strawberry shortcake

31. pain

"I need you to pick up a few things for Minho since he's starting college again in two days. Here's a key to his apartment. And I also need you to check on his brother and tell me if he's alright."

Hyunjin nibbled on his bottom lip nervously, while piling some clothes into black duffle bag. It felt wrong, being in the apartment without Felix's consent. Thank god the cats were closed in some room, so they didn't jump him and make everything harder. Though he decided to sneak one of their toys and some pictures Minho had on his drawers to cheer him up a little.

After he had packed most of the things, making sure it wouldn't look suspicious by replacing some of them, he threw all the bags into his car and with a heavy feeling on his chest sped up back to their mansion.

He took out the bags and immediately headed to Minho's room. He knocked and walked in after a soft 'come in' was heard.

Minho raised his eyes to him, quickly wiping away the tears that glistened on his cheeks.

"Hi." Hyunjin forced out a little smile and put down the bags, gaining a confused look from Minho. "What's all this?"

"Some stuff I picked from your place. I packed some pictures and your cats toy as well."

The older's breath hitched. Surely this couldn't be true. Why would he even do such thing? What was the meaning behind all this?

"You did? Hyunjin I-" Minho hurried to the bags and quickly opened them up to be able to get his things back. He quietly gasped as he spotted one of the toys he bought for his kittens. His heart broke at the sight and he pulled the fluffy ball to his chest while his eyes stung with tears. The pain in his chest intensified.

An ugly sob made it past his lips as he was getting more homesick than ever at the memory of his kittens and brother. Just why was Jisung doing this to him? Was it some new kind of torture? What has he ever done to him to deserve to go through such pain? It was painful to have his life ripped out of his arms by force. Maybe he would take it better if they moved to a different continent, but they were minutes away from his home and spots he had visited. Hour at most. He felt lost. His past life so close yet so far away. Nothing felt right anymore.

"Hey, hey don't cry.." Hyunjin's soft voice made him break down even more. It was so unfair and unbearably painful to be away for so long. Why did they do this to him? Was this Jisung's plan all along? Get Minho to soften up to him and then cause him this pain again.

It hurt Hyunjin to see him in that state. He sat down next to Minho, and uncertainly took his free hand into both of his own. "I checked on them, they're doing alright, they're fed and.. and your brother is also alright. I mean, he misses you tons, but he's doing well."

"What?" Minho sobbed with a confused expression and Hyunjin paled, realizing he must've said something he wasn't supposed to.

He met Yongbok?

Oh my god is he in Korea?

No.. no no no, he knows little to nothing in Korean he must be so lost without me

"I was supposed to check on your brother, he's doing alright."

"You saw him?"

Hyunjin's cheeks flushed pink as he felt embarrassed and ashamed of himself. Minho was in so much pain due to not being able to reach out to his brother and there he was, texting and calling with the boy everyday. He did feel selfish, yet he was too scared to even indicate that he's been getting close to him. Way closer than he should, but not as close as he'd like to.

"I- uh.. yeah, kinda.."

Minhos heart broke even more. There's no way- no way that Yongbok's not struggling in Korea without him. Every time they talked they talked in broken konglish, that they both understood perfectly. It was almost like their own language, as the both of them had to get used to their differences.