There is slight hints at domestic violence/physical abuse within this chapter. Please do not read any further if these topics are sensitive to you.

✧━━ .·:*¨¨* 𓆩♡𓆪 *¨¨*:·. ━━ ✧

❥ 𝐉𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕 •°. *࿐

"Jisung?" Felix asks, sitting next to him, holding his water bottle in his hand.

"Hm?" Jisung breaks free of his haze, turning to look at his friends occupying the table, taking an uneasy breath. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing, I just asked if you did the homework for literature already." Felix's head slightly tilts, raising a brow. "Are you okay, Ji?"

"I'm fine, just tired." Jisung sighs, trying to stow away his feelings.

Truthfully, he had been worried about Minho more than he'd ever let on, knowing that Mingi was lurking around the halls in search of a moment of weakness to pounce. Jisung felt like a helpless impala, stumbling around the plains of the savanna, lost and without his family, surrounded by a pride of ravenous lions, fully prepared to devour him at any waking moment. He wanted to search for Minho, to help him; even if it were to cost him everything he had avoided for the last few years.

"Didn't sleep?" Wooyoung interjects, a worried glint hidden in his eyes.

"More than that." Jisung shrugs. "Just have a lot on my mind, and I can't seem to shake my thoughts today."

"You're usually pretty unshakeable." Felix remarks, turning to pour his gaze onto his food.

"Well, I am human, Felix. I have bad days." Jisung defends, earning a quiet scoff from his friend.

"I didn't say that," Felix says gently. "I'm just saying that from afar, I've always noticed how mentally sound you've been. You're driven, focused, and completely passionate about your studies, so to see you a bit off is weird to me, is all."

"Do I really seem that studious?" Jisung asks, nearly out of concern. He hadn't thought of his image before, not that how people had seen him previously ever worried him, but his change in behavior was worth noting.

"I think it has something to do with Minho." Jeongin points out, sitting across from Jisung with a nearly unreadable expression.

"That's. . . a bold assumption." Jisung turns to face the younger male, brow raising. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, since you've been sitting with us for nearly two weeks, I've taken notice of some of your patterns. I can't help it, really. They all know how overly-analytical I can be."

"He's scary good at it." Wooyoung's eyes are wide, faux fear plaguing him. "He noticed how different I had seemed the day after San and I had kissed. We were trying to keep it secret because Sannie wasn't out to his parents then, but Jeongin, for whatever fucking reason, knew right away."

"You were constantly smiling like an idiot, Wooyoung." Jeongin mutters, shrugging. "Call it intuition, or call it luck, I don't care. But with you, Jisung, I've noticed that you space out a bit more lately, and I'm assuming that you're thinking about Minho."

"Who says I'm not thinking about something else?" Jisung quips, his gaze uncertain. Jeongin makes deadpanned eye contact, unamused.

"I have never seen you so wrapped up in an assignment or anything from this God forsaken place, so don't lie to me. It's okay if you are, I'm sure none of us would be mad."

Jisung glances at Wooyoung, knowing that the admission might seem rash and hard to grasp, but Wooyoung had seemed awfully indifferent.

With a sigh, Felix starts responding. "He's a very hard person to reach. He's got a lot of rumors surrounding him, but none of us know what's true and what isn't."

"I don't think any of them are true." Jisung says, nearly under his breath. "I want to give him the chance to be honest. He deserves that, don't you think?"

"He deserves a lot of things," San says defensively, earning a glance from Jisung and Wooyoung both.

"He does need a kick in the ass, maybe a stern fuck you, but–" Wooyoung sighs, glancing at San, then looking away, making soft eye contact with Jisung. "Maybe he needs a hug, or reassurance, I don't know. There's a lot going on with him, I think, and I don't want him to feel alone."

"That's my point," Jisung says, voice filled with confidence. "He's going through something alone. No one deserves that."

"Have you tried talking to him about anything other than studying?" Felix asks, genuinely curious.

