𝑺𝒆𝒆𝑲 | ʰʸᵘⁿʰᵒ

𝟸𝟻

♪ D5, A4, B♭ ~ G4, F5, G5 ... ♪

ㅤ

Sitting there, on the small wooden seat in front of this old dusty piano, Hyunjin sighed.

The silence rocked him in its arms like a mother wanting to comfort her child.

He stared at the white and black keys for a long time, running his index finger over them without breaking the silence.

He couldn't finish the melody he had created while thinking of the young boy with heart-shaped lips.

As if something was missing for him to finish it.

He stayed there for long minutes, trying to imagine a continuation of what his heart wanted to express, until a noise pulled him out of his thoughts.

There had just been a knock at the door.

Hyunjin turned his head towards the half-open door of the room he was in and his eyes fell on the one to whom he dedicated this melody.

His heart raced in his chest and, his cheeks pink, he stood up from the bench, smiling embarrassedly at the smaller one.

– Minho! What are you doing here?

The brunet walked towards the dark-haired boy, a curious look and a small amused smile on his face.

– I stopped by to make sure you were okay. I heard you got into a fight with one of the other boys and... I wanted to help and change your mind.

Hyunjin sighed at his words. He looked away for a moment, embarrassed to have drawn so much attention.

– I also heard you were the one who threw the first punch... Is there a reason why you did it?

– I don’t think you wanna know...

– Yes, I do want to know. It’s the first time something happens here. Usually nothing ever happens here, and if it concerns you, then yes, I wanna know everything.

Once next to the piano, Minho slid his fingers on its lid, creating lines by collecting dust on it.

No one in the orphanage used this piano. It had been abandoned in this storage room where some bed frames and mattresses were lying around.

The room was quite large and the sound could not escape its walls. It was the ideal place to calm down, to get away from reality for a moment.

– Hm... Okay, I did throw the first punch.

– But why?

Hyunjin's gaze transformed as his pupils met those of the brown-haired boy.

– Minho, he was making fun of you behind your back.

Surprised, he arched an eyebrow and answered with an astonished, albeit vexed look.

– And what did he say about me?

– I'd rather spare you these details, Min'. I gave him a lesson, end of discussion.

Hyunjin rested his forearms on the piano lid while watching the smallest sit down on the seat. He didn't wonder why he didn't feel guilty for hitting him so violently, no. He felt... appeased to have made him understand that he shouldn't attack the boy he loved and wanted to protect.

– I see, I see...

Minho pressed a few white keys on the keyboard to make the sound they produced rise into the air.

Seeing that Hyunjin didn't want to talk about it anymore, he simply changed the subject while smiling again.

– Say, what song were you playing before I came in?