BL ONESHOTS NO.5

²⁰⁴⁰Haruki x Minase

"You're not going anywhere," Haruki's father spat, his fists tightening around the collar of the young man's shirt. Haruki's eyes searched the room, desperate for a way out, but all he found was the cold, unfeeling stare of the clock on the wall. Each tick was a hammer to his racing heart, counting down the seconds before the inevitable.

"Let go," Haruki choked out, his voice strained by fear.

"You think you can just leave?" his father bellowed, shaking him violently. "After all I've done for you?"

The door to the apartment swung open with a bang, revealing a slender figure in the hallway. "Mr. Sato!" Minase called out, his voice trembling. "Please, stop."

Minase had seen this before, too many times. He lived in the same building, and the sounds of Haruki's pain had become a tragic melody that played out behind closed doors. He stepped into the apartment, his heart pounding in his chest. The sight before him was all too familiar: Haruki on the floor, his face a canvas of bruises, and his father, a tower of rage and disappointment.

Haruki's father whirled around, his eyes wild with fury. "This is none of your business, Minase!" he roared, his grip on his son's shirt tightening.

"It is when I can hear it through my walls," Minase replied firmly, his voice stronger than he felt.

For a moment, the room was silent, the only sound the harsh breathing of the two men. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, Haruki's father released his hold and turned to face the intruder fully. "Get out," he growled. "Or you'll regret it."

Minase took a step back, his hands up in a gesture of peace. "I'm just trying to help," he said softly.

Haruki pushed himself up from the floor, his eyes meeting Minase's. There was a silent plea in them, one that spoke louder than any words. Without another thought, Minase rushed forward, placing himself between Haruki and his father. "Leave him alone," he said, his voice steady. "I won't let you do this anymore."

The older man's eyes narrowed, and he took a step towards Minase. "You little shit," he snarled, raising a hand to strike. But before he could, Haruki was there, grabbing his father's wrist. "No," he said, his voice filled with a determination Minase had never heard before. "It ends here."

The two men stared at each other, a taut line of tension stretching between them. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the fight drained out of Mr. Sato. He let his hand fall to his side, his shoulders slumping in defeat. With a final, disgusted look, he turned and left the room.

Haruki and Minase remained frozen, the air thick with the echoes of anger and fear. Finally, Haruki spoke, his voice low and broken. "Thank you," he murmured, not looking at Minase.

Minase nodded, his eyes never leaving his friend's bruised face. "Come with me," he said. "You can stay at my place tonight."

Hesitant at first, Haruki eventually agreed, gathering his things and following Minase out of the apartment. The hallway was a blur of shadows and stale air, but the warmth of Minase's apartment was a beacon of hope. As the door clicked shut behind them, it was as if a weight had been lifted from both of their shoulders.

In the safety of the small, cluttered space, Haruki sank onto the couch, his body heavy with exhaustion. Minase hovered nearby, not quite sure what to do next. He wanted to help, to fix what was broken, but he knew that some wounds went deeper than a band-aid could ever reach.

"Why did you do that?" Haruki asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Because you're my friend," Minase replied, his heart aching. "And no one deserves to be treated like that."