𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐀 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 ♡ MinSung

Ch. 131

The next morning Jisung could barely open his eyes. They were puffy and swollen from crying and he felt completely exhausted, his limbs aching whenever he moved.

He had school today but he wasn't about to go. He knew that he would never be able to look at Minho the same again, knowing that he had given up on the love that could have been. Was it selfish to choose his own stability over Minho?

The only reason he was still even allowed in his bed was because he had told his father that he would give up on Minho. How would the elder react if he found that out?

He felt terrible for giving up on him. Minho didn't deserve to be let down, but it didn't feel like Jisung even had a choice.

The only other thing to do was get disowned...

Had his father even really meant that? What if he was just saying that in a spill of all his anger? But it was already 1pm, if his dad had been lying he would have come up and apologized by now...

Jisung turned over in his bed, squinting into the light that poured in through his curtains. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night until he was so tired of crying he had simply passed out.

His head was pounding and he knew it was probably from dehydration. He forced himself into a sitting position and swung his legs onto the cold hardwood floor.

He heaved a sigh and got up on his wobbly legs, preparing to go downstairs. At this time of day his dad would be at work, so he got the house to himself. He wondered if his dad knew he stayed home today.

Maybe he went to go wake him up but just decided not to.

Either way Jisung didn't really care. He had to get his day started now and eat some proper food and drink some actual water.

It was times like this that he needed someone to talk to. He couldn't talk to Felix as the boy was already dealing with so much, with Chan and all, and he wasn't really talking to any of his other friends at the moment.

He definitely couldn't talk to Minho right now either, and for a multitude of reasons.

Jisung hummed to himself slowly as he went down the stairs, watching his feet as he went. When he got to the bottom he want to turn the corner but jumped back about a foot, seeing someone sitting in his living room.

"C-channie hyung? What – how? Why are you in my house?" He gripped the wall to steady himself, eyes wide.

"I let myself in. It was pretty easy to guess the code on the back door from the worn down numbers. You guys should really get that fixed." He shrugged, biting into an apple.

"Thats called breaking and entering – what if my dad was home?" Jisung took a step forward and emphasized his tone of voice.

Chan didn't even acknowledge what he had said and changed the subject, "You look horrible. Have you been crying?" There was a glint of worry lacing his tone now.

"Oh.." Jisung only now realized how bad he must look with messy hair, Minho's sweater, and dark eye bags on his face.

"Did you only now just get up," he got to his feet, "Is that Minho's sweater? Does this have something to do with why you weren't at school?"

Jisung was at a lose for words. What was he supposed to answer?

"Minho texted and told me to come check on you... did something happen with your dad after he found out?"

Jisung gathered that Chan had been informed about what had been spilt at the meeting last night. He picked at some dry skin on his hand, "Yeah.. uhm, actually something did happen."

He looked down at the floor, his gaze fixed to the tile in the kitchen.

Chan took a step forward placing his hand on Jisung's shoulder and bending slightly to see his face, "What happened? Tell me about it.." his voice was gentle, like a delicate caress to the fragile state that Jisung lay in.

"He made me choose..."

"Hm? Between what?" Chan guided him to take a seat at the counter.

"I had to choose whether I would stay here, as his son, or if I would go to Minho.." he sniffed, tears welling in his eyes again, "I had to choose my dad.. but I feel so terrible."

"He made you choose? Like, him or Minho?" Chan tried to make it make sense to himself.

"If I chose Minho he would have disowned me, Channie.. I feel so bad for letting Minho down.. I gave up on him.." his voice was wavering but gentle and calm, even through all the tears.

Chan couldn't help but feel like that was a shit move, to make your kid choose over something like that, but he also figured there must be more to the story that he missed.

"I'm so sorry, Jisung... I'm sure Minho will understand what you had to do.." he whispered.

"But he chose me, when he went to your guys' dad he was risking being disowned for my benefit.. and now when it my turn to choose I'm letting him go. It's so unfair but I... I didn't wanna loose my dad.."

Jisung had a point. If Minho found out there would be a good chance that he would be hurt by the decision, especially after he risked so much for Jisung.

And Minho would have to find out eventually..

It was just a matter of when and how.