just pretend.

44.

Jisung sat in the car Jiho and Jiwon must have dropped off the night before, his leg bouncing up and down at a fast pace as anxiety crept into his chest. His mind raced, imagining all the worst-case scenarios for what could have happened inside the hospital. “Hannie”, his brother's voice broke through his restless thoughts, grounding him for a moment. Jisung glanced at Minju, who pointed toward the front entrance of the hospital. Both of them froze, watching as their father, handcuffed, was escorted by two security guards toward a waiting police car. Jisung’s breath caught in his throat, his mind blank for a split second. “What the fuck”, he mumbled under his breath, his eyes fixed on their father being handed over to the police officers that had just exited the car. Felix’s phone vibrated in his pocket, startling him. He fumbled to get it out, the screen lighting up with Seungmin’s name. His stomach twisted with a mix of dread and irritation as he accepted the call. “Hello?”, he answered, his voice tight with worry. “Your father just got arrested”, Seungmin said, his tone flat, as if he was stating something trivial. “I know”, Jisung responded, his eyes following the police car as it slowly drove past them. He exhaled heavily, adjusting his mask out of instinct. “We just saw him getting taken away”, he added, his voice muffled through the fabric of the mask. “He threatened us with a knife”, Seungmin continued, still in that same emotionless voice, but the words hit Jisung like a punch to the stomach. “What? Fuck, are you both okay?”, Jisung's heart raced, his panic spiking as he quickly locked eyes with Minju. His brother gave him a slight nod – an unspoken signal that they needed to move now. Jisung’s fingers fumbled with the car door handle before he finally managed to open it, rushing toward the hospital entrance. “Minho is fine”, Seungmin’s voice came through the phone as Jisung hurried inside, Minju close on his heels. Jisung stopped in his tracks, his heart skipping a beat. "And you?", he asked, feeling as anxiety grip him. Seungmin chuckled, his voice soft. “I'm okay, too. The doctor’s with him now, checking up. He’ll be discharged soon.” Relief washed over Jisung for a moment, but it didn’t last. He pressed the button for the elevator repeatedly, impatience nagging at him. Finally, the doors slid open, and they stepped into the cramped metal box, sharing the space with an elderly couple. Jisung bowed slightly out of courtesy, then immediately pressed the button for the eleventh floor. “We're on the way”, he muttered into the phone before hanging up, not caring to hear Seungmin’s response. “Hannie”, Minju said softly beside him, gripping Jisung’s wrist to steady him. “They’ll probably send another officer to talk to Minho soon. We’ve got maybe a few minutes before they arrive.” Jisung nodded absently, his mind already on Minho. He didn’t care about the police right now – all he wanted was to make sure Minho was safe.

“Hannie”, Minho mumbled tiredly as Jisung rushed into the room, their eyes meeting. For a moment, everything seemed to stop – the chaos outside, the fear in their hearts. Jisung’s breath caught in his throat as he saw just how fragile and worn out Minho looked. Bruised and battered, he seemed like he hadn’t had a moment of peace, and it made Jisung wonder if Minho would ever get that chance to truly rest. He pulled his mask down a little, offering a weak, strained smile. He was just as exhausted as Minho, but he couldn't stop now. He had to push through, for Minho's sake. “We don’t have much time. What did the doctor say?”, Jisung asked, his voice quiet but hurried as he crossed the room in a few determined strides. He grabbed Minho’s hand gently, as if it was the only thing anchoring him in the storm. Minho grimaced. “He said I need to rest and eat”, he replied, his voice filled with frustration. Jisung chuckled softly, despite the tension. “Then we’ll make sure you do exactly that”, Jisung whispered, his thumb softly brushing over Minho’s knuckles in a comforting, almost desperate gesture, trying to offer some semblance of peace amidst the madness. Behind him, Minju’s voice interrupted the brief moment of calm. “We have to go.” Jisung turned, catching the silent exchange between his brother and Minho. The weight of the situation settled heavily between them. “Where?”, Minho asked, trying to sit up but wincing from the strain, his breathing shallow. His body was still weak, clearly not ready for any of this. “We’re not taking the risk of someone following us to your place, Min”, Minju explained, his voice steady but urgent. Minho nodded slowly, struggling to wrap his mind around what was happening. His exhaustion was so deep, it took him a moment to fully understand. “You have to leave first”, Minju continued, his eyes never leaving Minho’s. “But you can’t go home. Not yet. And you need to drive around for a while, making sure no one follows you.” Minho, still nodding, opened his mouth to protest, to ask questions, but Seungmin’s soft voice cut through the tension. “I’ll take him home”, Seungmin said, stepping forward, arms crossed defensively. He stood at the end of the bed like a guard, his posture protective. “Maybe it’s a good idea if your father thinks we’re still seeing each other. It’ll keep his attention off Minho.” Jisung’s blood froze. The mere suggestion sent a wave of jealousy crashing over him. His heart clenched, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. “Absolutely not”, he snapped, unable to hold back, his eyes darkening with possessiveness. “Hannie”, Minju’s voice was sharp, cutting through Jisung’s growing frustration. His tone was familiar, the same commanding voice he had used whenever he wanted Jisung to follow orders – whether it was to clean his room or finish his meals. “If you want to stay at Minho’s place until we find a new apartment for you”, Minju said, narrowing his gaze at his brother, “then leading dad – or anyone he might have hired, like Wooyung, for example – straight to Minho’s apartment would be the dumbest thing you could do.” Jisung let out an irritated breath, knowing Minju was right. He hated admitting it, but there was no other way. His father wasn’t going to stop looking for him, and Jisung couldn’t risk dragging Minho into more danger. Yet, the thought of Minho being with Seungmin – especially after everything – burned in his chest like a flame. He knew it was logical, he knew it was the safest option for now, but jealousy twisted his insides, making it hard to breathe. His fist clenched tightly at his side, his nails digging into his palm. The idea of Minho staying with Seungmin, the thought of them being alone together – sleeping under the same roof, maybe even in the same bed – was unbearable. He trusted Minho, but the images his mind conjured up made him sick with jealousy. The thought of Seungmin holding Minho, comforting him in ways Jisung couldn’t right now, made his heart ache. But Jisung swallowed hard, forcing himself to nod, even though every fiber of his being resisted. He didn’t have a choice. Everyone’s safety came first, no matter how much it hurt.