𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 || 𝑺𝑬𝑶𝑲𝑺𝑶𝑶

twelve

Joshua hadn’t stepped out of his apartment in days. His phone lay somewhere buried under a mess of crumpled sheets and discarded clothes, vibrating occasionally with ignored notifications. His hair was a tangled mess, his eyes heavy with bags that hinted at sleepless nights, and his face a pale shadow of its usual self. When the doorbell rang, he groaned, assuming it was just another well-meaning friend or an annoyed neighbor.

Dragging himself to the door, he opened it, expecting yet another lecture he didn’t have the patience for. But the sight on his doorstep stopped him cold.

Jeonghan and Seungcheol stood there, both wearing expressions that ranged from pure fury to something close to heartbreak. Without a word, they pushed their way inside, their eyes not even glancing at the state of his apartment. They were here with a purpose, and from the look on Seungcheol’s face, Joshua braced himself for the worst.

“What the hell is this?” Seungcheol started, his voice a low, simmering rage. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

Joshua frowned, crossing his arms as if to shield himself. “Why are you here?” he snapped back. “Why are you both shouting at me in my own place?”

Jeonghan sighed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the mess surrounding them, but his voice was softer. “Joshua, we’re mad—of course we’re mad. You hurt people, and you broke a lot of things. But I… I’m more heartbroken than anything.”

Jeonghan’s words lingered in the air, hanging heavy. Joshua’s frustration grew, a fire building in his chest as he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “So what? Isn’t this what you wanted?” His voice was a strange mix of sarcasm and bitterness. “You should be happy, Jeonghan. Now you don’t have to see my face anymore.”

Jeonghan’s face hardened, and Seungcheol’s fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. But before he could snap, Jeonghan raised a hand, forcing him to breathe.

“This isn’t about me, Joshua. This is about Seokmin.” Jeonghan’s voice wavered, but his eyes never left Joshua’s. “He’s… he’s a mess, Joshua. Do you even know what he’s been going through?”

Joshua’s brows knitted in confusion. “What? Isn’t this what he wanted?” He forced out a laugh, though it sounded hollow. “Shouldn’t he be glad he’s free of me? Glad he doesn’t have to deal with this?”

Seungcheol’s patience snapped, and he stepped forward, only for Jeonghan to hold him back, voice sharp. “Stop. This isn’t helping.”

Taking a calming breath, Jeonghan tried again. “Joshua, you’re so blind. Seokmin… he’s not okay. He’s barely talking, barely even eating. He’s not the Seokmin we all know. And I thought—even after everything, I thought you might want to know that.”

Joshua’s mouth opened, but he struggled to find words, his mind racing with confusion and denial. “But he… shouldn’t he be relieved? He told me he was done.” His voice cracked slightly, and he hated how desperate he sounded. “He told me he wanted me gone.”

Jeonghan took a step closer, his voice low but filled with restrained frustration. “Do you think he meant it, Joshua? God, he’s in love with you. He’s been in love with you this whole time. You destroyed him because he trusted you with everything he had.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and unforgiving, and Joshua felt the sting of their truth cut deeper than he’d expected. His heart clenched painfully, guilt crashing over him like a wave. It was a feeling he didn’t know how to handle, a bitterness that made his stomach turn.

Seungcheol’s voice was cold, but there was a glimmer of empathy beneath it. “He’s still in love with you, you idiot. And you—you’re no better. Look at yourself.” Seungcheol gestured around the room, at Joshua’s disheveled appearance, his sunken eyes. “You can’t even go a week without him, can you?”