TW: ABUSE, SEXUAL, PHYSICAL, MENTAL

Request by: @jaemhwng

"okay listen up rookies! You guys are finally getting to debut so you need to work extra hard these upcoming weeks okay? If the public doesn't like chewing gum then it will be hard for you to continue successfully. Do you understand?"

SM's newest rookies stood in the practice room with determined looks on their faces. The oldest stepped forward bowing politely to the manager.

"we won't let you down sir."

"good. Now I'd like to introduce you to your new temporary manager and choreographer, please greet Kim Hongwook."

A tall fit man walked through the door with a smile on his face. He was dressed in snug fitting jeans and a tight black t-shirt; his hair was long at the top and flowed gracefully down the side of his face. He bowed to the seven boys and smiled at them.

The boys bowed back excited to get started.

"Alight well I'll leave you guys to work." The manager left the practice room leaving the boys and the man alone.

"alright well hello. As you heard I'm Kim Hongwook and I will be your manger for your debut. So first I want you to introduce yourselves.

Mark was the first to step forward. He bowed slightly "hello my name is mark and I'm the leader and oldest of nct dream." The man smiled at mark before waiting for the rest of them to speak.

They all introduced themselves and the last one to speak was Jaemin. Hongwook had close eyes on jaemin the whole time. He watched his every movement and listened to his voice carefully.

"hello, I'm na jaemin, welcome to our company." He smiled at the man his bangs falling into his eyes.

"it's very nice to meet all of you. So how about we run through the song huh?"

The boys nodded excited to practice.

They ran through Chewing Gum three times fixing small mistakes along the way until Hongwook felt they needed a break.

"you're doing fantastic guys! How about you guys take a break and we'll re-group later."

The boys nodded happily as they began walking out of the room.

"hey jaemin, why don't you hang back for a second."

Jaemin waved to the others before walking over to hongwook.

"yes sir?"

"okay so, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I think you should stay back and work on the dance some more."

Jaemin nodded slightly disappointed in himself.

"oh, come on, don't make that face jaemin-ah it's not that bad I just want you to work on it once more okay?"

Jaemin nodded again and walked to his spot on the floor. Hongwook started the music and sat on the bench in the back.

Jaemin began dancing his body remembering the moves very well. As he was dancing, he caught a glimpse of hongwook in the mirror. He had a weird expression on his face. His bottom lip was clamped between his teeth and he had a deep gaze on jaemin's movements. Jaemin ignored the uneasy feeling he got and finished the dance.

Hongwook stood up slowly and approached him.

He walked up to jaemin and placed his hands on his shoulders giving him a toothy grin.

"so, how did I do?" jaemin asked panting.

Hongwook tightened his grip on jaemin's shoulders and before jaemin realized, he slapped jaemin across the face really hard.

Jaemin was overcome with shock and a stinging pain in his cheek.

"w..w..why did you hit me?" his voice was shaky as he forced himself not to cry.

"that was terrible jaemin-ah, are you kidding me with that dancing? You aren't ready to debut."

Jaemin looked down at the floor his eyes welling up.

"come back tomorrow and we'll work on it, oh and don't tell the others about this or you'll regret it." Hongwook stared directly into jaemin's eyes before leaving the room.

Jaemin stood still, his body shaking his eyes filling with tears. He held his stinging cheek as his knees wobbled.

Just then mark and haechan came into the practice room. They were giggling about something with each other but stopped when they saw jaemin.

"jaemin-ah?" mark ran over to him noticing how scared he looked.

"hey hey nana? What's wrong? Are you okay?" haechan said frantically as he took jaemin into his arms.

Jaemin clutched haechans shirt with his shaky hands and buried his head in his chest tears spilling down his cheeks.

Mark looked at hyuck with a concerned expression.

"hey hey jaemin-ah what's going on? Why are you crying?" mark asked as he rubbed jaemin's back still looking at hyuck.

"did something happen?" haechan asked in a gentle tone.

Jaemin quickly wiped his eyes forcing a smile to his members.