"A bit, but he's really adamant that he doesn't need help or anything." Jisung leans back into his seat, gazing away from his barely-touched food.

"I think you might have a chance at cracking him." Wooyoung says, voice a bit hesitant. "He's always been really closed-off, even to me, but for some reason, it seems like he likes you."

"Why would you say that? I'm just tutoring him. He kind of has to show up to the sessions."

"Because he keeps coming back." Wooyoung looks at Jisung, his face a mixture of emotions, likely stockpiled and long ignored from whatever resentment he had held from a year ago.

"What–?" Jisung is taken aback, glancing at Wooyoung and San, unsure of where to set the revelation from the people that used to know him best.

"He clearly didn't cherish any friendship I had with him," Wooyoung shrugs. "But, being as stubborn as he is, which hasn't changed, for some reason unknown to you and likely to him, he keeps coming back."

"Wooyoung–" Jisung clasps a hand over his eyes, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"It's not like you knew about any of this. If we hadn't told you, nothing would've changed. I think you would've been on this path regardless. You and Minho were meant to cross paths. Maybe you're going to be the one to save him."

Wooyoung's words had mildly caught Jisung off guard, sending him into a further place of confusion that he couldn't quite grasp. The idea of being brought into the awkward fold that contained a broken group of friends only made Jisung swirl with anxiety, thinking too much into every detail that could possibly flood his mind with an avalanche of negativity.

"What he's trying to say is that you shouldn't run away from this. Stay persistent, stay at his side, eventually he might crack and need someone to catch him whenever he chooses to fall." Felix says, trying to soothe the visible worry laced into Jisung's eyes.

"But why me? Why the only person who hasn't had a friend in their entire life and avoided social situations?"

"Opposites attract," San says. "Look how I ended up."

Jisung watches as Wooyoung's head turns on a swivel, his eyes surely boring into San's, fake-irritation present. San's smile curls, quietly laughing as he mouths I love you, stop it.

"Seriously," Felix nudges Jisung gently. "Just let it happen. I'm not saying that Minho needs to be saved, or anything, but he is alone. He might have Mingi and Hyunjin at his side, but that doesn't mean that they know everything going on in that stubborn-ass head of his."

"I know," Jisung sighs. "I just don't want him to think that I'm prying or trying to force him into talking to me."

"He's not going to. Just take it a step at a time. There's no rush." Felix smiles, his encouragement genuine. Jisung smiles, just barely, enough to wordlessly assure his friend that he had understood.

It wasn't that Jisung was completely unaware of the magnetic pull he had felt to Minho before, the urge to help him and be there for him stemming from nothing, especially when he has never felt anything like this before. Minho had been going to his school for over a year now, and why these feelings never made themselves known before had been awfully troubling to Jisung. This confusion, this pull on his heart made his mind ache with a delicate pull to urge himself numb again.

Jisung wasn't emotionless by any means, he had just chosen to never care. Caring about someone landed yourself in trouble, convicting issues into your life, welcoming problems that hadn't been your own, coming with an unfamiliar anxiety about protecting someone other than yourself. It had always seemed like too much, then again, caring about someone didn't seem so bad. He cared about Felix and his friends, considering they were the closest thing he's been able to call friends for the first time in his mere existence within this school. Introverted and pushed towards a specific path, Jisung stayed well within his own lane, ignoring everyone and everything, pouring every ounce of himself into his studies, and it's only here and now, sitting at the lunch table with his eyes boring into his sandwich, that he realizes that he wasn't living. He was acting, robotically, going about a specific routine that had been molded within his brain, becoming nearly second nature. He hadn't bothered to question the path his parents craved for him, accepting it with open arms, opting to find the possibility of love outside of these doors and well past college, settling down with some woman that his parents would approve of. But, that idea never sat well with him. He just supposed that it was the way of the world, and it was how it was supposed to work, yet here were the people ahead of him, completely different from his entire view of society, mingling and coexisting without an issue.

