At home, Seungmin's fever lingered like a dark cloud, refusing to break. His mom stayed by his side, diligently checking his temperature, coaxing him to drink water or eat a few spoonfuls of food. But every time she tried to get him to eat, Seungmin would weakly shake his head and turn away, silent tears slipping down his cheeks.
"Just one bite, Minnie," she whispered softly, sitting at the edge of his bed. "It will help you get better."
But Seungmin only curled further into the blankets, clutching them like a lifeline. He hadn't signed anything all day, his hands limp and motionless. His mom's heart broke as she watched him sink deeper into his fears, his trembling body a stark reminder of everything he'd endured.
Hyunjin wasn't faring much better. His mom had firmly told him to stay out of Seungmin's room, knowing the sight of his brother in such a state would only compound his guilt. But Hyunjin couldn't help it; every now and then, he would crack the door open just to check. Each time he saw Seungmin shivering or crying in his restless sleep, it felt like a dagger piercing his chest.
"Why can't I do anything right?" Hyunjin muttered to himself as he paced in his room. His mom had told him to go back to school the next day—he'd already missed two days, and she insisted he couldn't afford to miss more. But how could he leave Seungmin like this?
"Hyunjin, you have to go tomorrow," his mom said firmly when he protested. "Seungmin will be here, with me. I'll take care of him."
"But—"
"No buts. You've done your part. Now let me do mine. He needs you to be strong, Hyunjin."
Hyunjin bit his lip, swallowing the lump in his throat. He nodded reluctantly, knowing she was right, but it didn't make leaving any easier.
𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋
Same Day at School—
"Hey, Chan! You're back?!" Minho's eyes widened in disbelief as he spotted Chan in the hallway. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't imagining things, and when Chan grinned and walked over to him, Minho couldn't stop the small smile tugging at his lips.
Before he could say anything, Chan pulled him into a hug. Minho stiffened, his arms awkwardly hanging at his sides.
"What are you doing?" he muttered, trying to sound annoyed, but he didn't push Chan away.
"I missed you too, mate," Chan teased, pulling back with a chuckle. Minho rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the relief that washed over him.
"I thought you weren't coming back. I thought... you stayed in Australia for good." Chan shook his head.
"Nah, mate. My family's all settled here. I'm back now." Chan smiled widely.
Minho hesitated before blurting out, "I tried texting you, you know. But you never replied. I thought... you didn't want to talk to me anymore. I thought you didn't want me anymore... just like everyone else." The vulnerability in Minho's voice made Chan's smile falter.
"What? No! I couldn't reply because I lost my old phone. I lost all my contacts. I tried retrieving as many contacts as I could but i couldn't get yours from anyone." He placed a reassuring hand on Minho's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Minho. That was never my intention."
Minho stared at the ground, chewing on his lip to stop the overwhelming emotions and memories crashing down on him all at once. "It's fine. You're here now, I guess."
Chan studied him for a moment before changing the subject. "I'm sure you made new friends while I was gone."
Minho hesitated again. "Yeah," he said softly, forcing a small smile. "I made friends."
He led Chan over to his group of friends, introducing them one by one. They exchanged pleasantries, and for a moment, Chan thought everything seemed normal. But then, someone brought up Seungmin. "You know, I still can't believe how that Seungmin kid got off so easy," one of Minho's friends said, leaning back casually. "I mean, he caused so much trouble for Minho, and for what? To play the victim? Such a brat."
"Yeah," another chimed in. "Honestly, Minho, you were too nice to him. He deserved everything he got." Minho's stomach dropped.
"And let's not forget how fun it was to see him all drenched and miserable," someone else added with a laugh. "Serves him right for thinking he's special. Freshers like him need to know their place."
The group erupted into laughter, but Minho felt like he was sinking into quicksand. His heart pounded in his chest, and he couldn't even look up. Chan, sitting beside him, frowned. "Wait. What are you guys talking about?" The others brushed it off, but the guilt etched into Minho's face didn't escape Chan's notice.
When the group finally dispersed, Chan turned to Minho. "What was all that about?" Minho's hands trembled as he stared at the floor. He could feel the tears pricking at his eyes, threatening to spill over.
"I... I did something bad," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Again." Chan frowned, his concern deepening.
"Minho, what did you do?" But Minho couldn't answer. His throat felt like it was closing, and all he could do was bury his face in his hands, overwhelmed by the weight of his actions.
YOU ARE READING
𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 || 𝟚𝕞𝕚𝕟
Fanfic...I want to feel happy... ...I want to feel loved... "Can you make me feel alive?" 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ In which Kim Seungmin and Lee Minho, though appearing to be fine on the outside, are dying from within. Both have closed themselves off in different ways, an...
