Royal Pain-Minsung AU

Part 16

Minho came back to the dorm later that night and Jisung was already asleep and then gone the next morning before Minho woke up. Jisung went on his usual morning run as he tried to organize his thoughts. He tried to think of a way to deter people from Minho but only one awful idea kept popping in to his mind. Because of his mind racing he ended up running much farther than he usually went and ended up near his dance classroom. He decided to pop in real quick to grab a water from the fridge in the classroom and found Jun there practicing by herself. "Oh Jisung, you are still doing your morning runs? I thought those would have stopped after your defeat at the competition yesterday." Jun said teasing. But Jisung was not in the mood for her messing with him. His teeth and fists clenched as he tried to remain calm. "Yeah it's crazy but that win might just get Minho elected as Prince. I heard some people talking about how they are going to vote for him." She said poking at what she knew was a very weak spot of Jisungs. "Why are you always like this? I thought you supposedly liked me." Jisung asked growing angrier. "Because I'm annoyed at how much you care about this crap. So I kind of hope Minho wins against you, then maybe you can get over yourself." Jun said clearly getting heated herself. Just then Minho walked up to the door of the dance room, he was supposed to meet Jun to practice but overslept. He found it odd that the door was left open a crack so he peaked in before going in and could hear and see Jun and Jisung arguing through the crack. "Yeah?! Well I know something that people don't know, and it will turn some people off of him for sure. What if I tell everyone that Minho is gay then we can see how many girls still vote for him!" Jisung blurted in anger without even thinking.

      "What? H-how do you know that?" Jun asked in shock. "It's the truth. He told me himself when he came home drunk one night." Jisung said. "I know but I didn't know that you knew. Jisung, why would you even joke about outing him like that." Jun said seriously. "Who said I'm joking? Everyone likes to act like they are so woke but just let them find out their perfect little Prince candidate is gay, some of them will change their tune, I guarantee it." Jisung said. Minho stumbled back away from the door, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. He turned and walked away as tears welled up in his eyes. "This isn't you Jisung, what happened to the sweet Jisung I knew in elementary school?" Jun asked. "Sweet little Jisung had no friends and got beaten bloody every day, only to come home to parents who were always working and didn't give a shit about him." Jisung said. "But Jisung, you aren't that kid anymore, you don't have to do all this and be like this for a stupid title." Jun said. "It's not just a title. You don't understand how lonely I was, nobody cared about me until I looked how they wanted me to look and acted how they wanted me to. Then everyone noticed me and worshiped me. If I am not the Prince then what have I been doing all this time, who even am I outside of everything people want me to be. What was all of my hard work and sacrifice to be liked for, being Prince of Brightstone is not just a title, it's all that I have!" Jisung yelled on the verge of tears. "If you don't stop and look in the mirror at the monster you are becoming, then it is all you will ever have!" Jun yelled back before storming out of the room. "Fuck!" Jisung screamed as he kicked the wall and fell down to his knees. He covered his face with his hand as tears began to stream down his face.

      The next day was Friday, the day of the dance team hike. Where Jisung would have to face both Jun and Minho. Minho didn't come back to the dorm the night before. Jisung didn't know that Minho had overheard Jun and his conversation so he thought it was kind of weird that he wasn't there but was a bit relieved to not have to see him. Minho, not wanting to see Jisung after hearing everything he said, had went and slept in a sleeping bag on Hyunjin's dorm floor. Jisung managed to avoid both of them by quickly getting on the bus and sitting right behind the driver, pretending to sleep until everyone got on. Once they got to the mountain trail they were supposed to hike, they all piled out of the bus. As they all stood there listening for instructions from the teacher, Jisung stole a glance at Minho for the first time that day. He watched as Minho leaned on Mikes shoulder looking exhausted. 'Was he... at Mikes place last night?' Jisung thought to himself as a pang of jealousy began to brew inside of him. He then snapped out of it, turning back to the teacher as he thought 'Why am I feeling jealous? I have no right to feel jealous, I'm such a jackass.' The teacher then proceeded to split the class up into groups of 4. They were encouraged to stay all together as a class but just in case someone lagged behind or got separated he wanted people to have at least a group of 4 that were accountable for each other. The teacher selected Jisung, Minho and 2 other girls from their class as a group. Jisung couldn't believe his bad luck and decided to just try and walk ahead of the group as much as he could with Minho and the girls trailing behind him. He began to create a little too much distance though and soon the others couldn't be seen at all. He then began to look around and up ahead, realizing that no one was around. He had gotten so focused on creating distance between him and Minho that he also lost track of the people he was following up ahead. He sat down on a log out of breathe from hiking so fast. He pulled out his phone and he had no reception. He didn't know what else to do other than sit there and hope someone came that way. After almost an hour of waiting, Jisung was beginning to lose hope when he finally saw Minho coming up to where he was. 'Of all people, it had to be him.' Jisung thought slightly annoyed. "Have you just been sitting on your ass up here? You didn't even try to come back the way you came and try to find the group?" Minho said with an aggravated tone. "Well... I didn't want to get more lost..." Jisung said now realizing how dumb that was. "Whatever, let's just go, we can't leave the people without their Prince for too long." Minho said rolling his eyes as he turned to leave. Jisung quickly followed after him and asked shakily "So... you didn't come home last night, is everything ok?"

