NOISE

24.

„I don't like this at all, Minho", he heard Chan scold him, worried and angry about this whole situation. „I know", he mumbled back, his eyes were wandering over the street. He was standing in front of the window in the living room, looking outside. The security guard had to watch them leave. Chan wasn't playing and came to pick him up at the café, holding a knife. Minho knew it was one of the guys that attacked him.

Changbin and Hyunjin had called and told them they were on the way, Jeongin and Felix were going to join them later. Minho felt stronger and safer knowing his friends would be around. The only one that was missing was Jisung. His heart ached at the thought of Jisung being out there, and him not knowing whether he was okay or alive. Jisung had sent him a message and reassured him he was safe, but Minho couldn't stop worrying until Jisung was back in his arms.

„Min, you need to eat", Seungmin interrupted his train of thoughts and he turned around, having the younger hand him a bowl of steaming hot rice and scrambled eggs. „Thank you", he muttered, the warmth was soothing and he decided to sit down for a minute. The door bell rang and Minho expected Hyunjin and Changbin to walk through the door. „I'm starving!", he heard his best friend complain and locked eyes with Changbin. Minho grinned, shoving a spoon of rice in his mouth before pushing the bowl towards Changbin to offer him some of his food. „Don't even think about it", Chan scolded, making him roll his eyes. Chan never missed a thing. „I got more, in the kitchen", Seungmin offered and walked out of the living room, followed by Changbin.

„How are you?", Hyunjin asked and sat down on the other side of the table. „I'm worried", he answered, forcing another spoon full of rice and eggs down his throat. His stomach cramped at the thought of the whole situation and his knee still hurt from running. Changbin joined them at the table, handing a bowl to Hyunjin and earning a peck on the cheek. Minho couldn't help but grimace, wondering if others were seeing Jisung and him the way he saw his friends – maybe he's been single for too long. „Jisung knows how to fight if he has to", Hyunjin reassured him before taking a bite of his food. „I've seen him train a couple times." Minho's eyes widened. „You have?" The younger one nodded and frowned. „His father put him through terrible things. He once told me he had to fight a hand full of grown men when he was seventeen and ended up at the hospital with broken bones, but even then Jisung was able to take down three of them", he added, making Minho's nightmare come true.

Minho's hand started shaking and he had to drop the spoon. The pictures from his nightmare seemed to come alive again and he saw Jisung in front of his eyes. Tied up and beaten black and blue, covered in blood and nearly lifeless. He gasped, his stomach twisted and he felt like he was going to pass out any second. „Hey, hey", he heard Changbin say and felt a hand on top of his own. „Minnie, he's safe. Listen to me, okay? Jisung is doing okay", Changbin added, wrapping his fingers around Minho's wrist and slightly shaking him. The ringing of the doorbell snapped him out of his trance and he whined out loudly. It was too much for him, all of this was too much.

He was holding his breath, slowly getting up and walking towards the door. The time on his phone told him that it was too early for Jeongin and Felix to arrive, and it made his heart beat faster. Something inside him hoped for Jisung to come up the stairs. He just wanted to hug him and make sure he was alive. Chan held him back with a hand, signaling him to stay behind him and he nodded. He watched the older one open the door and step aside. A breathless Jisung was standing in the door – and he was holding a blood covered knife.

„What happened?", he heard Chan ask. He was staring at the knife, Jisung's fingertips and sleeve were covered in dried blood and Minho could hear his own heartbeat. Did he kill someone?

Chan was holding his hand out, waiting for Jisung to hand over the knife before letting him inside. „Did you get hurt?", Minho choked out, his eyes still fixated on Jisung's hand. „No, I just had to defend myself", the younger one replied, slowly walking towards him. „Can I wash my hands and change into a fresh sweater?", he asked, keeping his distance to Minho. He nodded, slowly stepping aside and forcing himself to look at Jisung. Chan rushed to the kitchen and Minho heard the water run, figuring Chan was washing the knife. „Are you scared of me?", Jisung whispered the question, his voice was broken and he sounded exhausted. „No!", Minho shook his head, closed the distance and wrapped his fingers around Jisung's other wrist, just in case Jisung was hurt after all. He dragged Jisung through the hallway into the bathroom, waiting for him to get rid of the hoodie, and checked his body for injuries. „I told you, I'm not hurt", the younger one complained, earning a glare from Minho. „Just making sure", he mumbled, handing him a towel, letting him take a quick shower. He prepared freshly washed clothes and put them on the edge of the sink. „You don't have to go", he heard Jisung behind the shower curtain and froze mid-movement. Jisung turned off the water and Minho watched him grab the towel before stepping out of the shower. „I know you have questions and I promise I'll answer them all", he added but Minho was distracted – busy staring at Jisung's bare chest and the bruises and scars on it. Hyunjin's words echoed in his head and he was about to break down in front of Jisung.