"oh uh... it's nothing. I'm okay I just... some sweat got in my eye that's all." Jaemin was a terrible liar and mark and haechan knew he was hiding something.

"are you sure? It seems like something's wrong." Mark placed his hand on jaemin's shoulder.

"I'm sure hyung, everything is fine." Jaemin forced a smile.

"okay nana, just remember that if there's anything wrong you can tell us okay? We are all here for you if you ever wanna talk.

"thank you hyung but I promise there's nothing going on."

They slowly walked back to the dorms hyuck and mark eyeing Jaemin suspiciously until he went to his room.

Mark and haechan sat on the couch. Haechan sighed with a worried expression on his face.

"what's the matter?" mark asked rubbing haechan's back.

"I'm just worried about nana..."

"I know hyuck, he's definitely hiding something, but we can't force him to talk to us."

"he was crying hyung, and I swear I saw him trembling... why on earth would he keep something from us?"

"I don't know donghyuck... but we have to respect his space."

The hitting went on for the next week. Every single day they had dance practice, Hongwook would make Jaemin stay back and practice more, hitting him harder each day. Jaemin had resorted to wearing noting but long sleeves and wearing a thick layer of foundation to hide the bruises and red handprints littered over his skin.

Mark was in the kitchen attempting to cook some eggs humming to a song he was writing when he heard Jaemin walk in. he turned to the younger and gave him a smile.

"hey Jaemin-ah, are you hungry? I'm making breakfast."

Jaemin had a blank expression on his face as he sat at the counter.

"no thanks hyung."

Mark heard the weird sadness in his voice. He turned off the stove and turned to Jaemin noticing how bad he looked. His skin was pale he had dark circles under his eyes and his hands were constantly trembling.

"nana? Are you feeling okay?" mark walked up to Jaemin with a concerned face.

"I'm fine hyung." Jaemin said flatly.

Mark placed his hand on jaemin's forehead feeling for a temperature.

"you don't look good nana... I think you should get some rest."

Mark lifted Jaemin off his stool and lead him towards his room.

"nana, you're sweating a lot, go take a shower and get into bed okay? I'll bring you some medicine."

Jaemin just nodded before walking into the bathroom. He removed all his clothes and looked into the mirror at himself. He scanned his skin looking at all the ugly bruises littering his body. He rubbed his arm shakily as tears filled his eyes. He clutched the sides of the sink as tears poured down his face. He covered his mouth to muffle the sound and then turned on the faucet to drown out his sobs.

Mark came into jaemin's room holding a package of pills and a glass of water. He walked past the bathroom door and stopped when he heard something. He placed his ear against the door and gasped when he heard Jaemin crying.

He knocked on the door but Jaemin didn't here it.

Mark chewed on his thumbnail as he thought. He left jaemin's room and stopped in front of haechan's.

Haechan opened the door and paused when he saw mark's face.

"hyung? Is everything okay?"

"i... I don't think so..."

"come in hyung, let's talk." Hyuck led mark to sit on his bed.

"so, what's going on mark?"

Mark sighed before looking at hyuck.

"something's going on with Jaemin... something bad."

"I know... it's been getting worse but he won't talk about it."

"I'm really worried hyuck, I don't think he's been sleeping or eating recently and... he's in the bathroom right now and I heard him crying..."

"poor kid must be going through something intense." Haechan said scratching the back of his neck.

"I feel so useless hyuck... I'm the oldest and I'm supposed to look out for you guys but Jaemin can't even tell me what's going on..."

Hyuck rubbed mark's shoulder.

"it's not your fault hyung, maybe Jaemin is just scared to tell us what's going on. Let's talk to him tomorrow okay?"

Mark nodded leaning against haechan's shoulder.

"we'll figure it out hyung, I promise everything will be okay."

Mark left haechan's room fifteen minutes later to check on Jaemin. He slowly walked in noticing Jaemin was asleep in bed. He walked over to him and sat on the edge of his mattress.

