panoply;; a stray kids one-shot & short story collection

"bridges of resilience"☕️🧁 {minsung}

In the quiet confines of his room, Minho sat hunched over, the weight of his world pressing down upon his shoulders like an anvil. Each breath felt like a laborious task, his chest heavy with the burden of existence. Outside, the world buzzed with life, but within the walls of his own mind, he battled demons unseen, a relentless onslaught of pain and despair.

Debilitating depression clung to him like a suffocating shroud, its tendrils weaving through every fiber of his being. Migraines hammered at his skull, a ceaseless barrage of agony that left him drained and defeated. Chronic pain gnawed at his bones, a constant reminder of his body's betrayal.

Loneliness was his constant companion, a shadow that loomed over him like a specter of his own making. Friends drifted away like autumn leaves caught in the wind, unable to comprehend the depths of his suffering. He was a prisoner in his own home, confined by the chains of his afflictions, unable to escape the suffocating embrace of his own mind.

And yet, amidst the darkness, there was a flicker of hope, a tiny ember struggling to ignite amidst the ashes of despair. His father stood by his side, a beacon of understanding in a sea of ignorance. But even his unwavering support could not penetrate the veil of Minho's anguish.

Alone in his suffering, he retreated further into himself, the walls closing in around him with each passing day. Suicidal thoughts whispered seductively in his ear, promising an end to the pain, a release from the relentless torment that consumed him.

But still, he fought on, clinging to the fragile threads of his existence with a tenacity born of desperation. For in the depths of his despair, he found a sliver of defiance, a refusal to surrender to the darkness that threatened to engulf him.

This is Minho's reality—a symphony of suffering, a cacophony of chaos, a tapestry woven from the fabric of his own agony. And as he stares into the abyss, he knows that the only way out is through.

As Minho sat perched on his stool behind the cash register at the local gas station, his eyes drifted lazily over the sparsely populated aisles. The fluorescent lights hummed softly above him, casting a sterile glow over the familiar surroundings. Each passing minute felt like an eternity, the monotony broken only by the occasional chime of the doorbell signaling the arrival of a customer.

And then, like clockwork, he walked in—the cute guy with the fluffy brown hair and big, dark eyes that seemed to pierce straight through Minho's defenses. Adorable rounded cheeks and a cute little pout completed the picture, rendering Minho momentarily speechless as he fumbled to ring up the man's purchase.

Cigarettes and a bag of peach gummies—always the peach gummies. It was a ritual of sorts, a small moment of connection in an otherwise mundane existence. But for Minho, it was so much more. It was a fleeting glimpse of something beyond the confines of his own mind, a spark of possibility in the darkness that threatened to consume him.

Yet, try as he might, Minho could never summon the courage to break the silence that hung between them like a heavy fog. His heart raced in his chest, his palms growing clammy with nervous anticipation as he struggled to find the words that always seemed to elude him.

He wanted to ask about the man's day, to learn his name, to unravel the mystery of his existence with each passing conversation. But fear held him captive, its icy grip tightening with each missed opportunity, each silent exchange that passed between them.

And so, he remained silent, his words buried beneath layers of self-doubt and insecurity. But in the depths of his longing, there remained a glimmer of hope—a whispered promise of what could be, if only he dared to reach out and grasp it.

As Minho meticulously arranged the items on the shelves, his movements slow and deliberate, a faint wave of dizziness washed over him. He blinked, willing the sensation to pass, but it lingered like a stubborn shadow, refusing to dissipate.