After Us

Chapter 6

Bracing himself for the onslaught of energy that is Hyunjin and Felix in party mode Minho knocks on the door of their apartment. If Minho thought his rent was high he can't imagine what the older members of 3Racha pay for this place. His friends had let slip that while they'd offered to pay for their share of the living cost, their boyfriends had refused to take a single won.

The apartment in Gangnam easily costs five times what he pays and if he counted the number of doors correctly there are only four apartments on the entire floor. Jesus, the two have come a long way from the cheap place in Melbourne they'd shared. After they'd both left him for Korea he'd been forced to downsize into a one bedroom. At night he would lay in bed missing the quiet sounds of their old place. The buzz from the refrigerator, the squeaky floorboard outside Hyunjin's room.

Having all the lovers in the world had never kept him from being lonely. Then again, that's to be expected when none of your lovers are the one you really want.

The door swings open revealing Felix's glowing face. The blonde's smile drops the moment he sees the crutches Minho is propped up on. "Hyung! What happened? Where is your cane?" Taking the large canvas bag filled with the side dishes from Minho's shoulder he steps aside letting him enter. Felix's worried voice travels into the living space calling the attention of the others.

"Lix? Is everything okay?" Chan comes around the corner followed shortly after by Hyunjin, Changbin, and Jisung.

"Hyung!" Hyunjin meets him halfway down the hall. "What going on?"

Sighing he moves past his friends clustered together. "Let me sit first and I'll explain." He's prepared to be questioned but would prefer to do it after he has sat down. Following the multiple blows his knee had taken, courtesy of Chanyeol the previous night, the joint had swollen to the point that it was unable to hold his weight. Fortunately Coupang has same day delivery and his temporary crutches had arrived fast enough for him to be able to make it for dinner. Cooking while hopping around his kitchen had taxed his good leg and now walking is almost unbearable.

"The living room is in here..." Chan leads him into a massive open room with couches, chairs, and an enviable television set up. He could watch Goblin for the hundredth time in high definition with that flatscreen. Setting his crutches to the side he drops his weight on the plush sofa and groans as the muscles in his right leg shake from exhaustion.

Felix and Hyunjin take the vacant spot next to him while the older members of 3Racha sit together on the loveseat. Jisung had vanished into thin air after taking one look at his newest struggle. He ignores the twinge of disappointment poking him in the back of the skull.

"It's not a big deal you guys, seriously. I overdid it this past week and can't put any weight on it right now. That's all."

"But, Hyung? You were fine yesterday. You didn't use your cane once during morning practice." Felix's hands hover by his arm as if he wants to reach out and hold him but is too scared of causing him further pain to do it.

"Dance practice with..."

His half-lie is interrupted when Jisung kneels in front of him delicately placing a large bag of ice on his knee. The man on the ground refuses to meet his eyes as he adjusts the bag of ice to sit level. "Leave this on for twenty minutes." Jisung's voice is cold, detached. His actions say the opposite.

Minho gives a quiet 'thank you' instead of the snarky 'I know how long to ice something for' he would typically give. Kudos for progress! Heart hammering in his chest he finishes his story as Jisung takes a seat next to Chan.

"I think dance practice with Chanyeol is what strained it the most. On Monday I'm going to tell them I'm not able to help anymore."

"And you think Chanyeol is going to be okay with that? He isn't used to hearing the word no." Changbin leans back on the couch propping up his feet. "Working with him is such a pain. I'll be happy when his members get back from their service. At least they can control him."