"Hyunwoo...Shin Hyunwoo.." Seokmin’s eyes darkened, flickering to Joshua, who sat on the couch, now still and quiet.
The cookies that had brought them laughter moments ago lay untouched, the warmth of their playful exchange evaporating.
Seokmin’s gaze remained locked on Joshua, his arms hugging the plushie close to his chest.
“He was nice... handsome, too,” Joshua whispered, his voice trembling.
He felt a chill crawl over his skin, tightening his throat, the weight of the past pressing down harder than it had in years.
It felt so recent, as if Hyunwoo’s memory had just resurfaced, turning his heart to lead.
Seokmin’s chest clenched, his jaw rigid. The distance between them felt suffocating.
Without a word, he crossed the space, sitting beside Joshua and reaching for his hand. “You don’t have to talk about this now. Only when you're ready, sunshine. Don’t force yourself.”
His hand cradled Joshua’s face, his thumb brushing against his cheek as Joshua’s teary eyes met his.
“I want to,” Joshua’s voice came out strained, almost desperate. He needed to prove to Seokmin that he could handle it, that he was ready to confront it.
He couldn’t bear to be shut out again. That silence... that void... it had been suffocating.
“I’m ready,” Joshua insisted, though his voice wavered. Seokmin stayed quiet, his fingers tracing the curve of Joshua’s cheekbone.
Whoever this Hyunwoo was, Seokmin thought darkly, he would make sure the man regretted every breath that brought him close to Joshua.
If Hyunwoo ever dared to come near again, Seokmin wouldn’t hesitate—he’d make sure the man paid, over and over, until he learned never to even think about Joshua again.
Joshua trembled beneath Seokmin’s touch, the vulnerability in his eyes evident.
Seokmin’s thumb never left his cheek, gentle yet commanding, as if silently promising that no harm would reach him—not now, not ever.
The soft pressure of Seokmin’s hand against Joshua’s face calmed his trembling breath, but the storm of emotions between them surged stronger.
“I wasn’t enough for him.” Joshua’s voice broke, the words spilling out before he could stop them.
His grip on the plushie tightened, knuckles pale, the past rushing back. “Hyunwoo... he made me feel like I wasn’t enough.”
Seokmin’s chest tightened further, fury bubbling beneath his calm exterior. His other hand found Joshua’s, gently prying it away from the plushie and holding it with a firm yet comforting grip.
He hated seeing Joshua like this—so fragile, his usual strength drained by a man who didn’t deserve to exist in his memory.
“Joshua,” Seokmin whispered, his voice low, almost a growl, “he didn’t deserve you.” His words dripped with quiet rage, but his touch remained soft, his thumb brushing over the back of Joshua’s hand. “He never did.”
Joshua’s lips parted, a small sound escaping him, but he said nothing. His heart felt heavy, but Seokmin’s presence grounded him. It was the only thing holding him together.
He knew that Seokmin would never lie to him—Seokmin, who always protected him, who would burn the world for him if it meant keeping him safe.
“I... I was stupid,” Joshua whispered, eyes welling up. “I thought I could fix things. I thought if I loved him more—”
YOU ARE READING
Arrange Devotion | SS
FanfictionBOOK #2 They say love heals scars, but Seokmin's scars were lessons-bitter reminders that twisted him into a creature of darkness. His life was a series of brutal lessons that shaped him into someone who burns with an unquenchable fire. Protecting...
