just pretend.

24.

Saturday came faster than Jisung wished, dragging along a tension he couldn’t quite shake. After an exhausting shift, he stepped out of the shower, droplets of water tracing lines down his skin as he reached for a towel. Just as he was wrapping it around his waist, he heard his phone’s familiar ringtone blaring from the kitchen. Huffing out an irritated breath, he rushed out, leaving damp footprints on the floor, and grabbed the phone mid-ring. “Hello?” He leaned against the countertop, barely able to catch his breath. On the other end, his parents’ voices burst through, tense and overlapping with anger. He rolled his eyes, preparing himself for whatever tirade was coming this time. “Son”, his father’s voice cut through, sharp and bitter, making Jisung frown. They had already gone over everything, hadn’t they? What else was there left to say? “Tell your ex-boyfriend and his lawyer to take back this stupid class action lawsuit against us!”, his father demanded, voice booming over the line. In the background, his mother’s voice hissed, telling him to lower his voice. Jisung blinked, processing the words slowly as confusion settled into a heavy knot in his chest. “What?”, he replied, struggling to keep his voice steady. “What class action lawsuit?” With a frustrated sigh, he switched the phone to speaker, placing it on the bathroom counter as he quickly dried off and slipped into freshly washed clothes. “It looks like Minho found other people he could convince to join him in this class action lawsuit”, his father spat, each word laced with venom, and the way he said Minho’s name made Jisung’s stomach tighten with unease – full of hate and disgust. Jisung could practically smell the stale smoke wafting from his father’s office; the memory was so vivid it was suffocating. “They’re going to ruin us! They’re going to bring down everything we’ve built!”, his father’s voice cracked, followed by a series of coughs, each one harsher than the last. Jisung stood still, staring blankly at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. The rage and panic seeping through the line felt almost surreal, like a dark cloud settling over his shoulders. He waited for his father’s coughs to quiet, the silence stretching between them until his father’s voice dropped, bitter and raspy. “What do you expect me to do?”, Jisung replied, voice cold and unyielding, feeling the weight of his exhaustion settle deeper. “Your actions will catch up with you, sooner or later. You made me walk away from the family, from the business. If you truly believe you’re innocent, contact your lawyer. Fight it on your own. I’m not the person you should be calling.” There was a pause, a beat where he almost thought his father might actually listen. But then his father’s voice returned, softer but far more dangerous. It sent an icy chill down his spine. “Let me tell you one thing, son”, his father whispered, each word dripping with malice. “This is the last time Lee Minho will get in our way.” And with that, the line went dead. For a moment, the world was silent, save for the relentless pounding of blood rushing in his ears. Jisung stared down at the phone in his hand, the screen showing the empty call, feeling the cold dread settling in his chest.

Jisung’s hands were trembling as he placed his phone down on the coffee table, still feeling the lingering venom in his father’s voice. He sank onto the couch, his mind racing as the gravity of the threat settled into his chest, cold and heavy. He felt trapped, his head spinning as he stared blankly ahead, grappling for some semblance of clarity. Changbin would be here to pick him up in less than an hour, and he wasn’t even close to being ready. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered, rubbing his hand over his face before running his fingers through his still-damp hair. He took a deep breath and forced himself up, heading back to the bathroom. As he dried his hair and prepared for Jeongin’s party, his thoughts tumbled over each other, searching for a way to protect Minho. The only solution that came to mind felt impossible: convincing Minho to drop the lawsuit. Jisung’s stomach twisted at the thought, knowing it would crush Minho’s sense of justice, his hard-won resolve. Before he could settle his thoughts, he heard Changbin’s familiar voice calling out from the hallway, “I’ll come in!” Surprised, Jisung peeked out of the bathroom to see his friend already making his way toward him. “You’re early”, Jisung said, trying to mask the tension in his voice as he picked up his brush, running it through his half-dried hair. “Or maybe you’re late”, Changbin countered, eyeing him closely. “You look pissed off – what happened?” A bitter chuckle escaped Jisung’s throat, though there was no humor in it. Looking at his reflection, he saw the frustration etched into his features, his expression hardened and his eyes heavy with worry. He could hardly recognize himself. “It’s Minho. Apparently, he went to a lawyer and started a class action lawsuit against my parents’ business.” He looked over at Changbin, feeling a rare vulnerability edge into his voice. “Now he’s really in danger, and I’m stuck. I really don’t know what to do. He’s going to hate me for the rest of his life if I force him to take back the lawsuit. I know how much he wanted justice for his parents.” Changbin’s eyes softened, a flicker of sympathy and worry visible beneath his steady gaze. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, opening his arms, and Jisung gratefully wrapped himself into the embrace. Changbin’s grip was strong, steady, a solid anchor amid the chaos raging inside him. “It’s not your responsibility to protect him from this”, Changbin said, voice low but firm, his words a soft murmur against Jisung’s ear. “He made this choice, knowing what it might cost. He has to deal with whatever comes next, even if that sounds harsh. The most you can do is warn him.” Jisung nodded, allowing his eyes to drift closed for a moment, finding strength in the quiet comfort of Changbin’s reassurance. After a moment, he took a steadying breath and let go, trying to collect himself. He slipped on his shoes and followed Changbin out of his apartment, his thoughts still a mess, but his resolve a little stronger. As they stepped out of the building, Changbin glanced over at him. “Are you okay if we take Felix with us after the party?” Jisung shrugged, feeling a hollow sense of indifference. “Yeah, sure”, he replied, his mind still wrapped around the looming threat hanging over Minho. Everything else felt muted, like background noise. For now, all he could think about was the difficult conversation he knew he’d have to face with Minho, no matter how much it hurt.