Trapped | Hwang Hyunjin

Side Story [1]

Ever since Hanseol and Hyunjin got together, there aren't many reasons for Jisung to meet up with his soulmate anymore. He did declare that he'll be supporting Hanseol's relationship with Hyunjin, since he deeply cares for those two.

Ah...But these feelings. He lays his head on his desk, opening his phone while he scrolls through the social media. "Ugh, is Instagram spying on me?" Jisung bitterly chuckles when he sees a picture of Hanseol and Hyunjin, smiling together as they stood in front of the aquarium; they must've been on a date.

"Didn't you say that you're willing to let her go?"

Jisung shoots up from his position and finds his roommate, Minho, leaning against the door with his arms folded. His concerned smile is there, and it reminds Jisung of the time where Hanseol called him to confirm her feelings for Hyunjin.

He checked up on me just like that day. Jisung smiles when he sees his friend and decides to reply to his question with a chuckle, "Well, it's not that easy to forget someone once they have let themselves into one's special place."

"I won't deny that." Minho nods as he closes the door of the room, sitting on Jisung's bed. "But are you going to mourn like this forever?"

"O-Of course not!" He was so quick to deny it, then Minho gives him another question. "Then when?"

Jisung ruffles his hair in frustration.

"I don't know. It's hard." He truthfully says. It's been almost 3 months and nothing within him has changed. He's still the same person who has a clear, one-sided love and acts like a normal friend while he hangs out with his soulmate despite hurting inside.

Minho shakes his head in amusement at the sight of his dumb best friend. "What do you expect when you still meet her from time to time?"

"I don't meet her THAT often!"

"True, but you are STILL seeing her." Minho states firmly, "And that's a problem. If you really want to move on, you shouldn't meet her for some time—don't be inconsistent. No wonder you're still stuck in the past."

Jisung goes silent at his friend's statement, as the latter continues. "You're still hanging onto that rope of hope, dumbass." Minho gets up from the bed and now, leans against the desk, next to Jisung. "You need some time for yourself. Go on a healing trip or something."

"You make me sound like I've just gone through some traumatic event."

"Isn't her rejection traumatic enough for you?"

"Ugh." Jisung looks away with a defeated look, then shoos his roommate away, "Alright alright, I'll consider about the healing trip whatsoever."

"Heh." Minho grins, "That's the Jisung I know."

>>>

When Minho said 'a healing trip' for him to recover, Jisung didn't expect to see him, joining this mini trip as well. Not like he minds his roommate's presence, but he remembers Minho telling him about going back to visit his family or something doing Christmas.

Yet here he is with Jisung; walking around the Christmas festival, side-by-side, admiring all the stalls and decorations around them.

"Does this view amuse you?" Minho asks, referring to how Jisung prefers celebrating indoors for the past few years. While they have been roommates for 3 years, Minho has never seen Jisung attending any form of a crowded event like this.

And it's surprising to see him picking this place to visit as his healing trip. Of course, it didn't sit right at first with Minho, since Jisung doesn't like the crowds. So being a reliable roommate he is, he postpones his family visit to make sure Jisung enjoys his trip just fine. Obviously, though, the younger one doesn't know anything about this noble sacrifice.