Hidden Melodies (Minsung)

10. On The Edge Of Goodbye

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The dorm was eerily quiet, save for the muffled sounds of the group in the living room.

Minho and Jisung stood alone in the kitchen, the tension between them thick like a storm ready to break.

They hadn't spoken properly in days, their once quiet moments now punctuated with awkward silences and sidelong glances. The weight of everything-of their secret, their fear-was slowly suffocating them.

It had been building up for weeks, and tonight, the pressure finally broke.

Jisung leaned against the counter, arms crossed tightly over his chest, trying to keep himself from trembling. He could feel the anger rolling off Minho in waves, and it made his heart race with a mix of fear and anticipation. He hated this, hated the way they had been drifting apart, but he had no idea how to fix it.

Minho stood a few feet away, his jaw clenched and eyes dark with frustration. His usually soft gaze was hardened, filled with something Jisung couldn't quite place-something sharp, dangerous.

"You've been avoiding me," Minho's voice came out low and rough, sending a shiver down Jisung's spine. It wasn't a question; it was a statement, an accusation. "You won't even look at me anymore."

Jisung swallowed hard, his throat tight. "I'm not avoiding you," he muttered, his voice weaker than he intended. He knew it was a lie.

Minho's eyes narrowed, and in two swift steps, he was in front of Jisung, his presence overwhelming. "Don't lie to me, Jisung," he growled, his voice dropping to a dangerously low register. "I'm not stupid. You're shutting me out, and you think I don't notice?"

Jisung flinched at the intensity of Minho's words, but something inside him stirred. His own frustration-his own fear-began to rise, pushing back against the heavy weight of Minho's anger. "What do you want me to say, Minho?" he snapped, his voice louder than before, more defensive. "That I'm scared? That I don't know how to handle this anymore?"

Minho's lips curled into a humorless smile, his eyes flashing with something dark. "You think you're the only one who's scared?" His voice was sharp now, cutting through the air like a blade. "You think I'm not terrified every single day that someone's going to find out? That we're going to lose everything we've worked for?"

Jisung felt his chest tighten, the weight of Minho's words pressing down on him. "Then why are we doing this?" he asked, his voice cracking. "Why are we even trying if it's only tearing us apart?"

Minho's expression darkened, and he took another step forward, backing Jisung against the counter. His hand slammed down next to Jisung, the force of it making Jisung's heart skip a beat.

"Don't you dare say that," Minho hissed, his voice dangerously low, his breath hot against Jisung's skin. "Don't you dare act like what we have isn't worth it."

Jisung's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding as he stared up at Minho. There was fire in Minho's eyes, a raw intensity that made Jisung's pulse quicken. He had never seen Minho like this before-so close, so angry, and yet... so devastatingly captivating.

Minho's hand moved, gripping Jisung's chin, forcing him to meet his gaze. His touch was rough, but not cruel-it was possessive, demanding.

"You're not getting it, are you?" he growled, his voice deep and gravelly. "I'm scared, yes. But I would rather be terrified every single day than live one more second pretending like you don't mean everything to me."

Jisung's breath hitched at the intensity in Minho's voice, at the heat in his touch. His heart fluttered painfully in his chest, torn between the anger, the fear, and the overwhelming need to be close to Minho again.

"Minho, I-" Jisung began, but his words faltered, lost in the thick tension between them.

Minho leaned in, so close that Jisung could feel the warmth of his breath against his lips. His voice dropped to a husky whisper, sending shivers down Jisung's spine.

"You think I'm just going to let this go? Let you go?" His grip tightened, his eyes boring into Jisung's. "You think you can push me away, make me give up, and I'll just walk out of your life like none of this ever happened?"

Jisung's breath was coming in ragged gasps now, his head spinning. He had never seen Minho like this-so intense, so unyielding, like he was determined to break through every wall Jisung had built around himself.

Minho's hand moved from Jisung's chin to the back of his neck, his fingers threading through his hair and tugging just hard enough to make Jisung's eyes flutter shut. "You're mine, Jisung," he whispered, his voice dark and dangerously seductive. "I don't care how scared we are. I don't care if the world finds out. But you're not running away from me."

Jisung's heart raced as Minho's words washed over him, as his hands gripped him tighter, pulling him closer.

His fear, his doubts-they all began to fade under the intensity of Minho's gaze, under the heat of his touch. For the first time in weeks, Jisung felt grounded, felt seen in a way that only Minho could make him feel.

But the vulnerability in Jisung wasn't gone. His voice wavered as he spoke, "Minho... what if we lose everything? What if it's too much?"

Minho's expression softened, just slightly, but the fire in his eyes didn't fade. He moved even closer, his lips brushing against Jisung's ear as he whispered, "I'd rather lose everything than lose you."

The confession hit Jisung like a punch to the gut, and his breath caught in his throat. Tears welled in his eyes, unbidden and unwanted, but he couldn't stop them. "I don't want to lose you either," he whispered, his voice cracking.

Minho's fingers loosened in Jisung's hair, his hand slipping down to cup the side of his face, his thumb gently brushing away a tear that had fallen.

"Then stop running from me, Jisung," he murmured, his voice softer now, but no less intense. "Let me in. Let us figure this out together. I'm not going anywhere. Not without you."

Jisung's heart clenched painfully at the raw emotion in Minho's words. For the first time in weeks, he felt like he could finally breathe again.

He let out a shaky breath, his hands reaching up to grip Minho's arms, holding on as if he were afraid that letting go would mean losing him forever.

"I'm scared," Jisung whispered, his voice trembling. "But I don't want to be without you."

Minho's eyes softened, his thumb brushing gently over Jisung's cheek. "I know," he murmured, his voice low and soothing. "I'm scared too. But we'll figure it out. Together."

Jisung nodded, his tears still falling, but this time, they weren't just tears of fear-they were tears of relief, of hope.

And as Minho pulled him into a fierce, almost desperate embrace, Jisung felt the weight of everything that had been tearing them apart begin to lift, if only for a moment. In Minho's arms, he felt safe. He felt loved. And for now, that was enough.

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