nurse's office | minsung ✓

32

Jisung slammed his textbook shut with a sharp, frustrated motion, the sound reverberating through the otherwise quiet apartment. His breath quickened as a whirlwind of panic spun in his mind. He had been at it for hours. Re-reading the same sections over and over—and yet, nothing seemed to stick. It was as if his brain had shut down, refusing to cooperate no matter how hard he tried.

He shoved his chair back, the legs scraping against the floor as he stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair. His chest tightened painfully. The clock on the wall taunted him, ticking away the precious seconds he felt were slipping through his fingers. Only two weeks left until the bar exam, and he still didn't feel ready. His stomach churned with anxiety, and before he knew it, he was walking toward the front door, needing air—needing space.

Jisung pushed open the door and stepped outside into the cool evening air, the chill biting against his skin. The sky was an inky blue, the stars faintly twinkling above him, but even their quiet beauty couldn't soothe the chaos inside him. He paced the small balcony, his thoughts racing with all the things that could go wrong. What if he failed? What if all his hard work amounted to nothing? What if—

Suddenly, the tears came. Hot and unrelenting. He tried to suppress them, but it was futile. His breath hitched in his throat as his body shook with the weight of his emotions. It felt like everything was crumbling. He leaned against the railing, bowing his head as the sobs wracked his frame.

A moment later, he heard the soft click of the door behind him, and he knew. Minho.

Without a word, Minho stepped out and quietly approached him, his presence instantly grounding yet not intrusive. He didn't ask anything or demand an explanation, and that was exactly what Jisung needed. Minho simply stood beside him, letting the silence stretch between them.

Jisung wiped at his face with his sleeve, feeling embarrassed by the sudden flood of emotions. He tried to stifle the sobs, but it only made them worse, causing his shoulders to shake even more violently. His mind screamed at him to stop, to pull himself together, but he couldn't. He felt like he was drowning, and no matter how hard he fought, he couldn't get above water.

"Jisung," Minho's voice was soft, gentle, cutting through the fog of his mind.

Jisung didn't look up. He couldn't. He was too ashamed.

"Hey," Minho tried again, this time stepping closer. "Come here."

Before Jisung could protest, Minho had gently wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into his chest. The warmth of Minho's body felt like a balm to the raw edges of Jisung's soul, and though he resisted at first, the comfort was too much to ignore. His hands trembled as he clutched at Minho's shirt, the fabric dampening under his tear-streaked face.

"Let it out," Minho whispered, rubbing small circles on Jisung's back. "Don't hold it in."

Jisung sobbed harder, the dam inside him breaking entirely. He buried his face in Minho's shoulder, his cries muffled by the fabric, and Minho only held him tighter, like he was the anchor keeping him from falling apart completely. Jisung's grip tightened on Minho as if afraid that if he let go, he'd shatter.

"I can't, Minho," Jisung choked out, his voice trembling. "I can't do this."

Minho's hand moved to Jisung's hair, fingers combing through the strands in slow, soothing motions. "Fucking shit you can't," he said softly, with such conviction that it almost hurt. "You've been working so hard for this, Jisung. You're stronger than you think."

Jisung shook his head, pulling back slightly to look at Minho, his eyes red and swollen from crying. "But what if I fail? What if it's not enough?"

Minho's expression softened as he wiped a tear from Jisung's cheek with his thumb. "And what if it is enough?" he asked gently. "What if you pass? You've been preparing for this moment for so long. You've already proven how capable you are."

Jisung's chest heaved with another sob, the weight of his self-doubt pressing down on him like a boulder. "But I—I feel so lost," he admitted, his voice cracking. "No matter how much I study, it feels like nothing sticks, and I just—I don't want to disappoint anyone. I don't want to disappoint you."

Minho's eyes widened slightly, surprised that Jisung had been carrying that burden. He pulled Jisung back into his embrace, his grip even firmer this time. "You could never disappoint me," Minho murmured into his ear, his voice steady and reassuring. "Not ever. You've done more than enough, and you're allowed to feel tired. You're allowed to feel scared. But you're not alone in this, okay?"

Jisung sniffled, his hands still clutching at Minho's shirt as if letting go would make everything unravel again. "But what if—"

"Jisung." Minho cut him off, his tone firm but not harsh. "You've got this. And even if things don't go the way you plan, we'll figure it out. Together."

Jisung looked up at him, blinking through his tears. "Together?"

Minho smiled warmly, brushing another tear away. "Yeah. Together. I'm not going anywhere."

The sincerity in Minho's words finally broke through Jisung's wall of fear, and for the first time that night, he felt the tightness in his chest ease just a little. He let out a shaky breath, leaning his head back onto Minho's shoulder. The world still felt overwhelming, but with Minho here, the weight didn't feel as unbearable.

They stood like that for a while, the cool breeze of the evening brushing past them, but neither of them moved. Jisung clung to Minho like he was his lifeline, and in a way, he was.

Eventually, Jisung's breathing began to steady, the sobs subsiding into soft hiccups. Minho didn't say anything, just continued holding him, letting Jisung take the time he needed to calm down.

"Feeling any better?" Minho asked quietly after a long moment.

Jisung nodded slowly, his grip on Minho's shirt finally loosening a little. "A little," he whispered, though his voice was still shaky.

Minho smiled and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Jisung's head. "Good," he whispered. "Because no matter what happens, you're going to be okay. I promise."

Jisung let out a long breath, leaning fully into Minho's chest. He didn't have the strength to respond, but he didn't need to. Minho's presence was enough—more than enough.

And for the first time in weeks, Jisung allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he really could do this.

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