.

"I told you," he croaked shakily, "Stop it. You didn't do anything wrong."

Renjun tenderly shook his head, grinding his head closer on Chenle's back. He faintly flinched when he felt warm, damp, droplets drizzle on his hands. He frowned and loosened his grip around the younger's hip, but then a hand held onto his, pleadingly, saying to not let go of him.

Chenle didn't understand why he was sobbing even more under Renjun's touch. This was the hug that he needed, it was something he craved for eversince his breakdown.

"Don't ever leave me."

The older lowly chuckled, nuzzling his nose deeply on his neck.

The rooftop was a place Chenle never liked. It was where students would mostly get caught ditching lessons and some even commit suicide there, if they'd had enough of their tired lives. He didn't understand why the school let the pupils have access to the highest grounds, it was never safe there and very unsettling. He knew people would go there when they want to be alone, but for him that would just grab more attention to the one's friends, making it his last destination.

He shuffled in his seat as Mark settled next to him. His eyes drowned on the tray of food, as the atmosphere started to get heavier, pressuring the foreign's shoulders. The other members of his newly formed crew sat in front of him, with Renjun on his right and the rest of the three scuffle on the bench across of him.

Jaemin's mouth seem to be stitched right away, after blubbering endlessly to his lover, when he glanced at Chenle, sending tension ponderously down his sharp spine. The tanned one out of all coughed on his saliva, getting everyone's awareness in a split se