"I'm so sorry I don't know what you're going through nana... I feel like I'm failing you as a hyung..." he sighed deeply placing a gentle hand on jaemin's shoulder.

"please... please Jaemin, tell me what's going on."

Mark looked down sadly before leaving jaemin's room.

Jaemin peeled his eyes open, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks. He clutched his pillow tightly, his arms aching along with his heart. He wanted to tell them what was happening but Hongwook had threatened him that he would punish him even worse if he told. He decided to just endure it until the debut was over and Hongwook would leave.

The next day after practice, Jaemin was called over by Hongwook. His heart stopped but he listened to not appear suspicious.

"Jaemin-ah? Are you coming?" jeno asked when he noticed that Jaemin was still in the room.

"oh uh, Hongwook wants to work on something with me so i... I'll catch up."

Jeno nodded and followed the rest of the boys out of the practice room.

Hongwook walked over to the door making deep eye contact with Jaemin. He moved his hand to swiftly lock the door.

Jaemin felt his heart race as sweat beaded on his face. He began backing up as Hongwook approached with a devilish smirk on his face. He cornered Jaemin placing his finger on jaemin's chin lifting his face up to look at him.

"oh Jaemin-ah... I'm very disappointed in your performance today. You know you need to be punished right?"

Jaemin's eyes widened as his hands shook,

"please...please don't hyung." Jaemin stuttered in fear.

Hongwook made a clicking sound with his tongue before leaning closer.

"I love it when you beg baby"

Jaemin winced at the name. he could feel hongwooks breath on his face.

Jaemin pushed himself as far into the wall as possible squeezing his eyes shut.

Hongwook pulled Jaemin by his collar and planted his lips on jaemin's. Jaemin instantly re-coiled struggling to release himself from hongwooks grasp. Hongwook pinned him against the wall and began kissing more aggressively moving down his jawline and neck biting his skin hard leaving hickeys all over jaemin's skin.

Jaemin began to cry as he realized he wasn't strong enough to fight him off. Hongwooks grip on jaemin's shoulders was so tight he was leaving red marks.

Jaemin cried harder begging for Hongwook to stop.

"you are doing so great baby... you look so beautiful when you cry, you must really want to please me huh nana?" Hongwook ran his hands down jaemin's body reaching under his t-shirt. He squeezed the sides of jaemin's pecs kissing and biting his collar bones.

Jaemin couldn't breathe, his throat felt tight and his body weak.

"say my name nana." Hongwook huffed out against jaemin's neck.

Jaemin aggressively shook his head in refusal tears continuously rolling down his face.

Hongwook growled angrily. He stood up towering over jaemin's shaking frame. He raised his hand and slapped Jaemin across the face.

"I said say my fucking name!!" Hongwook screamed making Jaemin shake. He sobbed saying hongwooks name out loud feeling the stinging in his cheek.

"that's right baby. You sound so sexy nana... I love everything that come out of that beautiful mouth of yours." Hongwook whispered before kissing Jaemin again way more sloppily than before.

Jaemin continued to cry until Hongwook finished. He slid his hand over his cheek before he left Jaemin alone in the practice room.

Once Hongwook left, Jaemin slid down the wall in a fit of sobs. He held his knees close to himself as he cried violently into them. His hands were shaking and his entire body felt heavy and weak.

Not even ten minutes later, mark and haechan walked into the practice room. They immediately spotted Jaemin on the ground and rushed to him.

"Jaemin!?" they bothe screamed which alerted the others from down the hall. They all came running into the room and rushed to the boys on the floor.

"nana!! What's wrong!? Are you okay??" jeno said frantically as he grabbed Jaemin.

"oh my god Jaemin who did this to you!?" mark said noticing his swollen lips and his marked-up skin.

Jaemin just continued to sob, clinging to jeno's chest.

"nana... please tell me what happened... please." Jeno pleaded as tears filled his eyes. He held onto Jaemin tightly.

"I'm... I'm so sorry!" Jaemin suddenly choked out.