"No. And don't count on me being there tonight either." Minho said slightly cutting Jisung off. "Umm... did I do something wrong?" Jisung asked. Minho stopped in his tracks and began to laugh an eerie fake laugh as he said "What haven't you done wrong? You have been a conniving jerk practically the whole time since I moved here. But then you have these moments, where I see a glimpse of hope, of humanity and then you snuff it out in an instant with the next asshole thing." "What are you talking about?" Jisung asked. "I heard you yesterday with Jun. I was supposed to practice with her but I was late and I heard you two arguing through the door. You want to go and tell everyone that I'm gay, go ahead, I'm not ashamed, I don't care if people like me, unlike you. I don't want your dumbass Prince title, I told you that from the start!" Minho said getting louder. "It doesn't matter if you want it, they might give it to you whether you want it or not!" Jisung yelled. "And how is that my fault?! I won't call you stupid or naive because the fact of the matter is that you are just so incredibly young Jisung. You honestly believe that being the best at everything and the most popular in high school is the end all be all, but it's only the beginning. You have been so sheltered and brainwashed to think that this is life when it isn't. Life is out here. Life starts when you leave the protection of your parents and the four school walls. You want to become a Kpop idol right? Well I hate to break it to you but every person that steps in to audition for a company is just as, if not more, handsome and talented as you are. The thing that can set you apart from them is your heart and how hard you are willing to work for what you want, not how manipulative and conniving you can be. But like I said, you are young. You can take your time finding yourself and growing up, but I don't have that luxury. After this year I'm out in the real world, so take your childish bullshit elsewhere. I'm done wasting my energy on it." Minho said as he walked quickly down the path back to the main trail.

Jisung tried to follow after him but slipped on a rock on the decline. He began to trip and try to catch himself as he came down faster than he wanted to. He ran into Minhos back and almost pushed him over but Minho planted his feet and turned around to grab Jisung by the shoulders to stop him from falling. "What the hell Jisung, are you trying to make us both fall down the mountain?!" Minho asked still holding Jisung's shoulders. Jisung looked into Minhos big brown eyes and said "I'm not going to do it." "What? Do what?" Minho asked confused. "I mean, i think I was never going to do it, tell everyone about you. I just got scared of losing and I said that to Jun. I'm... I'm sorry." Jisung said lowering his eyes. Minho shocked at the sincerity in his voice slowly let go of Jisung's shoulders as he looked at him. "I don't care if you got scared. I don't even care why you are so damn scared to lose such a stupid title. Threatening to out me, even if it was an empty threat, is just fucked up. Plain and simple. I didn't even know I came out to you. Does it bother you that I'm gay or something?" Minho said. "No! I don't care, I'm... I mean... I'm not bothered by it." Jisung said filtering his words. "Then why would you even think of using that against me?" Minho asked. "I don't know, I was reaching, it's hard to find a flaw in you Minho, you're perfect." Jisung said before realizing what he was actually saying. Minho stopped for a moment before saying "I'm definitely not perfect and neither are you... and that's ok. Maybe no one has told you that before but I'm telling you now, it's ok not to be perfect. And I hope one day you can believe that." He then turned and kept walking and they eventually met up with the rest of the group.