Echoes of the Alley

14 - Quiet Connections

The light chatter of the group filled the small café, a sharp contrast to the boisterous energy of their studio meeting just a few days prior. Jisung sat at the corner of the booth, quietly stirring his iced coffee as Felix animatedly recounted something to Hyunjin and Changbin, who were seated across from him. Minho, Chan, Seungmin, and Jeongin were scattered across two smaller tables nearby, the café's cozy atmosphere drawing everyone into quieter, more intimate conversations.

Jisung's mind buzzed with the echoes of the past few days. Bringing his group together with Minho's had gone smoother than he anticipated, but it left him drained. Anxiety lingered at the edges of his thoughts, like static he couldn't quite tune out. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for his drink, and he quickly shoved it under the table, hoping no one noticed.

Minho, sitting across from him, did.

"You good?" Minho asked softly, his voice low enough to keep it between them.

Jisung looked up, startled. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Minho's eyes narrowed, but he didn't press. Instead, he leaned back, his arms crossing as he surveyed the room. "You've been quiet. More than usual."

"Just tired," Jisung mumbled, breaking eye contact.

Before Minho could respond, Hyunjin's voice cut through the ambient noise. "Seungmin, you have to try this," he said, sliding his plate toward the other table. "It's way better than what you ordered."

Seungmin raised a skeptical eyebrow but leaned over to take a bite. His expression softened slightly, though he tried to hide it. "It's decent."
"Decent?" Hyunjin gasped dramatically. "I'll have you know it's the best thing on the menu."

Felix laughed, nudging Changbin. "They're like an old married couple already."

Changbin grinned. "Right? They've been bickering all day."

Jisung smiled faintly at the banter but couldn't quite bring himself to join in. Minho's gaze flicked toward him again, thoughtful.

—
Later, as the group began to drift apart to their respective plans, Minho's subtle persistence emerged. "Hey, Jisung. Want to walk for a bit?"

Jisung blinked, surprised. "Uh, sure."

They stepped out into the crisp autumn air, the golden light of the late afternoon filtering through the trees. For a while, they walked in silence, the quiet rhythm of their steps filling the gaps where words didn't. Jisung's thoughts churned, the tension in his chest tightening with each step.

Finally, Minho broke the silence. "You've got to stop bottling everything up. It's not healthy."

Jisung frowned. "I'm not bottling anything up."

"You are," Minho said plainly. "And it's going to eat you alive if you don't let it out."

Jisung stopped walking, turning to face Minho. "Why do you care so much?"

Minho remembered that line. He himself had said it awhile ago. He flinched internally.

But Minho didn't flinch at the sharpness in Jisung's tone. Instead, he looked at him evenly. "Because I know what it's like to feel like the world's caving in on you. And I know it's worse when you're alone."

Jisung's defenses crumbled at Minho's quiet honesty. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I... I don't even know where to start."

Minho's expression softened. "You don't have to have it all figured out. Just start with what's bothering you right now."

Jisung hesitated, the words caught in his throat. But as Minho waited patiently, the dam holding back his thoughts began to crack. "It's just... a lot," he finally admitted. "Trying to make sure everyone's okay, balancing everything, feeling like I'm always one step away from messing it all up. And now with... with you guys, it's like there's even more to juggle."

Minho nodded, his expression unreadable. "That's normal. It's a lot for anyone. But you've got people around you who care. You don't have to do it all on your own."

Jisung's chest tightened again, but this time, it felt less like suffocation and more like release. He nodded slowly. "Thanks. For... not letting me spiral."

Minho shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "That's what friends are for, right?"

Jisung's heart ached at the word "friends," but he pushed the feeling aside. For now, it was enough.

—
Back at the café, Felix and Changbin lingered, their conversation growing quieter as the others left. Felix's usual cheerful demeanor seemed dimmed, and Changbin noticed immediately.

"What's up, Lix?" Changbin asked, nudging him gently.

Felix hesitated, then smiled faintly. "Nothing. Just thinking."

Changbin raised an eyebrow. "About?"

Felix glanced at him, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "Do you ever feel like you're on the outside looking in? Like you're part of everything but not really?"

Changbin's gaze softened. "Sometimes. But I think it's more about how you let yourself see things. You're more connected than you think, Lix. You just have to trust it."

Felix smiled, the warmth in Changbin's words seeping into his chest. "Thanks, Binnie."

Changbin grinned. "Anytime."

—
As night fell, Jisung returned home, the weight of the day pressing down on him. But this time, it didn't feel as unbearable. Minho's words lingered in his mind, a quiet reassurance that he wasn't alone.

He sat at his desk, staring at the notebook in front of him. Slowly, he began to write, the words spilling onto the page like a lifeline. For the first time in a while, he felt like he could breathe.

———————

— A/N: A little late update, and kind of short, but trust, the next ones will be longer. And let me know if there's any spelling errors please !!

— Recommended song for this chapter: "Are You Mine" by Arctic Monkeys