the unwanted roommate - minsung

1.4

after managing to distract himself from earlier events, minho returned to the lobby of the dorm complex.

"oh, excuse me...lee minho?"

minho turned to see a receptionist with the name tag 'soochan' looking at him.

"yes, that's me." minho nodded, walking over to the desk.

soochan politely gestured for him to wait and headed into the back room before reappearing with a sealed cardboard box.

"would you mind taking this up for your roommate jisung, please? i forgot to give it to him when he left."

minho only blinked at him. "why can't he get it when he comes back?"

soochan was slightly taken back by his tone but discreetly shrugged it off.

"well, i just thought because you're his roommate and he'll be away for a few nights..." he trailed off, not realising minho's brows threading together.

"a few nights?" he repeated. "how do you-...w-well where's he gone?" minho asked.

soochan looked at him confused. he was certain this was jisung's roommate.

"jisung mentioned he was visiting his dad...did he not tell you it was his birthday tomorrow?"

minho shook his head and placed down the shopping bag to the floor as he lifted his hands either side of the box.

"what, so he's staying back at his dad's house for two days?" minho asked, unintentionally mumbling aloud how he hadn't seen the younger take any suitcases.

soochan's lips slightly parted in shock. "o-oh... you didn't know?"

minho responded with a shrug before speaking. "i didn't know what?"

soochan began to feel uneasy.

"minho, if jisung hasn't told you, i'm sorry but i'm really not comfortable discussing his business with you. it's really not my place to say."

minho looked at him confused, though decided he wouldn't get his answer from the slightly older man in front.

"so, he's out for two nights?" he asked for confirmation.

soochan nodded. "that's what he told me when he handed in his key card for me to look after."

still unsure of what to think, minho stayed silent.

after a few seconds of awkward silence, soochan cleared his throat. "so, erm, do you want to take this parcel up or...?"

minho blinked to snap out his thoughts and met soochan's eyes. "oh no, i'll take it." he spoke softly.

as he was handed the parcel, minho noticed it was quite light.

"thanks, er, soochan." minho bowed his head and attempted a small smile.

soochan returned it the best he could, trying to ignore the heavy atmosphere.

minho bid him a light goodbye and began walking back up to their dorm.

after opening the door, minho placed the shopping bag on the table and decided to put jisung's parcel in his room.

although he hated to go in there, minho didn't want the parcel to be anywhere where it could be in his way.

additionally, with jisung being gone for a while without any real explanation, minho didn't know how important it was.

as he opened the door, his attention was grabbed by the calendar with a square holding small black writing.

"8th march, dad's birthday." minho read aloud as he looked over the rest of the page.

however, there was nothing that stood out to him to indicate why jisung had left for such a long time. or, why he had a bouquet of flowers.

minho couldn't remember his dad ever receiving flowers for his birthday.

as he continued to look over the page, he couldn't help his curiosity.

he lifted up the next month's page and scanned over the squares.

nothing.

only when he flipped the page again to reach may, did minho see something similar.

on the 14th of may was a number alongside a word.

'10y-dad.'

minho read it over and over before it finally hit him.

the way jisung reacted to minho almost touching the flowers, in addition to how he'd acted when minho had used his dad's mug and nearly broken it.

minho realised jisung's dad had passed away.

and now, on the 14 may, it seemed as though it would be ten years since he had.

instantly, minho felt extremely guilty.

not only had he tried to grab the card from the flowers to see what it said, but minho felt his heart drop remembering what he had said.

"...your pathetic life..."

for the first time since they'd met, minho felt himself needing to apologise to jisung.

but weirdly enough for the first time ever,

minho wanted jisung to come home.

*****
i love where we're going from here
3.12.22