nurse's office | minsung ✓

21

Jisung felt out of place the entire next day, like the world had shifted but no one else noticed. His footsteps felt heavier as he walked through the school halls, everything around him moving in a blur. He tried to push away the memories from the hospital, but they clung to him like shadows, refusing to leave him alone.

Felix. Seungmin. Jeongin. Their faces haunted him. Why had they come back now? Why, when he had already adjusted to their absence, did they decide to show up? It didn't make sense, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. But there was something else weighing on him too—Minho.

Every time Jisung thought about how Minho had held him in the hospital, his heart tightened in his chest. It wasn't just the comfort that Minho brought, it was something deeper, something more confusing. He didn't know how to handle it. And the idea that he might be leaning too much on Minho scared him. What if he lost Minho, too? He wasn't sure he could survive that.

Throughout the day, he avoided everyone. He didn't want to talk to his classmates, didn't want to see his friends, and most of all, didn't want to face Minho. That was the hardest part. Each time their paths crossed, Jisung quickly ducked his head, pretending to be busy with something else.

But by the time the last bell rang, it was impossible to escape anymore.

As he was heading out the door, Jisung heard a familiar voice behind him. "Jisung."

He froze.

Minho stepped into view, eyes narrowing as he scanned Jisung's face. "You've been avoiding me all day."

"I-I haven't—" Jisung started, but Minho raised a brow, cutting him off.

"Don't lie to me," Minho said, his voice firm but not unkind. "What's going on with you?"

Jisung's heart began to race. He could feel himself shutting down, wanting to run, to push Minho away before he got too close. "It's nothing," he mumbled, shifting uncomfortably. "I'm just tired."

"Tired, huh?" Minho's eyes didn't leave Jisung, his expression growing more serious. "Look, you don't have to tell me everything. But don't shut me out. I'm here, Jisung. I'm not going anywhere."

That was it. The words that broke through the walls Jisung had been building all day. Before he could stop himself, he felt the tears brimming in his eyes again, his chest tightening painfully. "Why are you still here?" he whispered, voice cracking. "Why do you even care?"

Minho didn't hesitate. He reached out, grabbing Jisung's wrist and pulling him into the nurse's office, shutting the door behind them. "Because I do care."

Jisung stood frozen, not daring to look at Minho. He felt weak, vulnerable, and terrified of what might happen if he let himself fall any further. "I don't want to need you," Jisung whispered, barely audible. "I can't need anyone."

Minho stepped closer, his gaze softening as he reached out to tilt Jisung's chin up so their eyes met. "But you do," he said quietly. "And that's okay, Jisung. It's okay to need someone."

Jisung's breath hitched in his throat. He wanted to believe Minho, but every fear, every doubt he'd ever had kept bubbling to the surface. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, his body acted on its own. He took a shaky step forward and buried his face in Minho's chest, his hands clutching the fabric of Minho's shirt tightly.

Minho didn't say anything. He simply wrapped his arms around Jisung, holding him close, like he had in the hospital. The warmth of his embrace seeped into Jisung, easing the tension in his muscles. For the first time in days, Jisung let himself lean into someone without worrying about what would happen next.

The silence between them stretched on, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was filled with an unspoken understanding that Jisung wasn't alone anymore. Not as long as Minho was there.

As the minutes passed, Jisung felt his breathing slow down, the panic in his chest fading. He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually, he pulled back just enough to look up at Minho. Their faces were close again, dangerously close, but this time, Jisung didn't feel the urge to run. He didn't want to.

Minho smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from Jisung's face. "You're okay," he whispered, his voice steady. "We'll get through this. Together."

Jisung didn't know if he believed that yet. But with Minho standing there, holding him so tightly, he wanted to believe it.

He wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, he didn't have to face everything alone anymore.

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