chapter fifteen;
some (un)helpful advice
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"What are you thinking about?" Renjun asked softly as he and Donghyuck wandered around the gardens of the European styled structures. They'd been adventuring for close to forty minutes, and the younger was somewhat quieter than usual — a real worry.

"Hm? Nothing much."

"Come on, Man. What's up? You're putting up with looking at foreign structures...so I'm obliged to ask what is happening."

Hyuck elicited a long sigh and stopped traipsing around for a minute, both having reached a cute shop front with random trinkets and gadgets in the window. His gaze shifted from these items to rest upon his partner again, and he pouted a little as he thought. "It's not really a huge problem...more like a midlife crisis."

"Um...you're like, twenty-three. Hopefully this isn't the middle of your life, but continue anyway."

"Well, I fucked up school, right? I didn't put in the effort when I should've, and college just wasn't working...not an option. I'm trying to travel a bit and learn through experiences about who I am, and what it is I'm meant to be, or want to do."

"Then what's wrong?" The older hummed and started gently guiding him by the shoulders into the souvenir store. "You seem to be fine."

"I've always been such an idiot, Renjun~" he whined childishly and flopped himself onto the other's back as they walked. "I'm still wishing someone will come for me and look after me, but it's so stupid when I can't even look after myself."

"Don't rely on others to protect you, Donghyuck," he gushed and pulled the boy off him just to drag them into a back aisle without other people to judge their Korean gibberish. "Look, I'm on a completely opposing end of this scale, alright? I don't know why it is that love drives other people, or what I've missed from rejecting and denying these things. But I do know that in the end, when all else fails and the world is fucking crumbling, the only goddamn person who wants the best for you is you." He jabbed his index finger to the blonde's chest and arched his brow. "You want to be lazy? That's perfectly fine. You're entitled to be lazy. Just...don't forget what's more important."

The taller pursed his lips without anything to respond, simply staring back at him and feeling even worse now that he was faced with such a strong, confident male. Why wasn't he similar? Why had he always gotten by with other people's help? Was this uselessness? Or just denial. Could I get that strong? He ruffled his own hair and groaned dramatically. "Damn, what am I doing? Huh? Lost in Japan for the most part with six amazing weirdos. Who'd have thought..."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Renjun chuckled and turned to pull a pen off the shelf. It had a downward Japanese scripture on it, probably from some ancient and famous textbook he'd never heard of. "I kinda wanna write about this."

"The trip?"

"The trip...you guys. It's only been a few days, and I've already lived through more experiences than the other twenty four years of my life. Crazy."

Donghyuck sneakily started to grin, playfully tilting his head to catch the brunette's eye contact while he stared at the said pen. "Is there anyone you specifically want to write about? Perhaps a chaotic driver...or a smart college student?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Dunno, just sort of felt something was up, y'know? If you start writing that memoir thing, then I want to bet that it'll turn into a romance."

"Oh shut up," the older dumbly kicked his ankle and flicked his eyes to the heavens. "Not only to they clearly find each other attractive, but I didn't come out here for that. I just want to chill out."

"Mhm mhm," Hyuck hummed and played a stupid teenage girl stereotype, "Chill out with the boys~"

Shoot me, the smaller blinked without even a hint of amusement. But raising the same fact that he assumed Jaemin and Jeno were hitting on each other still tugged his strings. How annoying. "And what about you? You're confusing Mark with your mixed signals, y'know."

"What do you mean? He didn't pick up any signals and I've decided to be kinder to him and drop it."

"Coward."

"What?!"

"That's an excuse 'cause you think he's too straight for you. I'm not encouraging the irritation that giving you hope will bring, but I will say that we have a month of this. Do with that reminder what you will."

With that, he trailed off down the aisle to look for his own things, leaving a somewhat confused boy behind...but an otherwise happy one as well. Not only had he managed to bond a little with his second oldest group member, but he also gained some nice advice. He told me to take the dive~

* * *

"No! Jaemin, don't touch that! Shit!" Mark hissed in blind panic as the man crawled over the fence of the petting farm and bolted towards a scared-shitless lamb. "Oh fuck..."

"What the hell is he doing?!" Jeno groaned, rubbing his face exhaustedly and watching the scene unfold. The caretaker only left two minutes ago for coffee, damn it.

"This little guy is dying!" The driver insisted from afar, dropping to his knees before a still, cream grass-muncher and placing his hands over it.

"It's asleep!" The oldest shrieked, clearing his throat awkwardly when a few kids wandering about noticed his shrill tone and started to giggle. "Leave it alone."

Low and behold, the little critter did wake up, dazed and freaked out when it found a human leaning over his body with an intimidating face. But the poor thing had come to its senses too late, for the unwelcome journey through CPR commenced.

"Jaemin, what?!" Jeno cried, "Holy fuck, you're about to kill it!" He hopped up onto the fence as well, but didn't get in. He didn't want to risk being another hindrance to this tour or another heart-attack inducer for the lamb. "Dude, get back here. It's alive!"

"Look, look, he's breathing!" The youngest cheered, his rough chest pushes probably a bit too rough since the animal was now crying as well. "Thank me later, kiddo. I saved your goddamn life."

Mark and Jeno massaged their temples and turned away from the scene simultaneously. The younger jumped from the railing and joined the businessmen in walking away...speedily.

"Hey guys! Where'ya going?!" Jaemin whined, starting to evacuate the pen to reach them.

"Fucking run," Mark gulped, grabbing Jeno's wrist and dragging him away as fast as their legs would go.

All the while, Chenle and Jisung were actually shrouded by a crowd of onlookers, being more than glad they didn't have to associate when them today.

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sorry this is hella late guys, but i hope it was fine. thanks for you patience~

love ya!
-lily