Wooyoung and San, openly in love, tangled together and glued to the hip, oblivious to the glances of others as they solely focus on one another, their eyes completely fond and lost at the sight of their lover. Felix, heartbroken one too many times, had been so unbelievably inept of focusing on his coursework, trying to divulge himself into an arts programme, disregarding his parents wishes, or at least, that had been what he'd told Jisung over a few text messages well past midnight. Then there was Jeongin, way too smart for his own good, yet with no chosen path for his future, choosing to simply figure it out when he had the chance to.

Everyone had been so different, a vast array of intermingling personalities and desires, yet they existed within arms length peacefully, caring about every member within their small clique. Jisung joined easily, even if he had been apprehensive, welcomed with open arms and smiles, and not for a single second had Jisung ever felt out of place here.

This was all new, eye-opening; a contrast of the world his parents had told him about. He never believed that his destined path would align here, stuck in a small group with some of the kindest people he'd ever met, not to mention, discussing how the school's bad boy held some sort of fondness for him and no one else. Jisung has woven himself into a tangle of issues and delicacies, and yet, he finds himself content. He could lean on Felix, talk about drama with Wooyoung, seek advice from San, and more importantly, seek truths from a shameless Jeongin. Everyone had found a certain place within Jisung's heart, but each small sliver had grown substantially, opening his eyes to the possibility of welcoming this new side of himself.

The side he had always ignored. The side he spent his entire youth burying away simply because his parents had asked him to.

The part that longed to be with others. The part that ached to be loved.

"Jisung–" Felix chuckles. "Your phone is buzzing."

Blinking awake, Jisung glances to his left, spotting his phone that had been laying face down, vibrating suspiciously. Hesitantly, he grabs his phone, tapping the screen awake to eye a flood of text messages from Minho.

Lee Minho

I need your help right now.

Please come to the boys' bathroom near the Literature room.

I'm begging, Jisung. Please.

A sudden panic courses over Jisung's skin, propelling his actions without thought. He packs away whatever remnants of his lunch remain, shooting Felix a quick glance.

"I have to go–" Jisung says in a whir, pushing in his chair before quickly striding away, trying to draw as little attention to himself as he escapes the cafeteria.

The walk to the bathroom would be a long one, as it had been on the near opposite side of the building, but Minho sounded desperate. Jisung wouldn't be one to refuse.

As Jisung rounds the last corner, the vacant hall opens up a wall of worry. What had been so important? Couldn't this have waited for their tutoring session that was only a few hours away? Couldn't he have gone to Mingi or some other asshole he hung out with?

Jisung chews on his lower lip, hand finding the handle of the door as he swings it open, spotting Minho almost immediately. His posture had been tense, leaned up against the wall, holding a near-crumpled paper in his hand. On top of that, he smelled like cigarette smoke, his jacket had been draped loosely, hanging off of one of his shoulders, his shirt collar too low, exposing more of his scars that Jisung hadn't seen before. They were larger, more inflicting; Jisung's heart nearly shattering at the sight of them.

"Sorry–" Jisung blurts out gently. "I'm here, what's up?"

Minho glances upwards, eyes hidden beneath the overhang of his messily styled bangs, the majority of his hair trapped beneath a black beanie, one that Jisung had seen on many occasions. Minho's body language is almost unreadable, his arms folded against his chest, his breathing slightly heavy as he looks at Jisung almost pleadingly.

"Minho?" Jisung asks again, stepping closer. "I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"I failed." Minho's voice, low and weak, manages to mutter out, raising his arm away from the comfort of his body, holding the paper out in the space between them. "I failed. Again."

"Minho," Jisung sighs, setting down his lunch tote on one of the sinks before stepping closer, gently taking the paper from the male's grasp. He had been right, he failed miserably. Jisung glances at his answers, reading the marks and the note from the teacher near the top, a large degrading mark right next to Minho's name. "How did this happen? I thought we prepared well for this test."

"I thought we did too." Minho shrugs, gaze falling away. "My dad is going to kill me."

