Hope for the Worst || Minsung

Thirty-One

The nine of us continue to walk around and explore. My mind keeps on wandering back to the moment shared between Chan and Woojin. The two can be seen together for the rest of the day being extra clingy.

Soon, we find ourselves in a small ice cream parlor. We each order various flavors and toppings for ourselves. Unsurprisingly, Jeongin got scolded by Chan for the mountain of sugar he asked for, although I think the real reason why he was scolded was because Chan was the one paying.

The building wasn't the most spacious, and there weren't very many available tables. The few that were open were in different corners of the room and all having different amounts of chairs placed at them. At one table was Chan, Hyunjin, Seungmin and Woojin. At another was Changbin, Felix and Jeongin. This leaves the last table for Minho and I.

Of course the last table left had to be a couple's table.

Minho and I chat between bites. Right now is the perfect time to ask him about his living situation. I need to actually be subtle this time and not give away what I already know, though.

"Minho?" I say causing the boy's head to perk up. "How's life at home going?"

That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. "Nice, Jisung."

"What's nice?" Minho asks.

"Huh?"

"You just randomly said 'nice, Jisung'."

"Oh, uh, just ignore that." I say, cringing. "But seriously, though. How have you been doing at home lately?"

This time, it's Minho's turn to cringe. "It's been good. My folks have been well and... yeah." he trails off.

Hyunjin said that Minho lives alone. Not to mention, something seems really off with his disposition.

"Really? You don't look too sure." I ask with slight caution.

"Okay, fine. I live on my own. Are you happy?" Minho says with a flat expression.

"What? Of course not." I say, trying to act surprised. "But if you don't mind me asking-"

"Yes, I do mind. May we please go back to our previous conversation?"

I wasn't expecting this from Minho. Too scared to push further, I switch topics. I'll just try asking Hyunjin again later.

Tension holds as we talk to each other about different subjects. I can tell that Minho feels awkward, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel the same. It's easy to tell that we're dancing around something bigger and more forbidding with simple and plain talk.

As I watch and see the other members of our group finish their sweets, I hear Minho's forced sigh, "Look, I'm sorry, Jisung."

I show a confused countenance.

"For snapping at you earlier, that is." he explains. "I shouldn't have done that."

I shake my head in disagreement. "Actually, I'm the one who should apologise. I tried to push you into saying something you weren't comfortable with. If you don't want to tell me, then don't." I say. Minho smiles warmly, causing my heart to flutter.

"I'd want you to know this." he claims reassuringly. "Some time back, a few years ago, I came out to my dad. I knew it wouldn't end well, and I was right. But something inside of me was saying that it would be better this way, so I did it."

Minho pauses for a second and his faint smile fades more and more until it's gone completely. "He kicked me out."

"Was it bad?"

"I hate to admit it, but it was terrible. He shoved me to the ground and hit me over and over again. I thought it would never end." Minho says with a ghostly look in his eyes.

I can't help but feel bad for him. The sad expression on his face makes my stomach turn.

Minho continues, "At that time, I regretted telling him that I'm gay, but looking back now, it's not so bad."

"But you're living on your own, right? Wouldn't it be hard to supply for yourself at such a young age?"

"It is, but if I had kept my mouth shut, I never would have re-met you."

My face heats up as my eyes frantically search for something to look at that won't stare back at me.

I feel the warm touch of Minho's fingertips intertwining with mine, in an effort to calm me down. I finally find something to settle my sight on, that of which won't share my gaze:

Minho's lips.

"Whoa."

"I know, right."

"I've been watching from a far and it's probably the most entertaining thing ever."

"That's creepy. Why would you watch Minho and Jisung from a far?"

My head whips back to see Chan and Seungmin not-so-quietly whispering behind us.

"It's like a real life drama." Chan tells the younger.

"Hey! Get out here." Minho quietly yells at them with a pink tint over his face.

"Actually, we were trying to you two out of here. The others are waiting outside, slowpokes." Seungmin says with crossed arms.

"Oh." Minho says, sheepishly.

Seungmin rolls his eyes. "Yeah, 'oh'. Hurry up, let's go."

Without another word, Minho and I throw away our trash and leave the parlor. For the rest of the day, the two of us walk side by side, but to my dismay, not hand in hand.