SKINNY || HYUNHO

XVI

The end of winter break marked the return to school, a prospect that filled Hyunjin with dread. He had barely spoken to Chan or Minho since their explosive argument, their interactions reduced to terse text messages. The weight of their unresolved conflict hung heavy on him, but he lacked the energy to confront it. The combination of insufficient food, lack of sleep, and increasingly negative thoughts had taken a severe toll on his mental and physical health. He felt trapped in a spiral of despair, where every day was a struggle just to get out of bed.

Hyunjin's reflection in the mirror told a troubling story. His weight had plummeted alarmingly fast, the bones in his wrists becoming more pronounced. Yet, when he looked at himself, all he saw was a body that was still too large. His obsession with losing weight had consumed him entirely, blinding him to the reality of his deteriorating health.

On the first day back at school, Hyunjin tried to blend into the background, keeping his head down and avoiding eye contact. He made his way to his locker, only to freeze in his tracks when he saw Minho and Jisung talking animatedly nearby. Their interaction was warm and affectionate, Jisung's laugh ringing out as he leaned against Minho's locker. Hyunjin's heart clenched painfully at the sight. He was hopelessly in love with Minho, yet it was clear that Minho's attention was focused elsewhere.

Hyunjin wished desperately that he could be like Jisung: perfect, beautiful, social, and charismatic. He felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy and self-loathing, which only deepened his desire to disappear.

Determined to avoid any confrontation, Hyunjin ducked into an empty classroom. He leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths to steady himself. But fate had other plans. Just as he thought he had successfully evaded Minho, the door creaked open and Minho stepped inside, his eyes locking onto Hyunjin immediately.

"Hyunjin, we need to talk," Minho said, his tone brooking no argument.

Hyunjin's pulse quickened. "I don't think now is a good time, Minho," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

Minho crossed his arms, a determined look on his face. "I've been trying to talk to you for weeks. We can't keep avoiding this."

Hyunjin sighed, knowing there was no escaping this conversation. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"

Minho took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "I'm worried about you. You've been acting strange, and you're clearly not taking care of yourself."

Hyunjin's defenses went up immediately. "I'm fine, Minho. You don't need to worry about me."

"Don't lie to me," Minho said sharply. "You're not fine. I can see it in your eyes, in the way you've lost so much weight. Something is wrong, and you need to talk about it."

Hyunjin felt a surge of anger and frustration. "Why do you care all of a sudden? You've been too busy with Jisung to even notice what's going on with me."

Minho's eyes narrowed. "What does Jisung have to do with this? This is about you and me."

Hyunjin scoffed. "Clearly, Jisung is more important to you than I am. Why are you even here?"

Minho's expression hardened. "Right now, I'm here with you, not Jisung. We're talking about you, Hyunjin."

Hyunjin's temper flared. "Oh, really? Like you were with me at the party? You left me alone, Minho. For Jisung."

Minho's face flushed with anger. "Why do you hate Jisung so much?"

Hyunjin shot back, "Why do you hate Chan so much?"

The room fell silent, the tension between them palpable. Minho's frustration boiled over, and he took a step closer, his voice low and angry. "Why are you acting like this, Hyunjin? What's your problem with Jisung?"

Hyunjin felt the pressure build inside him, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "Because I'm in love with you, Minho!"

Minho stood there, stunned into silence. Hyunjin's heart pounded in his chest as he realized what he had just confessed. His eyes filled with tears, and he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Without waiting for a response, Hyunjin fled the room, his vision blurred by tears. He rushed to the nearest bathroom, barely making it to a stall before he started to vomit. His body heaved, expelling nothing but bile as he sobbed uncontrollably. The pain of his unrequited love, the humiliation of his confession, and the overwhelming sense of worthlessness consumed him.

Hyunjin sank to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest. He cried until there were no tears left, his body shaking with silent sobs. The bathroom echoed with his anguish, a testament to the depth of his despair.