"Don't say that." Jisung tries to reassure, but he hadn't been completely positive if Minho had been joking or not.

"I can't fail, Jisung. I can't take this test home to him." Minho's breath catches in his throat, words stuck, unable to let the truth roll free.

"Say it." Jisung pries gently, eyes solely focused now on Minho, searching his gaze for anything that the male would offer him. "I'm not going to judge you."

"I can't trust that." Minho warns, hand moving to take the paper out of Jisung's grasp. "Why do you even care?"

"Why did you even call me here if you thought I didn't care?" Jisung defends lightly, trying to keep his tone calm, afraid of pushing Minho any further away.

"I don't know–"

"I do care, actually." Jisung lowers his head slightly, trying to peek beneath Minho's bangs in a feeble attempt to catch his gaze. "We might just be study buddies, Minho, but I do care."

"No one cares." Minho retorts, arm falling back against his chest, the paper crumpling within his tightening grasp. "I don't know why you're even here, Jisung."

"You are so confusing right now–" Jisung sighs, taking a step closer. "Look at me."

Minho does as he's asked, maybe out of pure confusion for the younger's sudden bravery, but their eyes lock almost immediately. "Tell me what you meant by that."

"About calling you here?"

"No, Minho. You said that your dad will kill you if he sees this test. Why?" Jisung knows that he has to tread carefully, partially understanding that this really hadn't been his business, but the pain that had been stowed away in Minho's gaze had overwritten any fear that was associated with crossing boundaries.

"Jisung–" Minho's head leans into the wall behind him, chewing on his lower lip.

"I want to help you. I can't do that if you're not honest with me."

"I just– I can't, okay? I can't fail these fucking tests and I can't go home like this. Is that what you want to hear? You want to hear that I'm afraid to go home?" Minho's sudden outburst sends Jisung stumbling backwards three steps, his eyes wide. Minho had been notorious for his apparent hot-headedness, but Jisung had never witnessed his irritation or anger before this moment. He knew that he likely didn't mean it, but this change in his demeanor sent a chill down his spine, one that Jisung knew he wouldn't be able to forget.

"Of course not." Jisung throws back, brows pinched. "Hearing that. . . that makes me worry, Minho. I know we're not close, and probably not even friends, but if you need to talk–"

"I don't need shit for you or from anyone." Minho warns, but Jisung can see the regret piled in his hues. His broken heart had been tossed on the floor ahead of Jisung within this empty bathroom, their gazes locked, a certain electricity buzzing within them, ready to ignite.

"Then why bother asking me to come here?" Jisung remains persistent, watching as Minho's walls subtly begin to crack.

"I didn't–" Minho's voice is quieter, his body language dismissive, eyes staring at the paper within his grasp. "I didn't want to be alone."

"You don't have to be." Jisung says, his voice incredibly soft. "Coming from someone who has spent their entire life alone, I can understand the pain of feeling so isolated. You don't have to be like this, Minho. You can rely on someone."

"Mingi–" Minho's brows pinch. "He wouldn't get it."

"What about Hyunjin?"

"No." Minho takes an uneasy breath, glancing at Jisung for a quiet, palpable moment. Jisung looks right back at him, concern etched into his expression. "Can I–"

Jisung waits, watching as Minho's brows pinch in contemplation. "Can I. . . come to you?"

A breath of relief falls away from Jisung's lungs quietly as he nods, a warm smile covering his lips. "Of course you can. I don't know what's going on Minho, but we can tackle this test and the next one, okay? We have time to fix it."

"What do I show him?" Minho carefully unfolds the creases and bends within his test, pointing to it half-heartedly. "This test. . . he can't know."

"We can take a picture of mine." Jisung assures, watching as Minho's eyes cast a certain level of worry and curiosity. "We can crop out my name, but I aced it. Just take a picture of it and claim that the teacher didn't want us taking it home."

"But the handwriting–"

"Don't zoom in, yeah? Play it off the best you can. Give him a quick look and take your phone right back." Jisung smiles at him for a moment, trying to gauge Minho's reaction to the idea, but he had seemed rather clueless in terms of a response.

