8 is fate // Stray Kids

5

Minho

"You want him to stay, don't you?", stated Minho after the door had closed behind Changbin.

"I understand why you don't trust him but he is not like those people", Chan tried to reason with him but all Minho could see when he looked at Han was blood. Blood and pain.

"You can't know that for sure. You don't really know him, not anymore. Years are plenty enough time to change a person."

"Then what about Hyunjin, he knows and trusts him too and it hasn't been that long since their ways have parted."

"Maybe, but Hyunjin isn't really good at judging people, he is rather gullible."

"Minho, I need you to trust us on this one. He is our brother and I'm not planning on abandoning him again! We'll keep a close eye on him, okay? Just try to stay away from him if that makes it easier for you."

"He's literally my roommate", Minho scoffed.

Chan brought his hands to his face and rubbed it tiredly. "I haven't thought of that", he admitted.

Only now Minho noticed how ragged Chan looked. His eyes were puffy, probably from crying and his skin was even paler than usual.

He felt guilty for making things harder for Chan but at the same time this wasn't a matter he could just simply ignore.

"Okay, let's forget about my personal issues", Minho tried again. "I know that we like to joke around about how we're stray kids that you've found and brought home and all that stuff, but we are more than that. We have responsibilities, we have a duty to fulfill. He's not a part of this and if you really care for him then you know that it's not safe for him to stay with us."

Minho could see how the words hit Chan, see the realization and the pain that followed.

They both knew he was right.

"I'll find a solution, I promise. But until then, please endure it. I need some time to figure everything out."

Minho looked at Chan and knew that this was the best that he'd get out of this conversation. And for now, it was good enough.

One last look at Chan and he could feel the guilt rise again. Chan shouldn't look so exhausted and conflicted after finding his long-lost brother. But sadly, most things don't go the way they are supposed to. Minho knew that better than anyone.

"I'm sorry Chan", he said quietly as he opened the door.

"I know", Chan's voice drifted to him as the door closed behind him.

It hurt to know that Chan didn't hold his behavior against him.

Chan was too good of a person and sometimes Minho feared that one day it would cost him dearly.

Without making a sound he stepped into his dark room.

He could hear Han's soft and steady breathing, signaling that the boy was already asleep.

Minho looked at him, he looked so harmless. But Minho also knew that this was only an illusion. Han had surprised Minho with his fighting skills. The name "bloody demon" really suited him.

Minho was sure that the others believed that Minho would have won the fight if Chan hadn't interrupted them. But to be honest, he didn't think that the fight would have ended in a loss for Han. The boy would have – at the very least – achieved a tie.

Minho had lied when he told Felix that he didn't need healing. It wasn't necessarily like his body hurt but something certainly felt off. He felt stiff and sluggish, like his nerves weren't properly wired.