just pretend.

6.

His head rested on Seungmin’s shoulder, lazily skimming through the words of the book the younger one was holding. He had started to depend on Seungmin, feeling like he had to be around him just to feel alright and he knew he would miss that feeling as soon as he got out of the hospital. The thought of leaving the hospital and missing this sense of security weighed heavily on him. A silhouette appeared in the corner of his vision and he locked eyes with Jisung, sitting upright in an instant. “Hannie?”, he hushed and stood up, blinking at him in disbelief. He looked at Seungmin, watching him put his book aside and stand up, clearing his throat. “I'll give you some privacy”, Seungmin muttered, his hand brushing over Minho’s waist and lower stomach in a way that sent a shiver down his spine, leaving a burning desire for his touch lingering. He thought he saw a flicker of jealousy in Jisung’s eyes, pushing the absurd thought away. “I didn’t think you’d visit me again”, he mumbled, eyes wandering over Jisung’s body. He was wearing a black see-through button up shirt and black jeans, the sight made Minho’s head spin a little. “I wanted to talk to you about something”, Jisung answered, not taking his eyes off Seungmin. Minho turned around and saw Seungmin sitting at a table with Nari, handing out cards for a game. Seungmin glanced over his shoulder, their eyes meeting briefly before Seungmin gave Minho a cheeky smile that made his cheeks flush, and he cleared his throat before turning back to Jisung. “Do you wanna go outside?”, he asked finally, locking eyes with Jisung. Jisung nodded and followed him out on the terrace, placing a small freezer bag in the middle of a table. “I got you some cake from the bakery I work at”, Jisung said, unzipping the black bag to reveal the cake inside. Minho watched him, but his thoughts were elsewhere, remembering the tension of their last conversation. “But you didn’t come to celebrate”, Minho said bitterly, the reminder of their previous encounter hanging heavily between them. He felt a knot tighten in his stomach, unsure of what Jisung wanted to talk about but fearing it wouldn’t be pleasant. The sight of Jisung, here and now, stirred up emotions Minho wasn’t sure he was ready to face.

“No”, Jisung replied, his voice carrying a weight that made Minho’s chest tighten. He sat down, biting the inside of his cheek. “You moved away?”, Minho asked, noting the new address under the bakery logo on the box. Jisung nodded silently, opening the lid of the box and carefully handing Minho a fork. Minho hesitated, his appetite overshadowed by the uneasy feeling that had settled in his gut. “I needed to get away from my parents”, Jisung admitted, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of him stuffing his mouth with cheesecake. The quiet hum of contentment that followed was so familiar, it made Minho’s heart ache. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Jisung’s puffed cheeks, resisting the urge to reach out and poke them like he used to. Minho took a small bite of the cake, the crumbly cookie base dissolving on his tongue and blending with the rich, creamy filling. “Did you bake this?”, he asked, nodding in approval as the flavors melded together. “I did”, Jisung chuckled, taking another large bite. “It’s really good, Jisungie”, Minho said, using the nickname out of habit. The effect was immediate; Jisung froze mid-bite, making Minho swallow hard as the word had caught them both off guard. “Your parents must have been angry at you for moving so far away”, he added in an attempt to change the topic, trying not to sound too desperate. “They were fuming”, Jisung said with a half-hearted chuckle, shrugging his shoulders as if trying to downplay the weight of his words. But then, his expression softened, a wave of sadness clouding his eyes. “I really wanted to help you, Minho”, he confessed, the sincerity in his voice tugging at Minho’s heartstrings. “I know”, Minho replied softly, his earlier bitterness dissipating. Jisung’s earnestness was disarming, and Minho felt a rush of guilt for how he had snapped at him before. Jisung looked down, seeming almost fragile as he continued, “I saw your notes and the evidence.” The words hung in the air like a dark cloud. Minho’s heart skipped a beat as he realized how much Jisung had uncovered. Jisung looked up at him with an expression that was almost pitiful, like a guilty dog expecting to be scolded. The sight made Minho’s resolve crumble. He closed the distance between them and pulled Jisung into a tight hug, holding on longer than he intended. “Nosy as always”, he teased, trying to lighten the mood even as his leg bounced nervously under the table, betraying the anxiety simmering beneath the surface. Jisung pulled out his phone, placing it on the table between them. The screen lit up, displaying a picture of Jisung’s family, an image Minho was all too familiar with. “You wrote that-”, Jisung started, his voice faltering as he struggled to find the right words, shaking his head slightly. “That I think they’re responsible for your brother’s death?”, Minho finished the sentence for him with a quiet intensity. Jisung’s eyes darkened, gleaming with a mixture of anger and hurt that made Minho’s stomach twist. The silence that followed was suffocating.