"It's–" Minho looks back down at his paper, shaking his head slightly. "It's the only choice I have."

"We will get through it, okay? I'll take a picture of my test when I get to that class next period and I'll send it to you."

"Wait, you haven't even gotten your test yet? How do you know you aced it?"

"I'm the one tutoring you, Lee Minho. You've also called me smarty pants. I'm the brains here." Jisung playfully teases, hopeful to lessen the surmounting tension lingering in the quiet bathroom. Minho barely smiles back, fist balling up the paper without remorse.

"Yeah, alright."

After a few seconds of quiet, Jisung looks at Minho, finding himself still worried. "Minho?"

"Hm?"

"Are you sure there's nothing else you want to talk about?" Jisung tries to question, prompting the ability for the male to vent if he so desires to, but Minho shakes his head.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, right now. I can handle it. It's my burden to deal with, not yours."

Jisung had been prepared to retort to that statement, but to his dismay, the bell had begun to chime, signaling period change.

"Thank you for the free therapy, Jisung. I'll see you in a bit," Minho says, tone somewhat lighter than when he had arrived.

"Yeah," Jisung offers a smile, grabbing his lunch tote. "I'll see you later."

And with that, Jisung leaves Minho alone in the enclosed space, wondering why his heart had been left on the floor, in that very bathroom with him.

The school day passes by in a whirlwind, Jisung's mind an unkempt mess. Minho had opened up, just barely, a simple glimpse into what Jisung was making out to be his inner, deeper wounds.

Jisung had now been sitting in the library, his phone in his hand, eyes boring into text messages from a group chat he had been added to, titled: lunch gang.

Lee Felix

What is everyone up to right now?

Jung Wooyoung

Headed home with Sannie. Why?

Lee Felix

I require attention.

I also added Jisung to the gc :)

Jung Wooyoung

Welcome to hell, Jisung!

This was Felix's creation, not ours.

Yang Jeongin

Oh my god, you're so dramatic.

This is the best way for us to get together outside of that hellhole anyway.

You guys are seriously a lot sometimes. But I like it.

Jung Wooyoung

San says hi, by the way. :)

OH, and I meant to ask you, Ji, why'd you leave in such a rush?

Lee Felix

Oh yeah, that's right. Why did you do that?

Oh! Nothing too major. Minho texted me.

Yang Jeongin

I can tell that that's a lie even through the phone, Jisung.

You're insane.

Jung Wooyoung

I tried telling you! He's crazy!

Lee Felix

Spill the beans. What'd he want?

Guys, I really don't know if it's my place to say.

Jung Wooyoung

Oh, so it was that serious? That type of convo?

Yang Jeongin

It's not like we're going to tell the whole school, Jisung.

I know that. He shared something with me that isn't necessarily something that I should be talking about as if it's my own business.

Lee Felix

That's. . . awfully kind of you, actually.

He really doesn't deserve that type of kindness, but I'll praise you for it anyway.

He's really misunderstood. I wish you guys could see that.

Jung Wooyoung

I've seen enough from him in regards to the ten-year friendship we had.

He doesn't just 'open up' to people. If he told you something. . . that's a mystery in itself.

Yang Jeongin

He could just trust Jisung more.

Jung Wooyoung

I'll kick your ass, Innie. Watch your mouth.

Okay, I didn't mean to start a fight.

Lee Felix

No one is fighting, Jisung. We're fine. Just confused, maybe.

We keep circling back to this, though?

Minho likes my company, and for some reason he keeps seeking me out.

Why? Does anyone have an answer for me?

Jung Wooyoung

He's likely using you.

He's just not who he used to be anymore.

He's a fucking asshole.

He's–

Lee Felix

??

Oh?

Jung Wooyoung

Hi, sorry. It's San. I took his phone, he was being a dick.

He apologizes! I'm shutting his phone off so he can relax a bit. We'll talk to you all later.

