COFFEE | minsung

six

Jisung stared at the words on his phone, pinching himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming nor was he hallucinating. 

The second he sent the message saying how his heart had skipped a beat, he immediatey wanted to delete it, afraid that Minho would completely avoid him the next day but what he didn't expect was for him to reply in such a way. 

" you made my heart skip a beat when you laughed. "

Jisung could feel his cheeks burning up as he reread the message, trying not to look like a lunatic on the bus who was smiling to himself and clearing his throat instead of letting out a delighted squeal. 

As he got off the bus, his thoughts were entirely preoccupied by Minho. Was he enjoying the cake? Did he reach home yet? Was he going to rest soon? Jisung lightly shook his head, trying to shake his curiousity towards the boy away. He wanted to keep thinking of him but he knew that if he didn't stop smiling like an idiot, they would be suspicious of him. 

The bounce in his step slowly started disappearing the closer he got to home, his legs practically dragging his feet up every step. With a sigh, he unlocked the door, dropping his keys on the shoerack and quietly unlacing his sneakers and placing them inside. 

The lights in the living room were turned off but he knew that someone sat in the armchair, sitting in silence and waiting for the time to react. 

"You're home late." The man stood up, walking towards Jisung and practically towering over him. He folded his arms, waiting for Jisung to respond as if he had asked a question when all he said was a statement. 

Jisung pulled on his sweater sleeves. "I was studying-"

"Were you? You weren't out seeing some guy were you?" Jisung clenched his fists, unable to even meet him in the eyes and instead looking down onto the floor. "Well? Were you-"

"I wasn't. And, I don't know why it matters so much to you dad," Jisung said, trying his best to keep his volume down because he knew his mom was probably worrying in her room, an ear pressed against the door as she listened. "Look, it's late and I don't really know why you want to discuss this now-"

A slap followed by a thud. 

Jisung found himself on the floor, still unable to stare at his father as he held onto his own cheek, thankful that it wasn't bleeding. Compared to his father, Jisung was a lot tinier and a lot weaker so his one hit was enough to send Jisung falling and in some instances, it would leave cuts on him that he wanted to hide from the world. 

"Don't talk back to me," his father snarled but before he could do anything, someone held him back. "Let go of me Younghyun." Jisung's older brother, Younghyun held onto their fathers' arm tightly and unlike Jisung who was easily bruised and wounded, Younghyun was the complete opposite, his physique a near carbon copy of their father. 

"Jisung, go get some rest yea?" Younghyun said and in the faint moonlight shining into their otherwise dark room, he saw him try to give a reassuring smile. "It's really late so just go."

"Younghyun!" Their father broke free from his grasp, trying to land a hit on him only for Younghyun to catch his punches. "Stop defending your brother! This is why he turned out weak!"

Jisung felt tears sting in his eyes, paralysed on the floor, his hand still on his cheek as he heard the door creak open, their mother coming out and running to Jisung, kneeling beside him and pulling him into a hug. "Leave my son alone!" she screamed, his entire body shaking as he sobbed in her arms. 

"Just shut up dad. Can't you just let all of us rest?" Younghyun said, dragging their father to his room and shutting the door behind them. 

Jisung sat quietly as his mom sang a soft lullaby to him, letting him fall asleep on her shoulder and not caring that the floor was cold as she hugged her son tightly, Jisung's tears staining her shirt as he snifled even in his sleep.