The days passed like a slow torture. Ever since Lee Minho hit Seungmin, he became the object of mockery and abuse. Fortunately, Jisung hadn't been so affected, and Minho hadn't seen him again in the hallways, nor had he answered his messages.

His mood became completely null, and everything became more tedious when he heard his mother's comparisons. The idea of running away from home tempted him more than ever, and the nights became long between so many overwhelming thoughts and distress. He knew he had enough savings to live for up to two years without working because he knew no one cared about him there.

He wiped the blood from his lips with the sleeve of his sweater and covered his head with the sweater hat. He sighed as he sat on the bathroom floor, trying to process what had happened. The boys who had beaten him had already left, but he couldn't help feeling bad. He never thought he would be a victim of violence at school, but at that moment, he understood how the scholarship students suffered at the hands of other students.

He stood up, trying to ignore the pain he felt, and left the bathroom. It was strange and painful for him. He didn't know how everything had changed so fast. His parents seemed to hate him even more than before, and at that moment, everyone at school did. He felt alone and vulnerable. He wanted to run away from his cousin, his parents and all his classmates and longed to find a safe place where no one could hurt him, neither physically nor mentally.

At first, his friends and some classmates supported him, but then they moved away to avoid being hurt by others. Even Jisung, who had just started to be his friend a few days ago, only left him on seen every time he sent him a text message, which hurt him.

But hell wasn't only for him these days but also for Jisung. He no longer went to the residence and started to travel to his mother's house to sleep there. She always asked him if something was wrong, but he changed the subject. The situation of Seungmin, Minho and him made him feel too bad. His thoughts of wanting to die were so recurrent that he was no longer surprised to have them every day.

The Debate Club members didn't stop talking and asking him questions to get information about what had happened, but Jisung didn't tell the truth. In the end, they concluded that he was lying.

Judgment day arrived, and in some minutes, they would have a trial to determine his future at school. The inspector always told him to go to class, but he was absent to cry on the rooftop.

Jisung thought about jumping from there many times, but his cell phone vibrated because of Minho's messages, which he never answered. But somehow, these messages managed to calm the thoughts he had. They were like a lifeline.

In addition to facing the insults and mockery of the whole school, he didn't know much about Minho. He felt guilty and didn't dare to look at him too much for fear because he thought everything was his fault. Jisung thought Minho would hate him for everything and never do anything right when socializing with others. He had been his friend, and at that moment, he was losing him, which made his heart break into a thousand pieces.

Every time Jisung saw him, being really few, Minho seemed more beautiful than usual. Even though he no longer saw him smile, he still seemed like that. Minho was as broken as he was, but that didn't make him ugly. Jisung even believed he was beginning to have romantic feelings for Minho, but he was afraid and preferred not to accept it. It was confusing because he didn't even know him much, but it was as if he was fated to like him.

At that moment, the bell rang, announcing that the trial was about to begin. Jisung entered the place where the school trial would take place, mentally preparing himself to face the consequences of his actions. He knew he had to tell the truth but didn't want to. He didn't want others to get into trouble.

He saw Seungmin and Minho sitting away from him, although his heart beat hard when he saw the one who was his friend but didn't dare to approach. Minho looked at him and then looked away, making Jisung feel sad.

The trial began, and Jisung kept his head down, refusing to look at the boys. It was too painful. The members of the Debate Club asked him what had happened, but he didn't answer, which increased the possibility that he would fail in the case. He continued to bite his lower lip, both from fear and from the need to hurt himself.

However, the girl who advocated for him told everything that had happened, with evidence she had obtained from who knows where. She talked about everything that had happened without saying too much on Minho's part. But Lee's eyes opened wide when he heard that.

"Lee Minho was the one who received Jisung's letter on Valentine's Day, and he always believed that Jisung had feelings for him because Lee likes Han still."

That was more of the context of the problem, but for Minho, it was leaving his feelings quite in the open, which made him lower his gaze and remain silent. He thought that surely Jisung wouldn't want to see him again.

The younger one's eyes filled with tears, and he began to tremble, both for not realizing Minho's feelings and for having hurt him so much with his simple existence. He really could only think at that moment of wanting to die because he could no longer bear all this.

After considering all the testimonies and evidence, the Debate Club finally announced its verdict.

"We have made a decision," said the president. "Jisung, first of all, thank you for admitting guilt. However, after hearing the testimonies of many students, we understand that your emotions led you to make a wrong decision, and that's why we have decided that the best thing for you is to start receiving support from the school psychologist since we understand that you aren't going through a good time emotionally." He sighed and checked some papers before continuing. "Seungmin, in your case, what you did to Jisung is unacceptable. We ask you to apologize to him and commit to never repeating that behaviour. However, what you did was very serious, and after talking with the director and the inspector, we decided that you would expelled from school."

The news generated murmurs among those present, and Seungmin clenched his fists. Despite seeming reluctant, he apologized to Jisung. Everyone saw how annoyed he was.

"Finally, Minho," continued the president, "we understand that you acted in defence of Jisung, but this school will not tolerate violence. Therefore, we will suspend you for a few days."

Minho nodded silently, accepting his punishment, and sighed as he looked away.

Little by little, people began to leave the room, among them Minho, who ran anywhere but away from there. In that escape, he found the stairs that led to the school rooftop, went up immediately and hid there, letting himself fall to the ground, hugging his legs. He closed his eyes and felt the cool breeze of the wind on his face, trying to clear his mind of all the thoughts that tormented him, but he found it impossible. He felt horrible because he wasn't ready to face Jisung's pitiful look. After all, it wasn't what he wanted or needed.

Jisung was still in the place, looking at the floor as if something was interesting, and was taken out of his little trance thanks to his classmate talking to him. Jisung took out a bag that he had kept in his pocket and vomited there. He took it because he knew he would. He used to do it each he felt too bad. Although his classmate tried to calm him down, it didn't work. While the girl walked away to throw the bag in the trash, Jisung ran to the rooftop without knowing his friend was there.

He arrived and locked the door so no one else could go. He lay on the floor and curled up. He didn't care that the dirt on the floor dirtied his clothes and his cheek. He couldn't stop thinking about how silly he felt. He took out his phone, looked for Minho's phone number and sent him a text message after a long time without doing it.

"I'm sorry."

He wanted to apologize to him for everything, and that was because Minho was a good boy. Jisung didn't deny that. As mentioned earlier, he believed he had started to feel things for him, but it was something he couldn't accept. The wound the previous person he liked had caused him didn't allow it. He was scared of ending up hurt again.

Minho's cell phone vibrated, letting out a bitter laugh as he read his message and bit his lower lip.

"There is no need to apologize. You aren't to blame for anything."

Yes, he wasn't to blame for Minho being a silly boy looking for a bit of love. A boy who was the shadow of another. A broken boy in every possible way.

As the tears began to appear, he brought his hands to his face, feeling how hell was getting bigger and bigger. Jisung, for his part, did nothing but continue crying, ignoring everything around him.

"Be happy."

He stood up, trying to wipe away his tears, and headed to a part of the roof without any protective barriers. He sat on the edge of the place, swinging his legs as he watched people leave school. He had always tried to be strong, not to try to take his own life, but at that moment, it was so hard, and he felt desperate to do it.

He sent a message to all his contacts, which basically came down to his mom and some relatives, asking them for forgiveness. They didn't take long to call him, but he didn't answer them. He looked down, seeing the great height between the roof and the floor, and sighed. Maybe this was what everyone wanted, especially Seungmin, right?

"I'm really sorry, Minho..."

He whispered, apologizing as if he were going to hear him, and decided he had to do it.