"hey hey Jaemin-ah don't you dare apologize for this!!! Jesus Christ nana how long has this been going on!?" mark yelled as rage and regret filled his body.

Jaemin let out another sob before speaking.

"s.. since he be..became our m..m..manager..."

The entire group gasped loudly.

"oh my god hyung... why didn't you say anything!?" jisung said before bursting into tears.

"he.... He said I'd r..r..r.egret it if I t...told anyone..."

"oh god nana! Oh my god I'm so sorry!" mark yelled wrapping his arms around Jaemin and jeno.

"no hyung... it's not your fault! Please don't apologize mark-hyung... "

Haechan, who was holding a crying jisung gently moved him into renjuns arms before standing up.

He curled his fists and stormed out of the room.

Mark was quick to follow him grabbing hyucks arm.

"donghyuck where are you going? "

Haechan had a furious expression on his face as angry tears fell down his face.

"I'm gonna fucking kill that guy mark! I'm gonna kill him! "Haechan growled digging his nails into his palm.

Mark grabbed hyucks shoulders firmly. He reached up and wiped hyucks tears away.

"hyuck... I understand how you feel... I want nothing more than for that monster to suffer, but if you fight him... I'm scared he'll just k... keep hurting Nana... "Mark forced back his tears as he choked through his sentence.

Hyuck pulled him into a hug.

"okay hyung... I won't engage. "hyuck said softly.

"we need to call the police and tell our real manager before hongwook comes back.

"Okay I'll call you go back with Nana. "

Mark nodded and ran back to the practice room.

Jeno had Jaemin pulled close against his chest, he was running Jaemin back and they were both crying along with renjuns and jisung.

"Nana? Will you come here for a second? "mark asked gently.

Jaemin slowly peeled himself off of jeno and shakily walked to mark.

Mark took Jaemin's hand and led him into the bathroom so they would be alone.

Mark placed his hands on Jaemin's face brushing his thumbs over his cheeks.

"Listen to me jaemin-ah... hyuck is calling the police right now. "

Jaemin's eyes widened in fear.

"It's okay Nana, don't freak out I promise you everything is going to be okay. I swear to you that I will NEVER EVER let you get hurt again... "

Jaemin reached up and wiped his cheeks.

"Come here Nana. "mark grabbed jaemin gently wrapping his arms securely around his dongsaeng.

"I promise you we will make sure Hongwook goes away forever... I never want anything like this to happen ever again. "

"thank you mark-hyung... "

"Don't thank me jaemin... I've been a terrible hyung and didn't know something was going on. I left you alone with that... that monster. "

"hyung... I didn't tell you how would you have known? "

Mark squeezed jaemin tight.

Not long after hyuck came in with a police officer.

"we have Kim Hongwook in custody. Will you please come with me to answer some questions?"

Jaemin slowly followed the man and sat in the corner.

He told him everything Hongwook did to him which made everyone else in the room cry even harder.

By the evening all the boys were on the couch jaemin was laying in between mark and jeno, his head resting on jeno shoulder.

Jeno ran his hand through Jaemin's hair kissing the top of his head gent.

"thank you, guys, for being here for me... I... I love you so much. "

Everyone on the couch was silent and in shock.

"Nana we love you so so much... you didn't deserve any of this and I'm so so sorry. "

Jeno had fresh tears rolling down his face.

Jaemin didn't say anything he just snuggled further into jeno wrapping his arm around Jenison waist.

Their debut was pushed back a few months to give jaemin some time to recover. Their manger made sure that he was the only one with contact with the boys and didn't hire any new make staff and was extra careful about working with them.

Finally, nct dream debuted with chewing gum and became an instant Success.

Jaemin was constantly scared when he saw older men around the company and he ended up sleeping in jeno's bed every single night. Jeno was Jaemin's safe place and after some time, he had started to feel better. The company issued him a female therapist to talk to weekly until his condition improved.

Jaemin will never be over what happened but with the support and love of his fellow members he got better and was able to continue to perform with nct dream.