My one and only // Minsung

Chapter 3: Glass skin

Jisung

Bruises of every hue marred his skin, painting his torso in a sickening tapestry of pain. Jisung stared at the marks in the mirror, his reflection a silent witness to the torment he endured. Each bruise told a story, each one a testament to the violence that had been inflicted upon him. But it wasn't just the bruises that hurt. There was a deeper, more insidious pain that gnawed at him from the inside, one that couldn't be captured by the purples, blues, and yellows of his battered skin.

With a trembling hand, he reached under the sink, retrieving a small, hidden box that he kept tucked away, a secret even from himself at times. The sharp blade inside glinted under the harsh bathroom light, a cold, cruel reminder of the lengths he went to in order to find some semblance of control.

Jisung didn't hesitate as he pressed the blade to his hip, dragging it slowly across his skin. The pain was immediate, sharp and burning, but it was also familiar—almost comforting. Blood welled up from the fresh cut, trickling down in thin rivulets. There was something perversely satisfying about it, something that made him feel, even if just for a moment, like he was the one in control of his pain.

Once the deed was done, he carefully placed the blade back in its box, hiding it away as if it could somehow conceal the turmoil inside him. Slowly, he sank to the floor, his back pressed against the cool tiles, his knees drawn to his chest.

Why me?

What did I do?

I don't deserve this.

The questions echoed in his mind, desperate and pleading. But the answers that followed were sharp, cruel, and unrelenting.

Liar.

This is all your fault.

You're a disgrace.

You're disgusting.

You deserve all of this.

You're so fucked up.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Please, stop!" Jisung cried, his voice hoarse as he begged the voices in his head to leave him alone. But no matter how much he pleaded, they didn't stop. They never did. They were a constant, an ever-present reminder of his worthlessness, his brokenness.

Tears streamed down his face, his sobs echoing off the bathroom walls. His eyes were puffy and red, swollen from the constant crying that seemed to come with no end. It took all his strength just to pull himself off the floor. Stripping off his clothes, he stepped into the shower, turning the water as hot as he could stand.

The scalding water cascaded over him, grazing the fresh cuts scattered across his hips. The pain was a sharp sting, but it was also cleansing, washing away the blood and, for a moment, dulling the ache in his heart. Jisung closed his eyes, letting the water pour over him, hoping it could somehow wash away the voices too, the ones that told him he was worthless.

But the relief was fleeting.

-

"Jisung!" His best friend's voice pierced through the haze that has settled over him, snapping him back to the present. Jisung barely had time to react before Felix, Lee Felix, launched himself into his arms, his excitement palpable.

"Lix!" Jisung yelped quietly, the force of Felix's body colliding with his own sending a jolt of pain through him. The fresh wounds on his hips protested at the sudden pressure and, he hissed under his breath as he gently set Felix down. The pain was a stark reminder of the secrets he carried beneath his clothes, hidden away from the world. Still he forced a smile. "You're full of energy today."

"I had two cups of coffee!" Felix announced , bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eyes wide with excitement.

Jisung couldn't help but giggle at his friend's enthusiasm. "No more coffee for you-" he laughed, watching as Felix's expression morphed into a pout.

"But-" Felix began to protest.

"Nope," Jisung interrupted, shaking his head with a fond smile. "You've got enough energy as it is. You don't need any more."

"Fine." Felix sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes before linking his arm through Jisung's.

As they started walking, Felix tugged on Jisung's arm, pulling him along with a renewed sense of urgency. "We're gonna be late for class, c'mon!"

Jisung allowed himself to be led, falling into step beside Felix as they hurried towards their classroom. Despite the pain still gnawing at him, despite the voices that continued to whisper in the back of his mind, there was something comforting about being with Felix. His best friend's boundless energy and infectious smile had a way of brightening even Jisung's darkest days.

But even as they walked together, arm in arm, Jisung couldn't shake the feeling that he was being a tightrope, precariously balancing between the life he presented to the world and the turmoil that raged inside him. Felix was a light in the darkness, but the darkness was still there, lurking just beneath the surface.

As the entered the classroom, Felix chattering away about something or other, Jisung forced himself to focus on the present, to push the voices back down where they couldn't hurt him. He had become a master of hiding his pain, of pretending everything was okay. But deep down, he knew the truth. The pain, the self-loathing, the voices—they were always there waiting for the moment when he was alone again, when the facade would crumble, and the darkness would consume him once more.

For now, though, Jisung smiled. He laughed at Felix's jokes and listened to his stories. He pushed the pain aside, burying it deep where no one could see. Because that was the only way he knew how to survive.

-

Decided to edit the story a little, not much just tried to one up my own word game :)

Anyways, I hope y'all are doing good..
take care<3

-linny