Centers of Fate - Stray Kids

Chapter 19 - Beginnings

"Go away!"

A faint and somewhat familiar voice called out from behind the door. "It's Changbin. I'm here with Minho, he needs you."

"I said go away!"

"Hannieeeeeeeeee."

Minho screamed louder than Jisung had ever heard. He slowly approached the door, his heart breaking at the sobs he could hear behind it. Despite his own heightened anxiety about the article, helping Minho was more important. The door opened, and Minho tackled Jisung, pinning him against the wall as he continued to cry.

"I'm going to go."

Jisung settled his arms around Minho's waist. "What happened?"

"He'll explain it to you, hopefully." Changbin swiped the back of his hand over his eyes. "I'm worried about him. Please take care of him."

Jisung nodded at Minho's friend in his pinstriped suit with a solid black tie. He mumbled something else as he closed the apartment door behind him, but all Jisung could hear was Minho's cries.

"Baby," His attention turned towards the inconsolable mess in front of him. "I can't breathe, can we sit on the couch?"

Minho glued his head on Jisung's shoulder as they shifted around the furniture in the small apartment. It was in one of the newer spiral buildings, so the decor was modernized, but overall it lacked space to make as many rooms as possible.

"Sungie whyyyyyy?" Minho wasn't quite as loud as they fell on the couch, him naturally falling on top, his leg trapping Jisung to the cushions.

"Why what?"

"Why everything?"

Jisung closed his eyes and knew, at least at the current moment, nothing he said would get through. He was already exhausted from his own panic attack that day, and didn't know how much energy he had left to properly deal with this. He turned them on their sides so he could actually breathe, and stared deep into the brown bloodshot eyes devoid of life.

"How can I help you calm down?" Jisung whispered, wiping the tears away with his fingers. "I don't want you telling me anything until then."

Minho was gasping for air through his crying hiccups. "Answer a question for me."

"Anything."

"You mean it?" Jisung nodded, their faces inches apart. "What are we?"

Jisung's heart sank. He knew it was only a matter of time before the cuddling and dates wouldn't be enough for Minho anymore. He avoided the kisses and intimacy as long as he could to let his feelings grow. Feelings that, after many months, were definitely there.

"I'm scared to commit." Jisung tried to stay stoic, but his eyes betrayed him as he looked at Minho. "I care about you. But the system says I'm broken and not worth dating. That I'm not stable or attractive enough for partnership."

"It's not true though."

"But you would have thought this about me six months ago." The younger couldn't stop himself from letting his own tears fall. "What if your job finds out and your rep..."

"They let Bin and I go this morning."

Jisung's eyes widened in shock. "For what reason?"

"Causing a ruckus and making the company look bad."

"That's ridiculous!"

"I have nothing left to lose, Sung. Nothing except you." Minho closed his eyes, not wanting to see Jisung's reaction to his next words. "I don't want to lose you. I've fallen in love with you. I can't live without you now that you changed my whole outlook on life. I don't recognize who I was six months ago. That person was an asshole who was indoctrinated by his family to hate everyone. And then that person indoctrinated himself to hate anyone who needed help. That all changed the day I met you under the trees."