no space ! MINSUNG

the fall

Jisung tossed and turned, his bedsheets tangled around his legs.. He hadn't been able to sleep properly for days—weeks maybe? Every time he closed his eyes, his mind would spin with thoughts, sharp and relentless, refusing to quiet down. He pressed the heels of his palms against his closed eyelids, trying to force the anxiety away. Nothing helped.

The Room of Requirement had always been his escape, the one place he could go to when everything felt like too much. But it had been so long since he'd been able to use it properly. And that was because of Minho.

Stupid Minho, with his stupid smirks and stupid comments, making everything harder than it needed to be. He felt like he used to hate Minho more before, but he was also less relevant in his life. Now it seemed like he couldn't keep him out of his sight.

He hated how much space Minho was taking up in his head, how the thought of that date and match lingered like a bad dream he couldn't wake up from.

He needed air. Space.

His feet hit the cold floor before he'd fully made the decision. Jisung moved quietly, careful not to wake Hyunjin. He slipped into his shoes, grabbed his wand, and headed for the door. This wasn't something he usually did—leaving in the middle of the night, sneaking out like this. But it was necessary.

The castle was eerily quiet as he made his way through the corridors. His heart pounded in his chest, but not from fear of being caught. No, it was the weight of everything that had happened, everything that was still unresolved, pressed heavy on his shoulders.

Jisung slowed as he approached the familiar hallway. He closed his eyes, imagining the door appearing in front of him. It always did, like it knew exactly what he needed.

The door materialized, solid and real, and for the first time that night, Jisung felt a flicker of relief.

He opened the door quietly, expecting the room to be empty, waiting for him. But instead, the moment he stepped inside, his breath caught in his throat.

Minho was there.

Not just there, but sitting on the floor, cross-legged, surrounded by pillows. He was hunched over slightly, quietly whispering something to Chicken. Minho's voice was soft, unguarded, the way people sound when they're sure no one is listening. He looked so different from the Minho Jisung was used to—the one who never let his guard down, especially not around him.

Jisung froze, caught between the door and the instinct to bolt, but it was too late. Minho's head jerked up, his eyes widening when he saw Jisung standing there, gaping like an idiot.

"What are you doing here?" Minho asked, his voice sharp, like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't.

"What are you doing here?" Jisung shot back, a little too defensively.

Minho blinked at him, clearly taken aback. "I asked first."

"I—" Jisung faltered, then quickly closed the door behind him, stepping fully into the room. "I couldn't sleep."

Minho tilted his head slightly, as if considering that answer, before his gaze drifted back to Chicken, who had now hopped onto his lap and was biting his fingers.

"Well, you've interrupted my quality time with Chicken," Minho said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Jisung felt awkward standing there, watching Minho act like... a normal person. It was unnerving, as if everything were fine between them.

"Sorry," Jisung muttered, stepping further into the room. His eyes darted around, searching for anything to focus on, but all he saw was Minho, too comfortable in a place that was supposed to be his escape. "Actually, I'm not sorry. I fucking hate you."