𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝑆 • 𝑀𝐼𝑁𝑆𝑈𝑁𝐺

𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝑆 12 ☆

☆ Song recommendation:
"All to me" by Giveon

Three days. Three days had passed since the incident between Jisung and Minho, and neither of them had dared to speak to the other. Whenever they found themselves in the same place, they would sit next to each other in a strained, uncomfortable silence that was impossible to ignore.

Today, it was especially noticeable at the table where their group of eight friends was having lunch during their break. Minho sat on one side with Changbin, Chan, and Jeongin. Jisung was on the opposite side with Felix, Seungmin, and Hyunjin. The table buzzed with the usual banter and laughter, but while everyone else was engaged in conversation, Minho and Jisung stared at their trays, lost in their own thoughts.

The distance between them wasn't just physical—it was a palpable tension that hung in the air, making everyone around them uneasy, even if they didn't fully understand why.

"Okay, but seriously, if you had to choose between talking to animals or being invisible, what would you pick?" Hyunjin asked, his eyes widening as he leaned forward, clearly invested in the debate.

Felix immediately brightened, ready to jump in. "Talking to animals, of course! Imagine the conversations you could have with a dog—no more guessing why they're barking at nothing!"

Hyunjin gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "But what if the animals have secrets they're hiding from us? What if your dog knows something about you that you don't even know?"

Felix looked genuinely intrigued. "Like what? That he would be secretly judging my taste in music?"

Seungmin smirked, joining the conversation. "More like he would be planning an escape route because you keep playing the same song on repeat."

Felix rolled his eyes. "He would like my playlists, okay?"

Changbin, chuckling, shook his head. "I'm still all in for invisibility. You could sneak into a movie theater, watch whatever you want for free, and no one would ever know."

"Bitch," Felix interjected with a sly grin, "you just want to sneak into a bakery and eat all the bagels without paying."

Changbin's eyes lit up. "Exactly! Imagine the possibilities—free bagels for life!"

Hyunjin's face suddenly turned serious, his voice dropping to a low, dramatic tone. "But think about the moral implications of being invisible. What if you accidentally overheard something you weren't meant to hear? Or what if you couldn't turn back to being visible and were stuck like that forever?"

Seungmin laughed, shaking his head. "Only you, Hyunjin, would turn a fun question into a philosophical dilemma."

Hyunjin shrugged, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I'm just saying, there's more to it than you think!"

The conversation flowed, full of exaggerated scenarios and laughter, each of them getting more and more ridiculous with their what-ifs. But in the midst of all the playful banter, it was hard to ignore the stark silence between Minho and Jisung.

After a while, Jeongin, always observant, glanced between the two, noticing their unusual quietness. "Hey, Minho-hyung, Jisung, you two have been really quiet. What's up? You both okay?"

Minho stiffened slightly, his eyes still fixed on his tray. "I'm fine. Just... need some air." Without waiting for a response, he pushed his chair back and stood up, walking away from the table.

Jisung looked up, startled by Minho's sudden exit. The table fell silent, all eyes on him. Feeling the weight of their stares, he quickly added, "I, uh, need to use the bathroom." He stood up as well, following Minho's lead and leaving the table.