𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚞𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚝𝚎

- ten

"JUNHUI WORRIES ME."

minghao clicked his tongue at the remark, ultimately choosing to say nothing. he could understand what soonyoung was talking about, but he really didn't want to hear about it. the two (junhui as well, he was in the bathroom) were on a study date and the group's usually hangout spot--a family-owned coffee shoppe. they were the cafe's usuals, coming in every weekend they could.

minghao's pencil met paper as he struggled to solve the difficult pre-calculus problem. he wasn't sure why he chose to double up in math, maybe to prove to himself that he wasn't a total idiot, but the decision surely was coming back to bite him in the--

"he looks like a zombie," soonyoung continued, tone slick with both worry and awe. "sometimes i look at him and wonder if he's going to come behind me and chomp my head off."

the chinese boy blinked. "stop being over-dramatic," he said curtly. soonyoung rolled his eyes.

"like i wonder if he gets good sleep." soonyoung took a bite out of a muffin he had bought. minghao shuddered when crumbs spilled onto his workbook. "i really don't think he does. i feel like his eye bags have their own eye bags, that might even have their own eye bags."

the younger slowly raised his head, giving soonyoung a strong look. soonyoung didn't understand what it meant, but to minghao it was supposed to be threatening.

the group were at a table next to one of the shoppe's large glass windows. soonyoung was across from minghao, who (in comparison to the older) had all of his work out and was determined to finish. a pile of books sat on jun's seat next to minghao. the seat next to soonyoung was cold and empty, waiting.

they were all waiting.

yet to little avail.

"minghao, i'm like seriously worried here, dude--"

"do not call me dude," minghao spat. "i am so not your dude."

the two sat in a thick, uncomfortable, tense silence.

soonyoung jumped as the other seat was pulled back, and a somber jun joined the two.

"hey guys, did we order yet?" he questioned, refusing to look at the empty seat across from him.

this was the first time they had gone back to the coffee shoppe ever since. . . it. . happened. they also had yet to bring up the situation in entirety.

junhui had begun to accept it for what it was. minghao often broke down when no one was around. and soonyoung. . . soonyoung wasn't even close to understanding that his best friend was really gone.

for good? maybe.

maybe not?

every day soonyoung woke up, getting ready to go to school and greet his best friends, often heading to chan's locker to walk the boy to his first class. and sometimes he would stand there so long that he'd go to the bathroom to see if chan was busy in there or something, and then he'd see the MISSING! poster of him that was taped to the bulletin board, and he'd remember.

he struggled to remain his normal self. he knew his friends were hurting, and he wanted to remain someone they could fall back on. he wanted to stay positive for them, and he tried, he really did--but god it was eating him alive.

soonyoung felt himself slowly breaking.

"not yet," minghao murmured, shooting soonyoung another strong look. he ignored this.

"we were waiting for you," he spoke quietly. jun nodded.

"i love you guys," soonyoung suddenly said, and the other two looked up at him confusedly.

"wh--"

"do you think he's still alive?" he blurted, eyes glazed over as his teeth sunk into his lower lip.

"what--? soonyoung!!" minghao spluttered, and jun's mouth fell agape.

minghao looked shocked, and almost a bit enraged. jun placed an hand on the boy's wrist, sensing how the mood between the three shifted at once. soonyoung stared at minghao, waiting for him to say "yes, yes soonyoung i'm sure chan is just fine!". the youngest instead said nothing.

"it's gonna b--"

"you wanna know what i think? honest to fucking god?" minghao asked, and jun sighed.

"if chan's not already dead by now," he spat, and soonyoung gasped, tears pouring out of his eyes as soon as the words left minghao's mouth, "then he's probably getting fucking tortured or something. it's been two weeks."

jun's eyes hardened.

"why would--why--why would you ever think like that?" soonyoung wailed, raising his hands to cover his puffy cheeks. "why would you say that?!"

"you know it's true! someone had to fucking say it, soonyoung!" he retaliated, and he looked away from the blubbering older. jun spoke up.

"minghao--"

"stop."

"minghao, please, could you--"

"JUST STOP!" minghao roared, grabbing his books and storming away from the table. soonyoung cried quietly to himself, and jun reached out to hold the boy's hand.

"why would he think like that?" he then asked, looking up to jun with hope-filled eyes. "he's alive, right? he's just. . he's just missing.

jun didn't respond.