To See The Moon

Truth

     Jisung and Minho were walking to the hospital and the silence was suffocating.

     As he helped Jisung over to his house, Minho had made sure to explain everything to him. He didn't leave a single thing out. His memory loss (though he omitted the reason for more personal reasons,) his job, his parents, Jisung now knew it all. Minho didn't quite know how to feel about that. He felt so vulnerable, having his secrets exposed like that, but also felt comfortable at the same time, knowing those secrets were in a safe place.

     Before Jisung could react, they had arrived at his house. Jisung had made quick work, telling everyone his parents were coming home and unfortunately, Felix was at home with a cold. The prospect of a parental unit arriving had chased everyone out with get well soon and happy birthday wishes to Felix. That had been the easy part.

     Now, the two boys were walking to their second location and Jisung, although no longer needing Minho's support to walk, could only go at a snail's pace. That left Minho to have to agonizingly wait for his verdict of everything he had been told.

     "... wow, I never imagined. Now I understand why I was acting like such a brat when I stole that watch. There I was complaining about my petty problems and my parents when you have ones that treat you like trash. Gosh, I'm pathetic."

     "Don't say that," Minho said, meaning every word. "You are not pathetic. I should not have lashed out at you like that, my home life was no excuse." He fidgeted. "Plus... I've just told you I kill people for a living. Why are you acting so calm?"

     "I... don't know," Jisung admitted. "Nothing you're doing is okay. You're breaking the law and ruining lives." Minho flinched at the harsh wording. "But... I feel safe around you. Maybe because you've been raised to do your job or because I still remember the good things about you, but my morals are taking a bit of a backseat."

     "I... have never taken a human life because I've wanted to, if that makes things better." Minho didn't think any excuse could justify his crimes but he had stopped feeling guilty about them a long time ago.

     "... so the people who attacked me work for you?" Jisung asked, trying to change the topic.

     "I didn't do anything!" Minho defended. "It was all my father's work. I'm... going to have a talk with him soon."

     "I know you didn't do anything, it's okay," Jisung assured. "You don't need to talk with your dad. From what you've told me, it doesn't seem like he's going to react well to that."

     "I don't care," Minho said. "I'm not scared of him anymore."

     Are you though?

     "No," Minho said again, trying to convince himself more than Jisung. "He ordered the assassination of one of my friends. He's not getting away with that."

     "Friend..." Jisung said under his breath.

     Minho realized how much he screwed up. He had no right to call Jisung a friend, not after concluding he would stay out of his life. Why couldn't he make up his mind?

     "Then why didn't you ever text me?" Jisung asked. "You forgive me, right?"

     "I do, Jisung, I do," Minho said. He tried his best to express what was on his mind. He never knew what was on his mind. "I wish I could say the reason is as simple as me not wanting you to be in danger because of me. But it's not. I-"

     "You're scared. But I completely understand why."

     Minho was rendered speechless. A small part of him had registered that the seeming airhead he had hung out with for the past few months had said something that made a lot of sense. But Minho, for the life of him, couldn't comprehend what it was. "I- I don't understand."