Yang Jeongin

Knew that was coming.

I really didn't mean to start anything or stir up broken feelings.

Lee Felix

You didn't, Woo can just be sensitive about it sometimes, which is why we mostly avoid talking about him. You have all the right to be curious about him Jisung, but with whatever you're searching to pull from him, just be careful. I understand that he interests you and that you want to help him, but he's never had a single good intention since he's come back to this place.

Okay.

Jisung turns off his phone, placing it face down. He's frustrated, slightly upset, and even more confused than he'd ever been. They had all been delivering confusing messages in regards to Minho, pushing him closer to him at times and pulling him right back; it almost felt teasing.

He was sure that there were no true evil intentions behind any of it, but it wasn't helping clear the thoughts already stirring around anxiously.

Minho was hurting, and he was dealing with it alone. Jisung wasn't completely positive that he'd be able to continue with his life, sleeping peacefully, living his daily routine without a blink knowing the slightest bit of information about Minho's troubled past.

His eyes bore a pain he couldn't help but fall concerned about, his body physically marked with loads of trauma that led to a path of despair and unrelenting anguish, something that Jisung found hard to ignore completely. Regardless of the group's message towards him, Jisung would continue his pry into Minho's life, waiting patiently on the other side of his walls, hoping that one day Minho would willingly pull them down and welcome Jisung inside.

Just as Jisung raises his gaze to eye the clock, his phone buzzes again, this time with a message from Minho.

Lee Minho

Can't study today. I'll see you tomorrow.

Jisung sighs, leaning back in his seat. It likely had something to do with Mingi or his father, and to that, Jisung knew he couldn't pull Minho away from it. So, he simply gathers his things and makes his way home.

His room is a sudden switch of calm he hadn't anticipated, rolling past the empty living space and bare furniture, knowing that his parents had likely still been at work, as usual.

So, he slumps down onto his bed, body spent and mind tired, the entire day whizzing past him in an array of thoughts. He grabs for his phone, spotting messages from the group chat again, discussing something that he hadn't paid attention to.

This change, this invite to settle into their group in an act to grow closer, had been awfully warming. Jisung didn't mind it, not even slightly, but he finds himself too occupied with thoughts about Minho to even care about the messages right now.

He knew he couldn't ask Wooyoung about Minho, since it had been too sensitive of a topic for him to handle, so he brazenly opted for Felix, hoping that he knew something.

Question for you.

Lee Felix

Shoot!

There's gotta be more that you know about Minho.

Lee Felix

This again?

I'm sorry, I just– I have a lot of thoughts right now. They're all of him. I need someone to help me clear my damn head.

Lee Felix

Well, okay. I don't know much, but I've heard rumors.

Rumors are just rumors though, so don't think too deeply into them.

Wooyoung hasn't told you anything?

Lee Felix

Not too much. He claims that Minho is too different, so the past details wouldn't matter.

Okay, but what about his family? His home situation? What changed? Why is he so violent now?

Lee Felix

I know that his parents are wealthy, but there was an accident a bit ago. He was privately schooled for a bit and whatever, but that accident had changed everything. I kind of think, based on the rumors, something bad had happened, and he got sent away to public school.

But–? That doesn't make any sense to me.

Lee Felix

If you knew him for the short time I had, it would speak volumes. Trust me.

Even still, why would the transfer alter his behavior that badly?

Lee Felix

I wish I had answers for you.

Okay, but what bad thing happened? What are the rumors?

Lee Felix

I don't know how true it is, Ji. I don't want to taint whatever picture you've painted of him in your mind.

I really don't care right now Felix, I'll take anything. I need something.

I want to understand him, you have no idea.

Lee Felix

Don't tell Wooyoung I told you, Ji. He might be upset.

Why would he be upset?

Lee Felix

San told me all of this. I don't want woosan to be ruined, okay?

Besides the point, Felix. What's the secret?

Lee Felix

I think his mother died in an accident, and his father blames him for it.