𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 || 𝟚𝕞𝕚𝕟

38 | But I'm Right Where You Left Me

Seungmin had begun to notice how distant Minho looked these days, like his body was present, but his mind...somewhere else entirely.

Whenever they hung out, Minho was there. He laughed at their jokes, played the games, spent time with Seungmin. Everything was exactly as usual...he smiled when Seungmin reached for his hand or kissed his cheek, returned the gestures as well. But behind it all...there was something hollow.

Minho zoned out too often. Whenever he was sitting alone, or even in conversations where he wasn't actively involved...he just got lost in his own thoughts until someone got his attention back.

Seungmin had asked him about it once. Or maybe three, four times now. And every time, Minho had just pulled him into a hug, buried his nose in Seungmin's shoulder and whispered, "I'm okay." His voice was steady. His arms warm. His smile soft.

But Seungmin knew better.

He knew that Minho was struggling. He knew that he wasn't okay. He knew that Minho would never say it aloud, especially not after everything they'd both already been through just to be here.

Seungmin tried. Gently, without pressure. He asked again in smaller ways. He stayed close, gave him space, nudged gently when the silence got too loud. But Minho always deflected, changing the subject, brushing it off with a chuckle, or holding Seungmin's hand and kissing his knuckles like that would make him forget.

It didn't.

That day in class, it happened again.

Minho was seated beside Seungmin, eyes trained on the board, but it was clear he wasn't really there. His pen hadn't moved in ten minutes and his eyes were glassy, unfocused.

Seungmin nudged his elbow lightly. "Hey," he whispered, "you okay?"

Minho blinked, smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Mm. Just tired." He sat up straighter, scribbled down a few notes, tried to follow along.

Five minutes later, he was staring blankly out the window again.

Seungmin sighed softly and let him be. He didn't want to push. He didn't want to keep prodding at someone who was clearly already at the edge. So he turned his attention back to the lesson...until the professor's voice cracked sharply through the room.

"LEE MINHO!"

Minho flinched as his attention snapped back to the class.

The entire class went quiet.

Even Seungmin jumped at the volume, his eyes snapping to Minho. The professor was glaring furiously, standing with a hand flat on his desk.

"I've had enough of your nonsense," the man spat. "You think you can just come here and waste space? Not pay attention in my class?"

Minho's eyes were wide. Terrified. His hand clutched his bag like a lifeline, his knuckles white as he stared at the professor, frozen. His other hand slowly curled into a fist, so tight that his nails dug deep into his palm.

He couldn't hear him anymore.

The yelling blurred into static, drowned by the roar of his heartbeat in his ears. His breath caught somewhere in his chest. His vision narrowed. He couldn't move.

"Answer me!" the professor barked. "What did I just say?!"

Still no response.

"Just get out."

Minho didn't process it.

"I said GET OUT!"

That time, Minho flinched so hard his desk rattled. His breath hitched, his vision swimming as he looked down. He blinked rapidly, as if trying to fight off tears...trying to stay here, now, not fall back into those other dark places.