forever︱seo changbin ✔

Chapter 9

Minho had to get Jisung out of his head. He winced every time he recollected his confession. Aside from the embarrassment, he also felt pain. He knew Jisung would reject him, but that didn't seem to cushion the fall into sorrow.

He also knew that blocking Jisung was wrong. Jisung didn't deserve it. He only spoke the truth, just like how Minho had done himself. With all this in mind, he ended up at Chan's apartment after mindlessly scrolling on his phone at a cafe the entire morning.

Chan, being the kind man that he was, tended to Minho, abandoning all else.

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(Earlier that day)

"Minho?" Chan didn't expect the boy currently standing at his doorstep. But he looked like a wreck. "Oh, um, I'm sorry, there was just a lot on my mind-"

"Come in." Chan gestured.

Minho walked in, only to find a girl in the living room. "Hi! I'm Vi- sorry, Youngmi!" She nervously smiled and waved her hand. He felt even worse, knowing that he interrupted something.

"I'm going to leave you two be." She smiled kindly again. "Bye Chan."  She left without any words. Minho could see the way Chan looked at her. Pure adoration.

"Tell me what happened. I'll go make some coffee." It was impossible not to feel comfort in Chan's presence. Minho was reluctant to begin, but there was a reason he came here.

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"Minho, you know you shouldn't have blocked him." Chan was still trying to advise Minho. "Yeah, but it was too painful to look back at all our texts." Minho's elbows were resting on his knees when he gripped his hair in frustration."

"I understand where your coming from." Chan heaved a few breaths. "Okay, there's no point dwelling on what happened in the past, how about you  unblock Jisung and ask him to talk to tomorrow? In person?"

"I can't face him now. I'm such an asshole." Minho buried his face in his palms. "Ask for forgiveness. Listen, both of you care about each other too much for your ego's to get in the way."

Chan couldn't bear to see his closest friend so upset. He continued: "Do you want to stay the night?" Perhaps Minho didn't want to see his dorm-mates, and others right now.

"Yeah." Minho was starting to feel better. "But first text or call your friends, I'm sure they're worried about you." 

"No, they're not." He still checked.

(15 missed calls) changbin

(13 missed calls) hyunjin

"Oh shit." Gosh, what was the time now? He glanced at the corner of his phone. 20:10? He hurriedly went to his messages.

changbin

changbin 17:20

minho?

where are you?

i thought you would be back by now

changbin 18:12

wherever you are, just respond

we need to know you're ok

changbin 19:35

this isn't funny, minho

changbin 20:05

minho, we're worried, just tell us if you're safe

hyunjin

hyunjin 17:30

i don't know what happened between you and jisung

but you need to come back

hyunjin 18:09

bro, where are you??

hyunjin 19:26

minho, are you okay?

is your phone on silent?

hyunjin 19:45

if you don't respond in 10 minutes, i'm going to call the cops

please just call, text anything

sungie

You can no longer send or receive messages from this contact.

He clicks on his contact every time. Force of habit. "I'll be right back." Minho went out to the balcony and hastily pressed the buttons on his phone to call Changbin, who picked up almost immediately.

"Minho? Oh my god, you had no idea how scared we were!" Changbin sounded like he breathed a huge sigh of relief, and then Minho could only hear muffled voices before Hyunjin was heard on the phone.

"I'm going to kill you, how could you do this to us?" Minho felt even guiltier, even Hyunjin sounded incredibly concerned.

"I'm so sorry." The words barely slipped from Minho's mouth. 

"It's okay, just tell us where you are."

"I'm at Chan's."

Another sigh of relief. "That's good, but you can't avoid Jisung forever."

"I know." Minho pinched his nose-bridge.

He hung up. 

Chan walked up to him and put an arm around his shoulder. The two stared out at the empty sky. "It's going to get better."