Beyond the Surface|| minsung

The Weight of Secrets

Days turned into weeks, and the project that initially brought Minho and Jisung together was nearing completion. With each passing day, Minho felt the invisible thread connecting them grow stronger. Jisung had become more open during their conversations, though Minho could still sense the underlying tension in him. It was as if Jisung was constantly holding something back, afraid to let go entirely.

Minho found himself thinking about Jisung more often, wondering how he was doing when they weren't together. He wanted to be there for him, to help shoulder whatever burdens Jisung was carrying, but he also knew that Jisung needed to come to him on his own terms.

One day after school, they were sitting in the library, finishing up the final touches on their poetry analysis. The soft hum of the air conditioning filled the silence between them, mingling with the rustle of pages turning and the occasional cough from a nearby student.

Jisung was unusually quiet, even by his standards. His fingers were curled tightly around his pen, his knuckles white with tension. Minho could tell that something was bothering him, but he didn't want to push too hard.

"Jisung, are you okay?" Minho asked, keeping his voice gentle.

Jisung didn't look up, his gaze fixed on the paper in front of him. "I'm fine," he murmured, but Minho could hear the strain in his voice.

Minho frowned, knowing that Jisung wasn't telling the truth. "You know you can talk to me, right? I'm not just saying that. I really mean it."

Jisung's grip on the pen tightened, and for a moment, Minho thought he wasn't going to respond. But then Jisung let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"It's just... everything feels so overwhelming," Jisung admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to handle it all. Sometimes, it feels like I'm drowning."

Minho's heart clenched at the raw honesty in Jisung's words. He wanted to reach out, to take Jisung's hand and offer some form of comfort, but he wasn't sure if Jisung was ready for that kind of contact. Instead, he leaned in slightly, trying to make sure that Jisung knew he was there, truly listening.

"What can I do to help?" Minho asked, his voice soft but filled with determination. "You don't have to go through this alone."

Jisung looked up at him, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I don't even know where to start," he said, his voice trembling. "There's just... so much."

Minho could see the pain etched into Jisung's features, the weight of whatever he was carrying threatening to crush him. It was heartbreaking to witness, and Minho felt a surge of protectiveness that he hadn't expected.

"Take your time," Minho urged gently. "You don't have to tell me everything all at once. Just know that I'm here for you, whenever you're ready."

Jisung nodded, his lower lip quivering as he tried to hold back his emotions. For a moment, it seemed like he was about to say something more, but then he shook his head, looking away as he wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I'm sorry," Jisung whispered, his voice cracking. "I don't want to be like this. I hate it."

Minho's heart broke at the self-loathing in Jisung's voice. He wanted to tell him that it was okay, that everyone had their struggles, but he knew that words alone wouldn't be enough. Jisung needed more than just reassurance—he needed someone who would stand by him, no matter what.

"Don't apologize," Minho said firmly. "You don't have to apologize for how you feel. It's okay to be struggling. It's okay to not be okay."

Jisung looked at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and sadness. "I'm just... scared," he admitted. "I don't know if I can keep doing this. Everything feels so hopeless sometimes."

Minho's chest tightened at the despair in Jisung's voice. He could see how much pain Jisung was in, and it terrified him to think that Jisung might be slipping further into that darkness.

"Jisung," Minho began, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his heart, "you're stronger than you think. I know things are hard right now, but you don't have to face it alone. I'm here, and I want to help you through this. Whatever it takes."

Jisung's eyes widened slightly at Minho's words, as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. For a moment, Minho thought he saw a glimmer of hope in Jisung's eyes, but it quickly faded, replaced by the familiar look of uncertainty.

"I don't know if I deserve that," Jisung whispered, his voice barely audible.

Minho's heart ached at the self-doubt in Jisung's words. He wanted to shake Jisung, to make him see how much he mattered, how much he deserved to be loved and cared for. But he knew that Jisung's wounds ran deep, and it would take time for him to heal.

"You do deserve it," Minho said, his voice firm. "You deserve to be happy, to feel like you're worth something. And I'm going to do everything I can to help you see that."

Jisung didn't respond, but Minho could see the conflict in his eyes, the battle between his fear and the part of him that desperately wanted to believe Minho's words.

They sat in silence for a while, the weight of the conversation hanging heavily between them. Minho didn't push for more, knowing that Jisung needed time to process everything. Instead, he focused on being there, on making sure that Jisung knew he wasn't alone.

Finally, Jisung broke the silence, his voice trembling with uncertainty. "Do you ever feel like you're just... pretending? Like you're not really the person everyone thinks you are?"

Minho frowned, taken aback by the question. "Sometimes," he admitted after a moment. "I think everyone feels that way at some point. It's hard to live up to other people's expectations, especially when they don't really know what's going on inside."

Jisung nodded slowly, his gaze distant. "I feel like I'm always pretending," he said quietly. "Like I'm wearing a mask, and no one knows the real me. And the truth is... I don't even know if I know the real me anymore."

Minho's heart ached at the vulnerability in Jisung's voice. He could see how much Jisung was struggling, how lost he felt. It made Minho want to do something, anything, to help him find his way back to himself.

"You don't have to pretend with me," Minho said softly. "I want to know the real you, Jisung. Whatever that means, whoever you are—I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Jisung looked at him, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and longing. "But what if you don't like what you find?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Minho shook his head, his gaze steady. "That's not going to happen. I care about you, Jisung. All of you. Whatever you're going through, whatever you're dealing with—it doesn't change how I feel."

Jisung stared at him, his expression unreadable. For a moment, Minho wondered if he had said too much, if he had pushed too hard. But then Jisung's eyes softened, and he let out a shaky breath, as if he was finally letting go of something he had been holding onto for too long.

"Thank you," Jisung whispered, his voice filled with a mix of relief and exhaustion. "I... I don't know what I'd do without you."

Minho felt a surge of emotion at Jisung's words. He wanted to reach out, to pull Jisung into a hug and tell him that everything was going to be okay. But he knew that Jisung wasn't ready for that kind of closeness, so he settled for giving him a reassuring smile.

"You're not alone," Minho said, his voice steady. "You never have to be alone again."

Jisung nodded, a small, tentative smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give Minho hope that they were moving in the right direction.

As they packed up their things and left the library, Minho couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there—a newfound closeness, a deeper understanding.

Minho knew that they still had a long way to go, that Jisung's journey was far from over. But for the first time, he felt like they were truly in it together, like they were starting to break down the walls that had kept Jisung trapped in his own darkness.

And Minho was determined to be there for every step of the way.