Bittersweet Memories (A Stray Kids Short Story Collection)

Magic I

Disclaimer: This story includes MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH

     September 3, 2016.

     Lee Minho isn't a liar.

     He's the farthest from a liar that you will ever get. If he could describe himself in two words, it would be Brutal Honesty. It takes a while to figure it out; the stern expression he usually wears betrays none of his mind, his closed-off demeanour prevents people from figuring him out, but everything Minho shows is real.

     There's a reason he was unanimously voted to continue as his school newspaper's editor for the second year in a row (something Minho gave a heartfelt gratitude speech for, meaning every word.) There's a reason his critic pieces are notoriously feared to make or break a club's reputation. There's a reason his school's production of The Lion King was forced to shut down early after his scalding review prevented people from showing up (he'd remember. The drama club sent him death threats for weeks after the incident.)

     It all leads up to the fact that Minho wears his heart on his sleeve and his thoughts on his face. That makes him your best friend or worst enemy. Minho doesn't try to pretend to like people he knows he'll never tolerate. He doesn't try to hide when he does favour someone either, allowing him to pick up many acquaintances and even friends. People find him intimidating. Maybe he is. He simply doesn't like pretenders, doesn't ever want to become one. In his opinion, life is simpler without secrets, and his inner thoughts are as public as the school newspaper that gets released every month.

     In fact, it is right now at 10 pm at night that Minho's friend, Han Jisung, is reciting those very facts to him as Minho takes the biggest step of his life.

     "Remember, Minho, you're our school's editor because you don't mind tearing people to pieces!"

     "Calm down, Jisung, or I might just accidentally end up writing some of what you're telling me."

     "Fine, let me talk in newspaper lingo to make it easier for you. Honesty is your headline and your entire hook and information stems from it. Do it well and those college administrators will eat it up like a five-course meal!"

     "Ya think?"

     "Of course! English professors love honesty. They want to read free thought and expression and they don't like pretenders either. You are the very definition of a non-pretender and- are you done writing yet!?"

     Minho can't help but laugh over the stress. From an outsider's perspective, it would seem like Han Jisung is a distraction and these types of tasks are best done alone. But Minho knows he needs Jisung by his side. Without him there pushing Minho to hurry up and without his set deadline, Minho will never finish this and it will become an ongoing battle of nerves. Minho knows that Jisung probably has only about 5 minutes, give or take 15 seconds, before he loses his patience entirely, and that lasers Minho's focus to do his best work in that time span.

     "Minho, it's the best it can be. Just submit it."

     "You really think so?" Jisung, unlike Minho, has no problem telling lies. But he will never lie to Minho.

     In seconds, Minho feels a warm hand in his, squeezing it with all the confidence in the world (read: universe.) "I'm really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really-"

     "Okay, okay!" Minho says, giving up on his tense posture entirely and falling back on the bed. "I'm hitting submit!"

     "Go, Minho! Go, Minho!"