By The Window | YeonBin

eleven

Yeonjun's new routine had become a series of late-night gatherings with Mingi and his friends. It was an escape from the suffocating atmosphere at home and a distraction from the heavy feelings that clung to him.

Tonight, Yeonjun finds himself on another random rooftop again, with the same crowd he has been hanging out with.

Mingi, Yunho, Yeosang, and Seonghwa are sprawled out on old crates and makeshift seating, laughing and talking animatedly. There were also a couple of new faces that Yeonjun has been seeing lately, Hyunjin, Han, Minho, and Changbin.

The smell of cigarettes lingers, but tonight, there's an additional sharp scent in the air—

alcohol.

Mingi waves a bottle of whiskey with a grin. "You ever tried this, Yeonjun?"

Yeonjun looks at the bottle with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "No, not really."

Hyunjin chuckles, handing Yeonjun a small glass. "First time for everything. It'll help you loosen up. Just don't overdo it."

Yeonjun hesitates before accepting the glass. He watches as Mingi pours a generous amount of whiskey into it, the liquid glinting ominously under the dim lights of the rooftop.

"So, what's your story, man?" Seonghwa asks, taking a sip from his own glass. "You seem like you've got a lot going on."

Yeonjun shrugs, trying to push away the swirling thoughts in his mind. "Just trying to figure things out. Things at home are... complicated."

Mingi raises his glass in a mock toast. "To figuring things out, then. Cheers."

Yeonjun clinks his glass against Mingi's and takes a cautious sip. The whiskey burns his throat as it goes down, and he winces slightly. The warmth spreads through him, a stark contrast to the cold, numbing feelings he's been struggling with.

"So, what about your family life, Yeonjun?" Minho, or Leeknow as they call him, asks casually, seeming genuinely interested.

Yeonjun's face tightens, but he masks it with a shrug. "It's... not great. My dad's never around, and my mom's too caught up in her own stuff to notice me."

The group nods in understanding, and Mingi pours another round. "You know, sometimes you just need to let loose and not think about it all. Drink up~"

Yeonjun takes another, larger gulp, the alcohol dulling the edge of his emotions. He feels a slight buzz starting to take hold, and for the first time in a while, he feels a bit lighter. The worries his family fade into the background as the whiskey does its work.

Another thing also slipped away from his mind. Soobin. That boy has been captivating his mind lately, which makes him feel these new confusing emotions that he really wants to erase.

The evening continues with laughter and music, the alcohol helping to numb the persistent ache in Yeonjun's chest. He gets more relaxed, joining in the conversation and forgetting, if only temporarily, the weight of his problems.

As the night wears on, Yeonjun finds himself more intoxicated, the space around him spinning slightly. He leans against a wall, feeling the effects of the alcohol more intensely now.

Mingi and his friends keep the atmosphere light and carefree, making sure Yeonjun stays in good spirits.

But as Yeonjun looks around at the faces of his new friends, a small part of him feels a tinge of guilt. He knows this isn't a real solution to his problems.

Yet, for now, this is his escape, a way to drown all the pain and confusion that he can't seem to shake.

___________

Days blurred together for Yeonjun. The rooftop gatherings, the drinking, the cigarettes—they became his new normal.

With every passing night, it got easier to push aside thoughts of home, of Soobin, and even of Taehyun. It was easier to numb everything than face it head-on.

At school, Yeonjun's absence was felt, though he barely noticed. He stopped sitting with his usual friends during lunch, instead choosing to hang around the back of the school, sometimes with Mingi or Hyunjin. Other times, he was alone, his headphones drowning out the world as he sank deeper into his own mess.

Meanwhile, Taehyun was growing frustrated. He had tried talking to Yeonjun, but every time he reached out, Yeonjun gave some half-hearted excuse.

The once tight-knit friendship between them felt strained now. Taehyun had confided in Beomgyu about Yeonjun's distance, but even Beomgyu was at a loss.

"I don't know what's up with him lately," Taehyun muttered, stirring his drink absentmindedly. "It's like he's shutting everyone out."

Beomgyu, sitting across from him, frowned, he couldn't stand looking at his boyfriend so frustrated like this. "Do you think it's just stress? I mean, he's always been a little closed off, but this feels different."

"It is different," Taehyun replied with a sigh. "He's never disappeared like this. He's always been there, even if he doesn't talk much. But now... he's just gone."

Their conversation was interrupted by Soobin, who slid into the seat next to Beomgyu, his expression unusually serious. "Yeonjun?" he asked quietly.

Beomgyu nodded. "Yeah, he's been acting weird lately."

Soobin bit his lip, his concern evident. He had noticed it too—how Yeonjun seemed to be pulling away, isolating himself more and more. Every time they passed each other in the halls, Soobin could feel the distance between them growing, even though they had never been that close to begin with.

He hated it. He hated the thought of Yeonjun slipping away, and the fact that he didn't know how to help.

"He's been hanging out with those guys," Soobin said, his voice quieter than usual. "Mingi, Yunho, and the others. I don't really know them, but... it's like he's trying to escape something."

Taehyun frowned, tapping his fingers on the table in frustration. "Well, whatever it is, he won't talk about it. I've tried."

"Maybe it's not something he can talk about," Beomgyu said softly. He shared a quick glance with Taehyun, knowing full well that Yeonjun's home life wasn't exactly a topic of casual conversation. He had heard bits and pieces over the years, but Yeonjun had always been private about it.

Soobin clenched his fists under the table, his mind racing. He had no idea how bad things were for Yeonjun at home, but his gut told him it wasn't good. And now, seeing him drift further away, hanging out with people who didn't seem to care about him the way Taehyun and Beomgyu did—it made Soobin feel powerless.

"What if... what if he just doesn't want us to help?" Soobin asked hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I mean, I don't want to push him away even more by trying to get involved."

Taehyun sighed, leaning back in his chair. "That's the tricky part. If we push too hard, he'll just close off even more. But if we don't do anything..." His voice trailed off, the unspoken worry hanging in the air.

Beomgyu reached out and gave Taehyun's hand a reassuring squeeze. "We'll figure it out."

Soobin, however, felt a sense of helplessness settle over him. He wanted to help Yeonjun, to be there for him.

But how could he do that if Yeonjun was determined to push everyone away?

____________

a.n.

Me: I should stop writing stuff that makes my heart ache and make me teary eyed.
Also me: Let's separate him from the actual people who love him!

Anyways, I'm on semester break right now, I have a lot of drafts, you know what that means 😙 i'm gonna publish left and right, to my heart's content.