In case anyone had been curious, Hyucks day had previously been going great. He got his tests back in Astornomy and aced, setting the curve for the entire class. The lunch line had been basically hallucinatory, as there was none. On his way to his last period, some student had left over custard bread and gifted it to him on a whim after being softly bumped into. It had been going great. Previously. 

 

Previously to what?

 

Well. Previous to Jisung.

 

The young stained blonde had burst into Donghyuck and Jenos dorm room impulsively and out of breath, further insinuating his adrenaline that flowed into words that came out like a rap.

 

"So I don't mean to freak you guys out but I'm freaking out and- other than the fact I'm being followed I'm pretty good though-" Jisung whisper-shouted as he politely took off his shoes. His steps carried him to the shared closet, pulling out a deep purple suitcase, "and well I kind of made a mistake and it's not the kind of mistake you regret—its the one that leaves you begging for god to hear your pleas, and-"

 

Formerly watching from behind his book, Jeno was the first one to speak up at the youngers ramblings. A somewhat endearing trait Jisung had obtained during highschool after sprouting two feet and suddenly being treated like an adult when he was really just a kid stuck in a slightly larger kids body.

 

"Jisung," Jeno started calmly, his round nose showing from above the casing of the blue book that he cast down, "Stop talking,"

 

Obeying immediately, the boy in call sitting on his knees as if he were being reprimanded. Large chunks of his bangs fell over his eyes that refused to make contact with either of the two in the room, instead settling on a comforting stuffed toy at the foot of Hyucks bed. Donghyuck just followed along, still scrolling mindlessly through twitter on his bed.

 

Tucking his feet into a criss-cross position on his mattress, Jeno faced directly towards Jisung as he spoke very enunciatedly, "Why are you packing our things into a suitcase?"

 

Inhaling sharply, the younger breathed to answer,  fingers scrunching up oddly like they always did when he was put on the spot, "Do you want the short version or the long one?"

 

"Jisung.." Donghyuck warned this time, eyes narrowing in on the younger with uncertainty. Something about Jisung glancing back and forth around the room in a panicked manner had him sitting up in his bed as well, "What'd you do?"

 

Stressed from both his friends looks, Jisung melted, "In short, I kind of made Zhong Chenle mad enough to threaten me,"

 

Tension rising in the room from a single name, Donghyuck and Jeno shared a joint glance before bursting into exclamations. Donghyuck ran his fingers through his hair and pinched the bridge of his nose—a tell tale sign of when he got headaches—while Jeno? Jeno was on the floor by Jisung piling things into the suitcase.

 

"I'm curious, like honest-to-god curious about how you even met Zhong Chenle. That in and of itself is a feat barely anyone our-" gesticulating wildly between the three, Jeno finally found the word he was grasping for, "Stature, can accomplish,"

 

Hesitating and wetting his lips, Jisung took the plushie from Donghyucks bed, placing it gently in the purple bag, "Well, if you really care to know," he started.

 

In short, as Jisung had explained, he happened by some orange haired student going off about homouals, and returning adamantly to how he was not one as that would be disgusting. Jisung decided not to say anything. To be the better person and just walk past. It had nothing to do with him in the first place. Even when he immediately thought of all the homouals he knew were warm, loving, accepting people that had all added to his life for the better, that although he wasn't homoual himself, it hurt to hear his friends even be mentioned in the same sentence as disgusting. Jisung would have walked away if thatr was all Chenle had to say on the matter. Really, he would've.

 

But the stupid orange haired toddler just had to go and say something about Wong Yukhei, the only openly gay student known on the premises. He just had to say how he was ashamed to be of the same race as such a person. And that was when Jisung made a 180 degree pivot, marching straight up to the child.

 

"You know, I was going to walk away and let you wallow in your ignorance, but I felt really bad that such an idiot was talking so unabashedly about complete nonsense," Jisung started, surprised at how his spiteful words rang of Donghyuck own. Man, he really had been around his two hyungs for too long, he was even starting to sound like one of them. 

 

Jolting momentarily, the kid resumed to a different, condescending look in his eyes, "Idiot? Who even are you?"

