Always is a Promise {Minsung}

Chapter 16

The dorm laid still in the dead of the night, save for the occasional creak of the bed frame or the wind hitting the building. Everyone was sound asleep in the dead of night, all awaiting the long day of school ahead of them.

Everyone but Jisung.

Jisung was wide awake, sitting at his desk as he stared out the window at the dark sky, a frown growing deeper on his face with each passing second. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that rested in him, tugging at his thoughts and keeping sleep at bay.

He stared out the window into the dark abyss, clouds covering the stars and moon. With a deep sigh, he leaned back into his desk chair, averting his gaze to the bed that was next to him where Minho lay peacefully, unaware of Jisung's restlessness. Minho stirred slightly in his sleep, mumbling a soft something in his sleep as if sensing Jisung's lingering gaze. Jisung couldn't help but smile at Minho's sleep-talking, finding small comfort in his sleepy ramblings.

Staying awake wasn't helping him solve whatever was bothering him. He looked back out the window, searching for answers in the darkness that enveloped the night sky.

He stood up, carefully to not let the chair squeak, and left the room. The dorm was still dark, as if he was the only thing in the night awake and alive. His eyes, already adjusted to the dark room, walked to the bathroom and turned the light on. He squinted against the bright light, closing the door behind him as he stepped into the small bathroom.

He stared into the mirror and examined his own reflection, trying to read the emotions in his eyes. His face scrunched up, grabbing the collar of his shirt and moving it to reveal more of his neck. The place where his hickeys, if he could even call them that, were long gone, being only a feeling stuck in his mind. The soft glow of the bathroom light reflected on Jisung's face as he traced where the marks were once laid.

Arguably, the most romantic thing Minho has ever done to him.

Moving away from the mirror, he opened a drawer and pulled out his toothbrush. Had he already brushed his teeth for the night? Yes, but he felt dirty regardless. As he brushed his teeth, his mind continued to race with thoughts and worries. He didn't even know what they were anymore, racing in and out so fast that they blurred into a chaotic mess of anxieties and doubts. He rinsed his mouth and splashed cold water on his face, hoping to snap himself out of the whirlwind of thoughts.

Fuck.

He felt lonely.

So damn lonely.

He could have reached out to someone, but the fear of burdening them with his problems held him back. It seemed like everyone else just had worse issues than him just being lonely. Yes, he had many friends, but it constantly seemed like they were one problem away from not being friends.

Minho still wasn't talking to Seungmin. Seungmin would try, but Minho wouldn't say anything. Felix and Chan still weren't back on talking terms since their argument. Jeongin seemed distant to everyone, especially Changbin. Hyunjin was acting weird towards Seungmin.

The many unresolved conflicts among their friends weighed heavily on Jisung's mind, adding to his sense of loneliness and isolation. He couldn't just approach someone and spill all his insecurities, not when everyone else seemed like they had something going on.

The fall break felt like hell. For once, he was happy to be going back to school. The last week zoomed by him so fast he barely felt it past. Now he had to sleep, but could he?

He pushed away from the countertop, wiping his mouth before turning off the light to the bathroom. He stumbled his way through the dark, his eyes having grown adjusted to the bright bathroom light, before finding himself inside his bedroom. The clouds covering the moon had moved, illuminating the room enough for him not to fall.