Fleeting Hearts|| minsung

6: Cracks in the Surface

The days after Minho's conversation with Changbin were uncomfortable, to say the least. While Changbin had said he needed time, it seemed like the more time passed, the further he distanced himself from both Minho and Jisung. He was still around, still a part of the group, but there was a noticeable difference in the way he acted. Conversations with him became clipped, and he seemed to make a conscious effort to avoid being left alone with either of them.

Jisung noticed it, too. He tried to brush it off at first, telling Minho that Changbin was just adjusting, that it would blow over soon. But as the weeks went on, the tension grew, and Jisung's optimism started to crack.

Minho hated seeing it. Jisung was always the one who brought light to every room he walked into, his laughter contagious and his energy boundless. But now, that spark seemed to be dimming, and Minho didn't know how to bring it back.

One evening, after an exhausting day of practice, Minho and Jisung found themselves alone in the music room. Jisung was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall, staring blankly at the notebook in his lap. His guitar was beside him, untouched.

Minho sat down next to him, the quiet between them feeling heavier than usual.

"Hey," Minho said softly, nudging Jisung's knee with his own. "You okay?"

Jisung didn't answer right away. He stared down at the notebook, his brow furrowed in frustration. "I don't know. I feel like everything's just... off."

Minho knew exactly what he meant. "Yeah, I've been feeling it too."

Jisung let out a heavy sigh, finally closing the notebook and setting it aside. "I thought things would get easier once we stopped hiding. But it's like everything's gotten harder instead."

Minho leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment. He had been thinking the same thing for a while now. The decision to be open about their relationship had felt right at the time, but now, it was starting to feel like the world was pushing back against them.

"I don't regret it, though," Minho said quietly, opening his eyes to look at Jisung. "Being with you like this... it's worth it. Even if things are hard right now."

Jisung's eyes softened, a small, tired smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I don't regret it either. I just wish... I don't know, I wish people could just be happy for us. Or at least not make it weird."

"Changbin?" Minho asked, already knowing the answer.

Jisung nodded, his smile fading. "Yeah. I mean, I get that it's new for him. But it's like he's not even trying. And that hurts, you know? We've been friends for so long, and now it's like everything's changed."

Minho reached over, gently taking Jisung's hand in his. "I talked to him. He said he just needs time to figure things out."

"How much time?" Jisung asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "It's been weeks, Minho. And every day, he pulls further away."

Minho didn't have an answer for that. He had been trying to give Changbin space, to let him come around on his own terms, but he couldn't deny that it was starting to wear on him, too. Changbin's coldness was affecting not just them, but the entire group. Everyone felt the shift, even if they weren't saying it out loud.

Jisung squeezed Minho's hand, his expression softening as he looked at him. "I don't want this to ruin everything. I don't want us to lose our friends because of this."

"We won't," Minho said firmly, though he wasn't entirely sure if he believed it. "They'll come around. Changbin will come around. We just have to give it a little more time."