 

And maybe, now that Jisung thinks about it, a part of him wondered that if he just thought about the words of the stanger, that he might've stopped if he knew it was Zhong Chenle. Part of him also feels very strongly that he would've done the same thing a million times, to anyone, Zhong Chenle or not.

 

As if doning on him a realization, Jisung snapped his fingers, "Ah right, I forgot you were ignorant. I, am a student here. You, are an . A very tiny, insignificant who has no right to be ashamed of anyone when they aren't even ashamed of themselves for talking before actually thinking,"

 

That, Jisung summed with a clap of his hands, brought him to the current moment, "Yeah, a minute after calling him an his face turned red. I'm pretty sure he was about to punch me, but some other kid butted in and called for him," drawing scribbled with his hand in the air, he glanced to see Hyuck staring, jaw agape, "When they called his name, I, uh... I realized who he was,"

 

"Wow," Donghyuck exhaled unceremoniously, "You really did sound just like me,"

 

Clicking his tongue at Hyuck, Jeno glared. His eyes saying, not the right time, idiot.

 

Donghyuck definitely had to work on his timing.

 

"Anyways," he regrouped, "It's easy then! Just castrate yourself and apologize without shame! Us poor people are never above begging, you know," he attempted to release the levy of the conversation, only for it to fall flatter than before. Jeno sighed this time.

 

Right, Hyuck thought, work on the timing.

 

"No," Jisung retorted, surprisingly harsh, "I didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I'd do it again. I wasn't in the wrong so I refuse to apologize," crossing his arms over his chest, the blond was adamant.

 

And he wasn't wrong.

 

Biting at his lip, Hyuck winced to look over at Jeno again, only to see the other with the exact same look on his face. 

 

Three minutes later, Donghyuck and Jeno were whispering in the communal bathroom while Jisung was told to stay in the room while the adults talked.

 

"He's not wrong, y'know?" Hyuck started, his grey hair still tucked into a pigtail on the tip of his head.

 

It was obvious Jeno agreed, what from the way he fidgeted and recoiled. After a moments silence, he panted, "I have three cats at home Donghyuck, I can't mysteriously disappear!" his torn loose tee betrayed him as the bathroom was far colder than the fabric protected.

 

Giving him a signature, look, Hyuck jutted out his face, "Jeno," he drew out.

 

Wrigling nonsensically under the others gaze, he stomped his feet like a child throwing a tantrum, "I know he's not wrong, I really do, but Donghyuck what could we even do? There are like three people Chenle actually likes, and we know none of them-" as if being hit with a lightning bolt, Jeno jolted at his words, turning from a whine to a smirk, "I have an idea,"

 

"Is it like, a Jeno idea, or a genuinely good idea?" Donghyuck interjected, smirk falling on the tip of his lips.

 

"— off," Jeno exhaled, face towards the fluorecent lighting that did not do anything good for his eye bags, "Okay, first let me make sure I'm right," 

 

Gathering himself and all his thoughts, the raven haired boy bit his lip while his chin. Donghyuck had patiently waited a minute before his tolerance began tottering.

 

"If you don't say something, I'm coming up with my own genius plan, and let me tell you—every single one of them involve a mysterious disappearance of either us or Zhong Chenle," About to get angry, he caught himself from getting to into his attitude that doned on him after not only being rudely barged in on at eight pm on a Friday night, but then proceeding to be told the terrible reasons why. He was tired, quite frankly.

 

Putting his palm up to silence Donghyuck, Jeno nodded to himself, "This might actually work, but it literally all depends on you,"

 

"Alright, nice way of letting me know the salvation of three cats and two stupid boys rests on my shoulders," Suddenly whining out in pain, Donghyuck rubbed his shoulder and waited for Jeno to show concern.

 

Eyes widening in surprise, the said boy lunged forward to hold Hyuck in his grasp, "Jesus Hyuck, are you okay?"

 

"Yeah," he winced, a slight of playfulness shining in his orbs that Jeno failed to detect, "My shoulders just hurt from carrying such a heavy burden,"

 

That night Donghyuck slept in Jisungs dorm.