◃◃ New Memory #1 pt. 1 ▹▹

Zhong Chenle

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"Thanks for coming with me hyung"

"Of course~. Why did you want to come here anyway?"

"No special reason. I just wanted to spend time with all of the cats here~"

Chenle smiled, watching one of the cats roll around in front of us.

Chenle and I were relaxing together at a nearby cat café we found a few days ago.

Some of the cats were hybrids like Chenle, while others were just regular Ethorian cats. However, I'm a little worried about Chenle.

He's not as cheerful as he usually is. He seems..., angry, but I don't know what he's angry about.

I know he's trying to hide it so that I won't worry, but I can read him like a book. I've known him long enough to know when something's bothering him.

Though the reason he told me we came here for was so that he could spend time with the cats, I know there's another reason.

I'll find out soon enough what it is.

"H-Here are your lattes~"

A young hybrid waiter shyly brought us our drinks.

We thanked him, and he allowed us to pet him before he happily ran off. After he left, there was a silence between me and Chenle for a while, until he finally spoke up.

"All of the cats and hybrids seem so happy here. Like me, they were taken in by very nice people and they left their old lives behind"

"Yeah... But that's a good thing right?"

"It is. However, that doesn't change the fact that they were all abandoned in some way, like I was. None of us should've gone through the hell we endured. Why were we so different that we were destined to go through absolute hell?"

His voice didn't escalate, but I could clearly tell how upset he was.

Then, even though the cats and the hybrids didn't seem to notice it, a purple and black aura suddenly appeared around him. But unlike the others I've felt, this one was a lot more malicious!

"What was so wrong about me that my own parents didn't want me...?"

Soon after, his Stand began to make an appearance behind him, and its power felt just as malicious as the aura.

It's appearance so far was very unsettling as well, but it does resemble a cat by a little bit.

"All I ever wanted was their love, but I couldn't even have that? I was still just a toddler. I had just learned how to walk, and I could barely speak properly. How could they just abandon me like trash...?"

"Hey Lele? Maybe you should try to calm down a bit"

I tried gently tapping him to get his attention, but he was lost in his thoughts, only staring at the cup he had firmly gripped in his hands.

"If I don't know anything else, I know that they'll get what's coming to them. They'll pay, one way or another. They will answer for what they did to me"

Finally, his Stand's full appearance was revealed to me.

Its gaze was the most intimidating out of any other Stand I've seen so far. And it only makes me wonder how dangerous its power is.

I then gently pet Chenle, finally snapping him out of his thoughts, but he still remained silent.

"Hey Lele. Let's go outside for a bit, alright? Just to get some fresh air"

"...Okay"

Thankfully, no one inside or outside of the café was able to see the Stand or feel its power, so we were able to escape quietly.

I stopped us at a small empty park nearby, that was concealed by the many trees around it. That way, if Chenle freaks out when he sees his Stand, no one will see or hear us.

"Lele, don't freak out too much"

"Hm...?"

"Turn around slowly for me"

He seemed confused, but he still complied.

He turned around slowly, and he saw his Stand for the first time, intimidatingly staring at him.

"W-. W-WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

Chenle shrieked.

He stumbled back but I caught him so that he wouldn't trip. Even though he did end up freaking out, I'm still glad that he got his expressiveness back.

"It's alright Lele. This is called a Stand. It's a physical manifestation of your own soul, as well as your spiritual and life energy. All seven of us have one, as well as everyone in BTS and Force 127"

"A S-Stand?"

He still seemed confused, as I expected.

"Let's go back home if you're ready. Jaemin knows all about Stands, so he'll be able to explain everything better than I can"

"O-Okay"

He still looked scared, but I could see that he was eager to learn more about his Stand.

I know he may be scared of it now, but I know they'll form a great bond in no time~.