You Rock My World

I'm here to beg you not to

They rounded the corner and entered the stairwell, shutting the door tightly behind them.

Seonghwa finally dared to look up into Minho's eyes. Those breathtaking cat-like almond eyes.

How much he missed those eyes.

How many nights he'd cried over those eyes.

"You know you can't just show up at my door and expect me to be unbothered," Seonghwa muttered.

"I know. I'm...sorry. It's just—ever since I've seen you I've been reliving the past and everything that happened between us and—I needed closure."

The words stung a bit, even though Seonghwa knew he wanted the same thing.

"Me too."

"Good. Then we're on the same page."

They stood in silence.

Seonghwa crossed his arms, looking at his feet again.

"Seonghwa, I'm so sorry. For everything I did to you. I'm ashamed of who I used to be. But as much as I want to pretend it never happened, it did, and I hurt you."

Seonghwa hadn't expected an apology. He had hoped for one but the Minho he knew wasn't even capable of it.

"If you have anything you need to get off your chest, please say it. I can take it. You deserve that much."

Seonghwa looked up. His eyes truly were sincere. He meant it.

"How long did you know you wanted to do music?"

Minho looked away.

"Before we ever started dating..."

Seonghwa was shocked. So the whole time they'd been together...he'd been just as interested as him!? And he still did nothing to help or support him?

"I know you won't want to hear this but, I promised the truth. You remember that internship you had? At JYP?"

Seonghwa shook his head, backing away.

"After you botched it, they offered it to me. And I took it."

Seonghwa couldn't breathe. His chest felt tight. His head was spinning. He hadn't expected Minho could get any worse.

"Ever since you told me about it...that was my plan. Because I wasn't good enough to get it on my own. You're way more talented than I am," Minho looked at the ground.

"You motherfucker."

"I'm so sorry, Seonghwa. I knew you were good enough to get in somewhere else so—I told myself it was okay."

"I can't even look at you—that was my dream, my future! And you ripped it away from me! You knew how easy I was to manipulate so you—you used me!"

"I know. And I'm really fucking sorry. I think about it every day. That my career is founded on cheating and lies."

"You should. You don't deserve to be here. It should have been me!"

Seonghwa lunged forward, gripping Minho's collar and pushing him against the wall. He collided with it, the sound echoing through the stairwell.

"I know. I don't."

"I should go to JYP and tell him right now! I could end you! I could strip everything away from you, just like you did to me!" Seonghwa felt hot tears bursting from his eyes.

"I know and I wouldn't blame you but—I'm here to beg you not to."

Seonghwa scoffed.

"So you told me this so I would feel pity because you were honest and not turn you in? You're just manipulating me again!"