𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 || 𝑺𝑬𝑶𝑲𝑺𝑶𝑶

one

His day began with the smallest thing, a silence where he’d expected a response. Seokmin’s fingers hovered over his phone, his last message left unread by Joshua. They’d talked until late last night, but when he’d woken up, his screen stayed stubbornly blank. He tried to shake it off as he got ready, but the silence was too much to ignore.

By the time he made it to campus he was already exhausted,  He found himself on one of the benches outside the building, sinking down with a sigh as he mindlessly scrolled through his phone, hoping for some sign of a reply, Just something to tell him Joshua thought about him the way he’d been thinking of Joshua all morning, he'd even take a small "gm" because he is that pathetic.

he heard footsteps, and a pleasantly familiar voice calling his name.

“Seokmin-ah!” Jeonghan waved as he walked over, a gentle smile on his face. Joshua trailed just behind, hands in his pockets, his gaze steady, unreadable.

“Hyung,” Seokmin greeted, his heart lifting just for a moment. Jeonghan had always been his favorite, he was warm, a little mischievous, but always dependable. He’d made Seokmin laugh in his lowest moments and had a way of making people feel like they belonged.

But today, the warmth in Jeonghan’s smile made Seokmin feel strange, or maybe He just couldn’t shake the odd look Joshua was giving him,

Jeonghan broke the news with the same warmth. “We wanted you to hear it from us, Joshua and I are dating.”

“Oh…” Seokmin’s voice was small, almost strangled, but he managed to force a smile, looking only at Jeonghan. “Congratulations, hyung. Really… that’s great.”

Jeonghan’s face softened, his smile glowing as he patted Seokmin’s shoulder. “Thanks, Seokmin-ah. You’re the best.”

Seokmin dared a glance at Joshua, who watched him with a hint of amusement in his eyes, something that made Seokmin’s skin crawl. Joshua’s gaze felt like a challenge, a taunt, as if he was daring Seokmin to break.

Seokmin managed to excuse himself, forcing a smile as he stood up. “I just remembered… I have to meet my professor. I’ll catch you guys later.”

“Alright, see you,” Jeonghan said, waving him off with a warm smile.

Joshua’s gaze lingered, unwavering, as Seokmin walked away. He could feel Joshua’s eyes on him, almost as if he were taunting him, reminding him of exactly where he stood, a dirty secret never meant to see the light.

All day, his mood had been down,  His friends noticed immediately, of course. They teased him, laughing off his unusually quiet demeanor as they sat in the cafeteria.

“Are you okay, Seokmin?” Seungkwan asked, frowning slightly. “You’re, like, never this quiet.”

“Yeah, are you hiding something from us?” Minghao teased, nudging him. “Secret girlfriend, maybe?”

Seokmin laughed weakly, shaking his head. “I’m just… tired. That’s all.” Minghao tilted his head, watching him carefully. “You’ve been off all day, man. What’s up? You can tell us.” Seokmin forced another smile, trying not to lash out right there. “Really, it’s nothing. I just… have a lot on my mind.”

“Alright, well, whatever it is, don’t let it get to you, hyung.”suengkwan said, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. “You’re always the one keeping us grounded.”

His friends’ words only made him feel worse, like he was betraying their trust by keeping something so painful hidden. They saw him as a source of light, someone steady and cheerful, while he was hiding everything about himself.