saturnine ♡

23 ▪︎▪︎▪︎ I was stained with you and I was surprised at the first feeling I felt

BE•

As soon as Seungmin opened his eyes. Everything he worked on for the past few days reflected in this moment. Cameras are flashing, clicking here and there, applause were given to him and the crowd stood up along with the judges. Gleaming lights, high ceiling, and the sounds of cheers filling in his ears.

Seungmin smiled brightly taking a step back and bowed gracefully. He giggled away from the microphone as he waved with his both hands, flustered, leaving the stage.

His singing was well received.

His nerves calmed down like waves of the beach going on low tide. Hyunjin watched proudly Seungmin was like a flower in amidst the chaos.

He took the paper with his appraisal backstage. He read it as he stepped down the metal stairs, Few criticisms were made but mostly praises for his vocal techniques and how he would improve for the future, as expected from the expert teachers, he already have seen some papers from those who finished, earlier.

The judges are nothing but harsh, far from kind. Even a bishop status got a full failing from one of the panels for starting in a verse in the wrong key as she sang, an honest mistake. The girl ran away as she saw her evaluation.

His ego soared getting a result like this is almost impossible. He stood there admiring his marks as one of his classmate from the very same subject who already performed, bumped into him spilling all of the beverage in his clothes and the liquid also splashed on his paper.

Seungmin gasped in horror at the three in front of him as the other people and participants in there looked away as they laughed while apologizing and left. The apology isn't sincere at all, it's rather condescending. There's not a hint of regret.

The people proceeded to whisper behind his back and a staff member approached him and helped him out, giving him paper towels and cleaning after the spill on the floor.

"Sorry about the mess.'' He told the staff.

"It's alright, it happens a lot, you did so well earlier that's why. Be careful out there.'' The staff patted his back as he went out the double door. The door sprung back, closing slowly behind him and he stood there dumbfounded.

And there he saw as he panned on the right, Hyunjin standing on the hallway, smiling. He watched his boyfriend's face went from beaming to worried in a split-second.

He didn't wanted Hyunjin to see him in such state, drenched and looking pitiful. Seungmin felt embarrassed, Even in his past schools, he was never treated as such. He can't process as to why he's being picked on.

In addition to that, being apart from Hyunjin most of the times and being on a different majors, he never thought it would drive him this crazy. He felt so so lonely.

Seungmin pouted into a frown. He didn't cry even though he wanted to. This series of events that transpired lately isn't that serious. Though it's quite a lot. He's not that dense but he feels like people are eyeing him out in a not very good way. He understands why Hyunjin is forcing him into factions. Maybe he should start caring, It should be dealt with sooner. 

"Baby, Oh my god, sweets- what happened?'' Hyunjin frantically looked into his eyes as if he was searching for something, held him in his shoulder and arms, looked down on his coffee stained shirt and paper, Pulled out his own handkerchief and patted it down.

Seungmin just stood there silently.

To be honest, He's been having a really tough time here. It's really tough.

But he can't just tell Hyunjin that??

They've worked so hard just to get here. It was all but indirect attacks, it wasn't physical at all, he always ignored it. A simple blocking the hallways won't really hurt him. Being passive should not put him in any harm he supposes. But it does put him on edge, a paranoia that someone's out to get him.