like a volcano | minsung (and a hell lot of other ships) ✓

𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑦-𝑜𝑛𝑒.

"Sunoo, Sunghoon will be coming to visit you today," Seungmin said as he dropped on the couch nearby.
Sunoo, who was busy laughing with Wonpil and Hyuna, looked up.

"Really?" His eyes lit up.
"Who's Sunghoon?" Wonpil asked.
"Well.. he's.." Sunoo blushed.

"Boyfriend? That's kinda gay, you know." Wonpil said in a reprimanding way. Seungmin groaned. Sunoo looked down but then Wonpil said, "That's hella slay, too."
Sunoo burst into laughter while Seungmin questioned what he did in his past life to deserve this.

"You need to be ready if your boyfriend's coming to pick you!" Hyuna said.
"I'll be dressed till then. When will he come, Seungmin hyung?"
"Didn't mention a time. Just be ready." Seungmin scrolled through his phone.

"Okay, I'll be dressed, then, I had a shower already." Sunoo went upstairs. Wonpil and Hyuna were bickering again, and it was a perfect time to corner Sunoo.
Time for action.

Seungmin quietly got off the couch an tip toed upstairs, hoping that no one catches him. He went outside Sunoo's room slowly and opened the door slightly. To his immense relief, he had already changed and was combing his hair.

Seungmin closed the door and knocked. Pretending to be polite does wonders.
"Come in!"
"Ah, Sunoo, you're ready already? You look very good!" Seungmin praised. None of it was a lie, Sunoo did look pretty. But Seungmin had to be quick.

"Okay, Sunoo, I know you better than anyone else in this house," Seungmin started and Sunoo nodded.
"For your safety, I think it's best if you answer me truthfully. Do you promise?"

Sunoo hesitated for a bit, then nodded soberly. Seungmin spoke up, "Who brought that suitcase?"
"Keeho hyung. He gave me my uniform, my bag and books. And also my other clothes and my phone. That's all he gave me. I asked him why he was doing this and he said that my education or safety couldn't be risked."

Seungmin nodded. For a while, there was a silence. Then Seungmin knew it was best if he took the chance.

"I don't trust you." He deadpanned.
"What? Why?" Sunoo asked.
"How can you be so evil all your life and one day have a 360° personality turn? It doesn't make sense to me. You're up to no good, or you're a spy." Seungmin said.

Sunoo looked at him in horror. Was this what Seungmin thought of him?
He couldn't believe it. But if Seungmin really wanted the answers, then answers he will give him.

Without warning, Sunoo turned around and lifted his shirt a little. Seungmin looked horrified, "what are you doing?!" But when he looked at the boy's bare back, he dropped his phone which he didn't know he had been holding.

They looked like they had tiny bits of muscle mass removed from it, as if someone had used a sharp weapon to hit repeatedly. Seungmin felt nauseated. Sunoo straightened his shirt and rolled back his sleeves showing Seungmin his arms. Who did this to him?!

"Not one day, hyung. A few minutes. A few minutes of agony and humiliation. That's what it takes to change a whole life, a whole perspective and everything." Sunoo said. "I hope that answers your question, and if you still can't trust me, then I'm sorry but that's not my problem."

Seungmin couldn't say anything. He was rendered speechless. All of the signs lead to one thing. He was getting closer to the thing..
The doorbell rang. Sunoo looked down, "Sunghoon hyung must be here." He went to the door, but Seungmin stopped him. Sunoo looked at him questioningly.

And then Seungmin embraced him in a hug. "You're my younger brother. That's it." That was a huge declaration from Seungmin and Sunoo could feel his heart getting warm. He returned the hug.