Pandora's Box

Chapter 17

minsung finally i hope you're cheering 🙏

also small content warning?: domestic abuse, to the point of death. (it's a brief mention, but still worth noting)

Beomgyu finally introduced Jisung to Soobin. They'd gotten along great, like he knew they would. But eventually, he dragged the two apart, forcing his friend onto their cabin porch.

He had, after all, agreed to this. Beomgyu could tell he knew it, too, as Jisung wouldn't look him in the eyes. But he had already avoided it for too long.

"Alright Jisung. Spill."

The boy finally looked at him, realizing there was no escape, and nodded.

***

February, 2014

If there was one thing about fourteen-year-old Han Jisung, it was that he never shut up about his best friend Lee Minho.

The boys were always seen together, cracking some joke or talking about the newest video game. It didn't even spark jealousy or annoyance to their other friends, who would simply stare affectionately at the inseparable pair.

And while both were equally adored by the other, Jisung was convinced that he adored Minho way more.

His bunny-like smile, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, the way he would jokingly call him "fish boy", but would murder anyone else that did the same.

He'd helped Han through troubles at home, and with his dad's anger issues that he'd often taken out on Jisung and his mother. Minho had always been there to distract him or to make him laugh or smile. Jisung adored Minho, and would do anything for him. In his eyes, they were truly soulmates.

He would never risk ruining that dynamic.

Especially not by admitting to his best friend that he had feelings for him.

And besides, he was fine with just staring and fonding over him from a distance.

At least, until Valentine's Day.

Pandora Academy always went full out for the holiday, fully due to Yeonjun and Kai's enthusiasm about it. Even on the 15th, the two would start planning for next year.

Kai was always eager to pass out love notes to everyone, and Yeonjun had way too much fun scheming about how to get people together when he knew they liked each other.

It was why Jisung had been avoiding him for two weeks.

The thought of Yeonjun finding out about his crush on Minho, only to know that the other didn't feel the same way, was more than Jisung could've bared to think about.

The night of their 2014 Valentine's Day, the storm was coming down hard as it ever had on that holiday.

Or really, on any other day. Poseidon and Zeus were clearly feeling passionate about something.

Jisung was hiding in his cabin and binging rom coms, wondering if he'd ever feel that type of love.

Probably not.

The door slammed open, and Jisung nearly pissed himself. He looked to see a very wet and very strange looking Minho staring at him. He'd never seen the boy like this before, and it was terrifying.

"Hey. What's up?"

Minho said nothing and simply closed the door, his eyes never leaving the boy across the room.

He looked enraged. No...worse than enraged. Jisung saw how his breaths were all sharp and unfinished, and the boy looked like he'd been crying for weeks.