I Must Protect ( MinSung )

Beware

Minho woke up feeling the aftermath of what happened to him yesterday. His face felt like it just got hit by a brick.

He looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. 12:35pm.

Shit, I missed my classes.

He slowly got up from the bed and opened the door to find Jisung in his laptop, too focused to notice him.

"Hey."

Jisung jumped from his seat and seemed to be a little surprised to see Minho in front of him. He quickly closed his laptop and rushed towards his partner.

"Hey yourself. You should be resting!" Jisung offered his arm for support.

"It was only my face that was punched. I can walk."

"I'm really sorry about what happened."

Jisung shouldn't have done that. There was a heavy silence after he spoke and he knew it wasn't the right time for apologies or any mention of last night.

"Oh, by the way, I called your instructors that you'd be skipping class today and I sent some of your finished papers electronically. I also called in sick."

"Thank you, baby." Minho pulled him into a warm hug.

Jisung felt like crying again. It wasn't him who beat up Minho but he knew he was somehow responsible for it. And him to be so forgiving about everything.

"Hyung, I was thinking, maybe we can go to the pool today?"

"I can't swim."

"Doesn't matter."

"I can't go out with a face like this."

"That's why I requested for them to close the pool so that only the two of us could use it.

"You what??" Minho has only seen it in movies where rich people go to drastic measures just to get what they want.

"Come on, Minho! Pretty please? Besides, don't you feel stuffy in here? At least it's considered as going out."

"No, let's just stay here."

✧

"Hyung, come on! The water's only five feet high! You're definitely not going to drown in here."

Minho's been staying at the end of the pool where he's seated at the stairs. The water there reaches up to his stomach, because he is sitting.

"I'm good."

"Do you want me to teach you how to swim?"

"I'm good."

Jisung felt like the conversation isn't going anywhere so he just started swimming towards Minho and sat between his legs.

"Come on, hyung. Don't you trust me? I'm really a good swimmer."

"Yeah, I could see whenever you got out of the water you're choking over it."

"Ugh, I hate you so much."

"And I love you my baby Jisungie."

Jisung didn't fight back to that. They just stayed seated at the end of the pool where Minho would occasionally squeeze his hands.

"Let's go back now. I'm getting hungry."

"Could we at least shower together?" Jisung pleaded.

"Your obsession is showing."

But Minho knows that it's very much likely to happen.

✧

"Should we just order food?"

"Yeah, I'm not in the mood to cook tonight. I'll do it tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll just get my phone."

Jisung walked to his bedroom while drying his hair with a towel. He just finished showering, with Minho.

He was about to dial the number for delivery when saw Felix's name on his screen.

They separated in bad terms the last time they saw each other. He wanted to decline the call but he also wanted to hear why Felix is calling out of the blue.

"What is it?"

"Sung, be careful."

His heart dropped. Felix's voice sounded scared, almost shaking, and the fact that he just told Jisung to be careful.

"Now don't play games with me, Lix. Why are you acting like that??"

"Sung, I'm really really sorry. I can't tell you more. I just... I'm sorry. I made a huge mistake."

"Lee Felix, if you don't tell me what's going on, I'll rip your hair the moment I see you."

"It's Hyunjin."

What? When did Felix ever get close to Hyunjin to actually involve him in a conversation?

"Lix, I'm not following what's with my bro-"

"He's after Minho." Jisung's blood pressure started to rise.

"He definitely was last night! He tried to make a move on him last night!"

"Wait, he was there last night? I....Sung, doesn't matter. He's been watching Minho even before you met each other! Please....please be careful...and I'm sorry"

TOOT.

He hung up. Felix hung up. Jisung's mind started spiraling. Why would Hyunjin do that? What's his deal with Minho?

Was he the man he saw? The man Minho saw?

He was trying hard to focus when he heard a glass shattering from the living room.

✧

Minho just finished putting ointment on some of his bruises. Half of them have healed but the half still visible.

He could hear Jisung talking but he couldn't understand what he was saying. Maybe the other line couldn't understand him again.

He poured a glass of water and sat on the couch. As he was about to drink the water, he saw a picture frame on the table.

"Has this always been here?"

He turned it around and it showed two kids, both smiling widely.

He could easily recognize Jisung. Those puffy cheeks gave it away.

And this must be the bastard that beat me up. He could see the resemblance from the eyes, nose, and lips that it was the guy from last night.

The only thing that's setting him off is how the picture was placed inside the frame. It was folded in half.

I guess Jisung wouldn't mind if I fix it.

He took the picture out of the frame and unfolded it.

Only to see horror.

The man between Jisung and Hyunjin.

His favorite uncle.