𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐀 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 ♡ MinSung

Ch. 38

Minho leaned up against Chans shoulder while all of their friends talked around them. Ever since the incident the other week, he had avoided them completely. This was the first time he had gone to hang out with them.

Him and Chan also hadn't formally made up for their fight on Monday, but when he didn't reject cuddling into his older brother in front of the rest of them, it was clear that they had both gotten over it.

Minho was more or less waiting for Chan to ask whether he had given the book back yet. When the time came Minho figured he would just lie and say he did. How would Chan know otherwise?

Minho moved closer to Chan, placing his head on the place that his shoulder connected to his chest, taking a deep sigh and closing his eyes.

Minho slowly drifted away, not to sleep, but into his own thoughts. He thought about everything and nothing at the same time.

He thought about his father, his fight with Chan, his friends, his 'friends', Jisung, that night with Felix, the book, his sexuality, how he was still failing Chem, his upcoming math test that he should probably start studying for, and then back to Jisung. Specifically Thursday night with Jisung.

He wasn't mad though, he was more scared. He had no excuse for the way he acted. It wasn't out if lust, so he couldn't blame it on being horny, Jisung hadn't asked for it, nothing was compelling him to do what he did... except himself.

He felt good in a way about how he had acted nice instead of foul, but that was overpowered by his fear of being vulnerable and how it seemed to only prove that Minho was, in fact, gay or bisexual or something along those lines. He couldn't help but think about what Chan had said.

"There's no problem with being who you are.."

His father would probably disagree, as well as the guys from school and so many other people. Minho was realizing that he was more afraid of people's reactions than if he was actually gay or not.

The words kept echoing in his mind, repeating over and over again. He whispered them barely audible to even himself, and opened his eyes.

When he looked up to the living room around him he realized that everyone was staring at him. Why were they staring..?

He looked up at Chan, who was looking down at him with a look that said, 'what happened?'

Chan didn't say anything and just wrapped his arms around his younger brother pulling him tight to his chest in a warm hug.

Minho wasn't even sure how much time had passed since he drifted away, he also wasn't sure how long everyone had been silently staring at him. Did they think he was asleep that whole time or something.

"Okay-" Minho said, shifting to sit up straight on the couch, Chris' grip loosening as he did so, "What? Did I do something?"

"You're like a baby." Changbin cooed, poking fun at Minho. The teenager's cheeks flushed red and his looked away, not wanting to make eye contact. Was that what this is? Minho had looked cute, and for some reason everyone found that astoundingly interesting? Right.

"I like you better this way." Hyunjin said, "Not yelling at some poor boy because he happened to be in the same place as you at the same time."

"I never yelled at him.. just about him.." Minho muttered, looking down at his hands and picking at his fingernails.

"Yeah big difference there." Jeongin said sarcastically, "Also, I've been watching you at school. Whats with you dragging him into supply closets?" He asked.

Minho's head shot up, "What?"

"You pulled him into a supply closet." Jeongin repeated, "Why? What were you doing?"

Minho slouched down into his seat, "That was a long time ago. Why do you even remember that.." he said under his breath.

"So you admit it happened?" Chan asked, squeezing his shoulder.

"Yes, but.." Minho didn't like being questioned like this in front of everyone, "You make it sound like some type of romance.." he trailed off.

He felt bad for what happened then, but it was too late to apologize now, plus it wasn't even his fault..

"So what did happen?" Seungmin inquired leaning forward.

"Let me start off by saying that I'm not proud of it.. but I got mad over something he did and yelled at him about it.. but he didn't actually do it." Minho admitted, slipping into a whisper for the last part, "I made him cry." He said probably only audible to him and Chris.

"And you apologized?" Hyunjin asked feeling not so impressed.

"No. But why would I?" Minho was getting defensive, "I honestly thought he did it- it was the only way it could have happened. Turns out he didn't though. I have no reason to say sorry if it was an accident."

Chan sighed, "You're stubborn Minnie." He said running his hands through his brothers hair. Minho didn't like being called Minnie. It was his childhood nickname that he ended up getting heavily bullied for in middle school.

"Don't call me Minnie." He said bluntly, "I have an actual name. Use it." He said with a slight anger running through his voice.

"Sorry." Chris said without skipping a beat, "Notice how I apologized even though it was a mistake?" He asked.

Minho rolled his eyes. "You don't get it."