Stray Kids [Tickle Fics]

The Pain Carries Silently...

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𝒍𝒆𝒆: Minho

𝒍𝒆𝒓: SKZ

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Minho sighed quietly as he messed up yet another step. He didn't know what was wrong with him lately.

Luckily, Hyunjin noticed his distress. "Let's take five. We all need a break." He added, giving the older a sympathetic look.

Lino gulped down half the bottle of water, noting how his stomach silently cried out in pain.

Hopefully, he wasn't sick. Minho couldn't afford to take a break. Especially not during comeback season.

After his apparently dismal dance practice, Minho led the others back the the dorms, making sure to stay at least six steps ahead of them to avoid accidentally revealing his disappointed face.

He knew they wouldn't mind, that they would comfort him and tell him that it was okay.

But that wasn't what he needed right now. Lee Know decided to get a good cry in once we was alone in his dorm room.

The others immediately started preparing dinner in the kitchen, but the eldest dancer promptly made a bee-line to his room, slowly closing and locking the door.

Minho got in the shower, unable to feel, or even think straight. 'What is wrong with me?'

Silent tears ran down his face, washed away by the water from the steaming shower.

Minho managed to hide the fact that he cried by fanning his face and smiling a few times to convince himself that he was okay.

I mean, how else would it be believable?

He made his way back to the kitchen, sitting down at the table and silently eating the food that the others set out for him.

The dinner table was silent for once. He didn't know why everyone was being so awkward. It wasn't normal of them.

"Um, what's happening?" Minho cringed at the way his voice cracked, weak from his earlier crying.

"Hyung, are you feeling okay? You've been kinda...silent." Jisung's face was concerned, and everyone else nodded with him.

Lino gulped, scrunching his eyebrows together to feign a confused expression. "What do you mean? I'm...okay." He giggled at the end and bit his lip to contain his tears.

Why was he being so sensitive? It wasn't normal at all.

Then why did he feel like crying?

"Don't...lie to me..." Seungmin trailed off when Minho suddenly looked away, blinking rapidly to contain the wave of tears that suddenly overwhelmed him.

Once he was sure he got a handle on it, Minho looked back at their timid faces and smiled. "C'mon, I'm just nervous because it's comeback season. Don't scare me like that." He rolled his eyes playfully and grinned at them.

His nerves were practically on fire, and his heart started pounding in a familiar way to let him know that the waterworks were on the way.

Lino started to take deep breaths, urging his brain to hold it in until he got back to his room.

The others began to shoot another round of questions and statements like, "Are you okay?" or "I know you're not fine, you can tell me."

But that's the thing. I don't know how to tell you...

Chan gave him a knowing look, and Minho panicked.

A broken sob sliced through everyone's voices.

The room grew deathly silent as Minho curled into himself, fists clenching around his shirt as guilt flooded him like a tidal wave to a calm beach.