The Three Worst Secrets

Taking And Giving Back

Chan and Minho perused the bookstore for a few hours. They easily got swept up in each section, pointing to their favorites and gushing over cover art.

"You don't strike me as a hard-core reader." Minho said, keeping his voice overly light out of fear of offending him.

Chan giggled, bumping him with a large shoulder "You know, I get that a lot."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Seungmin used to joke that he didn't even think I could read."

"Oh my God that's terrible."

"No, he just said I looked like a gym rat. You know, the same kinds of guys who would push him around at school. Trip him in the hall."

"People pushed Seungie around? I can't imagine that."

"Yeah. It wasn't easy for him when we were younger."

Minho watched his face carefully. "How long have you been friends?"

"Oh, maybe... seven years? We met at a music camp. He can sing like a bird."

"Kim Seungmin can sing? I thought that was just a cover for his... well, you know."

Chan snagged a book, halting his forward motion and flipping it over. "Yeah... he likes to sing. And he's damn good. I really want to feature him on my next track, but I should probably wait for him to wake up first."

"Yeah."

"How is he anyway?"

"The same."

"Jeez. And you? Have you been-?" He let the end of the question hang there, until he picked up on what he implied.

"Oh! No. No, I can't right now. Every time I want to I- well, I just can't."

Chan smirked. "I'm sorry. Did I spoil your coping mechanism?"

"Shh, shut up." Minho demanded, looking around to see if anyone had heard. He smiled back, surprised at how much time had passed. "We should probably go home. Seungie has a hard time sleeping without me."

When they got there Felix was outside and he watched Chan pull in with his mouth open, brow furrowed in the fading sun.

"Hey 'Lix! How is he?"

"Who?"

"Seungie?"

"I don't know, I haven't been inside yet. I just got home."

"Oh, okay. I'll see you in there."

"Mmhmm."

He couldn't find him at first, searching the house with rising panic and a quickening heart, but then he reached the younger's designated guest bedroom and found Hyunjin curled up behind him, long arm thrown over his side.

"Hey." He whispered, sitting slightly up.

"Hey. What happened?"

"You'll have to take over. He'll wake up if there isn't someone here."

"Okay. But what happened Jinnie?"

As soon as they'd swapped positions the taller ran his hands over his face a few times. "I can't... talk about it. But yeah... he's pretty fucked up. Uh. He needs our help. And you were right angel. We shouldn't rush him through it."

"Shit."

"Yeah. Are you okay if I leave now? I kind of still need some food and stuff." There was a lot of emotion in his voice but the elder ignored it, sensing his urgency.