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

𝑓𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑦.

It's been weeks since the incident. They are collectively on their way to class, with Seungmin completely healthy. They were walking and talking, talking mostly, when they saw the big announcement banner.

Jeongin stopped dead in his tracks. "Prefect ceremony?"
"No way they're doing that, it's only 6 months till the end of the year," Felix said. Jisung went ahead and read the banner.

"We are glad to inform you that the prefect ceremony for {school name} will take place on November the first, 2023. Two perfects will be selected for each grade, and one head boy with one head girl from the senior most grade 12. Students don't need to sign up, the perfects will be selected purely by the staff."

"Wow." Jisung commented. "Let's go inside, we're getting late. We'll just ask Yeonjun about this."

Upon asking Yeonjun, they found that the banner was placed yesterday and the school was already spewing rumours for the potential prefects.

The day went too slow for Jisung. Minho wasn't present, and he knew that he had to do multiple shifts to cover up his absences that he used to visit Seungmin in.

However, Hyunjin was present, and they had a great time all the same. The whole squad consisting of them, Yeonjun, Soobin, Yunho, Mingi, San and Wooyoung goofed around in classes and it was fun.

Still, he couldn't help but miss Minho's warmth.

The day ended with Jisung ending up getting another beating by his father (it had been too long and Jisung was getting suspicious). It didn't hurt as much anymore. He had all those brother-like friends and Minho.

They were his shield, his strength.
(A/N: Guys, don't ever bow down to abuse if you can speak up!! Set boundaries for yourself and if situation gets bad then ASK FOR HELP! It does not make you weak or coward. In fact, it is courageous to speak up. Don't let anything make you feel bad for asking for help. Stay safe!)

The next day was the prefect ceremony and all of them were standing in the grounds outside. ("Excellent," Felix said, "As long as we miss classes I'm in!")
A whole overdramatic speech followed by the teachers blowing 80's songs on the broken speaker set the mood down, but it wasn't long before they started announcing the prefects' names.

"I'm hundred percent sure it's Seungmin," Hyunjin said.
"No, God, please not me. I don't want to be a prefect!" Seungmin whined.
"Why?" Hyunjin asked.
"Because I don't have time for it. I just want to study and enjoy life, I don't want extra burden."
"Fair point," Felix commented.

Minho was present that day. When he made eye contact with Jisung he winked. It made Jisung warm inside to see him happy.

The ceremony proceeded with the teachers going higher up in grades (one boy and one girl prefect for each grade). When she reached Sunoo's grade, Jisung nudged the others.
"Look!"

"Kim Chaewon and Yang Jungwon!" Ms. Kang was speaking enthusiastically.
The whole bunch of them cheered for them both but Changbin from somewhere said, "Minji would have been a good option too. Still, Jungwon!! He's amazing."

"They can't have picked anyone better than Jungwon, in my opinion," Minho replied to him.

"Guys it's Jeongin's grade!" Felix whispered urgently.
"Shin Yuna and Yang Jeongin!"
All of their squad and the squad of girls nearby cheered for them. Their applause was louder.
"Our baby Yuna got it!" Chaeryoung from nearby could be seen whooping.

"Our turn now!" Felix said.
"Hwang Yeji and Choi Soobin!" The applause was loudest of them two rows.
"That's my Soobin, everyone, Soobin, you  know?" Yeonjun jumped up and down. In the girls' row, it was a similar scene. Yeji's girlfriend Ryujin was going all out on cheering. Both Soobin and Yeji were very red in the face.