The Three Worst Secrets

The One We Left Behind

"No please. Not mine. Let's take the red one."

They didn't argue, sliding into the other car he pointed to and driving away.

"Where are we going?" Felix asked, almost manic with nerves.

"Your house I guess. Unless you want to go somewhere else Seungie?"

"I don't care. Anywhere."

Felix's house was unnaturally empty, but it might be because it was still quite early in the day. They walked inside and Felix headed for the fridge, pouring some iced tea and setting large glasses of it in front of them.

Seungmin looked worse in the natural sunlight, even with Felix's magic foundation skills.

"You've been missing. Are you going to tell us why?" The freckled boy asked, sipping at his drink.

He shuddered lightly, as if from a chill, looking around at them like he wasn't quite sure how he'd gotten there. "Tell you... why?"

"Yeah. Why you've been avoiding our calls? Avoiding us?"

"I'm... uh... not sure. I just... need time."

"You've had time." Minho pointed out monotonously.

Seungmin watched a drop of condensation travel down the outer wall of his glass. When it hit the table he eyed them like they'd materialized out of thin air. "Sorry. What?"

"You had time already so what do you need more time for?"

"Uh. I guess I just..." he shook himself gently, rubbing hands over his face "just need more?"

"For what though?"

"I'm... planning."

"Planning? Planning what?"

"Revenge."

Oh, how he wished he had bruises to squeeze. Insanely, he remembered Hyunjin asking about it and was glad he didn't have a replacement for his wrench yet. He probably wouldn't feel the hits for a while. Seungmin made him crazy. Even looking at him made his skin itchy. He was so stupid. So self-centered!

The air was getting thick and heavy. He had to get out of there. Just for a little while.

Felix let Minho walk out. Seungmin didn't even notice until a few minutes later.

"Where is- Minnie?"

"Gone. You spooked him."

"What?"

"You're planning again? More revenge? For who?"

"Oh. OH, not father. Need it to be uh, good this time."

Felix watched him dazedly sorting through information inside his head. "Okay Seung, you have to include me a little more. I won't let you use Minho again. So what's this plan?"

"Don't need him."

"Someone else?"

"No accomplices. No... bad revenge. Only good. It's just that I've never... done that before."

"That's not revenge Seung. That's called justice."

Minho walked a few blocks just to breathe. He didn't like how deeply invested he was in the taller boy's life. Just one sentence and he was knocked flat. It kind of reminded him of his relationship with his father. Before everything else had happened between them. Seungmin wielded too much power over his emotions. It was terrifying.

The street was nice, Felix lived in a good area. Not a lot of people were out but there were neighborhood noises that kept his thoughts from straying too far. Because if his thoughts went past the basic points he'd be spiraling again.

As soon as he walked back into the house Seungmin was rushing to stand and collapsing into his embrace with an awkwardness that he'd never really had. Minho realized they forgot to grab his cane when they'd picked him up.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. I need to sleep more." His voice was whispery and low, but Felix was eyeing them like he might know what he was saying anyway.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks." More things to worry about. He could feel the younger's ribs through his clothing.

Seungmin stood and looked down at him "I want you to come back, but I need to wait for my dad to leave town again. I couldn't trust leaving you with him there."

"Okay..."

"I'm trying to get... justice. Lixie said it's called justice. Not revenge. I'm sorry I- God I'm sorry I'm like this."

"Oh. Okay." Idiotic warmth spreading up from his ribs. Seungmin seemed awfully small and frail, even though he had to look up into his eyes. "Did you need my help?" He heard himself offer.

"No. Just need. Uh, can I-? I don't sleep much anymore." he was gesturing to the couch and Minho walked over to it without thinking.

As soon as he sat down the taller followed, laying almost on top of him and even throwing one long leg into his lap.

He fell quickly to sleep, Minho gently petting through his hair.

"Do you know what any of this is?" He finally asked when Felix came closer.

"No. I only got more pieces. I suppose he's up to something again. But don't worry. I'm watching him."

Seungmin didn't wake up until the next morning. Luckily, when Hyunjin and Changbin got there, they carried him into a guest room so he could get some real rest.

He tottered down the stairs like a child, groggy and sleep-mussed. All day he seemed to cling to the elder like a hatched chick. It was as endearing as it was strange. Seungmin wasn't one for cuddling or holding hands. Not to such an extent. He seemed a little out of it still too, though he spoke in full coherent sentences when anyone talked to him.

The day washed through them, Seungmin stuck to Minho's side. It eased his feelings a little, having him like that, but it also reminded him of the younger's last real promise. That they could just be friends. Maybe he had given up on winning the elder back?

"Did you want to stay here some more Seungie?" Felix asked him after dinner.

He looked paler, since his makeup had come off when they'd gone swimming. The dark bruising under his eye hadn't gone unnoticed by the others, but they had been careful not to ask about it. Minho had a feeling he'd be the one answering questions when the younger went back to sleep.

"Oh... stay here?" he questioned, looking between Felix and Minho's faces.

"Yeah. We all missed you. It would be nice to have the entire gang back together."

"I can stay. If you really want me to. No one is expecting me to-" he hardened a little, starting the sentence over "No one is expecting me. At home."

"We want you to stay." Minho promised.

Seungmin scooted nearer to him and grabbed at his hand. Hyunjin watched the movement from his place by the window, his eyebrow furrowed in thought.

When they carried him upstairs again- since he couldn't seem to sleep without Minho being nearby- Changbin and Hyunjin asked about the marks.

"He was like that when we found him Jinnie. You know his dad's a jackass." Felix answered.

"I know that he's... abusive... but it was never in the face. It wasn't ever in a place people could see. And I thought it was, I don't know, little stuff. He wanted to keep gossip from spreading about his family."

"Well, he doesn't seem to care about that anymore."

"I suppose not." The tallest rubbed his hands over his face, checking over them. Changbin looked worried, staring at Minho's vacant expression and biting his lip. Felix seemed troubled as well, his normally joyful smile lacking all of its energy.