𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 || 𝟚𝕞𝕚𝕟

05 | Bad Blood

The morning sun was just beginning to light up the street as Seungmin and Hyunjin walked together to school, their steps falling into a comfortable rhythm. Seungmin glanced at Hyunjin, who smiled, nudging him gently.

"How's school going so far?" Hyunjin asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Seungmin raised his hands to respond in sign language, his movements smooth and deliberate. "It's not as bad as I thought it would be. Actually... it's going pretty well."

Hyunjin grinned, clearly pleased. "That's good to hear! I told you you'd fit right in."

Seungmin smiled softly, but his expression faltered slightly as they approached the school gates. Though he'd found good friends in Jeongin, Felix, and Jisung, there was something still bothering him. He hadn't seen Minho since the day of the competition, and that unresolved feeling weighed on him. All day, Seungmin kept glancing around in the halls, searching for a glimpse of Minho's familiar face, but by the time classes ended, he'd come to a disheartening realization-Minho was still absent. He hadn't come to scholl since the trophy incident had happened.

As they headed home, Seungmin's silence was heavier than usual. Hyunjin, noticing his brother's downcast expression, gently nudged him. "What's wrong? You seem a bit down."

Seungmin shook his head, signaling that nothing was wrong and that he's fine, but Hyunjin obviously knew better. Feeling Hyunjin's worried glance pierce right through him, Seungmin looked away, still drowned in his own thoughts.

When they reached home, after quickly freshening up, Hyunjin pulled Seungmin onto his bed, sitting across from him. "Something is definitely wrong, tell me what it is" Hyunjin's eyes looked soft and pleading, as if desperate to help his little brother out.

Seungmin hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty, but he finally lifted his hands to sign, deciding to tell Hyunjin the truth about what had been troubling him.

"It's about Minho... the boy who was there when the trophy...broke" Seungmin began, signing slowly as he chose his words carefully. "He was blamed for breaking the trophy, but... I don't think he did it. I was there when it happened, and... I could have defended him. But I didn't. I froze."

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise crossing his face. "Minho? You're really worried about that guy?"

Seungmin nodded, his gaze fixed on the bed. Even though he'd barely known Minho, the memory of his expression as he was scolded had lingered with him, leaving him with a sense of unease he couldn't shake.

Seeing Seungmin's genuine concern, Hyunjin sighed, a reluctant look settling on his face. "Look, Seungmin, don't worry too much about him. Felix told me some things about Minho..." He hesitated, glancing over to see Seungmin's reaction before continuing. "Apparently, Minho has a bit of a reputation."

Seungmin tilted his head, clearly confused, prompting Hyunjin to go on.

"Felix told me that Minho doesn't get along with most people. He's always doing things to set himself apart, and it makes others wary of him. And with the way he left right before the competition... Felix thinks he might have been jealous that we won without him. Maybe he pushed the trophy on purpose."

Seungmin frowned slightly, processing Hyunjin's words. "I don't know... I didn't get the feeling that he was like that." He paused, then added, "But I was really focused on the trophy, so I guess... maybe he could've pushed it?"

Hyunjin nodded. "Exactly. You didn't see him that well, so it's possible he just wanted to ruin things. You know, some people just can't stand to see others succeed."

He gave Seungmin a reassuring smile, patting his shoulder. "It's not your fault. Don't let it bother you."

Seungmin nodded, though a faint hint of doubt remained in his eyes. Maybe he was overthinking things, making a bigger deal out of something that didn't need to be. After all, everyone got scolded sometimes, and it wasn't the end of the world. But Seungmin couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of guilt. Minho's absence over the past few days weighed on him, and despite Hyunjin's reassurances, he couldn't forget the look in Minho's eyes when he was being blamed. He couldn't shake the feeling that Minho was more than just the rumors people spread about him.

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋

The next day during recess, Seungmin and Jeongin headed to the cafeteria, the room being emptier than usual since it wasn't quite lunchtime yet. Today, Hyunjin hadn't stopped by to walk Seungmin to the cafeteria as he usually did-after all, Seungmin had Jeongin now. Seungmin felt comfortable with his new friend, and Seungmin was glad to have Jeongin there.

But as they moved toward the serving area, Seungmin suddenly felt his foot catch on something solid. His balance was ripped away, and he stumbled, crashing down hard onto the cold, polished floor. A few gasps rippled through the room as he fell, barely catching himself before he hit the floor. Pain shot through his knees and palms from the impact.

Still disoriented and confused, he quickly turned around to see what he'd tripped over, only to find himself staring into Minho's eyes. His face wore an unmistakable smirk, and his leg was still outstretched, as if waiting to trip him.