SUNSHINE | changlix

eight

"You're back!" Seungmin said, wrapping his arms around Jeongin who gave him a faint smile as he returned his hug. Once Seungmin let go of Jeongin, Felix gave him a pat on the back before opening his locker to stuff his books inside. "I was really worried about you," Seungmin muttered, trapping Jeongin in yet another hug, the younger of the pair lazily wrapping his arms around him again.

"You're going to murder him if you keep squeezing him like that," Jisung said, putting his arm around Jeongins' shoulder, making the younger lean against him slightly.

Felix smiled at the sight before him, admiring how they were all present in that moment, the smiles on their faces so bright that if Felix didn't know better, he would have seen them as a perfect friend group. 

As they continued talking about trivial things, Jisungs' phone began ringing, the squirrel looking boy excusing himself as he left to answer the call in private. Once Jisung was gone, Felix continued smiling on the outside but inside, his thoughts were far from the present day, thinking back to Seungmins' "session" and how Jeongin had wanted to say something but never got the chance to do so. 

Yet, despite all the questions he still had for the pair, he chose to leave it be, not wanting to force them to speak as he knew how horrible that felt. 

Then, he heard it. 

People began whispering, their collective whispers so loud that Felix could pick up some of what they were saying, the same name falling out of their lips and onto his ears.

And, as if on cue, both Seungmin and Jeongin tensed up in their places, the smiles that they previously wore completely wiped away, Jeongin shifting slightly behind Seungmin and Felix as though he were trying desperately to hide from the incoming person who stopped right before them. 

"Innie, are you feeling better?" Hyunjin asked, trying to reach out for Jeongin only to be blocked by Seungmin. Jeongin nodded and subconsciously wrapped his hand around Seungmins', refusing to meet Hyunjins' eyes. 

Felix noticed the dark circles painted under Hyunjins' eyes and when he looked down, he noticed the bruises and scratches that were scattered across his knuckles, blue black marks tainting his skin.  And, he didn't miss the fact that Jeongin had visibly paled when he arrived and although one hand was tightly intertwined with Seungmins' in what Felix assumed was his way of being comforted, Jeongin was still shaking. 

"Ca-can I talk with you?" Hyunjin asked, his voice so fragile and weak that it took Felix by surprise. Not once, in all the years he had been classmates with Hyunjin, had he ever heard the boy sound so frail, every sentence he said always having had some form of condescension or a certain smugness that Felix had never been fond of. 

"Min? Can we go for lunch now?" Jeongin muttered, his voice breaking slightly as he pulled on Seungmins' shirt lightly, his head still bowed down as he ignored Hyunjins' words.

Felix noticed how Hyunjin had balled his hands up into fists, his long nails practically piercing into his skin as he bit his lips, not at all caring that he could faintly taste the metallic taste of blood. 

Felix observed how time seemed to have stopped around them, everyone not daring to move an inch or make a single sound, all eyes glued to the scene before them unsure if they were even allowed to blink lest they miss a moment. 

Then, in the near distance, he saw a familiar face dressed in all black, his head tilted slightly as he watched the scene unfolding before him. And when they met eyes, he noticed a faint smile form on his face, subtly pointing at the pop of colour on his jacket which this time was a pale pink shade. 

But before he could react further to the pin he was pointing at, he found himself on the floor, Hyunjin laying next to him, his hands staining the floor a crimson red. 

He looked up and saw Jeongin with his arms outstretched, his eyes still pointed downwards while Seungmin stood confused as to what just happened. Audible gasps were heard from everyone around them and yet, no one dared move or help. 

"Ge-get away from me. Sto-stop looking for me. And-" Jeongins' voice was shaking, raising his head and revealing the tears that were falling down his face as he forced himself to be loud -  to be stronger than what people gave him credit for. "And stop pretending to care!" 

Jeongin ran off, Seungmin quickly apologising to Felix before chasing after the younger boy. 

"Get lost," Hyunjin muttered softly at first as a few people slowly approached him. "I said get lost!" he screamed, everyone quickly backing away as he let his hair fall in front of his face. "Go away!" With his words, people started to scatter, afraid that Hyunjin would harm them. 

Felix was still sat on the ground next to Hyunjin, massaging his arms. "You were wrong by the way," Hyunjin said, wiping his hands on his white shirt, leaving streaks of dirty red. Felix looked at him and felt a shiver run down his spine as he glared at him in such a familiar way that Felix couldn't help but move away, fear taking over for a fraction of a second before he returned to his senses - Hyunjins' glare was nothing compared to what he had seen before. 

"Wrong about what?" Felix asked, trying his best to maintain his composure as he fixed his hair slightly. 

Hyunjin stood up and shut his eyes for a second before speaking again. "Jeongin doesn't love me and, if he did, he sure as hell no longer does." 

And with that Hyunjin walked away, not bothered to wipe the red that stained the hallway floor.

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barely any changlix here but I PROMISE next chap there will be!
also, don't worry guys. i didn't forget jisung!
everything is planned out so i don't leave characters out with no reason :)