The Black rose (Minsung ff)

Stage 2: realization

The sun had barely risen when Jeongin stood outside Minho's office, tension heavy in the air. He knocked once, firmly, before stepping inside without waiting for permission. Minho was behind his desk, eyes fixed on a pile of paperwork, though it was clear he wasn't really focused on anything.

"Hyung, we need to talk," Jeongin said, his voice low but filled with frustration.Minho didn't look up, his jaw tight. "Not now, Jeongin."

But Jeongin wasn't having it. "No, we're talking now."

Minho's eyes flicked up, dark and cold, but Jeongin didn't flinch. "You asked me, your little brother—you asked the entire White Roses to help you get Jisung, to protect him. And now you're treating him like this?"

Minho's gaze sharpened, but there was no immediate response. Jeongin stepped closer, his disappointment clear in every word.

"You have him locked up, like some kind of prisoner. What happened to protecting him, to making sure he was safe? Is this your idea of keeping him safe?"

Minho's grip on his pen tightened, knuckles white. "You don't understand, Jeongin. It's not that simple."

"It's exactly that simple!" Jeongin's voice rose, not out of anger, but out of sheer frustration and worry for the older. "You're losing him, Hyung. The way you're acting—it's pushing him away. The man you love, the one you can't stand to lose, The black roses red rose is slipping through your fingers and you're the one chaining him to that bed. Im so worried about you.."

Minho's breath caught, Jeongin's words cutting through the fog of his anger. Jeongin stepped back, shaking his head. "I didn't think you'd let it get this far. I thought... I thought you were doing this because you cared about him. But I can't even recognize you anymore."

That hit harder than Minho expected. For a moment, silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. Minho sat there, staring at the papers on his desk, his mind racing with everything that had happened. He could feel it—how everything was falling apart.

Jeongin let out a breath, softer now. "Fix this, Hyung. Before it's too late."

Minho's chest tightened, his heart pounding as the realization hit him like a freight train. He'd been so blinded by his fear of losing Jisung that he'd become the very thing he swore he'd never be—his captor. The guilt gnawed at him, twisting in his gut.

Without another word, Minho pushed back from his desk and bolted for the door. Jeongin watched him go, hoping his words had finally broken through.

---

Minho's car screeched to a halt in front of the headquarters, his driver barely able to keep up as Minho slammed the door shut and got into the driver's seat himself. The engine roared to life, and he sped down the streets, ignoring the honking cars and the flashing lights of the city. He didn't care about anything else right now. He just needed to get to Jisung.

His mind was racing just as fast as the car, guilt and panic clashing inside him. How could he have let things spiral so out of control? How could he have hurt the one person he was supposed to protect?

When he finally reached the mansion, the tires skidded to a halt. He jumped out, leaving the car running as he dashed past the guards. They tried to stop him, but he ignored them completely, his focus entirely on one thing: Jisung.

He burst through the doors of Jisung's room, his breath caught in his throat. There he was—chained up, fragile, and so small in the massive bed. Jisung's eyes widened when he saw Minho, and for a moment, there was only silence between them.

But then, Jisung broke down.

The tears came fast, streaming down his cheeks as he sobbed, his body trembling with every breath. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," he cried, his voice barely a whisper between the sobs. "I didn't mean to... I didn't want to leave. I just... I was scared."

Minho rushed to his side, collapsing onto the floor beside the bed, his hands shaking as he reached for Jisung's. "No, no, don't apologize," Minho whispered, his own voice breaking. "This is my fault. I—God, Jisung, I was so afraid of losing you that I... I hurt you."

Jisung looked at him, tears still spilling from his eyes, and something in Minho shattered. Seeing Jisung like this—broken, scared, confused—it was too much. He pulled Jisung into his arms as best as he could with the chains still binding him, holding him tight against his chest.

"I love you," Jisung sobbed into Minho's shoulder, the words coming out in a rush. "I'm so in love with you, but it scares me. I don't know how to handle it. That day... I just felt so overwhelmed. I thought I was losing myself."

Minho's arms tightened around him, his heart pounding in his chest. "I love you too, Jisung. I love you more than anything in this world, and I'm so sorry for everything.  I'm not going anywhere."

They stayed like that for what felt like hours, holding onto each other like they were each other's lifeline. Jisung's sobs slowly quieted, and he rested his head against Minho's chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It grounded him, reminded him that despite everything, Minho was still his.

"Let me rest now," Jisung whispered, his voice barely audible.

Minho nodded, his hand running softly through Jisung's hair. "I'll be here. I'm not leaving. You can rest, princess."

As Jisung's breathing steadied and he drifted into sleep, Minho stayed beside him, watching over him with a heart heavy with both love and guilt. He knew he had almost lost Jisung—for real this time. But he wasn't going to make that mistake again. Not ever.

Jisung was his. And Minho was his.

And he would fight to keep it that way.

--

Jeongin left Minho's office, his jaw tight with frustration. As he walked out of headquarters, the heavy tension that had clouded his mind began to ease, but disappointment still gnawed at him. He made his way to the White Roses mansion, feeling the weight of responsibility growing heavier with each step.

The mansion stood like an ethereal sanctuary in contrast to the darkness surrounding Minho's world. It gleamed in soft, warm light, the gardens lush with vibrant blooms and delicate vines wrapping around white marble pillars. It was beautiful—almost like heaven—an escape from the chaos of the outside world.

As Jeongin approached the front gate, the security team nodded, immediately allowing him through. His mind, still restless from the argument with Minho, raced with the mess of emotions bubbling inside him. Walking up the grand steps, he caught sight of Felix.

Felix stood in the hall, bathed in soft, golden light, his blonde hair falling over his face, making him seem like an angel amidst the chaos. His eyes met Jeongin's, and the smallest smile tugged at his lips. Yet there was something else—concern. He knew something was wrong.

"You okay?" Felix asked, his voice soft and kind, the kind of gentleness that made Jeongin's heart feel lighter, if only for a moment.

Jeongin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's Minho hyung... He's losing it. And Jisung's stuck in the middle. I don't know how much longer this can go on."

Felix's expression darkened slightly as he stepped closer. "Minho hyung's always been intense, but this... this is different."

Jeongin nodded. "He's never cared like this before. I can't tell if it's love or pure obsession, but it's tearing them both apart."