𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐬 | 𝐡𝐡𝐣

fourteen.

Groggily, Minho answers his phone. "Hyunjin? What's wrong buddy?" His voice rough, raw from his midday nap.

"Chan got a hit on a missing person's site. He knows who I am, who you are, the whole situation. He's gonna try to find us a place to stay, but for tonight, he told me that you should sleep over just in case."

The brunet sits upright at that, wide awake. "I'll be over in twenty, don't tell [Y/N] what's up. It'll only worry her." Still sleep-drunk, he lazily crawls out of bed and pulls on a pair of pants.

Hyunjin hums in confirmation on the other side, before the two hang up.

Minho groans, stressed. He brought Hyunjin as far from that life as possible, and now it was looking for him again. It wasn't fair that they couldn't just live peacefully. If only he could protect Hyunjin better.

Minho remembers the first time they met.

Hyunjin was barely three feet, just a few inches shorter than Minho, big eyes and even bigger pouty lips. The younger boy was so bright and cheery, yet so shy and quiet. He was a lonely kid, just like Minho.

They hit it off easily, Minho taking the first step to introduce himself as best he could as a four-year-old, and the two were inseparable. Hyunjin was always right behind Minho, and Minho was always looking out for Hyunjin.

He took care of all the bullies, mean teachers, even the studying. He made sure nothing could hurt his best friend.

Then one day, Hyunjin met her.

Areum, the kindest, smartest, prettiest girl in the grade below them. The two of them fell for each other instantly, Hyunjin spending most of his time wooing her. It wasn't long before they were dating, going around campus as the gross lovey-dovey couple, leaving Minho in the dust.

Of course, he wasn't entirely forgotten. He was Hyunjin's original friend, so he couldn't be forgotten that easily. So he tagged along, followed them to movie theaters and parks, lingering in the background of their memories.

It was lonely, but Minho endured it. He just wanted to make sure his little brother was safe, and if this was how he had to do it, then he would.

The next year, Hyunjin decided to stay back a grade, so he could see Areum more. The only time left where Minho truly felt he was able to hang out with Hyunjin like he used to was during dance practice, where Areum would sit on the benches and watch them as they rehearsed choreographies and play-fought together.

Then Minho graduated and went off to college, where he met you.

You made him feel whole again, like he had a person who focused on him. He didn't feel like he had to share your attention or time. It wasn't a competition between him and anything else to have your focus.

He'd still go back to the dance studio every day, so he could see his favorite person and the girl he liked every day, and life was perfect. Tiring, long, difficult at times, but perfect.

Until he got the call.

"Sir, we can't let you in."

"I have to see them, both of them! I'm his big brother, I have to know he's okay! Let go of me!" The freshman growled at the nurse, fighting the tears threatening to prick his eyes. The nurses don't care, though, pushing him further down the hall to wait for a doctor to bring him to Hyunjin.

An eternity later, someone in a white doctor's coat finally takes him to see Hyunjin, still under the impression that he's family--which he is by all means except blood. There, the blond remains in a medically induced sleep, barely hanging on.